Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Automated Driving Systems using real-life scenarios

More and more Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are entering the market for improving both safety and comfort by assisting the driver with their driving task. An important aspect in developing future ADAS and Automated Driving Systems (ADS) is testing and validation. Validating the failure rate of an ADS requires so many operational hours that testing in real time is almost impossible. One way to reduce this test load is virtual testing or hardware in-the-loop testing. The major challenge is to create realistic test cases that closely resemble the situation on the road. We present a way to use data of naturalistic driving to generate test cases for Monte-Carlo simulations of ADS. Because real-life data is used, the assessment allows to draw conclusions on how the ADS would perform in real traffic. The method, developed in EU AdaptIVe, is demonstrated by testing an Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system in scenarios where the predecessor of the ego vehicle is braking. We show that the probability of the occurrence of unsafe situations with the ACC system can be accurately and efficiently determined.
Comparing representations of the environmental spatial scale of organic chemicals

Long‐range transport potential is one of the criteria proposed to identify chemicals as persistent organic pollutants. Here, different approaches to determine the spatial scale of an environmental area or region that can be impacted by an emitted chemical are investigated. A ranking of chemicals according to the spatial range R on a limited scale, as suggested by Scheringer, is equivalent to the characteristic travel distance L according to Bennett et al. on a linear, open scale. However, the methods are different with respect to the weighting of differences between the chemicals and according to their comparability with persistence. The characteristic travel distance L and the overall persistence are both plotted on open log‐linear scales, whereas the spatial range R is represented on a limited scale. Various approaches of how to account for the mode of entry of chemicals are compared, and it is argued that relative measures are more appropriate to describe the long‐range transport potential of chemicals than absolute numbers.
Molecular Basis for Vitamin A Uptake and Storage in Vertebrates

The ability to store and distribute vitamin A inside the body is the main evolutionary adaptation that allows vertebrates to maintain retinoid functions during nutritional deficiencies and to acquire new metabolic pathways enabling light-independent production of 11-cis retinoids. These processes greatly depend on enzymes that esterify vitamin A as well as associated retinoid binding proteins. Although the significance of retinyl esters for vitamin A homeostasis is well established, until recently, the molecular basis for the retinol esterification enzymatic activity was unknown. In this review, we will look at retinoid absorption through the prism of current biochemical and structural studies on vitamin A esterifying enzymes. We describe molecular adaptations that enable retinoid storage and delineate mechanisms in which mutations found in selective proteins might influence vitamin A homeostasis in affected patients.
Chromosomal periodicity of evolutionarily conserved gene pairs

Chromosomes are compacted hundreds of times to fit in the cell, packaged into dynamic folds whose structures are largely unknown. Here, we examine patterns in gene locations to infer large-scale features of bacterial chromosomes. Specifically, we analyzed >100 genomes and identified thousands of gene pairs that display two types of evolutionary correlations: a tendency to co-occur and a tendency to be located close together in many genomes. We then analyzed the detailed distribution of these pairs in Escherichia coli and found that genes in a pair tend to be separated by integral multiples of 117 kb along the genome and to be positioned in a 117-kb grid of genomic locations. In addition, the most pair-dense locations coincide with regions of intense transcriptional activity and the positions of top transcribed and conserved genes. These patterns suggest that the E. coli chromosome may be organized into a 117-kb helix-like topology that localizes a subset of the most essential and highly transcribed genes along a specific face of this structure. Our approach indicates an evolutionarily maintained preference in the spacing of genes along the chromosome and offers a general comparative genomics framework for studying chromosome structure, broadly applicable to other organisms.
Comparison of Immune Response to the Influenza Vaccine in Obese and Nonobese Healthcare Workers

OBJECTIVE To determine whether there is a difference in antibody titers and functionality after receipt of the influenza vaccine for obese versus nonobese healthcare workers (HCW). DESIGN Prospective observational study. SETTING Tertiary medical center. PARTICIPANTS Healthcare workers. METHODS Baseline influenza antibody titers for obese and nonobese HCW were recorded during the hospital’s 2011 annual influenza vaccination day and follow-up antibody titers were measured 4 weeks later. Antibodies were measured using the hemagglutination inhibition assay and functionality was measured using the micro-neutralization method. RESULTS Of 200 initial HCWs, 190 completed the study (97 obese and 93 nonobese). Seroprotection after immunization was not significantly different for nonobese compared with obese HCW for each strain (influenza A [H1N1], 99% and 99%; influenza A [H3N2], 100% and 99%; and influenza B, 67% and 71%, respectively) All geometric mean titers measured by micro-neutralization showed statistically significant increases in activity. In comparison, there was no difference in the 4-fold increase in H1N1 or B titers. There was a significant difference in the 4-fold increase of H3N2 titers between the nonobese and obese HCWs (82/93 [88%] vs 64/97 [66%], P=.003) In an ad hoc analysis we found that obese HCWs had a statistically greater number of 4-fold decreases in titers with H1N1 and H3N2. CONCLUSIONS There was no significant difference in protection from influenza between obese and nonobese HCWs after immunization. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;00(0): 1–5
Besoins d'assistance technologique par des personnes âgées et leurs aidants

Il existe un interet croissant pour les technologies d'assistance (TA) permettant le maintien a domicile des âges. Cependant, l'acceptabilite et l'adoption de ces TA restent problematiques. Cette etude s'interesse au besoin ressenti en terme de TA dans trois domaines d'assistance (activites quotidiennes, securite et lien social) chez 50 personnes âgees et leurs aidants. Nos resultats indiquent que les besoins ressentis sont plus importants de la part des aidants que des personnes âgees. De plus, pour la premiere fois, nous avons demontre que les âges formulent leurs besoins en TA independamment de leurs difficultes physiques et cognitives, alors que les aidants enoncent un besoin en adequation avec les difficultes des âges qu'ils accompagnent. Globalement, ces resultats mettent en avant l'interet d'une hetero-evaluation par la famille ou les aidants pour identifier les besoins ressentis en TA pour le maintien a domicile des âges.
Socio-Economic Problems of Transgender in Workplace

Transgender is also a part of the society and they have equal right to everything in the world that is avail- able to all other persons. The presence of such transgender is not new, but their presence is there from the time immemorial as could be seen from several scripts, probably because the nature requires such a class to maintain the equilibrium. The most important aspect we have to think is the discrimination. The discrimination based on their class and gender makes the transgen- der community one of the most disempowered group in Indian Society. In the light of the Constitutional guarantees provided, there is no reason why Transgender Community should not get their basic rights, which included Right to Personal Liberty, Dignity, Freedom of Expression, Right to Education and Empowerment, Right against Violence, discrimination and exploitation. This paper will review the history of the term, and focus on how it has been used in a variety of contexts, including health care and specifically within HIV prevention and treatment to describe not only identities but risk factors; within mental health as a condition and to describe sets of behaviors; and socio-politically both within the communities and the larger society.
Load Signature Study—Part II: Disaggregation Framework, Simulation, and Applications

Load signatures embedded in common electricity consumption patterns, in fact, could render much information pertaining to the nature of the appliances and their usage patterns. Based on the proposed disaggregation framework, we use three advanced disaggregation algorithms, called committee decision mechanisms (CDMs), to perform load disaggregation at the metering level. Three random switching simulators are also developed to investigate the performance of different CDMs under a variety of scenarios. Through Monte Carlo simulations, we demonstrate that all CDMs outperform any single-feature, single-algorithm-based disaggregation methods. With sensitivity analysis, we also show that the CDMs are less sensitive to any load dynamics and noise. We finally demonstrate some applications of this technology in terms of appliance usage tacking and estimated energy consumption of each appliance.
Stop-and-Go Algorithm for Blind Equalization in QAM Single-Carrier Coherent Optical Systems

Coherent detection has recently allowed the adoption of high-order modulation formats in single-carrier optical systems where a simple feed-forward equalizer, in proper configuration, is able to perfectly compensate for fiber linear impairments, such as group velocity dispersion and polarization-mode dispersion. In this letter, the blind update of the equalizer taps is investigated with reference to a 16-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) format in the presence of different channel impairments. A novel algorithm is proposed, which represents an improvement of the stop-and-go, through the use of a powerful asynchronous detection strategy.
The Evaluation of Study Success between Online Study and Classroom Study Environment

Online study has increasingly become more attractive to students at university level due to convenience access to their instructors and to study resources. This study has developed online social network for study. It proposes to provide lesson content availability, past lecture, by sending online study lesson media to students’ mobile phone or tablet. Approximately 85 undergraduate software engineering students participated for 1.5 semesters. In comparing the use of the study toll, and without the tool, the alterations were found between traditional classroom learning style and online study. Also, the study’s aim was to attest the online study tool’s efficiency. However, these results were not obvious when the achievement factor was controlled by the limitation of time. The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate these two groups of students with extended experiment time for a noticeable result by used questionnaires course examination, and inventory of ILP learning process. The observed, shows that students with online study tools scored higher on course examinations after measures by the mentioned methodology.
Organizing the Web: Semi-Automatic Construction of a Faceted Scheme

In this study we explore the construction of a faceted vocabulary that can be used as a mechanism for organizing Web-based resources. After analyzing the manual process of faceted vocabulary construction using an existing organizational structure to identify heuristics for automating the construction process, we modeled a hybrid, semi-automatic approach to facet generation that integrates the strengths of manual and automatic methods.
Transcriptional regulation of chondrogenesis by coactivator Tip60 via chromatin association with Sox9 and Sox5

Sox9 is a transcription factor of the SRY family required for several steps of chondrogenesis. It activates the expression of various chondrocyte-specific genes, but the mechanisms and role of cofactors involved in Sox9-regulated gene transcription are not fully understood. Here, we report on the characterization of a Tat interactive protein-60 (Tip60) as Sox9-associated protein identified in a yeast two-hybrid screen. Both in vitro and in vivo assays confirmed the specificity of interactions between Sox9 and Tip60 including the existence of an endogenous complex containing both polypeptides in chondrocytes. Gel shift assays showed the presence of a complex containing Sox9, Tip60 and the DNA of an enhancer region of the Col2a1 promoter. Reporter assays using a Col2a1 promoter with multimerized Col2a1 Sox9-binding sites indicated that Tip60 enhanced the transcriptional activity of Sox9. A larger Col2a1 promoter showed that Tip60 increased the activity of this promoter in the presence of both Sox9 and Sox5. Ectopic expression of Sox9 and transient-cotransfection with Tip60 in COS7 cells showed a more diffuse subnuclear colocalization, suggesting changes in the chromatin structure. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that Tip60, Sox9 and Sox5 associated with the same Col2a1 enhancer region. Consistent with a role of Tip60 in chondrogenesis, addition of Tip60 siRNA to limb-bud micromass cultures delayed chondrocyte differention. Tip60 enhances acetylation of Sox9 mainly through K61, 253, 398 residues; however, the K61/253/398A mutant of Sox9 still exhibited enhanced transcriptional activity by Tip60. Our results support the hypothesis that Tip60 is a coactivator of Sox9 in chondrocytes.
Ghrelin Restores the Endothelin 1/Nitric Oxide Balance in Patients With Obesity-Related Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity is associated with endothelial dysfunction related to decreased NO bioavailability, increased endothelin 1 vasoconstrictor activity, and decreased circulating ghrelin. Therefore, we tested whether exogenous ghrelin may have benefits to improve the balance between endothelin 1 and NO in patients with obesity-related metabolic syndrome. Vasoactive actions of endothelin 1 and NO were assessed in 8 patients with metabolic syndrome and 8 matched controls by evaluating forearm blood flow responses (strain-gauge plethysmography) to intra-arterial infusion of BQ-123 (endothelin A receptor antagonist; 10 nmol/min), followed by NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (NO synthase inhibitor; 4 &mgr;mol/min), before and after infusion of ghrelin (200 ng/min). In the absence of ghrelin, the vasodilator response to BQ-123 was greater in patients than in controls (P<0.001), whereas infusion of NG-monomethyl-l-arginine induced smaller vasoconstriction in patients than in controls (P=0.006). Importantly, exogenous ghrelin decreased the vasodilator response to BQ-123 (P=0.007 versus saline) and enhanced the magnitude of changes in forearm blood flow induced by NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (P=0.003) in patients but not in controls (both P>0.05). The favorable effect of ghrelin on endothelin A–dependent vasoconstriction was likely related to the stimulation of NO production, because no change in the vascular effect of BQ-123 was observed after ghrelin (P=0.44) in 5 patients with metabolic syndrome during continuous infusion of the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (0.2 &mgr;g/min). In patients with metabolic syndrome, ghrelin has benefits to normalize the balance between vasoconstrictor (endothelin 1) and vasodilating (NO) mediators, thus suggesting that this peptide has important peripheral actions to preserve vascular homeostasis in humans.
[Bacteria-selective synergism between the antimicrobial peptides magainin 2 and tachyplesin I: toward cocktail therapy].

Magainin 2 and tachyplesin I (T-SS) are membrane-permeabilizing antimicrobial peptides discovered in frog skin and horseshoe crab hemolymph, respectively. They are classified into different secondary structural classes, i.e., alpha-helix and cyclic beta-sheet, respectively. We found that F5W-magainin 2 (MG2) and T-SS showed marked synergistic effects against gram-negative and-positive bacteria without enhancing hemolytic activity as a measure of toxicity. The results of dye-release experiments using liposomes suggested that the selective synergism is mainly due to anionic phospholipid-specific synergism in membrane permeabilization. Furthermore, the cyclic structure of T-SS was found to be necessary for synergism because a linear analogue of T-SS did not show good synergism with MG2. These novel observations suggest the possibility of development of cocktail therapeutic regimens using combinations of antimicrobial peptides.
Antenna Properties and their impact on Wireless System Performance

Since the first demonstration of wireless technology in 1886 by Heinrich Hertz and its first practical radio application by Guglielmo Marconi in 1901, the antenna has been a key building block in the construction of wireless communications systems. In many instances, the antenna is not considered critical in the initial system design, however, it is the single device that allows RF energy to transition between wire transmission lines and free space. Since the days of Hertz, antennas have advanced from a simple wire dipole to more complex structures such as helical antennas, parabolic reflectors, Yagis, microstrip patch arrays, etc. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of fundamental antenna properties, antenna performance characteristics, system RF propagation characteristics and related tradeoff issues. This article will also provide a discussion of how the antenna and RF propagation properties affect overall wireless system performance. This information can be used to establish antenna selection criteria for optimum system performance.
Synthesis of two-dimensional pseudo white-noise signal with low peak factor

This letter presents a new systematic approach for generating two-dimensional (2-D) signals having both a low peak factor (crest factor) and a flat power spectrum. The flat power spectrum provides zero auto-correlation, except for the zero shift. The proposed synthesis method is a systematic scheme, not a search method, and produces a 2-D signal of size (2n/sub 1/+1)(4n/sub 1/+1)/spl times/(2n/sub 2/+1)/sup 2/ for an arbitrary pair of integers n/sub 1/ and n/sub 2/. The peak factor of the proposed signal is equal to /spl radic/1+1/(4n/sub 1/+1) times the peak factor of a single trigonometric function.
Early Gastric Cancer: Diagnosis and Less Invasive Treatments

The prognosis of early gastric cancer (EGC) is excellent worldwide. Incidence of EGC shows considerable geographic variation, and in high prevalence areas where diagnostic skills are adept, EGCs are not frequently overlooked. In these countries, less invasive, function-preserving treatments such as endoscopic mucosal resection and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy have become standard options. The criteria to apply conservative treatments are being expanded along with the technological improvement. Though its natural history is relatively long, EGC could be a fatal disease and should be carefully treated. Lymph node metastasis is the most important prognostic factor that should be considered in treatment selection and follow-up planning of EGC.
Electric to mechanical energy conversion of linear ultra-fast electro-mechanical actuators based on stroke requirements

The operational efficiency of ultra fast actuators used as drives in high voltage direct current breakers are at best 5 %. To boost their efficiency, the design of the energizing circuit is crucial. A multi-physics finite element method (FEM) model coupled with a SPICE circuit model that is able to predict the performance of the actuator with an accuracy of at least 95 % has been developed and verified experimentally. Several variants of prototypes and models have been simulated, built, and tested. It was shown that one of the main problems leading to low efficiencies is the stroke of the drive. However, there is a possibility to increase the efficiency of the electric to mechanical energy conversion process of the studied Thomson (TC) and double sided coils (DSC) to a maximum of 54 % and 88 % respectively if their stroke is minimized. This can be done at the expense of increasing the complexity and the cost of the contact system by designing a switch with several series connected contacts that is encapsulated in a medium with a high dielectric strength. Another proposed solution is to design a current pulse with a rise time that is considerably shorter than the mechanical response time of the system. Parametric variations of capacitances and charging voltages show that the TC and the DSC can achieve efficiencies up to 15 % and 23 % respectively. Regardless of the chosen method, the DSC has a superior efficiency compared to a TC.
Nonlinear coordination of cardiovascular autonomic control.

The phylogenetic development of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) has presumably involved processes of self-organization with evolutionary selective pressure to optimize specific functions of the organism and the coordination of these functions. Our knowledge of the functional organization of the ANS is incomplete. However, at many different levels of function, nonlinear dynamics have been shown to provide a relevant description of operation of the system. We introduce some of the fundamentals of nonlinear coordination, including approaches based on chaos theory, synergetics, and general nonlinear dynamics. The term "autonomic nervous system" is valid for the basal functional unit, which includes essential neurophysiological mechanisms of cardiovascular control that are approximately independent of voluntary influences. The conclusion is that the cardiovascular autonomic control system is more appropriately investigated by multivariate than by univariate data analysis. A physiological organism can be considered as a highly complex dissipative structure; numerous widespread internal and external conditions lead to the small behavioral band of being alive. Subsystems of this structure can be modeled as dissipative dynamical systems. Deterministic chaos is a mathematical phenomenon in which a deterministic process produces a unpredictable output. Deterministic chaos is somewhat regular in that it is deterministic and somewhat irregular in that it is unpredictable. One of the distinctive features of the ANS is that its fluctuations are also somewhat regular and somewhat irregular. This duality may indicate that it may be useful to characterize ANS fluctuations in terms of concepts from chaos theory.