Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive tracking control of uncertain switched non-linear systems with application to aircraft wing rock

This study proposes an adaptive control scheme for global tracking of a class of switched non-linear systems involving unknown saturated-like Prandtl–Ishlinskii (PI) hysteresis. The switching information is assumed to be unobservable. A bound estimation approach is introduced to circumvent the obstacle caused by unknown switching and PI hysteresis. It is shown that under arbitrary switching, the proposed controller guarantees all signals of the overall closed-loop system are globally uniformly bounded, and the tracking error can converge to an arbitrarily small residual set. The proposed control scheme is tested on a typical wing rock system in the face of persistent aerodynamic parameter changes. Simulation results demonstrate suppression of the wing rock and exhibit better transient performance in comparison with some existing method.
TWO FORMULAS CONTIGUOUS TO A QUADRATIC TRANSFORMATION DUE TO KUMMER WITH AN APPLICATION

We aim at establishing two identities contiguous to Kummer's trans- formation: (1 − z) a 2F1 " 1 2 a, 1 2 a + 1 2 ; b + 1 ; � z 1 − z �2 # = 2F1 � a, b; 2b; 2z � by using two different methods. They are further applied to prove two summation formulas for the series 3F2(1), closely related to the classical Watson's theorem due to Lavoie.
Constructional semantics as a limit to grammatical alternation: The two genitives of English

It has often been claimed that the distribution of the s-genitive and the of-genitive is determined by considerations of information structure, more specifically by linear precedence preferences related to animacy, givenness, or syntactic weight. This paper shows that such claims are untenable on empirical as well as theoretical grounds. First, corpus analyses simply do not bear out the predictions made by these claims. Second, such claims assume that the two genitives are semantically equivalent. I show that this assumption is wrong and offer a systematic account of the s-genitive and the of-genitive as distinct semantic-role constructions, arguing that the former encodes a possessor-possessee relation and the latter a part-whole relation unless the head noun itself inherently specifies a different relation. Only in the case of such an inherently specified relation does the possibility arise that information structure may play a role. I then show that in such cases animacy and (to a lesser degree) length have an influence, but that givenness has an optional stylistic influence at best.
Metreleptin Robustly Increases Resting-state Brain Connectivity in Treatment-naïve Female Patients With Lipodystrophy

Abstract Context Research in lipodystrophy (LD) and its treatment with metreleptin has not only helped patients with LD but has opened new directions in investigating leptin's role in metabolism and the regulation of eating behavior. Previously, in a study with patients with LD undergoing metreleptin treatment using functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we found significantly increased resting-state brain connectivity in 3 brain areas including the hypothalamus. Objective In this study, we aimed to reproduce our functional MRI findings in an independent sample and compare results to healthy participants. Design Measurements in 4 female patients with LD undergoing metreleptin treatment and 3 healthy untreated controls were performed at 4 different time points over 12 weeks. To identify treatment-related brain connectivity alterations, eigenvector centrality was computed from resting-state functional MRI data for each patient and each session. Thereafter, analysis aimed at detecting consistent brain connectivity changes over time across all patients. Results In parallel to metreleptin treatment of the patients with LD, we found a significant brain connectivity increase in the hypothalamus and bilaterally in posterior cingulate gyrus. Using a 3-factorial model, a significant interaction between group and time was found in the hypothalamus. Conclusions Investigating brain connectivity alterations with metreleptin treatment using an independent sample of patients with LD, we have reproduced an increase of brain connectivity in hedonic and homeostatic central nervous networks observed previously with metreleptin treatment. These results are an important contribution to ascertain brain leptin action and help build a foundation for further research of central nervous effects of this important metabolic hormone.
Photo-mobile polymers in energy harvesting applications under simulated solar light

Azobenzene-based photo-mobile polymer (PMP) samples were mechanically coupled with foils of piezoelectric material (PZM) and placed under a solar simulator. The solar simulator used a short arc xenon lamp as a light source with an AM1.5 filter o mimic the absorption spectrum of earth’s atmosphere. This setup, commonly used for testing solar cells (at a power density of 1000W/m2), was used to verify the energy generation capabilities of a PMP-PZM system. As shown in previous works, the movement of the PMPs can be attributed to a narrow spectrum of light near the UV range while heat or light outside of that narrow band can prove detrimental to the motion. Thus, to verify operation under "natural light" various methods filters are employed to the solar simulator light. The output of the PZM was loaded with a constant resistance and the voltage across the load was measured using a high impedance buffer amplifier to eliminate any other loading effects. While it was shown that any optical filters that removed the UV component lead to completely stopping the PMP motion, the system was capable of operating in direct sunlight and generated measurable energy on the load. Peak voltage of over 4V was achieved and discharged an average of 710nJ over a 50s period. This result could be significantly improved, but was limited by the mechanical capabilities of the shutter.
Targeted Antimicrobial Prophylaxis with Cefmetazole Based on Presence of Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Isolates to Prevent Post-Prostate Biopsy Infectious Complications

Fluoroquinolones (FQs) have been traditionally used for prophylaxis against bacterial infection. However, the rapid emergence of FQ-resistant Escherichia coli due to overuse and misuse have resulted in an increase in post-biopsy infections. We requested 723 patients undergoing transrectal or transrectal plus transperineal targeted prostate biopsy to provide preprocedure rectal swabs. The rectal swabs were plated onto deoxycholate hydrogen sulfate lactose agar culture and FQ resistance tests were conducted using the disc diffusion method following the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. All patients undergoing biopsy were given a 1.0 g intravenous injection of cefmetazole (CMZ) 30 min before and 12 h after biopsy. Patients with FQ-resistant organisms received an additional 1.0 g intravenous injection of CMZ every 12 h for an additional 1.5 days, while those without FQ-resistant organisms received levofloxacin 500 mg for 4 days. We evaluated infectious symptoms during the 30 days after the biopsy. We also evaluated the incidence of acute prostatitis within 7 days after the biopsy and isolation rates of FQ-resistant strains. A total of 289 patients (40%) had FQ-resistant isolates on rectal swabs. The overall infectious complication rate was 0.69%. Two patients with FQ-resistant isolates and three patients without them experienced infectious episodes. One patient with FQ-resistant isolates and two patients without them suffered acute prostatitis. The difference in the rates of infectious complication and acute prostatitis rates between FQ-resistant and FQ-susceptible carriers were not significant (p = 1.0 and 1.0, respectively). Post-biopsy sepsis was identified in one patient (0.14%) who had FQ-resistant Escherichia coli. Targeted antimicrobial prophylaxis with cefmetazole based on presence of FQ-resistant isolates on rectal swabs may prevent post-prostate biopsy infectious complications, especially in geographic lesions with a high incidence of FQ-resistant strains in rectal flora.
Preparation and Evaluation of Inhalable Amifostine Microparticles Using Wet Ball Milling

The conventional dosage form of Ethyol® (amifostine), a sterile lyophilized powder, involves reconstituting it with 9.7 mL of sterile 0.9% sodium chloride in accordance with the United States Pharmacopeia specifications for intravenous infusion. The purpose of this study was to develop inhalable microparticles of amifostine (AMF) and compare the physicochemical properties and inhalation efficiency of AMF microparticles prepared by different methods (jet milling and wet ball milling) and different solvents (methanol, ethanol, chloroform, and toluene). Inhalable microparticles of AMF dry powder were prepared using a wet ball-milling process with polar and non-polar solvents to improve their efficacy when delivered through the pulmonary route. The wet ball-milling process was performed as follows: AMF (10 g), zirconia balls (50 g), and solvent (20 mL) were mixed and placed in a cylindrical stainless-steel jar. Wet ball milling was performed at 400 rpm for 15 min. The physicochemical properties and aerodynamic characteristics of the prepared samples were evaluated. The physicochemical properties of wet-ball-milled microparticles (WBM-M and WBM-E) using polar solvents were confirmed. Aerodynamic characterization was not used to measure the % fine particle fraction (% FPF) value in the raw AMF. The % FPF value of JM was 26.9 ± 5.8%. The % FPF values of the wet-ball-milled microparticles WBM-M and WBM-E prepared using polar solvents were 34.5 ± 0.2% and 27.9 ± 0.7%, respectively; while the % FPF values of the wet-ball-milled microparticles WBM-C and WBM-T prepared using non-polar solvents were 45.5 ± 0.6% and 44.7 ± 0.3%, respectively. Using a non-polar solvent in the wet ball-milling process resulted in a more homogeneous and stable crystal form of the fine AMF powder than using a polar solvent.
Tracking Permeation of Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) in Mentha × piperita Shoot Tips Using Coherent Raman Microscopy

Cryopreservation has emerged as a low-maintenance, cost-effective solution for the long-term preservation of vegetatively propagated crops. Shoot tip cryopreservation often makes use of vitrification methods that employ highly concentrated mixtures of cryoprotecting agents; however, little is understood as to how these cryoprotecting agents protect cells and tissues from freezing. In this study, we use coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy to directly visualize where dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) localizes within Mentha × piperita shoot tips. We find that DMSO fully penetrates the shoot tip tissue within 10 min of exposure. Variations in signal intensities across images suggest that DMSO may interact with cellular components, leading to its accumulation in specific regions.
Composition and structure of water birds in some areas of northwestern Algeria

Wetlands have an inestimable importance in different regions of the world. Algeria is rich in wetlands which are among the most precious resources in terms of biological diversity. Water birds are particularly attractive and important because of their long-distance migrations and their potential as indicators of the status and value of wetlands. This is how; works on the avifauna are still more and rarer, in Algeria and particularly in the area of Tiaret. It’s, with this in mind, that our study, which relates to the assessment of the biodiversity of birds in the wetlands of Tiaret area and Tissemsilt area, over a period of two years, from 2016 to 2018, and this in order to inventory and determine the distribution of all species of birds, photographed or captured and recognize species of ecological, trophic and phenological interest, located in these regions which remains still virgin.
Measuring Patent Similarity Based on Text Mining and Image Recognition

Patent application is one of the important ways to protect innovation achievements that have great commercial value for enterprises; it is the initial step for enterprises to set the business development track, as well as a powerful means to protect their core competitiveness. The emergence of a large amount of patent data makes the effective detection of patent data difficult, and patent infringement cases occur frequently. Manual measurement in patent detection is slow, costly, and subjective, and can only play an auxiliary role in measuring the validity of patents. Protecting the inventive achievements of patent holders and realizing more accurate and effective patent detection were the issues explored by academics. There are five main methods to measure patent similarity: clustering-based method, vector space model (VSM)-based method, subject–action–object (SAO) structure-based method, deep learning-based method, and patent structure-based method. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a calculation method to fuse the similarity of patent text and image. Firstly, the SAO structure extraction technique is used for the patent text to obtain the effective content of the text, and the SAO structure is compared for similarity; secondly, the patent image information is extracted and compared; finally, the patent similarity is obtained by fusing the two aspects of information. The feasibility and effectiveness of the scheme are proven by studying a large number of patent similarity cases in the field of mechanical structures.
COVID-19-related disruption and resiliency in immunisation activities in LMICs: a rapid review

Objectives Rapid review to determine the extent that immunisation services in LMICs were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and what factors can be considered to build resilience in future. Setting We searched PubMed on 28th Feb 2023 for studies published after 1st December 2019 in English that focused on LMICs. Participants Screening and data extraction were conducted by two experienced reviewers with one reviewer vote minimum per study per stage. Of 3801 identified studies, 66 met the eligibility criteria. Outcomes Routine vaccine coverage achieved; Supplementary immunisation activity timing; Vaccine doses given; Timing of vaccination; Supply chain changes; factors contributing to disruption or resilience. Results Included studies showed evidence of notable declines in immunisation activities across LMICs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These have included reductions in achieved routine coverage, cancellation or postponement of campaigns, and underimmunised cohorts. Immunisation was most disrupted in the early months of the pandemic, particularly March to May 2020; however, the amount of recovery seen varied by country, age-group, and vaccine. Though many countries observed partial recovery beginning after lockdown policies were lifted in 2020, disruption in many countries has also continued into 2021. It has also been noted that clinician staff shortages and vaccine stock outs caused by supply chain disruptions contributed to immunisation delays but that concern over COVID transmission was a leading factor. Key resiliency factors included community outreach and healthcare worker support. Finally, whilst our search took place in February 2023, the latest dataset used across all studies was from November 2022 and many focused on 2020; as a result some of the study conclusions do not take recovery into account. Conclusions There is limited information on whether reductions in vaccination coverage or delays have persisted beyond 2021. Further research is needed to assess ongoing disruptions and identify missed vaccine cohorts.
Life after patent: Drug price dynamics and cost-effectiveness analysis

This study analyzed the effects of patent expiration on drug prices in eight countries (US, UK, Cana-da, Australia, Japan, France, Germany, and Switzerland) and the impact of these price dynamics in cost-effectiveness assessments. First, using an event study design, we showed that average prices of drugs substantially decreased eight years after patent expiration. Then, to assess the implications of this finding for cost-effectiveness assessments, a theoretical cost-effectiveness model simulated two real-world scenarios: (1) the comparator drug was a generic and the patent of the new drug expired after market entry; (2) the comparator drug was also under patent protection, but the patent expired prior to the patent of the new drug. Not accounting for genericization or patent expiration of the com-parator drug resulted in an underestimation or overestimation of the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios, respectively. Our pricing dynamic estimates can be applied to base-case analyses of cost-effectiveness models.
Does maternal immunization blunt the effectiveness of pertussis vaccines in infants? Too early to tell

Pertussis, a highly contagious respiratory infection primarily caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, remains a public health priority largely because of the persistently high disease burden in infants too young to be vaccinated. To protect this vulnerable demographic, maternal immunization during pregnancy has been adopted in an increasing number of countries over the last decade. Although this strategy is effective at protecting unvaccinated newborns, it has been demonstrated to cause immunological blunting, whereby maternal antibodies reduce the infant's immune response to pertussis vaccines. However, the clinical and epidemiological consequences of immunological blunting remain unclear. To illuminate these consequences, we first reviewed the epidemiological evidence for the blunting of vaccine effectiveness after primary immunization of infants. Of the four studies identified, all had short-time monitoring (range: 2-6 years), and their results were heterogeneous, with some estimates consistent with blunting. Next, to better interpret this epidemiological evidence, we extended a previously validated model of pertussis transmission by incorporating maternal immunization with varying degrees of blunting, assumed to reduce the vaccine effectiveness in infants born to vaccinated mothers. Our simulations show three results. First, we find evidence for a transient phase lasting at least a decade after the start of maternal immunization, during which the long-term epidemiological impact of blunting is masked. Hence, ignoring these transient dynamics results in an overestimation of the effectiveness of maternal immunization. Second, because of this transient effect, we show that current empirical estimates may be consistent with a modest level of blunting, amounting to a 10-20% reduction in vaccine effectiveness. However, the large between-study heterogeneity and within-study statistical uncertainty preclude a definitive conclusion, urging for more research to infer the degree of blunting, if any. Ultimately, we predict that, regardless of the degree of blunting, maternal immunization remains effective at reducing pertussis in unvaccinated newborns, supporting the continued use of this strategy to protect this vulnerable population. More generally, our results suggest that maternal immunization can result in an infection-control trade-off between age groups, of practical relevance to many other vaccine-preventable diseases.
Targeting multiphosphorylated tau: technical and clinical validation of a new Simoa(R) assay for CSF and plasma detection of tau simultaneously phosphorylated at T181 and T231

Background and Objectives: Different forms of phosphorylated tau (p-tau) have shown high potential as Alzheimer's Disease (AD) biomarkers in both cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma. Hence, we hypothesized that tau peptides showing concomitant phosphorylation at two different sites may provide an increased diagnostic value. We therefore developed and validated a new Simoa(R) immunoassay detecting tau simultaneously phosphorylated at T181 and T231 (C231D181) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma. Methods: Technical validation of the C231D181 Simoa(R) assay included standard curve development, assessment of antibodies cross-reactivity, dilutional linearity, sensitivity, as well as intra- and inter-assay precision. Subsequently, we measured CSF C231D181, p-tau181, and p-tau231 in two cohorts: discovery (MCI-AD n=21, AD dementia n=19, CTRL n=15) and validation (preclinical AD n=19, MCI-AD n=20, AD dementia n=16, frontotemporal dementia n=39, CTRL n=24). Additionally, in the discovery cohort, C231D181, p-tau181, and p-tau231 levels were measured in matched plasma samples. Results: Specificity of the assay was assessed using a synthetic peptide simultaneously phosphorylated at T181 and T231, while cross-reactivity was excluded with a mix of single-site phosphorylated peptides (T181 or T231). Both in discovery and validation cohorts, CSF C231D181, p-tau181, and p-tau231 levels were significantly elevated in all AD groups vs. CTRL. As assessed in discovery cohort, plasma p-tau231 and p-tau181 levels enabled effective discrimination of AD continuum groups from CTRL (AUC plasma p-tau231: CTRL vs. MCI-AD=0.925, CTRL vs. AD-dem=0.947; AUC plasma p-tau181: CTRL vs. MCI-AD=0.877, CTRL vs. AD-dem=0.943) while plasma C231D181 did not change among clinical groups. Discussion: A new ultrasensitive immunoassay detecting tau simultaneously phosphorylated at T181 and T231 was developed and validated. While we found this phosphorylated tau form to be significantly elevated across the AD continuum in CSF, in plasma it did not show changes among the diagnostic groups. The differences between CSF and plasma suggest matrix-specific protein processing. Our findings support evidence for qualitative and quantitative importance of tau phosphorylation across AD continuum and warrant further investigation, including assessment of tau simultaneously phosphorylated at multiple sites.
Echocardiographic Evaluation of Spironolactone on Myocardial Remodeling in Atrial Fibrillation with Preserved Ejection Fraction: the INSPIRE-AF randomized controlled trial

Background: By means of echocardiographic assessment and deformation analysis we sought to evaluate the effect of spironolactone versus placebo in addition to standard treatment in patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) and preserved ejection fraction regarding the performance of the left atrium (LA) and the left ventricle (LV), and quality of life (QOL). Methods: Present double-blind, placebo-controlled study enrolled 125 patients with a history of paroxysmal (n=58) and persistent (n=67) non-valvular AF and LVEF [≥]45% that were randomized to spironolactone 25 mg (n=63) or placebo (n=62) once daily in addition to optimal standard treatment. Comprehensive echocardiography and QOL were obtained at inclusion and after 12 months. The primary outcome was 12-month change in LA reservoir function as assessed by peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) and peak strain rate (SR-s). Secondary outcomes included LA phasic volumes, global longitudinal strain of left ventricle (GLS), E/e' ratio, QOL, and recurrent documented episodes of AF. Results: Spironolactone improved the LA reservoir function documented by PALS and SR-s (P =0.03 and P =0.02 for adjusted treatment effect, respectively) but only when adjusting for the parallel changes in blood pressure. Blood pressure significantly reduced in the spironolactone-treated subjects and affected primary outcomes, but not diastolic indices of LV. Transmitral E velocity and E/e' ratio reduced significantly by spironolactone (P=0.009 for adjusted treatment effect). No differences in secondary outcome parameters were found across treatment groups including volumes, LA geometry, GLS, total number AF recurrences, time-to-first AF recurrence or QOL. Conclusion: Spironolactone improved left atrial reservoir function by lowering blood pressure and decrease E/e' ratio but did not affect left atrial volumes or geometry, quality of life or recurrent episodes of atrial fibrillation.