Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear Identification of Friction Model Using Concave/Convex Parameterization

This paper presents the min-max non linear identification method applied to a friction model. This static friction model includes the Coulomb and viscous friction with stiction and Stribeck effect. The estimator used for identification is based on concave/convex parameterization and a min-max optimization problem. Based on the persistence of excitation assumption, the convergence of the estimator is proved. Simulation results demonstrate the good performance of the identification approach
Pattern of monosynaptic Ia connections in the cat forelimb.

1. In anaesthetized cats intracellular records were obtained from antidromically identified motoneurones. The motor nuclei to the elbow extensor and flexor muscles and to the muscles innervated by the deep radial, ulnar and median nerves were investigated. The maximum Ia EPSPs from electrical stimulation of various peripheral nerves were measured. The characteristic convergence and projection patterns to each motor nucleus were established from pooled data. 2. The total aggregates of the Ia EPSPs between the different motor nuclei ranged from 3.5 to 11.7 mV. The smallest aggregates were found in the nuclei to the digit muscles. The ratio of the heteronymous versus homonymous EPSP amplitudes varied between 3.9 and 0.5. A general rule which would govern the distribution of the EPSP aggregates, such as a proximo‐distal gradient, was not observed. 3. The Ia connections followed a complex but highly organized pattern. Bidirectional and unidirectional pathways were present. In many cases the convergence pattern of a motor nucleus included muscles acting at different joints. The connections of one nucleus were not necessarily restricted to one side of the limb, but could cross the radio‐ulnar plane. 4. Muscles with similar actions onto the same joint were interconnected with bidirectional, rather balanced Ia pathways. Such relations were also present between close functional synergists and then often extended across several joints. The relations between the anatomical extensors of wrist and digits were graded according to the neighbourhood of these muscles. It is suggested that this reflects the graded mechanical synergism in the wrist action of these muscles. 5. A large number of unidirectional or strongly skewed bidirectional Ia pathways project from proximal to distal muscles. It is suggested that they may serve a readjustment of distal joints during changes in the position of proximal ones (e.g. stabilization of the position of the radio‐ulnar plane during elbow extension in case of the undirectional projections onto supinator and abductor pollicis longus motoneurones). 6. The motor nuclei to some multifunctional muscles display a negative correlation between different heteronymous Ia inputs: motoneurones with a large input from one muscle show a significant tendency to receive a smaller input from another muscle and vice versa. This organization leads to subpopulations of neurones with different convergence patterns within the same motor nucleus. 7. Motor nuclei with bidirectional Ia relations between each other displayed similar convergence and projection patterns. They were combined into ‘Ia synergistic groups. ’ One motor nucleus may belong to several groups. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Compensatory Control and Its Implications for Ideological Extremism

This article outlines and reviews evidence for a model of compensatory control designed to account for the motivated belief in personal and external sources of control. In doing so, we attempt to shed light on the content and strength of ideologies, including extreme libertarian, nationalist, socialist, and religious fundamentalist ideologies. We suggest that although these ideologies differ in their content they commonly function to provide people with a sense of control over otherwise random events. We propose that extreme ideologies of personal control (e.g., libertarianism) and external control (e.g., socialism, religious fundamentalism) are equifinal means of meeting a universal need to believe that things, in general, are under control—that is, that events do not unfold randomly or haphazardly. We use this model to explain how the adoption and strength of ideologies of personal and external control may vary across temporal and sociocultural contexts.
Pharmakopsychologie und Verhaltenspharmakologie

Pharmacopsychology and Behavioral Pharmacology Behaviors relevant to psychotherapeutic processes, like learning, memory, and incentive motivation are discussed with respect to their modification by different types of drugs. In conditioning processes relevant to learning, benzodiazepines, neuroleptics, and serotonin- (5-HT-) related antidepressants and anxiolytics are discussed with respect to their differences in passive and active avoidance and with respect to their differences in escape and avoidance behavior. For memory, an additional group of compounds is important: cholinergic drugs, which have a salient role in consolidation and retrieval of memory contents. Substances are discussed with respect to differences in anterograde and retrograde processes of memory and with respect to short- and long-term memory. The incentive motivation aspect is discussed in particular with respect to dopaminergic drugs which play a salient role in appetitive behavior and flexible approach. But also the serotonergically inhibiting processes are relevant in this context, because addictive behavior is a combination of dopaminergic approach and lack of inhibitory serotonergic processes. Therefore, patients suffering from lack of positive reinforcers may benefit from dopaminergic stimulation, and training of abstinence from addictive behavior could be supported by serotonergically acting drugs.
Rehabilitation at home after stroke: a descriptive study of an individualized intervention

Objective: To describe the content of a programme involving early hospital discharge and continued rehabilitation at home after stroke. Design: Quantitative and qualitative descriptive study of an intervention within the context of a randomized controlled trial. Setting: Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Subjects: Forty-one patients, moderately impaired after stroke, rehabilitated by a team of six occupational, physical, and speech and language therapists. Results: The average duration of the programme was 14 weeks, the mean number of home visits 12, and the median total time consumption 23 hours and 20 minutes, of which face-to-face contact with the patient constituted 54%. The rehabilitation process was pursued by the patient and the therapist in partnership. Supported by the team the therapists incorporated a wider domain of activities than usual and left a considerable amount of the training to self-directed activities. The most common foci of the visits were speech and communication, ADL activities and ambulation. When planning the intervention the therapists paid attention to discrepancies between the desires and abilities of the patient on the one hand and environmental demands on the other – discrepancies detected through observation of the patient in the home environment. Conclusions: The home environment offers therapists working in a team opportunities to adopt a behaviour that enables patients with moderate neurological impairments after stroke to resume responsibility and influence over their rehabilitation process, resulting in an individualized rehabilitation programme that varies in duration, content and frequency of home visits.
Causes of Failure of Students in Computer Programming Courses: The Teacher Learner Perspective

are many factors that influence the high rate of failure of students in computer programming courses. This paper focuses on the teaching methodologies and strategies that are implemented in teaching programming courses. This is a major factor for consideration; hence an investigation into the causes of failure of students in programming courses from the learner perspective with regard to the teaching methodology used by teachers to teach these courses is relevant. Programming courses form part of the core concentration areas for students especially studying Information Technology (IT) and Computer Science (CS) as an undergraduate degree program. Programming students are expected to demonstrate competencies in the principles of programming and logic that are being taught in the course; even though some of these concepts are highly abstract and complex. Their opinions to the usefulness of the teaching methods being implemented in programming courses were sought for. The needs and concerns about the teaching methods are highlighted in the survey and discussed thereby leading to the making of suggestions about the ways to improve the teaching methods that are used in computer programming courses in order to improve understanding of programming, when studied by students thereby minimizing failure rates.
Superoxide dismutase affects the viability of thawed European mouflon (Ovis g. musimon) semen and the heterologous fertilization using both IVF and intracytoplasmatic sperm injection.

This study evaluated the effects of superoxide dismutase (SOD) on viability and acrosome integrity of European mouflon spermatozoa after cryopreservation and on the fertilization rates of sheep oocytes after i.v. f. or intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (i.c.s.i.). Frozen semen was thawed and washed with synthetic oviduct fluid supplemented with 0.6% bovine serum albumin. After centrifugation, the spermatozoa pellet was split into two culture systems: (i) without SOD; and (ii) in the presence of 1500 IU mL(-1) SOD. Sperm viability and acrosome integrity were evaluated simultaneously, immediately after thawing and after 3, 6 and 9 h of culture (5% CO2, 39 degrees C, 90% humidity), by incubating sperm with propidium iodide and fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled Pisum sativum agglutinin. At the same time, sperm were assessed for motility using a standard scoring system (independent operators' observation of sperm) that graded degree of motility (i.e. 1 = immotile to 10 = maximum motility, as observed at the moment of thawing). For i.v. f. , frozen-thawed semen derived from the two culture systems was placed in culture together with in vitro-matured sheep oocytes. For i.c. s.i. , semen derived from the same culture systems as that for i.v. f. was used, and incubated for 1 h under standard conditions. The results showed a marked difference (P < 0.01) between the percentages of live spermatozoa in medium with SOD and those obtained in medium alone, after 3, 6 and 9 h of culture. The percentages of intact acrosome spermatozoa were higher in medium with SOD after 6 h (P = 0.05) of culture. Spermatozoa motility decreased significantly in SOD containing medium at 3 and 6 h of culture compared with motility in control medium. Fertilization rates were significantly lower in medium with SOD than in medium alone, whereas in the i.c. s.i. system fertilization rates were significantly higher in the presence of SOD. The results indicate that the addition of SOD to the culture media enhances the viability rates and the acrosome integrity of cryopreserved mouflon spermatozoa.
Symbolic Communication Forms in Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

The aim of this study was to examine how early symbolic forms (and their associated communicative functions) are related to change in communication among a sample of 12 young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who produced two or fewer spoken words (M age = 28.75 months; 11 male, 1 female). Parents reported on children’s symbolic communication forms for 10 communicative functions at baseline and follow-up. Results indicated that on average reported symbolic forms changed over the 8-week period. Relative to children assigned to the nontrained symbol group, children assigned to the trained symbol group were significantly more likely to add a new symbolic form by follow-up. Contrary to authors’ initial hypothesis, early gesture production at enrollment was not related to communication change. These findings provide information into the use of parent-report measurement to describe symbolic forms in young children with communication disability and highlight imitation as a frequently reported communicative function.
The association between tobacco smoking and reported psychiatric symptoms in an adolescent population in the United Arab Emirates

In this study the relationship between cigarette smoking and certain elements of psychiatric morbidity, especially anxiety and depressive symptoms, was investigated among a sample of adolescents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The sample of the study consisted of 473 male secondary school students in the city of Ras Al-Kheima, UAE. Mean age of participants was 16.67 ( SD = 1.07). They completed the Arabic version of the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) as well as other demographic information. Data analysis, using one-way ANOVA, revealed significantly higher reported symptoms by smokers compared with those who never smoked and those who started and stopped. The difference between those who smoked and stopped and those who never smoked was also significant.
SAS: Self-Adaptive Spectrum Management for Wireless Sensor Networks

Smart wireless sensor devices are becoming increas- ingly ubiquitous and are expected to be embedded in everyday objects in the near future. When these devices are deployed in overlapping or adjacent geographic areas, the unlicensed 2.4GHz ISM band will be crowded. To deal with the crowded spectrum, we propose SAS, a Self-Adaptive Spectrum management middle- ware for wireless sensor networks. SAS enables single-frequency MAC protocols with multi-frequency capability, so that an existing MAC protocol, like B-MAC, can automatically adapt to the least congested physical channel at runtime. We implemented SAS in TinyOS 2.1 with nesC and evaluated its performance with TelosB motes. Our performance results demonstrate that SAS improves the performance of existing single-frequency MAC protocols, like B-MAC. The use of SAS results in higher packet reception ratio and system throughput, and a lower packet delay and energy consumption.
The origin of crustaceans: new evidence from the Early Cambrian of China

One of the smallest arthropods recently discovered in the Early Cambrian Maotianshan Shale Lagerstätte is described. Ercaia gen. nov. has an untagmatized trunk bearing serially repeated biramous appendages (long and segmented endopods and flap–like exopods), a head with an acron bearing stalked lateral eyes and a sclerite and two pairs of antennae. The position of this 520 million–year–old tiny arthropod within the Crustacea is supported by several anatomical features: (i) a head with five pairs of appendages including two pairs of antennae, (ii) highly specialized antennae (large setose fans with a possible function in feeding), and (iii) specialized last trunk appendages (segmented pediform structures fringed with setae). The segmentation pattern of Ercaia (5 head and 13 trunk) is close to that of Maxillopoda but lacks the trunk tagmosis of modern representatives of the group. Ercaia is interpreted as a possible derivative of the stem group Crustacea. Ercaia is likely to have occupied an ecological niche similar to those of some Recent meiobenthic organisms (e.g. copepods living in association with sediment). This new fossil evidence supports the remote ancestry of crustaceans well before the Late Cambrian and shows, along with other fossil data (mainly Early Cambrian in China), that a variety of body plans already coexisted among the primitive crustacean stock.
A Critical Review of Immigrant Children’s Literacies and Identities from a Deleuzian Perspective

This article examines how Deleuze and Guattari’s rhizome concept can be applied to educational research about immigrant children’s literacies and identities. It explores the intersection of literacy and identity encountered in sociocultural and poststructural (particularly a Deleuzian perspective) paradigms, reviews studies on immigrant children’s literacy and identity from these two perspectives, and discusses challenges posed by each. The rhizome concept advances a new way of research about immigrant children, who are often marginalized by the dominant school culture. This new way of research emphasizes literacy as a process of becoming, highlighting immigrant children’s multilinguality, creativity, and intersections of multiple literacies across school, home and community and across global and local contexts and the fluidity of their identities. The paper finally calls for an awareness of the complications, connections and multiplicities that literacy research confronts concerning immigrant children and puts forward some pedagogical implications.
[Methylation of promoter and expression of FHIT gene in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE To study the relationship between status of methylation of FHIT gene promoter and expression of its protein in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). METHOD PCR-based restriction enzyme assay and immunohistochemical SP technique were used to detect the status of methylation of FHIT gene promoter and expression of its protein in 41 cases of LSCC and their matched normal squamous epithelium (NSE). RESULT In NSE, there was no promoter methylation of FHIT gene, while in LSCC the rate of it was 24.4% (10/41), and it was related to the tumor pathological grade and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01). The positive rate of FHIT expression in NSE and LSCC was 100.0% (41/41) and 46.3% (19/41) respectively, and the expression of FHIT was related to the tumor TNM stage and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). There was significant correlation between methylation of FHIT gene promoter and expression of its protein (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Methylation of promoter might be one of important factors of inactivation of FHIT gene, and might play important role in carcinogenesis and progression of LSCC.
Measurement of a CMOS negative inductor for wideband non-foster metamaterials

There is increasing interest in impedance-matching methods that use non-Foster circuits to provide wideband operation in a variety of microwave devices such as antennas and metamaterials. In addition, many of these prior non-Foster circuits employ bipolar negative impedance converter designs, and it is advantageous to move such designs into CMOS. Therefore, the present work provides new measured results building upon an earlier proposed design of a negative inductor in a 0.5 micron CMOS process. The proposed circuit eliminates a resistor from a common negative impedance converter topology, and the prototype performs well at high frequency. Measured results show a low-frequency inductance of -95 nH falling to -85 nH at 750 MHz and -63 nH at 1 GHz. Finally, simulation results are presented for the performance of the circuit in a metamaterial application.
Low-fat dairy consumption and reduced risk of hypertension: the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) cohort.

BACKGROUND Some observational studies have shown a beneficial effect of dairy consumption on blood pressure, especially in overweight and relatively young (<40 y) persons. However, no results from prospective studies conducted in a free-living population exist that show this association in middle-aged adults. OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to assess whether total, low-fat, and whole-fat dairy consumption was associated prospectively with the risk of hypertension. DESIGN This was a prospective study conducted in 5880 university graduates in Spain, aged >20 y in 2000 (mean age: 37 y), free of hypertension and cardiovascular disease at baseline, and followed-up with mailed questionnaires for a median of 27 mo. Dairy consumption was assessed with a previously validated semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. RESULTS One hundred eighty new cases of hypertension were identified. The hazard ratio of hypertension between extreme quintiles of low-fat dairy product consumption was 0.46 (95% CI: 0.26, 0.84; P for trend = 0.02) after adjustment for the main known risk factors for hypertension and several dietary factors. No significant association between whole-fat dairy products or total calcium intake and incident hypertension was seen. CONCLUSION In this Mediterranean cohort, low-fat dairy consumption, but not whole-fat dairy consumption, was associated with a lower risk of incident hypertension.
Mothers' working models of attachment relationships and mother and child behavior during separation and reunion.

Associations between mothers' models of attachment and mother and child behaviors surrounding separation were explored. Forty-five mothers were given the Adult Attachment Interview (George, Kaplan, & Main, 1984) and were classified as secure, dismissing, or preoccupied. They were seen with their children, aged 2-4 years, in a laboratory separation-reunion
Sex-Dependent Novelty Response in Neurexin-1α Mutant Mice

Neurexin-1 alpha (NRXN1α) belongs to the family of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), which are involved in the formation of neuronal networks and synapses. NRXN1α gene mutations have been identified in neuropsychiatric diseases including Schizophrenia (SCZ) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In order to get a better understanding of the pleiotropic behavioral manifestations caused by NRXN1α gene mutations, we performed a behavioral study of Nrxn1α heterozygous knock-out (+/−) mice and observed increased responsiveness to novelty and accelerated habituation to novel environments compared to wild type (+/+) litter-mates. However, this effect was mainly observed in male mice, strongly suggesting that gender-specific mechanisms play an important role in Nrxn1α-induced phenotypes.
Four novel mutations underlying mild or intermediate forms of α‐L‐iduronidase deficiency (MPS IS and MPS IH/S)

The α‐L‐iduronidase deficiency diseases (Mucopolysaccharidosis I) cover a spectrum of clinical severity ranging from the very severe (Hurler syndrome, MPS IH) through an intermediate (Hurler/Scheie syndrome, MPS IH/S) to a relatively mild form (Scheie syndrome, MPS IS). Numerous mutations of the gene encoding α‐L‐iduronidase (IDUA) are known in Hurler syndrome, but only three in the other disorders. We report on novel mutations of the IDUA gene in one patient with the Scheie syndrome and in three patients with the Hurler/Scheie syndrome. The novel mutations, all single base changes, encoded the substitutions R492P (Scheie), and X654G, P496L, and L490P (Hurler/Scheie). The L490P mutation was apparently homozygous, whereas each of the others was found in compound hettrozygosity with a Hurler mutation. The deleterious nature of the mutations was confirmed by absence of enzyme activity upon transfection of the corresponding mutagenized cDNAs into Cos‐1 cells. These results provide additional information for genotype—phenotype correlations. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Tools for managing and analyzing microarray data

The microarray-based analysis of gene expression has become a workhorse for biomedical research. Managing the amount and diversity of data that such experiments produce is a task that must be supported by appropriate software tools, which led to the creation of literally hundreds of systems. In consequence, choosing the right tool for a given project is difficult even for the expert. We report on the results of a survey encompassing 78 of such tools, of which 22 were inspected in detail and seven were tested hands-on. We report on our experiences with a focus on completeness of functionality, ease-of-use, and necessary effort for installation and maintenance. Thereby, our survey provides a valuable guideline for any project considering the use of a microarray data management system. It reveals which tasks are covered by mature tools and also shows that important requirements, especially in the area of integrated analysis of different experimental data, are not yet met satisfyingly by existing systems.