Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fixed-Time Leader-Following Consensus for Second-Order Multiagent Systems With Input Delay

This paper studies fixed-time leader-following lag consensus problem of second-order multiagent systems with input delay. Using fixed-time distributed observer, we obtain the leader's states for each followers. An extension of the Artstein's reducing transformation is employed to transform the delayed error system into a second-order system without time delay and a novel nonsingular terminal sliding mode protocol is proposed to achieve fixed-time consensus. The presented sliding mode controller can avoid singularity, eliminate chattering, and achieve exact convergence. It is mathematically proved that the presented protocol can achieve exact fixed-time leader-following lag consensus. Moreover, the upper bound of convergence time only depends on observer parameters, controller parameters, network parameters, and delay time, which makes it possible to determine the convergence time offline regardless of initial condition. The presented protocol is applied to coordinated lag tracking control of single-link robotic manipulators and the results validate the effectiveness of the proposed fixed-time protocol.
Persistently positive cultures and outcome in invasive neonatal candidiasis

Background. A persistently positive culture >24 h after starting antibiotic therapy has been correlated with adverse outcome in several invasive bacterial infections, but few reports address persistent positivity and outcome in infections caused by fungi and other pathogens that replicate more slowly and therefore may succumb less quickly to therapy. Methods. To assess whether positive culture >24 h after achieving target doses (amphotericin ≥0.5 mg/kg/day or fluconazole ≥6 mg/kg/day) of systemic antifungal therapy predicts focal infectious complication(s) or death from infection, we compared neonatal intensive care unit infants who had persistent (P+) or nonpersistent (P−) positive cultures with invasive candidiasis (clinical signs of infection and recovery of Candida from a normally sterile site) at this center from January 1, 1981, through June 30, 1999. Infants who died ≤ 24 h after attaining target dosing, recovered without therapy, had a focal infectious complication already present at the time target dosing was achieved or were diagnosed with invasive candidiasis only postmortem were excluded. Results. We identified 58 P+ (29, 12 and 7 had positive cultures for >7, >14 and ≥21 days, respectively) and 38 P− infants. No differences were found between P+ and P− for birth weight; gestational age; gender; onset age; central vascular catheters; necrotizing enterocolitis, surgery or bacterial sepsis; or duration of parenteral nutrition, antibiotics, tracheal intubation or postnatal steroids. P+ were more likely to have blood or cerebrospinal fluid involvement (68 vs. 45%, P = 0.03). Distribution of Candida species was similar (albicans in 53 vs. 63% for P+vs. P−). P+ were significantly more likely to develop later “fungus ball” uropathy (16 of 56 vs. 2 of 32, P = 0.01), to develop renal infiltration (11 of 56 vs. 1 of 32, P = 0.03) and to die from invasive candidiasis (11 of 58 vs. 0 of 38, P = 0.003) than P−. P+ were also more likely to develop endocarditis, abscess, ventriculitis and invasive dermatitis, although P > 0.05. Focal complication increased as duration of P+ increased (48, 55, 67 and 71% at >1, >7, >14 and ≥21 days, P = 0.06). When comparing only those with positive blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid culture, similar patterns were observed, although only death and focal complication or death from invasive candidiasis attained significance. Conclusions. These observations suggest that in neonatal invasive candidiasis: (1) cultures usually remain positive >24 h after attaining target antifungal doses; (2) aggressive imaging for focal complications may be reserved for infants with persistently positive cultures after several days of antifungal therapy at target doses or have signs strongly suggestive of focal complication; (3) focal complications and/or death from candidiasis increase with persistence; (4) focal complications increase with duration of persistence; (5) serial culture of infected site(s) helps predict outcome and the need for aggressive surveillance and intervention for focal complications.
Rate-distortion based path selection for video streaming over wireless ad-hoc networks

In wireless ad-hoc networks with low bandwidth, high bit error, and node mobility, the quality of streaming video is highly dependent on the quality of routing paths. Most of existing ad-hoc routing algorithms select the path according to network parameters. However, the selected path may not be the best path for video applications. This paper proposed a rate-distortion based (RD) path selection algorithm for video streaming over wireless networks. The video distortion on application layer is used as path metric. On each link, the rate-distortion due to transmission error and congestion is estimated using queuing theory. The algorithm selects the path with the minimum expected rate-distortion as the routing path. Extensive experiments are carried out over NS-2 simulation environment. Simulation results demonstrate that RD routing algorithm can improve the quality of video streaming significantly as compared to the conventional shortest-path routing algorithm.
The communication complexity of enumeration, elimination, and selection

Let f:{0, 1}/sup n//spl times/{0, 1}/sup n//spl rarr/{0, 1}. Assume Alice has x/sub 1/, . , x/sub k//spl isin/{0, 1}/sup n/, Bob has y/sub 1/, . , y/sub k//spl isin/{0, 1}/sup n/, and they want to compute f(x/sub 1/, y/sub 1/)/spl middot//spl middot//spl middot/f(x/sub k/, y/sub k/) communicating as few bits as possible. The Direct Sum Conjecture of Karchmer, Raz, and Wigderson, states that the obvious way to compute it (computing f(x/sub 1/, y/sub 1/), then f(x/sub 2/, y/sub 2/), etc.) is, roughly speaking, the best. This conjecture arose in the study of circuits. Since a variant of it implies NC/sup 1//spl ne/NC/sup 2/. We consider three related problems. Enumeration: Alice and Bob output e/spl les/2/sup k/-1 elements of {0, 1}/sup k/: one of which is f(x/sub 1/, y/sub 1/)/spl middot//spl middot//spl middot/f(x/sub k/, y/sub k/). Elimination: Alice and Bob output an element of {0, 1}/sup k/ that is not f(x/sub 1/ y/sub 1/)/spl middot//spl middot//spl middot/f(x/sub k/, y/sub k/) Selection: (k=2) Alice and Bob output i/spl sim/{1,2} such that if f(x/sub 1/, y/sub 1/)=1 V f(x/sub 2/, Y/sub 2/)=1 then f(x/sub i/, y/sub i/)=1. We establish lower bounds on ELIM(f/sup k/) for particular f and connect the complexity of ELIM(f/sup k/), ENUM(k, f/sup k/), and SELECT(f/sup 2/) to the direct sum conjecture and other conjectures.
A comparative study of the effects of problem-solving skills training and relaxation on the score of self-esteem in women with postpartum depression

BACKGROUND Self-esteem is a determinant factor of mental health. Individuals with low self-esteem have depression, and low self-esteem is one of main symptoms of depression. Aim of this study is to compare the effects of problem-solving skills and relaxation on the score of self-esteem in women with postpartum depression. MATERIALS AND METHODS This clinical trial was performed on 80 women. Sampling was done in Mashhad healthy centers from December 2009 to June 2010. Women were randomly divided and assigned to problem-solving skills (n = 26), relaxation (n = 26), and control groups (n = 28). Interventions were implemented for 6 weeks and the subjects again completed Eysenck self-esteem scale 9 weeks after delivery. Data analysis was done by descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) test by SPSS software. RESULTS The findings showed that the mean of self-esteem scale scores was 117.9 ± 9.7 after intervention in the problem-solving group, 117.0 ± 11.8 in the relaxation group, and 113.5 ± 10.4 in the control group and there was significant difference between the groups of relaxation and problem solving, and also between intervention groups and control group. CONCLUSIONS According to the results, problem-solving skills and relaxation can be used to prevent and recover from postpartum depression.
Radiocarbon Dating and Intercomparison of Some Early Historical Radiocarbon Samples

Abstract We performed a new series of measurements on samples that were part of early measurements on radiocarbon (14C) dating made in 1948–1949. Our results show generally good agreement to the data published in 1949–1951, despite vast changes in technology, with only two exceptions where there was a discrepancy in the original studies. Our new measurements give calibrated ages that overlap with the known ages. We dated several samples at four different laboratories, and so we were also able to make a small intercomparison at the same time. In addition, new measurements on samples from other Egyptian materials used by Libby and co-workers were made at UC Irvine. Samples of tree rings used in the original studies (from Broken Flute Cave and Centennial Stump) were obtained from the University of Arizona Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research archive and remeasured. New data were compared to the original studies and other records.
Fabrication of dye sensitized solar cell with surface textured substrates

Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC) possesses huge potential in solar energy utilisation and immense researches have been carried out in order to improve its performance. This paper looks into the possibilities of using maskless Reactive Ion Etched (RIE) substrates as a base for DSSC fabrication. Aluminium doped ZnO was sputtered as the TOC layer. The current cell performance has not yet achieved the expected level of efficiency but we will discuss fabrication conditions that should lead to improved performance through the reduction in reflections in the visible range and increasing effective cell interface areas of the proposed DSSC.
Support Vector Machine (SVM) based classifier for Khmer Printed Character-set Recognition

This paper describes on the use of Support Vector Machine (SVM) based classification method on Khmer Printed Character-set Recognition (PCR) in bitmap document. Khmer language has been identified as one of the most complex language with the total of 74 alphabets and the wording compound can has up to 5 vertical levels. This paper proposes one new method, SVM for Khmer character classification system by using 3 different SVM kernels (Gaussian, Polynomial and Linear Kernel) on data training and recognition to find out the best kernel for Khmer language. The method allows us to use small training dataset by training different pieces of character training instead of training big amount of clusters. The classification uses binary data of 0 as white space and 1 as black pixel area of the character; each training piece of character has been stretched into a matrix of the binary data in all kinds of image size. Feature extraction is extracted from the matrix to use in SVM classification. After recognition, there are some rules to combine each cluster or character by using character levels or common mistake correction. The experiment of about pure 750 Khmer words or around 3000 characters show that SVM method with Gaussian Kernel produces a good result with better performance among all kernels. The system uses one font "Khmer OS Content" of the training data with font size 32pt to recognize 3 different font sizes. The accuracy of 28pt font size is 98.17%, 32pt is 98.62% and 36pt is 98.54% respectively.
Passing on & putting to rest: understanding bereavement in the context of interactive technologies

While it can be a delicate and emotionally-laden topic, new technological trends compel us to confront a range of problems and issues about death and bereavement. This area presents complex challenges and the associated literature is extensive. In this paper we offer a way of slicing through several perspectives in the social sciences to see clearly a set of salient issues related to bereavement. Following this, we present a theoretical lens to provide a way of conceptualizing how the HCI community could begin to approach such issues. We then report field evidence from 11 in-depth interviews conducted with bereaved participants and apply the proposed lens to unpack key emergent problems and tensions. We conclude with a discussion on how the HCI design space might be sensitized to better support the social processes that unfold when bereavement occurs.
Optimizing Web Browser on Many-Core Architectures

As more and more Web applications emerging on sever end today, the Web browser on client end has become a host of a variety of applications other than just rendering static Web pages. This leads to more and more performance requirements of a Web browser, for which user experience is very important. This situation may become more urgency when on handheld devices. Some efforts like redesign a new Web browser have been made to overcome this problem. In this paper, we address this issue by optimizing the main processes of the Web browser on a state-of-the-art 64-core architecture, Godson-T, which was developed at Chinese Academy of Sciences, as multi-/many-core architecture to be the mainstream processor in the upcoming years. We start a new core to process a new tab when facing up to intensive URL requests, and we use scratch-pad memory (SPM) of each core as a local buffer to store the HTML source data to be processed to reduce off-chip memory access and exploit more data locality, otherwise, we use DTA to transfer HTML data for backup. Experiments conducted on the cycle-accurate simulator show that, starting each tab process by a new core could obtain 5.7% to 50% speedup with different number of cores used to process corresponding URL requests, with on-chip scratchpad memory of each core used to store the HTML data, more speedup could be achieved when number of cores increase. Also, as Data Transfer Agent (DTA) used to transfer the HTML data, the backup of HTML data can get 2X to 5X speedups according to different data amount.
The Response of Northern Hemisphere Snow Cover to a Changing Climate

Abstract A snowpack model sensitivity study, observed changes of snow cover in the NOAA satellite dataset, and snow cover simulations from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 3 (CMIP3) multimodel dataset are used to provide new insights into the climate response of Northern Hemisphere (NH) snow cover. Under conditions of warming and increasing precipitation that characterizes both observed and projected climate change over much of the NH land area with seasonal snow cover, the sensitivity analysis indicated snow cover duration (SCD) was the snow cover variable exhibiting the strongest climate sensitivity, with sensitivity varying with climate regime and elevation. The highest snow cover–climate sensitivity was found in maritime climates with extensive winter snowfall—for example, the coastal mountains of western North America (NA). Analysis of trends in snow cover duration during the 1966–2007 period of NOAA data showed the largest decreases were concentrated in a zone where seasonal mean air .
Impacts of a Mixed Ungulate Community on Aspen Forests: From Landscape to Leaf

Impacts of a Mixed Ungulate Community on Aspen Forests: From Landscape to Leaf Aaron C. Rhodes Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, BYU Doctor of Philosophy This dissertation explores the differential effects of an ungulate community (cattle, mule deer, and American elk) on aspen (Populus tremuloides) regeneration preand post-fire disturbance. It’s first chapter examines the differential effects of cattle, mule deer, and American elk on aspen regeneration across variable topography, climate and forest type; aspen dominant to conifer dominant subalpine forests. We found that each ungulate species, if sufficiently numerous, can cause aspen regeneration failure. Also, high elevation, southern aspect and high winter snow pack increase resilience to ungulate herbivory. Chapter two compares the efficacy of four methods of estimating ungulate impact on aspen. We found that direct methods of estimation (meristem removal, and defoliation) are better indicators of ungulate impact than indirect methods (fecal and camera counts). Therefore, we suggest to management that removal of apical meristems be an indicator for relative ungulate use. In chapters 3 and 4 we use differential ungulate exclosure fencing similar and camera traps to model the year to year and monthly use of aspen by ungulates. We model the per unit animal impact on aspen using photo counts. Our results show that ungulates on a per animal basis utilize aspen similarly. However, when adjusted for body size, native ungulates select aspen more often than cattle. Also, we found that while aspen is more palatable in June it is relative use, as measured by removal of apical meristems is significantly higher throughout July and August. We conclude that aspen is relatively more palatable than grass and forb species late season, and becomes and important forage species late season when forbs and grass species nutrient content drops. In chapter five, we quantify the physiological effects of ungulates on aspen regeneration after fire in order to elucidate the physiological mechanisms underlying plant:animal interactions. We show that ungulate herbivory induces high concentrations of defense chemistry (Phenolics), and reduces palatability through lower foliar nonstructural carbohydrates, and that this high investment in defense and lower growth potential related to low palatability causes severe reductions in aspen vertical growth leading to aspen regeneration failure. Together, we examine how biotic and abiotic factors at the landscape level, as well as defense and physiological function at the leaf chemistry level mediate how ungulates influence aspen regeneration and recruitment
Early intervention for relapse in schizophrenia: impact of cognitive behavioural therapy on negative beliefs about psychosis and self-esteem.

OBJECTIVES The study aimed to test two hypotheses. Firstly, that participants who relapsed during the 12-month follow-up period of our randomized controlled trial, would show increased negative beliefs about their illness and reduced self-esteem, in comparison to the non-relapsed participants. Secondly, that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for early signs of relapse would result in a reduction in negative beliefs about psychosis and an improvement in self-esteem at 12 months. DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 144 participants with schizophrenia or a related disorder were randomized to receive either treatment as usual (TAU; N=72) or CBT (N=72). Participants completed the Personal Beliefs about Illness Questionnaire (PBIQ; Birchwood, Mason, MacMillan, & Healy, 1993) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES; Rosenberg, 1965) at entry, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. RESULTS At 12 months, relapsers showed greater increase in scores for PBIQ entrapment compared with non-relapsers. In addition, after controlling for baseline covariates (treatment group and PBIQ self versus illness), relapsers also showed greater increase in scores for PBIQ self versus illness at 12 months. Furthermore, in comparison to treatment as usual, participants who received CBT showed greater improvement in PBIQ loss and in Rosenberg self-esteem. CONCLUSIONS The study provides evidence that relapse is associated with the development of negative appraisals of entrapment and self-blame (self vs. illness). In addition, this is the first study to show that CBT reduces negative appraisals of loss arising from psychosis and improvements in self-esteem. Implications for future research and treatment are discussed.
Innovative Therapeutic Strategies in the Treatment of Brain Metastases

Brain metastases (BM) are the most common intracranial tumors and their incidence is increasing. Untreated brain metastases are associated with a poor prognosis and a poor performance status. Metastasis development involves the migration of a cancer cell from the bulk tumor into the surrounding tissue, extravasation from the blood into tissue elsewhere in the body, and formation of a secondary tumor. In the recent past, important results have been obtained in the management of patients affected by BM, using surgery, radiation therapy, or both. Conventional chemotherapies have generally produced disappointing results, possibly due to their limited ability to penetrate the blood–brain barrier. The advent of new technologies has led to the discovery of novel molecules and pathways that have better depicted the metastatic process. Targeted therapies such as bevacizumab, erlotinib, gefitinib, sunitinib and sorafenib, are all licensed and have demonstrated improved survival in patients with metastatic disease. In this review, we will report current data on targeted therapies. A brief review about brain metastatic process will be also presented.
Gli 3 controls corpus callosum formation by positioning midline guideposts during telencephalic patterning Abbreviated title : Corpus callosum development requires Gli 3

General rights Copyright for the publications made accessible via the Edinburgh Research Explorer is retained by the author(s) and / or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing these publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. Take down policy The University of Edinburgh has made every reasonable effort to ensure that Edinburgh Research Explorer content complies with UK legislation. If you believe that the public display of this file breaches copyright please contact openaccess@ed.ac. uk providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. ABSTRACT The corpus callosum (CC) represents the major forebrain commissure connecting the two cerebral hemispheres. Midline crossing of callosal axons is controlled by several glial and neuronal guideposts specifically located along the callosal path, but it remains unknown how these cells acquire their position. Here, we show that the Gli3 hypomorphic mouse mutant Polydactyly Nagoya (Pdn) displays agenesis of the corpus callosum and mislocation of glial and neuronal guidepost cells. Using transplantation experiments we demonstrate that agenesis of the corpus callosum is primarily caused by midline defects. These defects originate during telencephalic patterning and involve an up-regulation of Slit2 expression and altered Fgf and Wnt/-catenin signalling. Mutations in sprouty1/2 which mimic the changes in these signalling pathways cause a disorganization of midline guideposts and CC agenesis. Moreover, a partial recovery of midline abnormalities in Pdn/Pdn;Slit2-/-embryos mutants confirms the functional importance of correct Slit2 expression levels for callosal development. Hence, Gli3 controlled restriction of Fgf and Wnt/-catenin signalling and of Slit2 expression is crucial for positioning midline guideposts and callosal development.
Openness and Inflation ∗ Job Market Paper

I use a general equilibrium model of a small open economy to derive an expression for the optimal level of inflation under discretion. A standard argument in reduced-form models is that when the government sets policy without commitment inflation is decreasing in trade-weighted openness because deteriorations in the terms of trade are associated with surprise monetary expansions. I show that once agents’ welfare is the sole policy objective there is an ambiguity in the inverse relationship. Although the standard mechanism is present, there is also an interaction between foreign demand for domestic production and openness. This interaction gives rise to a second terms of trade effect which has the potential to distort the incentives required to undertake expansionary monetary policy. Inflation may first rise and then fall as the economy becomes more open. JEL Classification: E31, E52, F41.