Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Trajectory tracking and formation flight of autonomous UAVs in GPS-denied environments using onboard sensing

In GPS-denied environments like in indoor applications, location systems based on Vicon cameras, infrared cameras or UWB techniques are generally employed to provide location information of multiple mobile robots. The location systems require expensive and external equipments, which limits the applicable range of micro unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in GPS-denied environments. In the paper, efficient control schemes based on onboard commodity sensors are presented for autonomous UAVs in indoor applications, where the horizontal displacement of the platform is provided by an optical flow sensor. With the aid of lightweight onboard sensors, a complete 6-degree of freedom (DOF) state of the UAV can be estimated. Control strategies are presented for low-level stabilization as well as high-level tracking and formation control. Experiments illustrate that the UAVs with onboard sensing and computation can achieve autonomous trajectory tracking and distributed formation flight based on a leader-follower scheme.
The diverse functions of germline P‐granules in Caenorhabditis elegans

P‐granules are conserved cytoplasmic organelles, similar to nuage, that are present in Caenorhabditis elegans germ cells. Based on the prevailing sterility phenotype of the component mutants, P‐granules have been seen as regulators of germ cell development and function. Yet, specific germline defects resulting from P‐granule failure vary, depending on which component(s) are inactivated, at which stage of development, as well as on the presence of stress factors during animal culture. This review discusses the unifying themes in many P‐granule functions, with the main focus on their role as organizing centers nucleating RNA regulation in the germ cell cytoplasm. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 80:624–631, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Voluntary hypohydration in 10- to 12-year-old boys.

This study was performed to determine whether a) children voluntarily dehydrate while exercising in hot climate; b) such dehydration affects their well-being and thermoregulation. Eleven 10p to 12-yr old, partially acclimatized boys underwent two work-in-the-heat protocols (cycle rides, 45% aerobic capacity at 39 degrees C, 45% rh). During one session they drank only voluntarily when thirsty (VD). In the other, drinking was forced (FD) to replenish fluid losses. VD induced a progressively increasing fluid loss (0.3% of body wt.h-1) due to insufficient drinking (72% of intake in FD). URinary output was lower (55.7 vs. 81.6 ml.h-1) and its osmolality higher (880 vs. 523 meq.1-1) than during FD. Sweat rate, rectal (Tre) and mean skin (T-sk) temperatures, heart rate, rate of perceived exertion, sweat gland counts, blood hemoglobin, hematocrit (Hct), serum electrolytes, and total proteins did not differ between sessions. However, the rise of Tre, Hct, and proteins positively correlated with hypohydration level. It is concluded that exercising children progressively dehydrate when not forced to drink. At equal levels of % weight loss they have greater Tre rise than do lean adults.
Antibody binding capacity for evaluation of MDR‐related proteins in acute promyelocytic leukemia: Onset versus relapse expression

Multidrug resistance (MDR) remains a major obstacle for successful treatment in cancer, in particular in acute leukemia. In acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), the high sensitivity to anthracyclines appears to be attributable to the low frequency of MDR proteins overexpression at onset even if 30% of patients still relapse and become resistant to therapy. In attempt to explain different blast cell sensitivity, we studied the expression of PGP, MRP1, MRP2, and LRP in 45 cases of APL, comparing onset of disease with relapse.
MobiShare : cloud-enabled opportunistic content sharing among mobile peers

In developing countries, smartphones and high bandwidth connections are not yet within the reach of majority of the people. To share multimedia content among themselves, people rely on manual local sharing mechanisms i.e. either using physical exchange of memory card or through short-range wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth. However, this model of content sharing is not scalable in terms of number of users and shared items. In this paper, we propose MobiShare which is a mobilecloud based system designed to support searching and sharing of content among pair of mobile peers. The cloud does aggregation of shared content in user’s social network and enables scalable content search with real-time computation of expected encounter time between content source and requester. For finding expected encounter time, we build algorithms for (1) Finding mobility profiles of the users using heterogeneous location data services such as Cell ID and WiFi; and (2) Predicting places that will be visited in the future, together with corresponding time spent, using those profiles. We deployed MobiShare with 16 volunteers and collected data for 4 weeks. We present evaluation results of the system based on the collected data.
How adoption is G2C model E-Government? — Evidence from Xi' an and Nan Jing

With the development of information technology, since 1990s, E-Government has become a vital tool for government to change its ways of work. In this research, we took Xi'an and Nan Jing municipal's E-Government as example, using questionnaires to survey citizens' adoption of G2C model E-Government. Then we used structural equation model to explore what factors influence citizens' intention of using E-Government. From our research we found that nowadays citizens seldom use E-Government in their daily life. The factors which can influence citizens' using intention including using experience, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived risk, compatibility of E-Government system, trust to E-Government and the result visibility of using E-Government.
Community safety in Australian Indigenous communities : Service providers' perceptions

This report details the development and implementation of a survey designed to capture perceptions of community safety in Australian Indigenous communities. Issues of violence among Indigenous Australians have been widely discussed through research, government inquiries and the media. However, there is little understanding of the safety issues that impact on Indigenous Australians in their daily lives, including issues outside the boundaries of criminal behaviour. This research aims to explore these issues and place them within the context of the positive steps taken by Indigenous communities to bring about solutions to community safety and priorities for further positive change. Through the survey, the research also aims to increase understanding around the issue of under-reported or non-disclosed victimisation and through this understanding, contribute to increasing the willingness of victims to report and seek help.
Modellbasierte Extraktion, Repräsentation und Analyse von Traceability-Informationen

This work describes and evaluates TraceML, a modeling language for traceability information. Traceability is the degree to which relationships between products of a software development process can be established. Processing traceability information helps to handle the complexity of modern software development efforts and so to make software development more efficient. Up to date traceability has a problem in its application: Often it’s too expensive and of little use. Integrated and efficient approaches and tools for traceability are missing. TraceML contributes to solve this problem. It proposes a modeling language which allows to formulate traceability approaches and applications uniformly. First of all this work describes an organization scheme for the information and the process of traceability by an ontology and a value chain. Following TraceML is described in its structure and semantics. The capability of the approach is then evaluated in two applications: ReflexML, consistency analysis between architecture and code, and the Softwareleitstand a tool which condenses traceability information and software metrics to control software projects more efficiently. ReflexML is a dedicated research contribution in the field of software architectures.
Differential scanning calorimetric study of antibiotic distamycin A binding with chromatin within isolated rat liver nuclei

Abstract Context: Natural oligopeptide antibiotic distamycin A (Dst) biosynthesized by Streptomyces distallicus is traditionally used in medical practice as an anti-inflammatory and antitumour drug. Objective: Dst was investigated for its effect on the structural components of native chromatin directly within isolated rat liver nuclei in the presence of physiologically significant cations (magnesium or spermine and spermidine). Materials and methods: Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to study the Dst action at molar ratio Dst/DNA = 0.1 and 0.15 mM Dst on the melting profile of nuclei suspension in different conditions. Results: Results showed that the thermodynamic parameters of control nuclei in the presence of polyamines or Mg2+ were different. The incubation of nuclei with Dst raised transition temperatures of relaxed (peak II) and topologically constrained DNA (peak III) by 6–8 °C and decreased by 2–4 °C that of core-histones (peak I). The total excess transition enthalpy (ΔHexc) in buffer with polyamines (24.7 kJ/mol DNA nucleotides) increased by1.5 times versus control but in buffer with Mg2+, the value of ΔHexc (35.8 kJ/mol DNA nucleotides) remained unchanged. Conclusions: The association of Dst with chromatin in the nucleus weakens histone-DNA contacts and causes additional strengthening of interaction between two complementary DNA chains. Our results contribute towards validation of DSC to test drug ability to modulate chromatin structure in the physiological environment and to clarify the mechanism of these modulations.
L'acceptation des nouvelles technologies par les personnes agées

Dans les trente prochaines annees la generation du baby boom va atteindre le troisieme âge et participer au vieillissement de la societe. Cette population aura un besoin massif d’aide et de soins dont il n’est pas garanti que l’on puisse les assurer. Les nouvelles technologies adressees aux personnes âgees peuvent aider a resoudre ce probleme mais pour cela il est indispensable que les aines les acceptent. L’objectif de cette these est d’offrir un moyen de mesurer l’acceptation de ces technologies et de predire leur utilisation. L’analyse de la documentation scientifique a permis d’identifier un modele ayant les qualites requises pour cela, le modele d’acceptation technologique propose par Davis en 1989 (Technology Acceptance Model, TAM). Ce modele se revele parcimonieux et bien documente mais il n’existait qu’en langue anglaise. D’autre part, la documentation scientifique montrait que la technologie la plus repandue parmi la population âgee et dependante etait la telealarme. Ainsi, il a ete decide de traduire en francais, adapter et valider un questionnaire issu du TAM pour predire l’utilisation de la telealarme par les personnes âgees dependantes. Quatre etudes ont donc ete menees, la premiere a consiste en une serie d’entretiens, la deuxieme en un questionnaire papier, et les deux dernieres en un questionnaire par telephone. Ce travail a abouti a l’obtention d’un instrument a dix items dont les qualites psychometriques se sont revelees acceptables. Le TAM fonctionne de la maniere attendue il est donc possible de predire l’utilisation de la telealarme. Cependant deux limites doivent nuancer ces resultats, la premiere est que les etudes realisees sont transversales ce qui empeche de parler de validite predictive, la seconde et la modeste variance expliquee du questionnaire en francais comparativement aux resultats publies. En conclusion, le modele doit s’enrichir de concepts specifique a la population âgee afin d’affiner ses predictions.
On the Efficiency of On-Line Density Estimators

An on-line density estimator may be defined to be one where each update, following the arrival of a new data value, may be accomplished after no more than a fixed number of calculations. This definition should also apply to any empirical bandwidth selection rule for such an estimator. Recursive estimators comprise only a special case of on-line estimators, but even there, on-line bandwidth formulas have not been developed. The authors introduce a class of on-line estimators, and discuss efficiency in this context. It is shown that some nonrecursive members of the class achieve greater efficiency than any recursive estimators, and that efficiency increases to 100% as the order of the estimated derivative increases. On-line bandwidth selection rules, enabling these high orders of efficiency to be achieved asymptotically, are introduced. >
Robust Spectral Methods for Solving Option Pricing Problems

Robust Spectral Methods for Solving Option Pricing Problems by Edson Pindza PhD thesis, Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape Ever since the invention of the classical Black-Scholes formula to price the financial derivatives, a number of mathematical models have been proposed by numerous researchers in this direction. Many of these models are in general very complex, thus closed form analytical solutions are rarely obtainable. In view of this, we present a class of efficient spectral methods to numerically solve several mathematical models of pricing options. We begin with solving European options. Then we move to solve their American counterparts which involve a free boundary and therefore normally difficult to price by other conventional numerical methods. We obtain very promising results for the above two types of options and therefore we extend this approach to solve some more difficult problems for pricing options, viz., jump-diffusion models and local volatility models. The numerical methods involve solving partial differential equations, partial integro-differential equations and associated complementary problems which are used to model the financial derivatives. In order to retain their exponential accuracy, we discuss the necessary modification of the spectral methods. Finally, we present several comparative numerical results showing the superiority of our spectral methods.
SOME ASPECTS OF SUSTAINABILITY AND SYNERGY IN THE EMERGING TEACHER TRAINING

The emerging English as a foreign language teachers develop their professional competence better if they participate in global informal studies by collaboration involving global synergy issues, which develop higher their professional competence. Analysis of theoretical sources and empirical research. Results of global informal studies organized by 12 higher education teacher training institutions analyzed. Global learning shared in master classes, lectures, case studies in Austrian schools, text books for learning English compared. Lessons conducted by international teams on global learning analyzed. Results disclosing the reactions of the participants included. Valid knowledge on teaching English and sustainability gained. Synergy brings valuable knowledge needed for professional competence development on teaching/learning.
Rapid detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae by an assay based on PCR and probe hybridization in a nonradioactive microwell plate format

A new molecular assay, based on a rapid DNA extraction protocol, PCR, and hybridization to a specific probe in a nonradioactive microwell plate format was used to detect Mycoplasma pneumoniae in bronchoalveolar fluid specimens. The sensitivity of the assay was determined to be 10 to 100 organisms with M. pneumoniae reference strains. Specificity testing with different bacteria capable of producing pneumonia showed no cross-reactivity. In a prospective study, bronchoalveolar lavage fluids obtained from patients with pneumonia were investigated with the PCR assay and compared to culture. Twelve positive samples were detected with the PCR assay. Seven of them were subsequently confirmed by culture. All patients with positive PCR results seroconverted. Application of the PCR assay described may lead to safe and early diagnosis of M. pneumoniae in patients with pneumonia.
Effect of american cranberry (Cysticlean) on Escherichia coli adherence to bladder epithelial cells. In vitro and in vivo study.

OBJECTIVES The American cranberry proanthocyanidins (PACs) are the main responsible for its efficacy in urinary tract infections. Their mechanism of action is related to inhibition of Escherichia coli to urothelial cells. Cysticlean contains an extract of American cranberry which provides 118 mg of PACs per dose. The activity of Cysticlean tablets on Escherichia Coli adherence to bladder epithelial cells has been studied in vitro. Moreover, the activity of Cistyclean both in powder for oral suspension and tablets has been compared ex-vivo. METHODS The rats received both Cysticlean preparations per orem, and urine from each animal was collected during the following 16 hours and preincubated with E. coli. Subsequently, bacteria were incubated with T24 cells. After 1 hour the number of bacteria adhered per cell was calculated. For the in vitro study, E. Coli preincubated at various concentrations of the products were incubated with T24 cells and the same process previously referred was carried out. RESULTS Urine samples from rats taking Cysticlean powder for oral suspension and tablets (118 mg PACs/animal) showed an important inhibition of E. Coli adherence (83% and 52%respectively). The inferior dose of 59 mg PACs/animal also showed marked inhibition of E. Coli adherence (29% after Cysticlean tablets intake and 40% for powder). In vitro, Cysticlean showed inhibition of bacterial adherence in all tested concentrations: 5, 25 and 75 PACs mg/ml, diminishing the number og bacteria adhered to epithelial cells by 25%, 36% and 34% respectively. CONCLUSIONS Cysticlean shows a significant inhibition of E. Coli adherence to urothelial cells. Cysticlean powder for suspensión preparation is more effective tha tablets. Cysticlean powder for suspensión is well tolerated, and compliance has been observed. Its use is very recommendable in pediatric urinary tract infection prophylaxis. Due to the variety of products with American cranberry extracts in the market, with different proanthocyanidins declared content, it would be interesting to compare their activity using established pharmacological methods.
Identification of structural proteins from shrimp white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) by 2DE‐MS

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is a major shrimp pathogen that also infects many other species of crustaceans. Its 305‐kb double‐stranded DNA genome has the capacity to encode 181 presumptive proteins. In an attempt to identify the viral proteins from the 181 theoretical proteins, proteins of the purified WSSV were separated by two‐dimensional electrophoresis (2‐DE). More than 60 protein spots were revealed, as detected by silver staining, from which 12 viral proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. In total, 25 WSSV proteins, including those reported in one of our earlier studies (Huang et al., Mol Cell Proteomics 2002;1:223–231), were revealed by this proteomic approach, and their corresponding genes were further confirmed by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). Two of them were characterized to be WSSV envelope proteins using immuno‐electron microscopy. Our study showed that the proteomic approach is a powerful method for discovering the viral structural proteins and their corresponding genes. Proteins 2004;9999:000–000. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Role of EF-hand Domains and C2 Domain in Regulation of Enzymatic Activity of Phospholipase Cζ*

Sperm-specific phospholipase C-ζ (PLCζ) induces Ca2+ oscillations and egg activation when injected into mouse eggs. PLCζ has such a high Ca2+ sensitivity of PLC activity that the enzyme can be active in resting cells at ∼100 nm Ca2+, suitable for a putative sperm factor to be introduced into the egg at fertilization (Kouchi, Z., Fukami, K., Shikano, T., Oda, S., Nakamura, Y., Takenawa, T., and Miyazaki, S. (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 10408–10412). In the present structure-function analysis, deletion of EF1 and EF2 of the N-terminal four EF-hand domains caused marked reduction of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2)-hydrolyzing activity in vitro and loss of Ca2+ oscillation-inducing activity in mouse eggs after injection of RNA encoding the mutant. However, deletion of EF1 and EF2 or mutation of EF1 or EF2 at the x and z positions of the putative Ca2+-binding loop little affected the Ca2+ sensitivity of the PLC activity, whereas deletion of EF1 to EF3 caused 12-fold elevation of the EC50 of Ca2+ concentration. Thus, EF1 and EF2 are important for the PLCζ activity, and EF3 is responsible for its high Ca2+ sensitivity. Deletion of four EF-hand domains or the C-terminal C2 domain caused complete loss of PLC activity, indicating that both regions are prerequisites for PLCζ activity. Screening of interactions between the C2 domain and phosphoinositides revealed that C2 has substantial affinity to PI(3)P and, to the lesser extent, to PI(5)P but not to PI(4,5)P2 or acidic phospholipids. PI(3)P and PI(5)P reduced PLCζ activity in vitro, suggesting that the interaction could play a role for negative regulation of PLCζ.
MeSAUR1, Encoded by a Small Auxin-Up RNA Gene, Acts as a Transcription Regulator to Positively Regulate ADP-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase Small Subunit1a Gene in Cassava

Cassava, being one of the top three tuberous crops, features highly efficient starch accumulation in the storage root to adapt the tropical resources and environments. The molecular mechanism for the process, however, is still unclear. ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, the first and rate-limited enzyme in starch biosynthesis pathway, is a heterotetramer comprised of two small/catalytic and two large/modulatory subunits. To understand the regulation of MeAGPase, the promoter of a highly expressed small subunit, MeAGPs1a, was used as bait for a yeast one-hybrid assay to screen storage root cDNA library. One cDNA, coding for a small auxin-up RNA protein, named MeSAUR1, was isolated from cassava. MeSAUR1 could bind to the promoter of MeAGPS1a in yeast one-hybrid test and in vitro, and was located in cell nucleus. MeSAUR1 displayed a higher transcript level in cassava root cortex, and its expression was induced by indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellin and ethylene, but repressed by abscisic acid. A dual-luciferase interaction test further convinced that MeSAUR1 could bind to the promoter of MeAGPS1a, and positively regulate the transcription of MeAGPS1a in cassava.
Monetary Policy Responses to Foreign Financial Market Shocks: Application of a Modified Open-Economy Taylor Rule

With world economies facing increasing financial liberalization and financial crisis, the question raised is whether and how monetary authorities in various economies have responded to foreign financial shocks? In this paper, the focus of the question is directed at Iran, which will be examined through a modified open-economy Taylor Rule that considers foreign financial shocks from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, representing the Middle East, and the U.S., Germany, and Japan, representing the rest of the world. Results suggest that although Iran’s monetary policy does not fit the Taylor Rule, it has responded to some foreign financial level and volatility shocks over the period of study, 1997-2013. Findings in this paper, following earlier findings in Ezzati (2013a) and (2013b), indicate that Iran’s monetary policy has not been completely based on economic changes and macroeconomic influences, but has been based more on controversial political concerns.