Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Focussed D* Algorithm for Real-Time Replanning

Finding the lowest-cost path through a graph is central to many problems including route planning for a mobile robot If arc costs change during the traverse then the remainder of the path may need to be replanned. This is the case for a sensor-equipped mobile robot with imperfect information about its environment. As the robot acquires additional information via its sensors it can revise its plan to reduce the total cost of the traverse. If the prior information is grossly incomplete the robot may discover useful information in every piece of sensor data. During replanning, the robot must either wait for the new path to be computed or move in the wrong direction therefore rapid replanning is essential The D* algorithm (Dynamic A*) plans optimal traverses ID real-time by incrementally repairing paths to the robots state as new information is discovered. This paper describes an extension to D* that focusses the repairs to significantly reduce the total time required for the initial path calculation and subsequent replanning operations. This extension completes the development of the D* algorithm as a full generalizatin of A* for dynamic environments where arc costs can change during the traverse of the solution path.
Genetic-Fuzzy Sliding Mode Controller for a DC Servomotor system

A Genetic-Fuzzy Sliding Mode Controller is presented for DC Servomotor system control. The fuzzy logic controller was optimized by Genetic Algorithm method to reduce and eliminate the chattering phenomenon. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented approach, a comparison between the proposed system, and standard Sliding Mode controller were conducted. Simulation results have shown the advantages of choosing the proposed controller, to achieve the desired results, regardless of the external disturbance, the variation in system parameters, or the feedback noise.
Semantic Concept Learning through Massive Internet Video Mining

Semantic concept learning is one of the most challenging problems in video retrieval. The key barrier for semantic concept learning is lack of annotated training data. Internet videos are different from ordinary videos: massive, rich information, customized, non-uniform format, uneven quality, little descriptive text, only a few shots with limited length etc. Therefore, Internet is a potential repository to provide a reliable source for concept learning. In this paper, we focus on the semantic concept learning through known Internet video sources mining. Starting from the video-sharing websites, an automatical graph model generator for concepts relationship learning based on known ontology such as LSCOM, WordNet and ConceptNet is discussed. An automated source discovery method is addressed which prove to be useful in concept detection from the massive Internet videos. Experimental results prove that the addressed method is effective and efficient in semantic concept detection and learning through massive Internet video mining.
Practice environment and its association with professional competence and work-related factors: perception of newly graduated nurses.

AIM To explore newly graduated nurses' (NGN) perception of their practice environment and its association with their self-assessed competence, turnover intentions and job satisfaction as work-related factors. BACKGROUND The impact of practice environment on nurses' work is important. Positive practice environments are associated with positive organisational, nurse and patient outcomes. How this applies to NGNs needs further exploration. METHOD A cross-sectional descriptive correlation design was used. Data were collected with PES-NWI and NCS instruments from 318 Finnish registered nurses, and analysed statistically. RESULTS Newly graduated nurses' perception of their practice environment was mainly positive. Most positive perceptions related to collegial nurse-physician relations, and the least positive to staffing and resource adequacy. Positive perceptions were also associated with higher professional competence, higher perceptions of quality of care and lower intentions to leave the job or profession. CONCLUSION The findings revealed strong and significant associations between practice environment and work-related factors. Practice environment is an important element in supporting NGNs' competence, retention and job satisfaction. Nursing management should pay attention to NGNs' perceptions of their practice environment. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT Management's ability to create and maintain positive practice environments can foster NGNs' professional development and job satisfaction, and consequently retain them in the workforce.
Futures Trading Activity and Commodity Cash Price Volatility

This paper examines the lead-lag relationship between futures trading activity (volume and open interest) and cash price volatility for major agricultural commodities. Granger causality tests and generalized forecast error variance decompositions show that an unexpected increase in futures trading volume unidirectionally causes an increase in cash price volatility for most commodities. Likewise, there is a weak causal feedback between open interest and cash price volatility. These findings are generally consistent with the destabilizing effect of futures trading on agricultural commodity markets. Copyright Blackwell Publishers Ltd, 2005.
Solution-processed high-k HfO2 gate dielectric processed under softening temperature of polymer substrates

A low-temperature, solution-processed high-k HfO2 gate dielectric was demonstrated. To decompose a hafnium precursor at a temperature lower than 200 °C, an aqueous solution of HfCl4 was used because the strongly hydrated hafnium precursor was decomposed at a much lower temperature than anhydrous or partially hydrated hafnium chloride. No hazardous organic material was required in the low-temperature HfO2 coating process. Thus this precursor solution is environmentally safe and it is preferable to use this solution for gate dielectric coating on flexible substrates. The fabricated HfO2 gate dielectric shows reliable breakdown characteristics and high dielectric constant. We fabricated a thin film transistor (TFT) device with this gate dielectric and a maximum processing temperature of 150 °C for all the components of the TFT. The ZnO TFT on the HfO2 gate dielectric shows field-effect mobility of 1.17 cm2 V−1 s−1 and threshold voltage of 5.87 V. These results demonstrate the potential of our HfO2 thin film for flexible electronic device fabrication.
Free UX Testing Tool: The LudoVico UX Machine for Physiological Sensor Data Recording, Analysis, and Visualization for User Experience Design Experiments

The LudoVico UX Machine -- A FREELY AVAILABLE SOFTWARE FOR USABILITY TESTING. Gathering and the interpretation of usability data is a rather challenging task. We implemented a new tool for recording, archiving, and interpreting sensor data from user-experience (UX) experiments. The tool is capable of handling any type of sensor data. The current version of the tool named "The LudoVico UX Machine" is contributed as freely available tool to the UX community. It shall assist user experience designers in managing their experimental data. The current version is capable of handling medical and biofeedback data, which can be archived, analyzed, and visualized. Future implementations will include generic sensor data via a plug-in concept, and provide data-analysis capability to get deeper insights into gathered data. The tool shall contribute with a new technology to support the interaction design process across applications: smart cities, smart living, smart interaction, urban informatics, health, sustainable living, audience response, or biofeedback. The tool will be made available in mid-2016 and can be found on: http://www.artur-lugmayr.com.
Effect of ultrasonic treatment of activated carbon on capacitive and pseudocapacitive energy storage in electrochemical supercapacitors

Purpose: Use of ultrasonic radiation for improving the properties of activated carbon was the aim of this paper. Increase of density of states at Fermi level was the main factor, responsible for working characteristics of electrochemical supercapacitors. Design/methodology/approach: Working parameters of supercapacitors on the base of activated carbon have been studied by means of precisional porometry, small angle X-ray scattering, cyclic voltamerometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and computer simulation methods. Findings: The possibility to effect the interface between activated carbon and electrolyte by means of ultrasonic treatment in cavitation and noncavitation regimes is proved. It is shown that ultrasonic treatment in noncavitation regimes causes the significant increase of density of states at Fermi level that results in better farad-volt dependences. Research limitations/implications: This research is a complete and accomplished work. Practical implications: Modification of electric double layer by meanans in ultrasonic treatment, proposed in this work, could be regarded as effective way to obtaine the advanced electrode materials in devices of energy generation and storage. Originality/value: This work is important for physics, material science and chemistry because it is related with new possibilities to change the mobility of charge carries in electric double layer by means of ultrasonic irradiation.
Miscibility and properties of blend materials from waterborne polyurethane and carboxymethyl konjac glucomannan

We prepared composite materials by blending waterborne polyurethane (WPU) and carboxymethyl konjac glucomannan (CMKGM) with CMKGM content from 15 to 80 wt % in an aqueous system. The structures and properties of the blend materials were characterized by FTIR, dynamic mechanical analysis, ultraviolet spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and tensile testing. The results indicated that the blend sheet with 80 wt % CMKGM exhibited good miscibility and higher tensile strength (89.1 MPa) than that of both WPU (3.2 MPa) and CMKGM (56.4 MPa) sheets. Moreover, with an increase of CMKGM content, the tensile strength, Young's modulus, and thermal stability increased significantly, attributed to intermolecular hydrogen bonding between CMKGM and WPU. Based on the experimental results, the blend materials have good, or a certain degree of, miscibility over the whole range of composition ratio of WPU to CMKGM. In addition, the blend materials exhibited organic solvent resistance. This work not only provided a simple method to prepare environmentally friendly materials, but also expanded the application of CMKGM. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 77–83, 2004
Design and development of sensorized toys for monitoring infants' grasping actions

Measuring grasping actions and forces in human infants is an important issue in many clinical contexts; by analyzing infants' typical development in unstructured environments it is possible to define standards against which to evaluate any condition of abnormal motor development. This work focuses on the development of biomechatronic tools, in particular a “little gym” composed by a set of instrumented toys equipped with a variety of sensors designed for the assessment/stimulation of motor actions of the upper limb of infants between 4 and 9 months of age. The aim of this work is to develop a mechatronic platform able to measure and stimulate infants' movements during the acts of reaching and grasping. In order to check the whole functionality of the mechatronic toys, in terms of working range, sensitivity, acceptance by the infants, some experimental tests have been performed with 7 infants aged from 4 to 9 months, for a total number of 350 measurements. The results confirm the hypothesis that the platform represents a valid tool for continuous monitoring and quantitatively measuring infants' manual function and motor development, without being distressful for the infant
Distribution of Size and Shape in Populations of Normal Human Red Cells

The diameter, area, and volume of individual human erythrocytes (of 8 subjects, newborn to age 71) were determined by photographing the cells hanging on edge. Measurements from high magnification prints were processed by computer. The distributions of diameter, area, and volume are described statistically, with the unexpectedly linear regression equations for their interrelations. The plot of area vs. volume for the 1016 normal cells from seven subjects (newborn excluded) was remarkably linear with a “straight-line” boundary restricting the distribution. Shape was characterized by a dimensionless” sphericity index” (4.84.volume 2/3/area). Cells of larger volume tended to be thinner than the smaller cells. The red cell can easily be deformed at constant volume, but an increase in membrane area results in hemolysis. A theoretical geometric parameter, the “minimum cylindrical diameter” (MCDiam), in microns, the thinnest cylindrical channel through which each individual cell could pass, predicts the linear boundary of the plot of area vs. volume. The MCDiam value of 3.66 μ ± 0.04 SEM accurately represents the thinnest channel through which 95% of the cells can pass. In two splenectomized patients with hereditary spherocytosis the MCDiam was increased to approximately 4.0 μ, suggesting that the severest restriction is located in the spleen.
In Vivo Elastic Properties of Human Tendon Structures in Lower Limb

The present study was conducted to evaluate the elastic properties of human tendon structures and their influences on human movements, and to investigate the effects of resistance training on tendon properties. During isometric contraction, the elongations of tendon structures in knee extensors and plantar flexors were measured by means of real-time ultrasonography. The resulting tendon force and elongation relationship was non-linear in form, as previously reported on animal and human cadaver tendons in vitro. The estimated Young's modulus, i.e., the slope of the stress - strain curve, tended to be lower than the previously reported values. In human movements, the elastic properties of tendon structures had a favorable effects on stretch-shortening cycle exercises, possibly because of improved storage and release of elastic energy. Furthermore, the adaptation of the tendon structures to physical training varies with the combinations of intensity, contraction time during exercise as previously observed in the animal experiments. Furthermore, the elastic properties of human tendon structures could be new indices of physical resources in vivo.
Cryptic diversity in vertebrates: molecular data double estimates of species diversity in a radiation of Australian lizards (Diplodactylus, Gekkota)

A major problem for biodiversity conservation and management is that a significant portion of species diversity remains undocumented (the ‘taxonomic impediment’). This problem is widely acknowledged to be dire among invertebrates and in developing countries; here, we demonstrate that it can be acute even in conspicuous animals (reptiles) and in developed nations (Australia). A survey of mtDNA, allozyme and chromosomal variation in the Australian gecko, genus Diplodactylus, increases overall species diversity estimates from 13 to 29. Four nominal species each actually represent multi-species complexes; three of these species complexes are not even monophyletic. The high proportion of cryptic species discovered emphasizes the importance of continuing detailed assessments of species diversity, even in apparently well-known taxa from industrialized countries.
The CREATE Strategy for Intensive Analysis of Primary Literature Can Be Used Effectively by Newly Trained Faculty to Produce Multiple Gains in Diverse Students

CREATE uses intensive analysis of primary literature to demystify/humanize science. Previously, CREATE produced cognitive/affective gains at a minority-serving institution. These data reveal that faculty members on a wide range of campuses can learn CREATE pedagogy in workshops, teach CREATE effectively in their first attempt, and elicit cognitive/affective gains in their students.
Primary Role of Functional Ischemia, Quantitative Evidence for the Two-Hit Mechanism, and Phosphodiesterase-5 Inhibitor Therapy in Mouse Muscular Dystrophy

Background Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by increased muscle damage and an abnormal blood flow after muscle contraction: the state of functional ischemia. Until now, however, the cause-effect relationship between the pathogenesis of DMD and functional ischemia was unclear. We examined (i) whether functional ischemia is necessary to cause contraction-induced myofiber damage and (ii) whether functional ischemia alone is sufficient to induce the damage. Methodology/Principal Findings In vivo microscopy was used to document assays developed to measure intramuscular red blood cell flux, to quantify the amount of vasodilatory molecules produced from myofibers, and to determine the extent of myofiber damage. Reversal of functional ischemia via pharmacological manipulation prevented contraction-induced myofiber damage in mdx mice, the murine equivalent of DMD. This result indicates that functional ischemia is required for, and thus an essential cause of, muscle damage in mdx mice. Next, to determine whether functional ischemia alone is enough to explain the disease, the extent of ischemia and the amount of myofiber damage were compared both in control and mdx mice. In control mice, functional ischemia alone was found insufficient to cause a similar degree of myofiber damage observed in mdx mice. Additional mechanisms are likely contributing to cause more severe myofiber damage in mdx mice, suggestive of the existence of a “two-hit” mechanism in the pathogenesis of this disease. Conclusions/Significance Evidence was provided supporting the essential role of functional ischemia in contraction-induced myofiber damage in mdx mice. Furthermore, the first quantitative evidence for the “two-hit” mechanism in this disease was documented. Significantly, the vasoactive drug tadalafil, a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor, administered to mdx mice ameliorated muscle damage.
Retroviral vector design for long-term expression in murine hematopoietic cells in vivo.

A series of retroviral vectors containing the human glucocerebrosidase (GC) cDNA driven by various promoters have been constructed in an attempt to discover which vector design can most efficiently transduce murine hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and drive expression of the transferred gene in hematopoietic cells of mice reconstituted with the transduced stem cells. The simplest vector, LG, in which the GC gene is driven by the viral LTR, was the most efficient vector at infecting HSCs, with an average viral copy number in hematopoietic tissues of 3 copies/cell in recipient mice. In general, the viral vectors that contained any additional promoters or enhancers to drive expression of either the GC gene or a selectable marker gene (Neo) had lower titers and/or transduced HSCs at a lower efficiency. This was seen most markedly when the human phosphoglycerate (PGK) promoter was used to drive the human GC cDNA. Despite repeated attempts to obtain a high titer producer clone, this virus consistently produced low titers and subsequently resulted in the lowest proviral copy numbers in long-term reconstituted mice. Only the viral LTR and PGK promoter were capable of driving significant levels of human GC RNA in hematopoietic cells of long-term reconstituted mice, with a much lower level of RNA generated by an internal herpes TK or SV40 immediate early promoter. Insertion of the internal transcription unit in the opposite orientation relative to the viral LTRs had a detrimental effect on gene expression. The levels of RNA generated by a hybrid LTR containing the myeloproliferative sarcoma virus enhancer were higher in bone marrow-derived macrophages than in nonadherent cells of the bone marrow when compared with the LG vector. The presence of an internal promoter to drive expression of the human GC cDNA did not seem to have a detrimental effect on expression levels from the viral LTR. In fact, in the presence of an internal TK or PGK promoter expression from the LTR was increased despite the presence of lower proviral copy numbers. Insertion of a second gene (Neo) into the vector had a negative impact on long-term expression in hematopoietic cells in vivo; however, this seems to be due solely to the lower transduction efficiency of this vector. Overall, the highest levels of GC activity in macrophages of long-term reconstituted mice were generated by the LG vector; however, these levels were variable. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Optimization of a Low Cost and Broadly Sensitive Genotyping Assay for HIV-1 Drug Resistance Surveillance and Monitoring in Resource-Limited Settings

Commercially available HIV-1 drug resistance (HIVDR) genotyping assays are expensive and have limitations in detecting non-B subtypes and circulating recombinant forms that are co-circulating in resource-limited settings (RLS). This study aimed to optimize a low cost and broadly sensitive in-house assay in detecting HIVDR mutations in the protease (PR) and reverse transcriptase (RT) regions of pol gene. The overall plasma genotyping sensitivity was 95.8% (N = 96). Compared to the original in-house assay and two commercially available genotyping systems, TRUGENE® and ViroSeq®, the optimized in-house assay showed a nucleotide sequence concordance of 99.3%, 99.6% and 99.1%, respectively. The optimized in-house assay was more sensitive in detecting mixture bases than the original in-house (N = 87, P<0.001) and TRUGENE® and ViroSeq® assays. When the optimized in-house assay was applied to genotype samples collected for HIVDR surveys (N = 230), all 72 (100%) plasma and 69 (95.8%) of the matched dried blood spots (DBS) in the Vietnam transmitted HIVDR survey were genotyped and nucleotide sequence concordance was 98.8%; Testing of treatment-experienced patient plasmas with viral load (VL) ≥ and <3 log10 copies/ml from the Nigeria and Malawi surveys yielded 100% (N = 46) and 78.6% (N = 14) genotyping rates, respectively. Furthermore, all 18 matched DBS stored at room temperature from the Nigeria survey were genotyped. Phylogenetic analysis of the 236 sequences revealed that 43.6% were CRF01_AE, 25.9% subtype C, 13.1% CRF02_AG, 5.1% subtype G, 4.2% subtype B, 2.5% subtype A, 2.1% each subtype F and unclassifiable, 0.4% each CRF06_CPX, CRF07_BC and CRF09_CPX. Conclusions The optimized in-house assay is broadly sensitive in genotyping HIV-1 group M viral strains and more sensitive than the original in-house, TRUGENE® and ViroSeq® in detecting mixed viral populations. The broad sensitivity and substantial reagent cost saving make this assay more accessible for RLS where HIVDR surveillance is recommended to minimize the development and transmission of HIVDR.