Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Trajectory tracking for non-holonomic cars: A linear approach to controlled leader-follower formation

This article describes the design of a linear robust dynamic output feedback control scheme for output reference trajectory tracking tasks in a leader-follower non-holonomic car formation problem using the cars' kinematic models. A simplification is proposed on the follower's exact open loop position tracking error dynamics, obtained by flatness considerations, resulting in a system described by an additively disturbed set of two, second order, integrators with non-linear velocity dependent control input matrix gain. The unknown disturbances are modeled as absolutely bounded, additive, unknown time signals which may be locally approximated by arbitrary elements of, a, fixed, sufficiently high degree family of Taylor polynomials. Linear Luenberger observers may be readily designed, which include the, self updating, internal model of the unknown disturbance input vector components as generic time-polynomial models. The proposed Generalized Proportional Integral (GPI) observers, which are the dual counterpart of GPI controllers ([11]), achieve a, simultaneous, disturbance estimation and tracking error phase variables estimation. This, on-line, gathered information is used to advantage on the follower's linear output feedback controller thus allowing for a simple, yet efficient, disturbance and control input gain cancelation effort. The results are applied to control the fixed time delayed trajectory tracking of the leader path on the part of the follower. Simulations are presented which illustrate the robustness of the proposed approach.
Cache-Partitioned Preemption Threshold Scheduling

For preemptive scheduling with shared cache, different tasks may cause interference in the shared cache, leading to Cache-Related Preemption Overhead (CRPD). Cache partitioning can be used to reduce or eliminate CRPD. We propose integration of cache partitioning and Preemption Threshold Scheduling to optimize schedulability for both Fixed-Priority and Earliest Deadline First scheduling algorithms on a uniprocessor. We let each subset of tasks assigned the same cache partition be a nonpreemptive group by assigning the same preemption threshold to them, which eliminates CRPD both within each cache partition and between different cache partitions.
Oxidative Metabolism Genes Are Not Responsive to Oxidative Stress in Rodent Beta Cell Lines

Altered expression of oxidative metabolism genes has been described in the skeletal muscle of individuals with type 2 diabetes. Pancreatic beta cells contain low levels of antioxidant enzymes and are particularly susceptible to oxidative stress. In this study, we explored the effect of hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress on a panel of oxidative metabolism genes in a rodent beta cell line. We exposed INS-1 rodent beta cells to low (5.6 mmol/L), ambient (11 mmol/L), and high (28 mmol/L) glucose conditions for 48 hours. Increases in oxidative stress were measured using the fluorescent probe dihydrorhodamine 123. We then measured the expression levels of a panel of 90 oxidative metabolism genes by real-time PCR. Elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was evident in INS-1 cells after 48 hours (P < 0.05). TLDA analysis revealed a significant (P < 0.05) upregulation of 16 of the 90 genes under hyperglycemic conditions, although these expression differences did not reflect differences in ROS. We conclude that although altered glycemia may influence the expression of some oxidative metabolism genes, this effect is probably not mediated by increased ROS production. The alterations to the expression of oxidative metabolism genes previously observed in human diabetic skeletal muscle do not appear to be mirrored in rodent pancreatic beta cells.
Iatrogenic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease

The outbreaks of iatrogenic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) from cadaveric human growth hormone and dura mater are winding down and, like the only other environmentally acquired form of CJD (variant CJD due to infection with the agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy), iatrogenic disease seems to have reached its high water mark during the 1990s. The total number of cases has reached 405, and the diminishing number of new cases is due to extremely long incubation periods from infections acquired before 1985 (up to 23 years for dura mater and 36 years for growth hormone). Although no cases associated with surgical or other invasive procedures have been identified during the past several decades, the recent discovery of three transfusion-associated variant CJD infections has provoked new concerns about the possibility of further secondary transmissions from operative procedures as well as blood and tissue donations. Therefore, at least in those countries in which variant CJD has occurred, precautionary measures must continue for the indefinite future.
Integrating Metric and Qualitative Temporal Reasoning

Research in Artificial Intelligence on constraint-based representations for temporal reasoning has largely concentrated on two kinds of formalisms: systems of simple linear inequalities to encode metric relations between time points, and systems of binary constraints in Allen's temporal calculus to encode qualitative relations between time intervals. Each formalism has certain advantages. Linear inequalities can represent dates, durations, and other quantitive information; Allen's qualitative calculus can express relations between time intervals, such as disjointedness, that are useful for constraint-based approaches to planning. In this paper we demonstrate how metric and Allenstyle constraint networks can be integrated in a constraint-based reasoning system. The highlights of the work include a simple but powerful logical language for expressing both quantitative and qualitative information; translation algorithms between the metric and Allen sublanguages that entail minimal loss of information; and a constraint-propagation procedure for problems expressed in a combination of metric and Allen constraints.
Microdensity of Solitary Bone Cyst After Steroid Injection

The change of bone density in five patients with solitary bone cysts (SBC) was directly measured by microdensitometry (MD). Standard plain radiographs could not always predict the strength of the bone, but with MD, smaller changes in bone density could be found quantitatively. The density of the lesion temporarily decreased just after steroid injection and began to increase to maximum level in $$4 or 5 months. However, in two patients, the density decreased gradually to the first MD levels and refractured. In this article we stress the usefulness of direct MD in detecting the strength of the lesion.
Human Neuroscience

leading to reduced interference (though the task parameters make this unlikely, as discussed in the previous study; Kelley and Yantis, 2009). Alternately, observers' ability to voluntarily down-regulate the early sensory representation of the distracting stimuli may improve with learning. Several studies have shown that the allocation of visuospatial attention modulates activity in early visual cortex without regard to the specific stimulus content (e. in visual cortex would most like co-occur with changes in fronto-parietal cortex associated with visuospatial attention. Improved allocation of spatial attention could result in different changes in activity across the brain. brain regions in parietal and frontal cortex are thought to be responsible for goal-directed and stimulus-driven attentional control, respectively. If attention is more successfully focused on the main task so that distractors were not noticed, visual cortex activity would decrease, leading to a reduced response from ventral fronto-parietal regions. But if behavior improved due to improved reallocation following stimulus-driven capture, then changes in activity might be limited to the dorsal network. Similarly, improvements in performance resulting from a reduction in late-stage processing by stimulus-driven ventral regions might only manifest as changes in these regions, with visual regions and dorsal fronto-parietal regions showing unchanged activity. We measured changes in cortical activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while participants carried out an attentionally demanding behavioral task in which they learned to ignore distraction (Kelley and Yantis, 2009). We observed changes in activity related to reductions in distractor interference in middle frontal gyrus (MFG), but not in early retinotopically organized
The association between serum apolipoprotein A-I and apolipoprotein B and the severity of angiographical coronary artery disease.

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) and apolipoprotein B (apoB) and the severity of coronary artery stenosis. METHODS This case-control study was carried out on 106 patients who underwent angiography and 100 healthy controls. ApoA-I and apoB as well as the serum total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were measured. Very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio were calculated. RESULTS In an Iranian population with coronary artery disease (79 men and 27 women, aged 53 +/- 8.5 years), the increased levels of apoA-I and apoB were correlated with the number of involved vessels and the severity of coronary lesions. However, no significant correlation was found between the serum values of lipids as well as other lipoproteins and the number of vessels involved and the severity of coronary lesions. CONCLUSION ApoA-I and apoB are indicated as risk factors for cardiovascular and, possibly, cerebrovascular diseases. From this study, it may be concluded that apoA-I and apoB serum concentration levels are independent risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis in the Iranian population. It also demonstrates a direct relationship between the severity of coronary atherosclerosis and the number of lesions in the involved vessels. It can be regarded as an index for the relationship of apoA-I and apoB to the early, still clinically asymptomatic, steps of the pathogenesis of coronary disease.
A Critical Role for the Anterior Thalamus in Directing Attention to Task-Relevant Stimuli

The prefrontal cortex mediates adaption to changing environmental contingencies. The anterior thalamic nuclei, which are closely interconnected with the prefrontal cortex, are important for rodent spatial memory, but their potential role in executive function has received scant attention. The current study examined whether the anterior thalamic nuclei are involved in attentional processes akin to those of prefrontal regions. Remarkably, the results repeatedly revealed attentional properties opposite to those of the prefrontal cortex. Two separate cohorts of rats with anterior thalamic lesions were tested on an attentional set-shifting paradigm that measures not only the ability of stimuli dimensions that reliably predict reinforcement to gain attention (“intradimensional shift”), but also their ability to shift attention to another stimulus dimension when contingencies change (“extradimensional shift”). In stark contrast to the effects of prefrontal damage, anterior thalamic lesions impaired intradimensional shifts but facilitated extradimensional shifts. Anterior thalamic lesion animals were slower to acquire discriminations based on the currently relevant stimulus dimension but acquired discriminations involving previously irrelevant stimulus dimensions more rapidly than controls. Subsequent tests revealed that the critical determinant of whether anterior thalamic lesions facilitate extradimensional shifts is the degree to which the stimulus dimension has been established as an unreliable predictor of reinforcement over preceding trials. This pattern of performance reveals that the anterior thalamic nuclei are vital for attending to those stimuli that are the best predictors of reward. In their absence, unreliable predictors of reward usurp attentional control.
The Developmental Test of Visual Perception—Third Edition (DTVP-3): A Review, Critique, and Practice Implications

The Developmental Test of Visual Perception—Third Edition (DTVP-3) is a recent revision of the Developmental Test of Visual Perception—Second Edition (DTVP-2). The DTVP-3 is designed to assess the visual perceptual and/or visual-motor integration skills of children from 4 to 12 years of age. The test is standardized using an updated representative American normative sample. Psychometric properties of the DTVP-3 are reported in its test manual, which is a strength of the test. A summary of the DTVP-3’s traits, reliability, and validity data are provided along with a critique of its strengths and weaknesses. Clinical implications of using the DTVP-3 are also included. Further research is needed to further investigate and validate the use of the DTVP-3 test with other sample groups and in other contexts.
Detection of clinically silent infarcts after carotid endarterectomy by use of diffusion-weighted imaging.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Intraprocedural transcranial Doppler sonography has identified multiple microembolic events during and immediately after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or angioplasty, yet the rate of clinically evident stroke is small. To determine the significance of the transcranial Doppler sonography findings, we examined patients by use of diffusion-weighted imaging and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MR imaging before and immediately after CEA for evidence of clinically silent ischemic events. METHODS Twenty-five patients with atherosclerotic disease of the carotid arteries underwent diffusion-weighted imaging and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MR imaging performed, on average, 3 days before and 12 hours after CEA. Diffusion-weighted images were acquired in three orthogonal directions at b = 900. Pre- and postoperative neurologic examinations were performed by the same physician. RESULTS After endarterectomy, 4.0% of the patients (one of 25 patients) showed a single, cortical focus of restricted diffusion and new fluid-attenuated inversion recovery hyperintensity, measuring <1 cm in diameter, ipsilateral to the CEA. The postoperative neurologic examination showed no change in status from the preoperative baseline state. This patient had an intraoperative course complicated by the development of a large luminal thrombus, necessitating thrombectomy. CONCLUSION The use of diffusion-weighted imaging may serve to improve conspicuity of clinically silent infarcts after CEA. An important next step is to determine the risk factors that predispose to detectable parenchymal ischemic events.
Recommendations for mobility in children with spinal cord injury.

BACKGROUND Mobility is an important aspect of the rehabilitation of children with spinal cord injury (SCI), is a necessary component of life, and is critical in a child's development. Depending upon the individual's age and degree of neurological impairment, the nature of mobility may vary. OBJECTIVES The objective of this article is to establish recommendations surrounding the selection of mobility for children with SCI. METHODS Extensive literature review and multidisciplinary peer review. RESULTS Types of mobility including power, manual, upright, and community are discussed, and recommendations are made based on medical necessity, neurological level, ASIA Impairment Scale score, and developmental considerations and challenges. CONCLUSION Mobility is critical for proper development to occur in the pediatric population, and it may be challenging to make recommendations for mobility in children with SCI. It is essential for clinicians providing care to children with SCI to address mobility in a comprehensive and longitudinal manner across the children's environments.
Seeing African Americans as Competent Parents: Implications for Family Counselors

One of the primary roles of parents is to guide and socialize children to make meaningful life choices. African American parents, in particular, have the additional tasks of preparing their children to thrive in an environment that has historically been hostile toward African Americans. Yet, many African American parents are often depicted as incapable of rearing their own children. This article will examine issues pertaining to African American parents maintaining their humanity in the face of a society that has viewed them as incompetent. Implications for family counseling research and practice will be discussed.
Theodorakis, Y. (1994). Planned behavior, attitude strength, role identity, and the prediction of exercise behavior. The Sport Psychologist, 8, 149-165. Planned behavior, attitude strength, role-identity, and the prediction of exercise behavior

The attitude-behavior relationships have been a major topic of research in the area of sport and exercise psychology. The aim of this study was to examine the attitude-exercise behavior relationship according to the theory of planned behavior. Two additional variables, multicomponent attitude strength and role-identity, were constructed to expand the initial model. The sample consisted of 395 females, 18 to 50 years of age, who were participating in physical fitness programs. Their participation was recorded over a two month period and served as a behavioral criterion. Attitudes toward behavior, perceived behavioral control, role-identity and attitude strength, predicted intention to exercise (R=.64). Also, exercise behavior was predicted from intention, perceived behavioral control, role-identity and attitude strength (R=.62). Perceived behavioral control was a more accurate predictor of behavior than intention (r=.54 and r=.47 respectively). Results also showed that the planned behavior model was slightly more successful in predicting exercise behavior when attitude strength and roleidentity were added in the analysis. Findings are discussed in terms of theoretical as well as practical implications and the role of intention, perceived behavioral control, role-identity and attitude strength variables for understanding attitude-behavior relationships. When sport psychologists examine the effects of attitudes on exercise behavior, they should take into consideration the interaction of factors such as intention, behavioral control, role-identity and attitude strength.
LSPR Tunable Light Enhancement of Carbon@Gold Nanoparticles

The photon absorption characteristics of carbon (as graphite or graphene) nanoparticles/nanosheets play a great role in the generation of charge carries, their transport, separation, and attachment in many light manipulating devices. Gold nanoparticles have also been utilized for centuries by artists due to their vibrant and unique optical-electronics properties in high technology applications. Recently, gold nanoparticles are advocated as additional supplements to be sandwiched or to be doped in the graphite/graphene sheets in order to make use of their local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties to enhance the absorption characteristics of the system. However, present study, looks for gold-graphite coated nanoparticles towards the light absorption enhancement as a function of nanoparticles size. It is found that absorbance (a.u.) of graphite nanoparticles can be improved to a large extent along with the reduced scattering in case of graphite@gold nanoparticles (spherical) as compared to gold@graphite nanoparticles. These findings clearly indicate the importance of gold LSPR characteristics in the enhancement of light absorption and its tunability.
Randomized variants of Johnson's algorithm for MAX SAT

We give a randomized variant of Johnson's algorithm for MAX SAT [12] and show that its expected approximation ratio is 3/4. Our solution also works in an online setting where variables are revealed one by one together with the clauses they appear in. Our simple algorithm does not use the power of linear programming and, to the best of our knowledge, is the first such algorithm to reach approximation ratio 3/4. We also investigate a variant of Johnson's algorithm proposed in [5] that processes variables in random order. Here we show that the expected approximation ratio is worse than 3/4, thus providing a partial answer to a question of [5].
Prostaglandins are required for CREB activation and cellular proliferation during liver regeneration

The liver responds to multiple types of injury with an extraordinarily well orchestrated and tightly regulated form of regeneration. The response to partial hepatectomy has been used as a model system to elucidate the molecular basis of this regenerative response. In this study, we used cyclooxygenase (COX)-selective antagonists and -null mice to determine the role of prostaglandin signaling in the response of liver to partial hepatectomy. The results show that liver regeneration is markedly impaired when both COX-1 and COX-2 are inhibited by indocin or by a combination of the COX-1 selective antagonist, SC-560, and the COX-2 selective antagonist, SC-236. Inhibition of COX-2 alone partially inhibits regeneration whereas inhibition of COX-1 alone tends to delay regeneration. Neither the rise in IL-6 nor the activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) that is seen during liver regeneration is inhibited by indocin or the selective COX antagonists. In contrast, indocin treatment prevents the activation of CREB by phosphorylation that occurs during hepatic regeneration. These data indicate that prostaglandin signaling is required during liver regeneration, that COX-2 plays a particularly important role but COX-1 is also involved, and implicate the activation of CREB rather than STAT3 as the mediator of prostaglandin signaling during liver regeneration.
The heart rate turn point reliability and methodological aspects.

PURPOSE The aim of the study was to test protocol variations on the heart rate performance curve (HRPC) and the heart rate turn point (HRTP) according to Conconi et al. (1996). Respiratory gas exchange variables were used to define three phases of energy supply (I, II, III). METHODS Eighteen healthy young male subjects performed 4 tests (T1-T4). T1: initial speed of 6 km x h(-1) followed by increments of 0.6 km x h(-1) every 60 s. Subjects were than randomized for the next three tests. T2: initial speed 5.6 km x h(-1) followed by increments of 0.2 km x h(-1) every 20 s; T3: similar to T2, in the second half of phase III acceleration (S) was increased. T4: like T2, at the beginning of phase III, S was increased. No differences were found in the degree of the deflection of the HRPC expressed as factor kHR between T1 (0.228 +/- 0.225) and T2 (0.248 +/- 0.231) but a significant increase was found in T3 (0.533 +/- 0.248) and T4 (0.770 +/- 0.258). RESULTS The modifications of the protocol (T3 and T4) systematically influenced the deflection of the HRPC, but kHR was highly reproducible in all tests. Eleven subjects showed degrees of deflection in the HRPC in all tests. There were no significant differences for S, HR, and VO2 at the HRTP. An HRTP was not found in seven subjects in neither T1 or T2; however, in T3 and T4, these seven subjects showed a deflection of HRPC resulting from the protocol. The HRTP was found to be dependent on the start of the acceleration in phase III. In cases with a linear time course in the HRPC in T1 and T2, in T3 an HRTP was found at 15.6 km x h(-1) and in T4 at 13.6 km x h(-1) , respectively. CONCLUSION The Conconi test protocol with an accelerated increase in S in the final phase of the test has a major influence on the occurrence of the HRTP in cases of near linear HRPC.