Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantization Effects on Synchronization of Mobile Agents with Second-Order Dynamics

Abstract This paper studies the quantization effects on the consensus-type schemes for the synchronized motion of teams of mobile agents governed by second-order dynamics. It is shown that when the relative position and velocity information is exchanged between neighboring agents after being quantized by a logarithmic quantizer, the performance of the local coordination scheme hardly deteriorates in steady states. However, it is also pointed out that when a uniform quantizer is not used in the right way, the agents’ velocities may grow unboundedly and their positions may never get together. Such different effects of quantization indicate the necessity for a careful selection of quantization strategies especially for multi-agent systems with higher-order agent dynamics.
Optimal Data Rate for Reliable Packet Communications in Laplace Noise

Vehicular, military and industrial field wireless deployments take place in harsh environments affected by impulsive noise. This letter proposes the use of a selective automatic repeat request (SR-ARQ) scheme where the data transmission rate is optimized in order to minimize the mean delay. The optimization procedure is proposed in relation to the use of a soft-limiting detector that eliminates out-of-amplitude noise at the receiving end. The superiority of the optimized SR-ARQ scheme over different alternatives is clearly shown in the letter.
Alcohol Intake and Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review Implementing a Mendelian Randomization Approach

Background Alcohol has been reported to be a common and modifiable risk factor for hypertension. However, observational studies are subject to confounding by other behavioural and sociodemographic factors, while clinical trials are difficult to implement and have limited follow-up time. Mendelian randomization can provide robust evidence on the nature of this association by use of a common polymorphism in aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) as a surrogate for measuring alcohol consumption. ALDH2 encodes a major enzyme involved in alcohol metabolism. Individuals homozygous for the null variant (*2*2) experience adverse symptoms when drinking alcohol and consequently drink considerably less alcohol than wild-type homozygotes (*1*1) or heterozygotes. We hypothesise that this polymorphism may influence the risk of hypertension by affecting alcohol drinking behaviour. Methods and Findings We carried out fixed effect meta-analyses of the ALDH2 genotype with blood pressure (five studies, n = 7,658) and hypertension (three studies, n = 4,219) using studies identified via systematic review. In males, we obtained an overall odds ratio of 2.42 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.66–3.55, p = 4.8 × 10−6) for hypertension comparing *1*1 with *2*2 homozygotes and an odds ratio of 1.72 (95% CI 1.17–2.52, p = 0.006) comparing heterozygotes (surrogate for moderate drinkers) with *2*2 homozygotes. Systolic blood pressure was 7.44 mmHg (95% CI 5.39–9.49, p = 1.1 × 10−12) greater among *1*1 than among *2*2 homozygotes, and 4.24 mmHg (95% CI 2.18–6.31, p = 0.00005) greater among heterozygotes than among *2*2 homozygotes. Conclusions These findings support the hypothesis that alcohol intake has a marked effect on blood pressure and the risk of hypertension.
Melt spinning of poly(L-lactic acid) and its biodegradability

The melt spinning and melt drawing of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) were carried out with a meltspinning machine, and the mechanical properties, structure, and biodegradability of PLLA fiber were investigated. PLLA fiber with a tensile strength of 0.81 GPa was successfully obtained through two steps of drawing at a draw ratio of 18 in hot water. This fiber had enough tensile strength for common engineering use. The fiber could be degraded under controlled composting conditions at 70°C for 1 week. In scanning electron microscopy observations of the fiber, a regular pattern of cracks running along the vertical direction to the fiber axis was clearly observed. This suggested that the PLLA fiber built up a highly ordered structure arranged alone the direction of the fiber axis. After the fiber was left to lie in the ground for 1 year, however, the surface of the fiber was still smooth, and the tensile strength did not decrease much. This PLLA fiber could not be hydrolyzed after 1 month of steeping in a buffer solution at 37°C, but it was rapidly hydrolyzed at more than 60°C. It was suggested that the degradation (hydrolysis) rate of PLLA depended on the glass-transition temperature. Upon hydrolysis at 80°C for 48 h, a regular crack along the vertical direction to the fiber axis was found that was very similar to that observed in degradation under composting conditions.
Emergence of High-Level Mupirocin Resistance in Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci Associated with Increased Short-Term Mupirocin Use

ABSTRACT In our hospital, mupirocin has increasingly been used for peri-operative decolonization of Staphylococcus aureus. The target for mupirocin is isoleucyl tRNA synthetase (ileS). High-level resistance to mupirocin is conferred by acquisition of plasmids expressing a distinct ileS gene (ileS2). Here we evaluated the longitudinal trends in high-level mupirocin resistance in coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) and linked this to the presence of ileS2 genes and mupirocin use. We assessed mupirocin resistance in CoNS bloodstream isolates from 2006 to 2011 tested by Phoenix automated testing (PAT). We evaluated the reliability of PAT results using Etest. PAT species determination was confirmed by MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight) mass spectrometry. We investigated the presence of ileS2 in the first 100 consecutive CoNS bloodstream isolates of each year using RT-PCR. Mupirocin use increased from 3.6 kg/year in 2006 to 13.3 kg/year in 2010 and correlated with the increase in the percentage of CoNS isolates carrying ileS2 (8% in 2006 to 22% in 2011; Spearman's rho, 0.137; P = 0.01). The sensitivity and specificity of PAT for detecting high-level mupirocin resistance were 0.97 and 0.97, respectively. ileS2 was detected in 81 of 82 phenotypically highly mupirocin-resistant strains and associated with resistance to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and clindamycin. In conclusion, we found a rapid increase in high-level resistance to mupirocin and resistance to other antibiotics in CoNS associated with an increase in mupirocin use. The associated resistance to other antibiotics may result in a reduction of oral antibiotic options for prolonged treatment of prosthetic infections with CoNS.
Regulation of Rap1 activity by RapGAP1 controls cell adhesion at the front of chemotaxing cells

Spatial and temporal regulation of Rap1 is required for proper myosin assembly and cell adhesion during cell migration in Dictyostelium discoideum. Here, we identify a Rap1 guanosine triphosphatase–activating protein (GAP; RapGAP1) that helps mediate cell adhesion by negatively regulating Rap1 at the leading edge. Defects in spatial regulation of the cell attachment at the leading edge in rapGAP1 − (null) cells or cells overexpressing RapGAP1 (RapGAP1OE) lead to defective chemotaxis. rapGAP1 − cells have extended chemoattractant-mediated Rap1 activation kinetics and decreased MyoII assembly, whereas RapGAP1OE cells show reciprocal phenotypes. We see that RapGAP1 translocates to the cell cortex in response to chemoattractant stimulation and localizes to the leading edge of chemotaxing cells via an F-actin–dependent pathway. RapGAP1 localization is negatively regulated by Ctx, an F-actin bundling protein that functions during cytokinesis. Loss of Ctx leads to constitutive and uniform RapGAP1 cortical localization. We suggest that RapGAP1 functions in the spatial and temporal regulation of attachment sites through MyoII assembly via regulation of Rap1–guanosine triphosphate.
The influence of schooling on working memory performance in elderly individuals without cognitive decline

Over recent decades, research on cognition has been developed rapidly toward better understanding the cognitive changes that usually occur during normal aging. There is evidence that elderly individuals have worse working memory performance than young adults. However, the effect of education on this cognitive function remains unclear. Objectives To analyze the performance of healthy elderly subjects on working memory tasks and to verify the influence of educational level on this performance. Methods Forty elderly individuals without cognitive impairment and fully independent, were randomly chosen from a group of subjects participating in cultural activities at the university campus. The Digit Span Forward (DSF) test was used to evaluate attention performance. The working memory performance was assessed by the Digit Span Backward (DSB) and the difference between DSF and DSB. The data were statistically analyzed using the Spearman’s correlation coefficient to verify the correlation between the Digit Span (DS) scores and the variables age and schooling, while the Multiple Linear Regression Model was used to verify the effect of these variables on the DS scores. Results A significant positive correlation (r=0.41, p<0.01) as well as a significant association (β=0.506; p=0.001; CI 95%= 0.064/0.237) were found between years of schooling and DSB scores. It was not observed statistical correlation (r= –0.08, p=0.64) or association (β=0.41; p=0.775; CI 95%= –0.049/0.065) between age and DSB scores. Conclusion In this study, higher levels of schooling were associated with better working memory performance in cognitively healthy elders.
Lung function and exhaled nitric oxide levels in infants developing chronic lung disease

Chronic lung disease (CLD) is a common outcome of neonatal intensive care. To determine whether the results of serial exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) measurements during the perinatal period differed between infants who did and did not develop CLD. In addition, we wished to assess whether eNO results were more predictive of CLD development than lung function test results or readily available clinical data (gestational age and birthweight). The patients were 24 infants with a median gestational age of 27 (range 25–31) weeks. Measurements of eNO levels, functional residual capacity (FRC), and compliance of the respiratory system (CRS) were attempted on postnatal days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, and 28 days. The 12 infants who developed CLD were of significantly lower birthweight and gestational age than the rest of the cohort; in addition, they had lower median FRC (P < 0.02) and CRS (P < 0.02) results, but not higher eNO levels, in the first week after birth. Construction of receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves demonstrated that the CRS and FRC results on Day 3 were the best predictors of CLD development; the areas under the ROC curves were 0.94 and 0.91, respectively. Early lung function test results, but not eNO levels, are useful in predicting CLD development, but are not significantly better than birthweight. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2007; 42:107–113. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Case Report: Nager Acrofacial Dysostosis

Introduction: Nager syndrome is a malformation resulting from problems in the development of the first and second branchial arches and limb buds. The cause of the abnormal development of the pharyngeal arches in Nager syndrome is unknown. It is also unclear why affected individuals have bone abnormalities in their arms and legs. Nager syndrome is thought to have an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern when unaffected parents have more than one affected child. The purpose of this report is to present a case of Nager syndrome where the patient exhibited upper limb shortening, an unusual feature that has been reported as coexisting in some individuals with Nager syndrome. Case report: A 3.5-year-old girl was referred to our Department of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology due to a cleft palate. Her craniofacial anomalies included malar hypoplasia, severe mandibular hypoplasia with retrognathia, downward slanted palpebral fissures, a high narrow hard palate, absent soft palate, small retroplaced tongue, bilateral external auditory canal atresia, and dysplastic ears. There was no evidence of mental retardation. Based on the craniofacial characteristics and the coexisting upper limb preaxial anomalies, a diagnosis of Nager syndrome was confirmed. Conclusion: Nager syndrome is a rare disorder resulting from developmental abnormalities of the first and second branchial arches. It is linked to five other similar syndromes: Miller syndrome, Treacher-Collins, Pierre-Robin, Genee-Wiedemann, and Franceschetti-Zwahlen-Klein. Multidisciplinary management by a craniofacial team is needed. Early intervention, intensive education, new surgical techniques, and an emphasis on coordinated care have improved the quality of life in this patient with Nager syndrome.
Evaluation of Crack Suppression Effect of TiNi SMA Foil Embedded in CFRP Cross-Ply Laminates with Embedded Small-Diameter FBG Sensor

A Ti-Ni shape memory alloy (SMA) foil and a small-diameter fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor were embedded simultaneously into a CFRP cross-ply laminate. When the specimen was heated, the recovery compressive force was generated from the embedded SMA foil, which homogenized the non-uniform strain distribution caused by cracks in the 90° ply. Then, the tensile stress in the 90° ply was relaxed and the occurrence of new transverse cracks was suppressed. This effect was evaluated with the embedded FBG sensor. When the specimen was heated, the deformed reflection spectrum of the FBG returned to its original shape, which suggested that Ti-Ni SMA foil was effective to suppress the damage. However, relaxation of thermal residual tensile stress in the 90° ply was also effective. The result of the 3D FEA suggested that the suppression of damage occurrence and growth was mainly caused by the relaxation of thermal residual tensile stress.
An Information Extraction Method for Digitized Textbooks of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Digital libraries have shouldered the mission of preserving and spreading human culture in the era of information. However, knowledge extraction for digital libraries is not well studied, and that holds back the role promotion of digital libraries from information collector to knowledge provider. This paper presents an ontology-based approach, which extracts detailed attributes of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) from digitized textbooks. According to the characters of digitized textbooks, we propose an extraction ontology that is compatible with both textbook extraction and TCM theory. To improve extraction tolerance for OCR errors, we extract features of different aspects. Finally, a structured pattern based extraction method is adopted to minimize extraction supervision. The result shows that our method is a practical and robust exploration to address the problem of information extraction for digitized textbooks of TCM.
Mechanical stabilisation of bainite

AbstractCompression experiments in which plastically deformed austenite is allowed to transform to bainite have revealed that bainite, like martensite, is susceptible to mechanical stabilisation. The overall transformation kinetics becomes slower and the maximum attainable fraction of bainite decreases in deformed austenite. This is because the motion of the transformation interface is hindered by the accumulated debris of dislocations in the austenite. The number density of nucleation sites is increased in deformed austenite, resulting in a more refined microstructure. Severe deformation eventually leads to a recovery in the maximum attainable fraction of bainite because of the corresponding increase in nucleation site density.MST/3148
Bilateral Robot Teleoperation: A Wearable Arm Exoskeleton Featuring an Intuitive User Interface

Teleoperation systems are used when human planning and decision-making capabilities are needed during robotic remote operations. To execute meaningful tasks remotely, the operator has to be able to simultaneously control multiple degrees of freedom (DoFs) of the slave robot and efficiently receive information from the remote site. In these cases, haptic feedback has been shown to improve the operator's task execution performance [1].
Biobynthesis of Carboxymethylated-bacterial cellulose with coconut-water

Using coconut-water as main culture medium, carboxymethyl cellulose -bacterial cellulose (CMC-BC) materials were obtained by Acetobacter xylinum through adding CMC as substitute carbon source in static cultivation. When 0.6% (w/v%) CMC was added into the medium, the yield of dried film reached 10.41g/L compared to 4.73 g/L in the control. The FT-IR spectra of the CMC-BC showed the absorption of a carbonyl group at around 1598cm−1 while that of BC without it. This suggested that CMC was incorporated into the cellulose ribbons. Their properties was determined by X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The CMC-BCs had lower crystallinity index than BC. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the CMC-BC had higher surface area. And the water holding capacity of the CMC-BC products were enhanced. This suggest CMC changed the micro-fibril aggregation of the pellicle to some degree.
Network level footprints of facebook applications

With over half a billion users, Online Social Networks (OSNs) are the major new applications on the Internet. Little information is available on the network impact of OSNs, although there is every expectation that the volume and diversity of traffic due to OSNs is set to explode. In this paper, we examine the specific role played by a key component of OSNs: the extremely popular and widespread set of third-party applications on some of the most popular OSNs. With over 81,000 third-party applications on Facebook alone, their impact is hard to predict and even harder to study. We have developed and launched a number of Facebook applications, of which are among the most popular applications on Facebook in active use by several million users monthly. Through our applications, we are able to gather, analyze, correlate, and report their workload characteristics and performance from the perspective of the application servers. Coupled with PlanetLab experiments, where active probes are sent through Facebook to access a set of diverse applications, we are able to study how Facebook forwarding/processing of requests/responses impacts the overall delay performance perceived by end-users. These insights help provide guidelines for OSNs and application developers. We have also made the data studied here publicly available to the research community. This is the first and only known study of popular third-party applications on OSNs at this depth.
Numerical Simulations of the Flow and Sediment Transport Regimes Surrounding a Short Cylinder

The 3-D flow field and bed stress surrounding a short cylinder in response to combined wave and mean-flow forcing events is examined. Model simulations are performed with a 3-D nonhydrostatic computational fluid dynamics model, FLOW-3D. The model is forced with a range of characteristic tidal and wave velocities as observed in 12-15 m of water at the Martha's Vineyard Coastal Observatory (MVCO, Edgartown, MA). The 2.4-m-long and 0.5-m diameter cylinder is buried 10% of the diameter on a flat, fixed bed. Regions of incipient motion are identified through local estimates of the Shields parameter exceeding the critical value. Potential areas of sediment deposition are identified with local estimates of the Rouse parameter exceeding ten. The model predictions of sediment response are in general in agreement with field observations of seabed morphology obtained over a one-week period during the 2003-2004 MVCO mine burial experiment. Both observations and simulations show potential transport occurring at the ends of the mine in wave-dominated events. Mean flows greater than 10 cm/s lead to the formation of larger scour pits upstream of the cylinder. Deposition in both cases tends to occur along the sides, near the center of mass of the mine. However, the fixed-bed assumption prohibits the prediction of full perimeter scour as is observed in nature. Predicted scour and burial regimes for a range of wave and mean-flow combinations are established.
Pacific and Atlantic Ocean influences on multidecadal drought frequency in the United States

More than half (52%) of the spatial and temporal variance in multidecadal drought frequency over the conterminous United States is attributable to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). An additional 22% of the variance in drought frequency is related to a complex spatial pattern of positive and negative trends in drought occurrence possibly related to increasing Northern Hemisphere temperatures or some other unidirectional climate trend. Recent droughts with broad impacts over the conterminous U.S. (1996, 1999–2002) were associated with North Atlantic warming (positive AMO) and northeastern and tropical Pacific cooling (negative PDO). Much of the long-term predictability of drought frequency may reside in the multidecadal behavior of the North Atlantic Ocean. Should the current positive AMO (warm North Atlantic) conditions persist into the upcoming decade, we suggest two possible drought scenarios that resemble the continental-scale patterns of the 1930s (positive PDO) and 1950s (negative PDO) drought.
Studies on the preparation, crystal structure and bioactivity of ginsenoside compound K

Microbial transformation of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) using Aspergillus niger afforded, as the main metabolite, ginsenoside compound K (20-O-β-glucopyranosyl-20(S)-protopanaxadiol). Its structure was determined spectroscopically and by X-ray analysis, and this is the first time the crystal structure of ginsenoside has been reported. In comparison with ginsenoside Rb1, the pro-drug for this metabolite, compound K exhibits potent cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines. The mean concentrations of compound K needed to inhibit the proliferation of cells by 50% (IC50) were 12.7, 11.4, 8.5 and 9.7 μM for mouse high-metastatic melanoma (B16-BL6), human hepatoma (HepG2), human myeloid leukemia (K562) and human high-metastatic lung carcinoma (95-D) cell lines, respectively. The data show that ginsenoside compound K is a good antitumor drug candidate.
Using mobile device screens for authentication

Authentication in public spaces, such as ATM PIN entry, is inherently susceptible to security attacks based on observation in person or via cameras. This paper addresses this problem with a system which allows users to enter a PIN on a standard mobile phone and then transmit it securely for authentication using modulated patterns of light shown on the screen and sensed by a cheap bespoke receiver unit. No pre-pairing is required as physical proximity guarantees security. The paper presents several hardware and software variations, evaluates the technical soundness of the system, and presents two user studies addressing usability and security against observation attacks.