Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive internal model control: H∞ optimization for stable plants

This paper considers the design of a robust adaptive H/sub /spl infin// optimal controller based on the IMC structure. Specific attention is focused on the practically important class of stable plants with one open right half-plane zero. The certainty equivalence principle of adaptive control is used to combine a robust adaptive law with a robust H/sub /spl infin// internal model controller to obtain an adaptive H/sub /spl infin// internal model control scheme with provable guarantees of stability and robustness. The approach used earlier for designing and analyzing adaptive H/sub 2/ optimal control schemes is seen to carry over in a natural fashion to the adaptive H/sub /spl infin// optimal control case. This attests to the generality of that approach, which not only provides a theoretical basis for analytically justifying some of the reported industrial successes of existing adaptive internal model control schemes, but also opens up the possibility of synthesizing new ones by simply combining a robust adaptive law with a robust internal model controller structure.
Utvärdering av BRIS Internetbaserade stödkontakter

In this evaluation, children who contacted BRIS via email or chat were asked to answer a few questions concerning their perceived well- being, the difficulties leading up to the contact, and how they feel they have been treated by BRIS. These questions were asked immediately before and after the contact, as well as 10 days later. In addition, a request to participate in a questionnaire study went out to all children who had been active on the BRIS discussion forums, where they were asked how often they visit the forum, what features they appreciate in the community and how they perceive the help they get in the forum.The children have estimated their well-being on a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 represents "Very poor" and 9 "Great". A total of 6,193 children were asked to participate in the evaluation. 925 responses were submitted during the period April 1st to June 7th (email & chat) and May 24th - August 17th (discussion forum). The internal loss is low, 5.05% for the entire study. Complete series in which the child has answered all three questionnaires in the email and chat amounts to only 51, however, between 220 and 432 questionnaires has been submitted by the different occasions. A total of 245 questionnaires have been submitted to the evaluation of the discussion forum.The children report that their well-being increases immediately after the contact with BRIS, regardless of modality. This however declines in the last follow-up. In general however, they still produce a higher value than at the first measurement. The children reported that they feel listened to and that they feel that BRIS is taking them seriously. The children who contact BRIS through discussion forums are even more satisfied with the assistance they receive than the children who use chat and email. Above all, the discussion forum helps kids to feel they are not alone in their situation. The children who use the discussion forum also very much appreciate the answers from other children and the opportunity to help other children by answering others postings.A small group of children, indicate that they feel worse after contac- ting BRIS. An analysis of their answers describe either a dissatis- faction with the provided advice or an incapacity to follow the provided advice despite them being perceived relevant.
Spectral sampling of manifolds

A central problem in computer graphics is finding optimal sampling conditions for a given surface representation. We propose a new method to solve this problem based on spectral analysis of manifolds which results in faithful reconstructions and high quality isotropic samplings, is efficient, out-of-core, feature sensitive, intuitive to control and simple to implement. We approach the problem in a novel way by utilizing results from spectral analysis, kernel methods, and matrix perturbation theory. Change in a manifold due to a single point is quantified by a local measure that limits the change in the Laplace-Beltrami spectrum of the manifold. Hence, we do not need to explicitly compute the spectrum or any global quantity, which makes our algorithms very efficient. Although our main focus is on sampling surfaces, the analysis and algorithms are general and can be applied for simplifying and resampling point clouds lying near a manifold of arbitrary dimension.
The positive effects of verbal encouragement in mathematics education using a social robot

Studies have shown that the use of verbal encouragement strategies in education is able to maximize learning. This idea is derived from traditional classroom settings where teachers use a multitude of behavioral strategies to maintain the students' level of engagement. Motivated by these educational practices, we discuss the use of a Socially Interactive Robotic Tutor (SIRT) that incorporates a variety of verbal cues into multiple math learning scenarios. In this paper, we present the robotic tutor, the methods used to engage students in the learning scenario, and results from integrating the robotic tutor in the classroom environment. Results derived from 44 students engaging with SIRT during a tablet-based math test show that, when compared to non-interactive methods, verbal cues are able to increase and/or maintain student engagement regardless of student age and math content level.
MHCPred: a server for quantitative prediction of peptide-MHC binding

Accurate T-cell epitope prediction is a principal objective of computational vaccinology. As a service to the immunology and vaccinology communities at large, we have implemented, as a server on the World Wide Web, a partial least squares-based multivariate statistical approach to the quantitative prediction of peptide binding to major histocom- patibility complexes (MHC), the key checkpoint on the antigen presentation pathway within adaptive cellular immunity. MHCPred implements robust statistical models for both Class I alleles (HLA-A*0101, HLA-A*0201, HLA-A*0202, HLA-A*0203, HLA-A*0206, HLA-A*0301, HLA-A*1101, HLA-A*3301, HLA-A*6801, HLA-A*6802 and HLA-B*3501) and Class II alleles (HLA-DRB*0401, HLA-DRB*0401 and HLA-DRB*0701). MHCPred is available from the URL: http://www.jenner. ac.uk/MHCPred.
A 6-Year-Long Manipulation with Soil Warming and Canopy Nitrogen Additions does not Affect Xylem Phenology and Cell Production of Mature Black Spruce

The predicted climate warming and increased atmospheric inorganic nitrogen deposition are expected to have dramatic impacts on plant growth. However, the extent of these effects and their interactions remains unclear for boreal forest trees. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of increased soil temperature and nitrogen (N) depositions on stem intra-annual growth of two mature stands of black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP] in Québec, QC, Canada. During 2008–2013, the soil around mature trees was warmed up by 4°C with heating cables during the growing season and precipitations containing three times the current inorganic N concentration were added by frequent canopy applications. Xylem phenology and cell production were monitored weekly from April to October. The 6-year-long experiment performed in two sites at different altitude showed no substantial effect of warming and N-depositions on xylem phenological phases of cell enlargement, wall thickening and lignification. Cell production, in terms of number of tracheids along the radius, also did not differ significantly and followed the same patterns in control and treated trees. These findings allowed the hypothesis of a medium-term effect of soil warming and N depositions on the growth of mature black spruce to be rejected.
Asperger Syndrome and Autism

Studies on Asperger Syndrome (ASP) and autism (AUT) are synthesized and reviewed in terms of the (a) historical perspective, (b) clinical and diagnostic criteria, and (c) empirical data. The results of the synthesis suggest that these two groups of children differ in cognitive and adaptive behavior functioning and, as such, do not fall on the same autistic continuum. A meta-analysis procedure compares children and adolescents with ASP to study participants with AUT on various cognitive measures and using various adaptive behavior scales. The mean effect size for the category of cognitive functioning was + 0.98 in favor of ASP, whereas for adaptive behavior functioning it was + 0.86—again in favor of ASP. Overall, the results of the meta-analysis suggest that children and adolescents with ASP perform better than those with AUT on intelligence and cognitive measures as well as measures of adaptive behavior functioning. The results, therefore, suggest that ASP can be viewed as a distinct diagnostic category and can be separated from children with AUT.
Consistent Induction Motor Parameters for the Calculation of Partial Load Efficiencies

From the rating plate data of an induction motor the nominal efficiency can be determined. Without detailed knowledge of equivalent circuit parameters, partial load behavior cannot be computed. Therefore, a combined calculation and estimation scheme is presented, where the consistent parameters of an equivalent circuit are elaborated, exactly matching the nominal operating point. From these parameters part load efficiencies can be determined.
Performance Evaluation of Cluster Validity Indices (CVIs) on Multi/Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Datasets

The number of clusters (i.e., the number of classes) for unsupervised classification has been recognized as an important part of remote sensing image clustering analysis. The number of classes is usually determined by cluster validity indices (CVIs). Although many CVIs have been proposed, few studies have compared and evaluated their effectiveness on remote sensing datasets. In this paper, the performance of 16 representative and commonly-used CVIs was comprehensively tested by applying the fuzzy c-means (FCM) algorithm to cluster nine types of remote sensing datasets, including multispectral (QuickBird, Landsat TM, Landsat ETM+, FLC1, and GaoFen-1) and hyperspectral datasets (Hyperion, HYDICE, ROSIS, and AVIRIS). The preliminary experimental results showed that most CVIs, including the commonly used DBI (Davies-Bouldin index) and XBI (Xie-Beni index), were not suitable for remote sensing images (especially for hyperspectral images) due to significant between-cluster overlaps; the only effective index for both multispectral and hyperspectral data sets was the WSJ index (WSJI). Such important conclusions can serve as a guideline for future remote sensing image clustering applications.
Erythromycin and clindamycin absorption and elimination in pregnant women

Thirty‐nine pregnant women admitted for therapeutic abortions during early or mid pregnancy were given erythromycin estolate, erythromycin base, or clindamycin hydrochloride orally in single or multiple doses. Peak serum levels oj clindamycin were 3.4 to 9.0 µg/ml foliowing a single dose of 450 mg, whereas peak serum levels of erythromycin were 0.29 to 7.2 µg/ml foliowing 500 mg in a single dose. The individual variability of serum concentrations of erythromycin was greater than that reported in normal men and nonpregnant women, whereas the serum levels of clindamycin were rather uniform, and similar to what has been reported in nonpregnant individuals. Following multiple doses of each antibiotic, high serum levels were obtained in virtually all subjects, and urine levels were also higher. Following single doses the mean urinary recovery was 2% for erythromycin and 16.8% for clindamycin.
ColoGuidePro: A Prognostic 7-Gene Expression Signature for Stage III Colorectal Cancer Patients

Purpose: Improved prognostic stratification of patients with stage II and III colorectal cancer is warranted for postoperative clinical decision making. This study was conducted to develop a clinically feasible and robust prognostic classifier for these patients independent of adjuvant treatment. Experimental Design: Global gene expression profiles from altogether 387 stage II and III colorectal cancer tissue samples from three independent patient series were included in the study. ColoGuidePro, a seven-gene prognostic classifier, was developed from a selected Norwegian learning series (n = 95; no adjuvant treatment) using lasso-penalized multivariate survival modeling with cross-validation. Results: The expression signature significantly stratified patients in a consecutive Norwegian test series, in which patients were treated according to current standards [HR, 2.9 (1.1–7.5); P = 0.03; n = 77] and an external validation series [HR, 3.7 (2.0–6.8); P < 0.001; n = 215] according to survival. ColoGuidePro was also an independent predictor of prognosis in multivariate models including tumor stage in both series (HR, ≥3.1; P ≤ 0.03). In the validation series, which consisted of patients from other populations (United States and Australia), 5-year relapse-free survival was significantly predicted for stage III patients only (P < 0.001; n = 107). Here, prognostic stratification was independent of adjuvant treatment (P = 0.001). Conclusions: We present ColoGuidePro, a prognostic classifier developed for patients with stage II and III colorectal cancer. The test is suitable for transfer to clinical use and has best prognostic prediction potential for stage III patients. Clin Cancer Res; 18(21); 6001–10. ©2012 AACR.
A Combined Approach of Structured and Non-structured IR in Multimodal Domain

We present a generic model for multimodal information retrieval, leveraging different information sources to improve the effectiveness of a retrieval system. The proposed method is able to take into account both explicit and latent semantics present in the data and can be used to answer complex queries, not currently answerable neither by document retrieval systems, nor by semantic web systems. By providing a hybrid approach combining IR and structured search techniques, we prepare a framework applicable to multimodal data collections. To test its effectiveness, we instantiate the model for an image retrieval task.
Response properties of striate cortex neurons in cats raised with divergent or convergent strabismus.

Recordings were made from striate cortex in five groups of cats that had been raised with strabismus produced by sectioning the extraocular muscles. These groups included animals reared with exotropia, unilateral or bilateral esotropia, and esotropia combined with lid suture of the unoperated eye. In addition, a group of esotropes was studied in which the unoperated eye was removed a few hours prior to recording. For comparison, five normal adult cats were also studied. In each of the above groups, cells were sampled in the representations of the central and peripheral visual fields in area 17 ipsilateral and contralateral to the deviated eye. We mapped the receptive field of each responsive cell, determined its ocularity, and tested it for selectivity. Confirming previous work, we found a marked loss of cortical binocularity in cats raised with strabismus. On average only 7% of the neurons that we recorded could be driven by both eyes. This percentage was relatively constant at all cortical locations that were studied and was not influenced by whether cats had been reared with exotropia, unilateral esotropia, or bilateral esotropia. The percentage of selective cells driven by the deviated eye in exotropes or esotropes did not appear to be different from normal at most cortical locations (but see 5, below). In addition, we did not observe any bias in the axial preference of selective cells in strabismic cats when compared with normal adult cats. In both exotropes and esotropes the deviated eye drove fewer cells when compared with the proportion that are driven by one eye in normal cats. In exotropes this deficit did not vary at different cortical representations of the visual field. In esotropes, however, this deficit was graded, being least in the representation of the peripheral visual field in area 17 contralateral to the deviated eye, intermediate in the representations of the central visual field in the contralateral and ipsilateral hemispheres, and greatest in the representation of the peripheral visual field in ipsilateral area 17. Furthermore, only when recording from the peripheral field representation in the ipsilateral hemisphere did we encounter significant numbers of cells driven by the deviated eye that lacked normal selectivity. Since it is possible that deprivation of the converged eye during development might account for the deficits noted above, we attempted to evaluate this factor using several independent lines of evidence. First, we could find no correlation between the angle of esotropia and the ability of the deviated eye to drive ipsilateral cortical cells representing the peripheral visual field. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
An Examination of Bullying in Georgia Schools: Demographic and School Climate Factors Associated with Willingness to Intervene in Bullying Situations

Introduction: Research dedicated to identification of precursors to cases of aggravated bullying in schools has led to enhanced knowledge of risk factors for both victimization and perpetration. However, characteristics among those who are more likely to intervene in such situations are less understood. The purpose of this study is to examine the associations between demographic characteristics, school climate and psychosocial factors, and willingness to intervene in a bullying situation among middle and high school students in Georgia. Methods: We computed analyses using cross-sectional data from the Georgia Student Health Survey II (GSHS 2006) administered to public school students in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 (n=175,311). We used logistic regression analyses to determine the demographic, school climate and psychosocial factors associated with a willingness to intervene in a bullying situation. Results: Students who were white and who were girls were most likely to report willingness to intervene in bullying situations. Several school-climate factors, such as feeling safe at school, liking school, feeling successful at school and perceiving clear rules at school, were associated with willingness to intervene, while youth who reported binge drinking were less willing to intervene. Conclusion: These findings, while preliminary, indicate that girls, students who are white, and students who experience a relatively positive school climate and adaptive psychosocial factors are more likely to report that they would intervene in bullying situations. These findings may guide how bullying is addressed in schools and underscore the importance of safe school climates.
Moment invariants as shape recognition technique for comparing protein binding sites

MOTIVATION An approach for identifying similarities of protein-protein binding sites is presented. The geometric shape of a binding site is described by computing a feature vector based on moment invariants. In order to search for similarities, feature vectors of binding sites are compared. Similar feature vectors indicate binding sites with similar shapes. RESULTS The approach is validated on a representative set of protein-protein binding sites, extracted from the SCOPPI database. When querying binding sites from a representative set, we search for known similarities among 2819 binding sites. A median area under the ROC curve of 0.98 is observed. For half of the queries, a similar binding site is identified among the first two of 2819 when sorting all binding sites according the proposed similarity measure. Typical examples identified by this method are analyzed and discussed. The nitrogenase iron protein-like SCOP family is clustered hierarchically according to the proposed similarity measure as a case study. AVAILABILITY Python code is available on request from the authors.
Combined Word Alignments

We briefly describe a word alignment system that combines two different methods in bitext correspondences identification. The first one is a hypotheses testing approach (Gale and Church, 1991; Melamed, 2001; Tufis 2002) while the second one is closer to a model estimating approach (Brown et al., 1993; Och and Ney, 2000). We show that combining the two aligners the results are significantly improved as compared to each individual aligner.
A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION OF EUROIZATION AND ITS RISKS AT BANK LEVEL

Euroization, which is widely considered a defining characteristic of the banking system in transition economies, has been ignored in the qualitative research literature. This paper aims at exploring euroization and its related risks at bank level through a qualitative analysis in two South East European countries. The research was conducted through semi-structured interviews with risk managers of banks in order to gain a better understanding of this phenomenon from a bank’s perspective. The main finding is that macroprudential policy, widely considered a useful response to global financial crisis, is an important determinant of euroization. In addition, the analysis revealed that banks in these countries seem to be concerned with hedging against the risks associated with euroization; however they seem to overly rely on the natural hedging associated with one group of customers, exporters. In terms of the other drivers of euroization the findings of this analysis support the conventional view that deposit euroization and the interest rate differential were the main determinants of credit euroization in these countries.
Low frequency PVDF piezoelectric energy harvester with combined d31 and d33 operating modes

This paper reports the design, test and application of a novel low frequency piezoelectric energy harvester. To achieve high output voltage at low frequency, both d31 and d33 modes of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) are utilized in this device. Output voltage of the device are tested under different frequencies and accelerations. Rectifying bridge is used to reverse signals with negative signs and capacitors can be charged to light up a light emitting diode (LED).
A Domain-Specific Language for Incremental and Modular Design of Large-Scale Verifiably-Safe Flow Networks (Preliminary Report)

We define a domain-specific language (DSL) to inductively assemble flow networks from small networks or modules to produce arbitrarily large ones, with interchangeable functionally-equivalent parts. Our small networks or modules are "small" only as the building blocks in this inductive definition (there is no limit on their size). Associated with our DSL is a type theory, a system of formal annotations to express desirable properties of flow networks together with rules that enforce them as invariants across their interfaces, i.e, the rules guarantee the properties are preserved as we build larger networks from smaller ones. A prerequisite for a type theory is a formal semantics, i.e, a rigorous definition of the entities that qualify as feasible flows through the networks, possibly restricted to satisfy additional efficiency or safety requirements. This can be carried out in one of two ways, as a denotational semantics or as an operational (or reduction) semantics; we choose the first in preference to the second, partly to avoid exponential-growth rewriting in the operational approach. We set up a typing system and prove its soundness for our DSL.