Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Experimental Assessment of the RESCUE Collision-Mitigation System

Road-traffic-incident analysis has shown that 52% of incidents are caused by a collision between two vehicles or between a vehicle and an obstacle. In this paper, the REduce Speed of Collision Under Emergency (RESCUE) collision-mitigation system (version 1.0) is presented and evaluated toward various typical road situations. The aim of the RESCUE system is to decrease the kinetic energy dissipated during a collision through automatic emergency braking that occurs 1 s before the collision. This emergency braking is triggered by an alarm coming from a decision unit taking into consideration the results of a generic obstacle-detection system-based on fusion between stereovision and laser scanner-and a warning area in front of the vehicle. The different subsystems are presented. Then, the behavior of the RESCUE collision-mitigation system toward various typical dangerous road situations is assessed through systematic tests. These quantitative tests are completed by qualitative ones carried out on 737 km of open roads (freeways, highways, rural roads, downtown) to provide a more precise idea about the false-alarm rate. The experiments show the system is promising in terms of reliability, genericity, and efficiency
- 1-Equivalence in Non-Recursive Structural Equation Models

Introduction In the last decade, there has been considerable progress in understanding a certain class of statistical models, known as directed acyclic graph (DAG) models, which encode independence, and conditional independence constraints. (See Pearl, 1988). This research has had fruitful results in many areas: there is now a relatively clear causal interpretation of these models, there are efficient procedures for determining the statistical indistinguishability of DAG’s, reliable algorithms for generating a class of DAG models from sample data and background knowledge, etc. Two important elements in these investigations were: First, a purely graphical condition for calculating the conditional independence relations entailed by a DAG. Second, a ‘local’ characterization of equivalence between two graphs, in the sense that all of the same conditional independencies are entailed by each graph. Such a local characterization was essential in allowing the construction of efficient algorithms which could search the whole class of DAG models and to find those which fitted the given data.
Preference Aggregation in Group and Social Recommender Systems

Aggregating preference and recommending a common set of items for a group has become a challenging topic in recommender systems and social web sites. This issue is mainly concerned with eliciting individual users’ preferences, suggesting the maximized overall satisfaction outcome for all users and ensuring that the aggregation mechanism is resistant to manipulation. In the following we survey preference aggregation mechanisms for groups. First, we highlight the main challenges in group recommender systems. Then, we outline the main results of the PolyLens study on recommending movies for groups. Thirdly, we describe methods for modeling individual and group satisfaction which are essential for enhancing recommendation quality. Finally, we briefly present our work on developing the GroupFun music recommender system together with a novel preference aggregation algorithm.
Aggregating Dependency Graphs into Voting Agendas in Multi-Issue Elections

Many collective decision making problems have a combinatorial structure: the agents involved must decide on multiple issues and their preferences over one issue may depend on the choices adopted for some of the others. Voting is an attractive method for making collective decisions, but conducting a multi-issue election is challenging. On the one hand, requiring agents to vote by expressing their preferences over all combinations of issues is computationally infeasible; on the other, decomposing the problem into several elections on smaller sets of issues can lead to paradoxical outcomes. Any pragmatic method for running a multi-issue election will have to balance these two concerns. We identify and analyse the problem of generating an agenda for a given election, specifying which issues to vote on together in local elections and in which order to schedule those local elections.
Optimization of the Settings of Multiphase Induction Heating System

This paper deals with the setting-parameter optimization procedure for a multiphase induction heating system considering transverse flux heating. This system is able to achieve uniform static heating of different thin/size metal pieces without movable inductor parts, yokes, or magnetic screens. The goal is reached by the predetermination of the induced power-density distribution using an optimization procedure that leads to the required inductor supplying currents. The purpose of the paper is to describe the optimization program with the different solution obtained and to show that some compromise must be done between the accuracy of the temperature profile and the energy consumption, with the calculation of the losses.
Timing recovery for OFDM transmission

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is an effective modulation technique for high-rate and high-speed transmission over frequency selective fading channels. However, OFDM systems can be extremely sensitive and vulnerable to synchronization errors. In this paper, we present a scheme for performing timing recovery that includes symbol synchronization and sampling clock synchronization in OFDM systems. The scheme is based on pilot subcarriers. In the scheme, we use a path time delay estimation method to improve the accuracy of the correlation-based symbol synchronization methods, and use a delay-locked loop (DLL) to do the sampling clock synchronization. It is shown that by using this scheme, the mean square values of the symbol timing estimation error can be decreased by several orders of magnitude compared to the common correlation methods in both the AWGN and multipath fading channels. In addition, the scheme can track the symbol timing drift caused by the sampling clock frequency offsets.
Breastfeeding, Body Mass Index, Asthma and Atopy in Children

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between breastfeeding, asthma and atopy, and any influence of child body mass index (BMI). Prospective birth cohort data were used to model the association between breastfeeding duration, BMI, asthma and atopy in children at six years. After adjustment for BMI and associated covariates, breastfeeding (per additional month of feeding) was marginally associated with decreased BMI (p=0.083). BMI was significantly associated with current asthma (p=<0.0005) and atopy (p=0.055). Exclusive breastfeeding for less than four months was a risk for current asthma (p=0.033) and atopy (p=0.005). The early introduction of formula leads to an increase in child BMI and early asthma and atopy. Increased BMI is a risk factor for childhood asthma and atopy. These findings suggest that public health interventions to optimise breastfeeding duration and reduce overweight in children may help attenuate the community burden of wheezing illness early in life.
Epidemic-based approaches for reliable multicast in mobile ad hoc networks

We present a classification of epidemic-based approaches utilized in the context of mobile ad hoc networks (MANET) with a focus on reliable multicast protocols. We provide a brief description of the other approaches to reliable multicasting in MANETs as well. Then, we describe our protocol, namely EraMobile, offering Epidemic-based Reliable and Adaptive Multicast for Mobile ad hoc networks. EraMobile's target is group applications requiring high-level of reliability and the protocol aims to provide fully reliable multicast data delivery with minimal network overhead even in the adverse network conditions. EraMobile utilizes an epidemic-based method in multicast operation to cope with dynamic and unpredictable topology changes arising from the mobility. Our epidemic mechanism does not require the maintenance of any tree- or mesh-like structure for multicasting. It also needs neither having global or partial view of the network nor having information of neighboring nodes and group members. Besides, it substantially minimizes the overhead incurred by eliminating redundant data transmissions. Another distinguishing feature of EraMobile is its capability of adapting to varying node densities in order to provide reliable data delivery in both sparse networks, where the network connectivity is prone to interruptions, and dense networks, where congestion is likely to occur. EraMobile is shown to achieve fully reliable multicast data delivery studied through extensive simulations by outperforming the other protocols compared, especially in terms of both packet delivery ratio and overhead efficiency.
Risk of childhood undernutrition related to small-for-gestational age and preterm birth in low- and middle-income countries.

BACKGROUND Low- and middle-income countries continue to experience a large burden of stunting; 148 million children were estimated to be stunted, around 30-40% of all children in 2011. In many of these countries, foetal growth restriction (FGR) is common, as is subsequent growth faltering in the first 2 years. Although there is agreement that stunting involves both prenatal and postnatal growth failure, the extent to which FGR contributes to stunting and other indicators of nutritional status is uncertain. METHODS Using extant longitudinal birth cohorts (n=19) with data on birthweight, gestational age and child anthropometry (12-60 months), we estimated study-specific and pooled risk estimates of stunting, wasting and underweight by small-for-gestational age (SGA) and preterm birth. RESULTS We grouped children according to four combinations of SGA and gestational age: adequate size-for-gestational age (AGA) and preterm; SGA and term; SGA and preterm; and AGA and term (the reference group). Relative to AGA and term, the OR (95% confidence interval) for stunting associated with AGA and preterm, SGA and term, and SGA and preterm was 1.93 (1.71, 2.18), 2.43 (2.22, 2.66) and 4.51 (3.42, 5.93), respectively. A similar magnitude of risk was also observed for wasting and underweight. Low birthweight was associated with 2.5-3.5-fold higher odds of wasting, stunting and underweight. The population attributable risk for overall SGA for outcomes of childhood stunting and wasting was 20% and 30%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS This analysis estimates that childhood undernutrition may have its origins in the foetal period, suggesting a need to intervene early, ideally during pregnancy, with interventions known to reduce FGR and preterm birth.
Codes on Planar Graphs

Codes defined on graphs and their properties have been subjects of intense recent research. On the practical side, constructions for capacity-approaching codes are graphical. On the theoretical side, codes on graphs provide several intriguing problems in the intersection of coding theory and graph theory. In this paper, we study codes defined by planar Tanner graphs. We derive an upper bound on minimum distance $d$ of such codes as a function of the code rate $R$ for $R \ge 5/8$. The bound is given by $$d\le \lceil \frac{7-8R}{2(2R-1)} \rceil + 3\le 7. $$ Among the interesting conclusions of this result are the following: (1) planar graphs do not support asymptotically good codes, and (2) finite-length, high-rate codes on graphs with high minimum distance will necessarily be non-planar.
A Compact Series Elastic Actuator for Bipedal Robots with Human-Like Dynamic Performance

Series-elastic actuation offers several important benefits to dynamic robots, including high-bandwidth force control and improved safety. While this approach has become common among legged robots, the lack of commercial series-elastic actuators and the unique design requirements of these robots leaves custom-built actuators as the only option. These custom actuators are often designed for nominal behavior rather than an extended performance envelope, and thus lack the capacity for high dynamic behavior and large-scale disturbance rejection outside of controlled operating conditions. This paper details the design and construction of a compact series elastic actuator for use in the knee of a robotic biped built to emulate the dynamic performance of a half-scale human. The actuator specifications are defined by the combined performance envelope of scaled human knee extensor muscles. The design uses two DC motors geared in parallel for improved weight, compactness, and power density. The constructed actuator is designed for a no-load speed of 210 rpm and a nominal torque of 13 Nm. In addition, a unique approach to series-elastic actuator torque control is proposed which uses servo-controlled motor velocity to modulate spring deflection. Several key advantages of our proposed method over traditional torque-embedded control are demonstrated, including increased torque bandwidth, rejection of nonlinear effects from gear dynamics, and zero steady-state error.
Translating clinical trials to clinical practice: outcomes of men with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer treated with docetaxel and prednisone in and out of clinical trials.

BACKGROUND Multiple factors can influence outcomes of patients receiving identical interventions in clinical trials and in routine practice. Here, we compare outcomes of men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with docetaxel and prednisone in routine practice and in clinical trials. PATIENTS AND METHODS We reviewed patients with mCRPC treated with docetaxel at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Primary outcomes were overall survival and PSA response rate. Secondary outcomes were reasons for discontinuation and febrile neutropenia. Outcomes were compared for men treated in routine practice and in clinical trials, and with data from the TAX 327 study. RESULTS From 2001 to 2011, 438 men were treated, of whom 357 received 3-weekly docetaxel as first-line chemotherapy: 314 in routine practice and 43 in clinical trials. Trial patients were younger and had better performance status. Median survival was 13.6 months [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 12.1-15.1 months] in routine practice and 20.4 months (95% CI 17.4-23.4 months, P = 0.007) within clinical trials, compared with 19.3 months (95% CI 17.6-21.3 months, P < 0.001) in the TAX 327 study. PSA response rates were 45%, 54%, and 53%, respectively (P = NS). Reasons for treatment discontinuation were similar although trial patients received more cycles (median: 6 versus 8 versus 9.5, P < 0.001). Rates of febrile neutropenia were 9.6, 0, and 3% (P < 0.001) while rates of death within 30 days of last dose were 4%, 0%, and 3%, respectively (P = NS). CONCLUSIONS Survival of patients with mCRPC treated with docetaxel in routine practice is shorter than for men included in trials and is associated with more toxicity.
Inherited platelet disorders: thrombocytopenias and thrombocytopathies.

Platelets play an important role in normal haemostasis halting blood flow immediately after injuries through four fundamental different mechanisms: adhesion, aggregation, secretion, and expression of procoagulant activity. First, in the presence of vascular damage, platelets adhere to the connective tissue and, particularly when the damage occurs in vessels with a low shear rate, to subendothelial collagen, fibronectin and laminin. On the other hand, when damage occurs in regions with a high shear rate, platelet adhesion requires the presence of subendothelial von Willebrand factor (VWF) and specific platelet receptors, such as the glycoprotein Ib/IX/V (GPIb/IX/V) complex. In any case, following initial adhesion, platelets aggregate to complete the formation of a solid haemostatic plug. Platelet aggregation requires stimulation by agonists such as ADP, thrombin, collagen, or epinephrine, as well as the presence of calcium or magnesium ions and specific plasma proteins (fibrinogen, VWF and the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GPIIb/IIIa) complex). Platelet stimulation results in the generation of intracellular second messengers that convey the stimulus back to the platelet surface, exposing protein binding sites on GPIIb/IIIa. Fibrinogen (or VWF) then binds to GPIIb/IIIa and cross-links adjacent platelets to produce platelet aggregates, following platelet secretion and the elaboration of platelet procoagulant activity. In platelet disorders caused by a reduction in the number of platelets (thrombocytopenia) (Table I) or by platelet function defects (thrombocytopathies) (Table II), bleeding generally occurs immediately after injury, primarily in the skin, mucous membranes, nose, and gastrointestinal and urinary tracts and, generally, does not involve joints and muscles. Congenital disorders are uncommon and sometimes may be misdiagnosed with acquired disorders, which are much more frequently encountered in clinical practice. The differential diagnosis between congenital or acquired platelet disorders is often very complex and requires medical experience and a careful assessment of the patient’s personal and family history of bleeding episodes. A lifelong bleeding diathesis may suggest a congenital platelet disorder, which is often first recognised during childhood, but an onset in adulthood does not exclude a congenital defect. Because technological progress in laboratory practices and greater information about platelet functions have increased the specificity and accuracy of diagnosis of platelet disorders, a large number of cases has been identified recently. In this review, we describe current knowledge on congenital platelets disorders with regards to granule packaging, signalling and platelet coagulant function, and hereditary thrombocytopenias in order to improve information available for research and clinical practice. Table I Classification of thrombocytopathies
The Saccharomyces cerevisiae APS1 gene encodes a homolog of the small subunit of the mammalian clathrin AP‐1 complex: evidence for functional interaction with clathrin at the Golgi complex.

Clathrin‐associated protein (AP) complexes have been implicated in the assembly of clathrin coats and the selectivity of clathrin‐mediated protein transport processes. We have identified a yeast gene, APS1, encoding a homolog of the small (referred to herein as sigma) subunits of the mammalian AP‐1 complex. Sequence comparisons have shown that Aps1p is more similar to the sigma subunit of the Golgi‐localized mammalian AP‐1 complex than Aps2p, which is more related to the plasma membrane AP‐2 sigma subunit. Like their mammalian counterparts, Aps1p and Aps2p are components of distinct, large (> 200 kDa) complexes and a significant portion of the Aps proteins co‐fractionate with clathrin‐coated vesicles during gel filtration chromatography. Unexpectedly, even though the evolutionary conservation of AP small subunits is substantial (50% identity between mammalian and yeast proteins), disruptions of APS1 (aps1 delta) and APS2 (aps2 delta), individually or in combination, elicit no detectable mutant phenotypes. These data indicate that the Aps proteins are not absolutely required for clathrin‐mediated selective protein transport in cells expressing wild type clathrin. However, aps1 delta accentuated the slow growth and alpha‐factor pheromone maturation defect of cells carrying a temperature‐sensitive allele of clathrin heavy chain (Chc) (chc1‐ts). In contrast, aps1 delta did not influence the effects of chc1‐ts on vacuolar protein sorting or receptor‐mediated endocytosis. The aps2 delta mutation resulted in a slight effect on chc1‐ts cell growth but had no additional effects. The growth defect of cells completely lacking Chc was compounded by aps1 delta but not aps2 delta. These results comprise evidence that Aps1p is involved in a subset of clathrin functions at the Golgi apparatus. The effect of aps1 delta on cells devoid of clathrin function suggests that Aps1p also participates in clathrin‐independent processes.
Eulerian Opinion Dynamics with Bounded Confidence and Exogenous Inputs

Abstract The formation of opinions in a large population is governed by endogenous (human interactions) and exogenous (media influence) factors. In the analysis of opinion evolution in a large population, decision making rules can be approximated with non-Bayesian “rule of thumb” methods. This paper focuses on an Eulerian bounded-confidence model of opinion dynamics with a potential time-varying exogenous input. First, we prove some properties of this system's dynamics with time-varying input. Second, we prove the convergence of the population's distribution with no input to a sum of Dirac Delta measures. Finally, we define an input's attraction range, and for a normally distributed input and uniformly distributed initial population, we conjecture that the length of attraction range is an increasing affine function of population's confidence bound and input's variance.
Wideband Reflectance Measures of the Ipsilateral Acoustic Stapedius Reflex Threshold

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a method for acoustically measuring the ipsilateral acoustic stapedius reflex threshold by using wideband shifts in energy reflectance and admittance. Design: A group of 27 young adult subjects with normal hearing participated in the study. Contralateral reflex thresholds were first measured for a 4000 Hz activator tone (maximum level, 92 dB SPL), using a clinical method with a 226 Hz probe tone. Ipsilateral and contralateral reflex thresholds were then measured by using an experimental wideband reflectance and admittance system that used a band-filtered click (200 to 2000 Hz) as the probe stimulus, presented simultaneously with the 4000 Hz activator tone. Reflex thresholds for the wideband system were determined by using statistical tests of the magnitude of the reflex responses as well as their correlation with other reflex responses. Results: Clinical and experimental reflex thresholds were obtained for 9 of the 27 subjects for all conditions. Clinical reflex thresholds were absent for 8 subjects for whom experimental reflex thresholds were present and were present for 5 subjects who had absent experimental reflex thresholds for one or more conditions. An additional 5 subjects had absent reflex thresholds in all conditions, consistent with the low maximum level of the activator. Wideband measures of contralateral reflex thresholds were approximately 3 dB lower than those obtained with the clinical system. The magnitudes of the group means of the reflex responses were similar for ipsilateral and contralateral stimu-lations. Conclusions: Wideband measures of reflectance and admittance may be used to estimate the ipsilateral acoustic stapedius reflex threshold by separating in frequency the spectral energies of the wideband probe stimulus from the activator stimulus. This technique holds promise for measuring reflex thresholds for individuals with absent reflex thresholds through the use of standard clinical methods.
Nucleus-associated intermediate filaments from chicken erythrocytes

Chicken erythrocyte nuclei prepared by isolation in isotonic KCl and Nonidet P-40 detergent were found to contain numerous attached filaments with a mean diameter of 11.0 nm. In polypeptide content and solubility properties, they resembled the vimentin type of intermediate filament found in cells of mesenchymal origin. Examination of their association with the nucleus suggests that more than a simple membrane attachment is involved.