Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Variable structure backstepping control via a hierarchical manifold set for graceful ground vehicle path following

Graceful motion in vehicle steering is an important issue. Generally, this problem can be solved by controller design or planning a path in a real time. However, it may need the system to carry on more computing effort or make a compromise between the tracking accuracy and motion smoothness. In this paper, a multi-tiered model based steering control strategy is proposed for considering vehicle kinematics and dynamics simultaneously. In this strategy, the kinematic controller applies motion trajectory generation as basis to produce a set of hierarchal manifolds that gradually converge tracking errors by providing softer yaw rate commands. To minimize steady-state error caused by path curvature discontinuity, an integrator is embedded to these manifolds. A robust output feedback dynamic controller is designed to reject modeling errors and disturbances caused by side slip estimation from a robust observer. Steering rate is applied as the control input by considering steering actuator capabilities to replace traditional steering angle commands. Simulations and experiments validate control performance with a full-size passenger vehicle.
Specific activity of glycosidases in brain tumors and their expression in primary explants culture

Glycosidases such as β-galactosidase, β-glucosidase and β-hexosaminidase were assayed by monitoring the release of methyl umbelliferone spectro-flourimetrically in meningiomas (n=96), gliomas (n=101) and in their derived cell lines (n=17) and (n=10) respectively. Glycosidases showed significant specific activity in case of brain tumors as compared to normal brain. β-galactosidase activity (363.3907±83.68 nmoles/min./mg in meningiomas and 259.025±94.9137 nmoles/min/mg in gliomas) is less compared to β-Hexosaminidase (965±1192.2931 nmoles/min./mg in meningiomas and 3292.398±1251.171 nmoles/min./mg in gliomas) but β-glucosidase activity did not show significant changes in tumors to that of normal brain. The Glycosidases activity was also done in cell cultures of meningothelial meningioma, fibrous meningioma, transitional, A typical, anaplastic astrocytoma, anaplastic oligodendroglioma G-III and GBM IV which showed monolayers. The cell culture passages expressed more activity (in first) in majority of meningiomas and gliomas for β-galactosidase and β-hexosaminidase enzymes. However β-hexosaminidase showed higher activity in respective passages of all glioma cell cultures when compared with parent tumors, but not for βglucosidase. Therefore, β-galactosidase and β-hexosaminidase exhibited similar activity in brain tumors and in their cell cultures. This confirms their identical enzymatic function in metabolism of tumors related to the stability in confluency of monolayer cells of primary explants.
Reliable background prediction using approximated GMM

Our study proposes a new reliable background prediction for object detection in a frame sequence. Our method generates the approximated Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) from the standard GMM by eliminating moving objects that can be easily detected based on frame differences. This reduces the computational time taken to predict the background image by averaging the intensity of each pixel of approximated GMM. However, the computational time costs more to fit each GMM parameter using an EM algorithm. In addition, this method achieves a reliable background prediction. This is possible because the precision of the background prediction is higher than other conventional approaches. Using the proposed background subtraction method, our experimental results indicate that the precision and recall levels obtained were approximately 20% higher than other levels that were obtained using conventional approaches.
Natural interaction for card games on multiple devices

In this poster we present the development process of natural interaction for card games on multiple devices. Our goal was to provide users with an application that can be interacted with similar to real cards. It is a critical part of actual game play that all users can observe clearly what actions are performed by each player. To imitate such flexible use of cards in real games, we did not implement any game rules in our system. Rather, we strived towards making all computer-related user interactions as clear and visible to all players as manipulations of real cards. For the development of our system we used an iterative user-centered design approach.
Immunization with L. sigmodontis Microfilariae Reduces Peripheral Microfilaraemia after Challenge Infection by Inhibition of Filarial Embryogenesis

Background Lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis are two chronic diseases mediated by parasitic filarial worms causing long term disability and massive socioeconomic problems. Filariae are transmitted by blood-feeding mosquitoes that take up the first stage larvae from an infected host and deliver it after maturation into infective stage to a new host. After closure of vector control programs, disease control relies mainly on mass drug administration with drugs that are primarily effective against first stage larvae and require many years of annual/biannual administration. Therefore, there is an urgent need for alternative treatment ways, i.e. other effective drugs or vaccines. Methodology/Principal Findings Using the Litomosoides sigmodontis murine model of filariasis we demonstrate that immunization with microfilariae together with the adjuvant alum prevents mice from developing high microfilaraemia after challenge infection. Immunization achieved 70% to 100% protection in the peripheral blood and in the pleural space and furthermore strongly reduced the microfilarial load in mice that remained microfilaraemic. Protection was associated with the impairment of intrauterine filarial embryogenesis and with local and systemic microfilarial-specific host IgG, as well as IFN-γ secretion by host cells from the site of infection. Furthermore immunization significantly reduced adult worm burden. Conclusions/Significance Our results present a tool to understand the immunological basis of vaccine induced protection in order to develop a microfilariae-based vaccine that reduces adult worm burden and prevents microfilaraemia, a powerful weapon to stop transmission of filariasis.
Determining Error Biases in Second‐generation Dna Sequencing Data Project Proposal

I will study base substitution error biases in Illunima data. I will compute how often each of the twelve substitution errors occur and determine which type of error is most dominant for bases with a given quality score. I will also examine how the frequency of substitution errors changes over intervals of the genome as a function of their GC content. I will then determine the most common types of substitutions that occur for each GC content.
UNRAVELING THE UNSUSTAINABLITY SPIRAL IN SUBSAHARAN AFRICA: AN AGENT BASED MODELLING APPROACH

Sub-Saharan Africa is trapped in a complex unsustainability spiral with demographic, biophysical, technical and socio-political dimensions. Unravelling the spiral is vital to perceive which policy actions are needed to reverse it and initiate sustainable pro-poor growth. The article presents an evolutionary, multi-agent modelling framework that marries a socio-ecological approach to a world system perspective and takes agriculture as the engine for sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa. A number of possibilities for empirical validation are proposed.
Age-related impairments in active learning and strategic visual exploration

Old age could impair memory by disrupting learning strategies used by younger individuals. We tested this possibility by manipulating the ability to use visual-exploration strategies during learning. Subjects controlled visual exploration during active learning, thus permitting the use of strategies, whereas strategies were limited during passive learning via predetermined exploration patterns. Performance on tests of object recognition and object-location recall was matched for younger and older subjects for objects studied passively, when learning strategies were restricted. Active learning improved object recognition similarly for younger and older subjects. However, active learning improved object-location recall for younger subjects, but not older subjects. Exploration patterns were used to identify a learning strategy involving repeat viewing. Older subjects used this strategy less frequently and it provided less memory benefit compared to younger subjects. In previous experiments, we linked hippocampal-prefrontal co-activation to improvements in object-location recall from active learning and to the exploration strategy. Collectively, these findings suggest that age-related memory problems result partly from impaired strategies during learning, potentially due to reduced hippocampal-prefrontal co-engagement.
A Case For Amplify-Forward Relaying in the Block-Fading Multi-Access Channel

This paper demonstrates the significant gains that multi-access users can achieve from sharing a single amplify-forward relay in slow fading environments. The proposed protocol, namely the multi-access relay amplify-forward, allows for a low-complexity relay and achieves the optimal diversity-multiplexing trade-off at high multiplexing gains. Analysis of the protocol reveals that it uniformly dominates the compress-forward strategy and further outperforms the dynamic decode-forward protocol at high multiplexing gains. An interesting feature of the proposed protocol is that, at high multiplexing gains, it resembles a multiple-input single-output system, and at low multiplexing gains, it provides each user with the same diversity-multiplexing trade-off as if there is no contention for the relay from the other users.
License Plate Image Binarization Based on Chromatic Information and Fuzzy C-Mean Approach

The license plate recognition system plays an important role in a variety of applications under the umbrella of intelligent transportation systems. However, in the complex real-world road environment, mud, fog, poor illumination, and other environmental situations degrade the quality of the vehicle license plate image and present a challenge to the development of a functional license plate recognition system. To target this problem, a method based on fuzzy binarization is presented. In this approach, chromatic information is applied first to classify each license plate image into four categories that are typical for vehicles in China; then a binarization approach based on the fuzzy c-mean is applied to generate the binary image, during which a dynamic procedure is utilized for adapting the threshold value to the changing real-world road environment. Empirical results based on the processing of 1,000 real-world vehicle license plate images show that the proposed approach performs well compared with traditional approaches.
High Accuracy Deformation Monitoring of a Concrete Beam using Automatic Photogrammetric Techniques

SUMMARY Deformation monitoring of construction objects, like beams, in laboratory conditions are very useful for the theoretical design of material behaviour modelling. It is typically undertaken using contact methods, which can achieve accuracies better than 0.5mm, but measurements of displacements can be done point-wise and in one dimension only. In order to enable the use of non contact methods comparably high accuracies must be ensured; data can be collected during a dynamically developed phenomenon; displacements in three dimensions can be provided; the data processing and result extraction will not be time consuming. In this paper an application of an automatic photogrammetric process is proposed, which satisfies all previously mentioned prerequisites for monitoring the dynamic behaviour of concrete beams when exposed to mechanical strain during a loading test. Accurate geodetic measurements for the determination of 3D coordinates of control points and acquisition of image stereo-pairs by a system of two calibrated and synchronised digital cameras mounted on a stable basis are required. Images are taken in load free state and in every loading epoch until the beam reaches its breaking curve. When all data is collected, the exterior orientation of the first stereo-pair is calculated by a photogrammetric resection solution. In every epoch an automatic target localisation algorithm, based on a combination of normalized cross correlation and least squares matching, is applied in order to measure image point coordinates pre-signed points on the beam. Afterwards, 3D point coordinates are calculated by a photogrammetric intersection solution using the results of the template matching as well as the stable exterior orientations. Point displacements from the beginning of the loading test to the total beam breakage are computed. The experimental results show that the attained accuracy is 0.5-1mm in object space.
Phenotypic plasticity and population viability: the importance of environmental predictability

Phenotypic plasticity plays a key role in modulating how environmental variation influences population dynamics, but we have only rudimentary understanding of how plasticity interacts with the magnitude and predictability of environmental variation to affect population dynamics and persistence. We developed a stochastic individual-based model, in which phenotypes could respond to a temporally fluctuating environmental cue and fitness depended on the match between the phenotype and a randomly fluctuating trait optimum, to assess the absolute fitness and population dynamic consequences of plasticity under different levels of environmental stochasticity and cue reliability. When cue and optimum were tightly correlated, plasticity buffered absolute fitness from environmental variability, and population size remained high and relatively invariant. In contrast, when this correlation weakened and environmental variability was high, strong plasticity reduced population size, and populations with excessively strong plasticity had substantially greater extinction probability. Given that environments might become more variable and unpredictable in the future owing to anthropogenic influences, reaction norms that evolved under historic selective regimes could imperil populations in novel or changing environmental contexts. We suggest that demographic models (e.g. population viability analyses) would benefit from a more explicit consideration of how phenotypic plasticity influences population responses to environmental change.
Multigeneic QTL: the laccase encoded within the soybean Rfs2/rhg1 locus inferred to underlie part of the dual resistance to cyst nematode and sudden death syndrome.

Multigeneic QTL present significant problems to analysis. Resistance to soybean (Glycine max (L) Merr. ) sudden death syndrome (SDS) caused by Fusarium virguliforme was partly underlain by QRfs2 that was clustered with, or pleiotropic to, the multigeneic rhg1 locus providing resistance to soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines). A group of five genes were found between the two markers that delimited the Rfs2/rhg1 locus. One of the five genes was predicted to encode an unusual diphenol oxidase (laccase; EC 1.10.3.2). The aim of this study was to characterize this member of the soybean laccase gene-family and explore its involvement in SDS resistance. A genomic clone and a full length cDNA was isolated from resistant cultivar 'Forrest' that were different among susceptible cultivars 'Asgrow 3244' and 'Williams 82' at four residues R/H168, I/M271, R/H330, E/K470. Additional differences were found in six of the seven introns and the promoter region. Transcript abundance (TA) among genotypes that varied for resistance to SDS or SCN did not differ significantly. Therefore the protein activity was inferred to underlie resistance. Protein expressed in yeast pYES2/NTB had weak enzyme activity with common substrates but good activity with root phenolics. The Forrest isoform may underlie both QRfs2 and rhg1.
Managing Organizational Knowledge:An empirical Study in Jordanian pharmaceutical industry

Enabling knowledge creation (EKC) is an important issue in knowledge society. This study empirically examines the relationship between enabling knowledge creation and knowledge conversion in Jordanian pharmaceutical industry. Currently, managers need to support knowledge creation process rather than control it. Enablers knowledge may be able this. Previous studies have not clearly identified nor demonstrated the relationship between the enabler’s knowledge and the knowledge conversion. This study is focusing on the question what are the enabler’s knowledge that effects on the knowledge conversion. The purpose of this research is to identify if a positive relationship between the enabler’s knowledge and the knowledge conversion. A positivistic approach was adapted using quantitative data. A survey aimed at employees in Jordanian pharmaceutical industry population was conducted in an effort to investigate the knowledge conversion and to examine the relationship of enabler’s knowledge and the improvement of knowledge conversion.
FOXM1 mediates resistance to docetaxel in gastric cancer via up-regulating Stathmin

Docetaxel is commonly used as an effective chemotherapeutic drug for gastric cancer patients recently. With the increasing emergence of docetaxel resistance nowadays, identification of suitable biomarkers for predicting chemosensitivity to docetaxel may be a key role for improving therapeutic effects for gastric cancer patients. In this study, we investigated the correlation between the expression of transcription factor forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1) and chemotherapy response to docetaxel in gastric cancer, the possible mechanism for which was further explored. As a result, FOXM1 overexpression was shown to mediate resistance to docetaxel in gastric cancers. It altered microtubule dynamics to protect tumour cells from docetaxel‐induced apoptosis. Mechanistic investigations revealed that tubulin‐destabilizing protein Stathmin, which mediated docetaxel resistance in FOXM1‐silenced gastric cancer cells, is a direct down‐stream target of FOXM1, whereas another microtubule dynamics protein mitotic centromere–associated kinesin (MCAK), shown to be related to docetaxel resistance in gastric cancer cells, is not associated with FOXM1 expression significantly. These results were further provided by immunohistochemical analysis, indicating that FOXM1 and Stathmin expression levels were correlated in 103 post‐operational gastric cancer specimens. Moreover, when we attenuated FOXM1 expression with FOXM1 inhibitor thiostrepton, docetaxel resistance in gastric cancers was found to be reversed, simultaneously with the down‐regulation of FOXM1 and Stathmin. Therefore, FOXM1 can be a useful marker for predicting and monitoring docetaxel response. Through the inhibition of FOXM1, docetaxel resistance can be reversed, and thus FOXM1 could be a new therapeutic target in docetaxel‐resistant gastric cancer.
Spatial and temporal country-wide survey of temephos resistance in Brazilian populations of Aedes aegypti

The organophosphate temephos has been the main insecticide used against larvae of the dengue and yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) in Brazil since the mid-1980s. Reports of resistance date back to 1995; however, no systematic reports of widespread temephos resistance have occurred to date. As resistance investigation is paramount for strategic decision-making by health officials, our objective here was to investigate the spatial and temporal spread of temephos resistance in Ae. aegypti in Brazil for the last 12 years using discriminating temephos concentrations and the bioassay protocols of the World Health Organization. The mortality results obtained were subjected to spatial analysis for distance interpolation using semi-variance models to generate maps that depict the spread of temephos resistance in Brazil since 1999. The problem has been expanding. Since 2002-2003, approximately half the country has exhibited mosquito populations resistant to temephos. The frequency of temephos resistance and, likely, control failures, which start when the insecticide mortality level drops below 80%, has increased even further since 2004. Few parts of Brazil are able to achieve the target 80% efficacy threshold by 2010/2011, resulting in a significant risk of control failure by temephos in most of the country. The widespread resistance to temephos in Brazilian Ae. aegypti populations greatly compromise effective mosquito control efforts using this insecticide and indicates the urgent need to identify alternative insecticides aided by the preventive elimination of potential mosquito breeding sites.
How does a naked singularity look

There are nonradial null geodesics emanating from the shell focusing singularity formed at the symmetric center in a spherically symmetric dust collapse. In this article, assuming self-similarity in the region filled with the dust fluid, we study these singular null geodesics in detail. We see the time evolution of the angular diameter of the central naked singularity and show that it might be bounded above by a value corresponding to the circular null geodesic in the Schwarzschild spacetime. We also investigate the angular frequency of the physical field that propagates along the singular null geodesic and find that it depends on the impact parameter. Further, we comment on the nonuniformity of the topology of the central naked singularity.
Economic multi-stage output nonlinear model predictive control

Nonlinear Model Predictive control is one of the most promising control strategies in the field of advanced control. It can be used to optimize economic cost functions online satisfying all constraints which makes it very appealing in the context of industrial applications. In the last years, several robust NMPC methods have been presented. Among them, multi-stage stochastic NMPC has been proven to provide very promising results and to be computationally feasible by the use of advanced optimization tools. In this paper, we present an extension of the multi-stage approach that takes into account explicitly not only plant-model mismatch but also state estimation error through innovation sampling. We accommodate these errors into the resulting optimization problem by including them in the scenario tree formulation. We use a multiple-model estimation algorithm that fits to the multi-stage approach. The results are illustrated by simulation results of a chemical reactor.
Attentional Top-down Regulation and Dialogue Management in Human-robot Interaction

We propose a framework where the human-robot interaction is modeled as a multimodal dialogue which is regulated by an attentional system that guides the system towards the execution of structured tasks. We introduce a simple case study to illustrate the system at work in different conditions considering top-down regulations and dialogue flows in synergic and conflicting situations.
Improving responsiveness of a stripe-scheduled media server

Thrifty scheduling is an algorithm that improves the responsiveness of a stripe-scheduled multimedia server. It increases the determination of the data-distribution service, reduces the likelihood of high startup delays, and enables an increase in the rated load of the system. A stripe-scheduled media server is a distributed video-on- demand system that load-balances by striping video data across multiple computer nodes and cyclically scheduling the distribution of the data. The server displays highly variable startup delays in response to requests for data streams. These delays are due to clusters of allocated slots in the distribution schedule, which form naturally as the system load increases. Thrifty scheduling is a scalable algorithm that improves responsiveness by allocating streams to schedule slots in a way that reduces the clustering in the schedule. This algorithm has been incorporated into the Tiger video fileserver.