Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intelligent rover with hopping mechanism for asteroid exploration

In recent years, small body exploration missions have received a lot of attention. JAXA completed Hayabusa mission in 2010 and succeeded in getting samples from the asteroid. JAXA is also developing the Hayabusa2 spacecraft, the post sample return mission to a near-earth asteroid. A novel and tiny hopping rover called MINERVA was installed into Hayabusa spacecraft. Then, with these experiences, some rover packages are under development for Hayabusa2 spacecraft. The mission concept is the same as MINERVA, but multiple rover system is introduced. Because the target asteroid parameters may be different from the previous target in Hayabusa mission, the rover system is newly designed in Hayabusa2 mission. This paper describes the challenge of mobilizing a robotic probe for small body surface exploration. This paper proposes a hopping mechanism and shows the effectiveness of the proposed hopping robot by micro gravity experiments. This paper also discusses the required intelligence for small body exploration robot.
Reinforcing State-Dependent N Best Quality of Service Routes in Communication Networks

In the context of modern high-speed Internet network, routing is often complicated by the notion of guaranteed quality of service (QoS), which can either be related to time, packet loss or bandwidth requirements: constraints related to various types of QoS make some routing inacceptable. Due to emerging real-time and multimedia applications, efficient routing of information packets in dynamically changing communication network requires that as the load levels, traffic patterns and topology of the network change, the routing policy also adapts. We focused in this paper on QoS based routing by developing a neuro-dynamic programming to construct dynamic state-dependent routing policies. In this paper, we propose an approach based on adaptive algorithm for packet routing using reinforcement learning called N best optimal path Q routing algorithm (NOQRA) which optimizes two criteria: cumulative cost path (or hop count if each link cost =1) and end-to-end delay. A load balancing policy depending on a dynamical traffic path probability distribution function is also defined and embodied in NOQRA to characterize the distribution of the traffic over the N Best Paths. Numerical results obtained with OPNET simulator for different levels of traffic's load show that NOQRA gives better results compared to standard optimal path routing and Q-routing algorithm based on Q-learning paradigm.
In susceptible mice, Leishmania major induce very rapid interleukin‐4 production by CD4+ T cells which are NK1.1−

Susceptibility of BALB/c mice to infection with Leishmania major is associated with a T helper type 2 (Th2) response. Since interleukin‐4 (IL‐4) is critically required early for Th2 cell development, the kinetics of IL‐4 mRNA expression was compared in susceptible and resistant mice during the first days of infection. In contrast to resistant mice, susceptible mice exhibited a peak of IL‐4 mRNA in their spleens 90 min after i.v. injection of parasites and in lymph nodes 16 h after s.c. injection. IL‐12 and interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) down‐regulated this early peak of IL‐4 mRNA; the effect of IL‐12 was IFN‐γ dependent. Treatment of resistant C57BL/6 mice with anti‐IFN‐γ allowed the expression of this early IL‐4 response to L. major. The increased IL‐4 mRNA expression occurred in Vβ8, 7, 2− CD4+ cells in BALB/c mice and NK1.1− CD4+ cells in anti‐IFN‐γ treated C57BL/6 mice. These results show that the NK1.1+ CD4+ cells, responsible for the rapid burst of IL‐4 production after i.v. injection of anti‐CD3, do not contribute to the early IL‐4 response to L. major.
From Potential Absorptive Capacity to Knowledge Creation in Organisations: The Mediating Role of Knowledge Storage and Realised Absorptive Capacity

The present research explores the role of knowledge storage and documentation and realised absorptive capacity as mediating variables between potential absorptive capacity and internal knowledge creation. The theoretical model is developed and further tested with a sample of 111 organisations from multiple industry sectors. The results show that the technology-driven process of knowledge storage and documentation, as well as the realised absorptive capacity of the respondent companies, reinforces the human-driven process of internal knowledge creation, and mediates, individually and jointly, the relationship between potential absorptive capacity and intra-firm knowledge creation. Mediation analysis relies on the use of bootstrapping confidence intervals. The authors draw practical implications for organisational psychologists and human resources managers. The small sample size and the cross-sectional design limit the generalisation of the present findings. Further research should explore the complementarity of absorptive capacity phases with other knowledge management processes that could enable the creation of new knowledge in organisations.
Physiological strain and countermeasures with firefighting

Protective clothing is integral to the task of firefighting, but at the same time can increase physiological strain and impair work capacity. Encapsulation of the head and the high thermal resistance and/or low water vapor permeability of the clothing ensemble impede evaporative heat dissipation, thus elevating the rate of heat storage and creating a state of uncompensable heat stress (UHS). In addition, the additional weight from carrying a supplemental air supply and the greater respiratory work of breathing through a regulator can create a negative spiral of thermal hyperpnea from greater respiratory demands and metabolic heat production. The elevated respiratory demands also increase cardiac strain and potentially the risk for myocardial events. Tolerance time during UHS is determined by three factors: the core temperature at the beginning of the heat stress exposure, the core temperature that can be tolerated before exhaustion or collapse ensues, and the rate of increase in core temperature from the beginning to end of the heat stress exposure. Protective clothing is often employed in highly dynamic environments, making portability, longevity and integration with the task requirements and clothing critical design characteristics for countermeasures. To date, most countermeasures have been relatively indirect in nature, primarily with alterations in work scheduling along with physiological manipulations such as cooling manipulations during recovery periods. Advances are required in materials science to develop lighter and less restrictive protective equipment, concurrent with cooling strategies that target specific regions or which can be effectively implemented during exercise.
Parents' Stage of Change for Diet and Physical Activity: Influence on Childhood Obesity

Highly visible public health education efforts have resulted in increased awareness of the childhood obesity epidemic but not a related decline in the number of overweight children. The Transtheoretical Model was used to examine the associations among child risk factors, parent's knowledge of factors associated with childhood obesity and their access to healthy foods in their community and parent's stage of change (SOC) in making behavior changes to improve their child's diet and level of physical activity. Parents (n = 124) of children between 6–12 years of age were surveyed. Perceived weight of the child and the child's body mass index (BMI) were found to be associated with parent's SOC for food portions and dietary fats, yet this was not observed for the fruits and vegetables or physical activity domains. Food availability and parent's childhood obesity knowledge was not found to be associated with parent's SOC. This study provides evidence that intervention efforts that stress knowledge of the causes and harmful effects of being overweight may have limited effectiveness.
Emerging Coherence in a Population of Chemical Oscillators

Coherence of interacting oscillating entities has importance in biological, chemical, and physical systems. We report experiments on populations of chemical oscillators and verify a 25-year-old theory of Kuramoto that predicts that global coupling in a set of smooth limit-cycle oscillators with different frequencies produces a phase transition in which some of the elements synchronize. Both the critical point and the predicted dependence of order on coupling are seen in the experiments. We extend the studies both to relaxation and to chaotic oscillators and characterize the quantitative similarities and differences among the types of systems.
Inhaled beta2 agonists and performance in competitive athletes.

OBJECTIVES To provide an overview of the current literature on the use of inhaled beta2 agonists in non-asthmatic competitive athletes, and to assess the performance enhancing effect of inhaled beta2 agonists. METHODS Review of the literature. RESULTS Twenty randomised, placebo controlled studies (19 double blind, one single blind) were located. Only three studies reported a performance enhancing effect of inhaled beta2 agonists. However, methodological shortcomings were most likely responsible for these findings (for example, non-elite athletes, inconsistent results in different tests, subgroups with above-average responsiveness). CONCLUSIONS This review reveals that there is no ergogenic potential of inhaled beta2 agonists in non-asthmatic athletes. In view of the epidemiology of asthma in athletes and the considerable workload involved in provision of therapeutic use exemptions the inclusion of inhaled beta2 agonists on the list of prohibited substances should be reconsidered.
The influence of limonene on induced delayed hypersensitivity to citral in guinea pigs. I. Histological study.

The effect of limonene on citral sensitization and elicitation was studied by histological methods. Limo­nene decreases the intensity of citral sensitization and of the citral test. Possible interpretations of the influence of limonene are discussed; in particular, an effect of limonene at the macrophage leve! could explain the re­sults.
The Influence of Dividend Announcements and Interim Financial Statements on Share Price (Special Reference to Listed Commercial Banks in Sri Lanka)

The market price of a security is its price on the Stock Exchange’s trading market. The speed with which the market reacts to new knowledge about the company is a measure of the efficiency of its pricing process. This process is likely to be enhanced if market participants have unimpeded and costless access to all relevant information about the company’s prospects and if high transaction costs do not constitute barriers to trading on the stock exchange. Here, the researcher has tried to find the influence of dividend announcement and interim finance statement on share price of the listed companies. There are 294 listed companies in the Colombo Stock Exchange as at 31st May 2015. There are 26 financial companies and it includes 15 foreign Banks and 11 Local Banks. Through them, here researcher has selected five local commercial banks as the sample for this study. Secondary data which have gained from annual reports and interim financial statements have been used to this study. In the case of analyzing the data Pearson’s correlation analysis and regression analysis have been used. Researcher has found that there is a significant relationship between interim financial statements and share price and there is no significant relationship between dividend announcements and share price. And also, finally researcher has given valuable implication to further researchers.
Dependency and Third World Underdevelopment: Examining Production-Consumption Disarticulation in Nigeria

This paper examined the crises of underdevelopment in the third world with specific reference to Nigeria arising from colonially imposed economic dependency and inherent disarticulation in its production and consumption patterns as measured by its recent import and export trends. The paper adopted the dependency theory as its theoretical framework. The paper largely adopted the library research method as secondary data were utilized and content analyzed. Also descriptive tools such as tables and charts were used to corroborate analyses. The paper concludes that the colonially imposed export oriented production and import oriented consumption economy of Nigeria has negative implications on the overall socio-economic development of Nigeria as reflected in its weak industrial base, food insecurity and dependence on foreign capital. Following these submissions, the paper recommends that the Nigerian government should pursue diversification of the Nigerian economy from oil, while vigorously enhancing rural development and promotion of internally oriented regional trade amongst the African Union countries. Key words : Dependency, Production-Consumption Disarticulation, Under Development, Nigeria
Effects of sodium tungstate on oxidative stress enzymes in rats

Abstract Tungsten, due to its distinguished physical properties, has wide industrial and military applications. Environmental exposure to tungsten, which mainly occurs through various sources like food, water, soil, etc., is of growing concern as various toxic effects have recently been reported. In this study, we investigated the effects of oral and intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of sodium tungstate on various biochemical variables indicative of oxidative stress in erythrocytes and soft tissue damage in rats. Male rats were administered to 119 mg, 238 mg/kg of sodium tungstate orally or 20 mg and 41 mg/kg through i.p. route, for 14 consecutive days. The results demonstrated a significant increase in Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and an increase in catalase and glutathione peroxidase antioxidant enzymes activities in erythrocytes. Erythrocyte glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity showed significant inhibition, while tissue ROS and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance levels increased accompanied by a decreased reduced glutathione, oxidized glutathione (GSH:GSSG) ratio. These changes were supported by an increase in plasma transaminases activities, creatinine, and urea levels, suggesting hepatic and renal injury. These biochemical alterations were prominent in rats intraperitoneally administrated with sodium tungstate than oral administration, suggesting more pronounced toxicity. The study also suggests oxidative stress as one of the major mechanism involved in the toxic manifestations of sodium tungstate.
Herbarium specimens show contrasting phenological responses to Himalayan climate

Significance Natural events in temperate ecosystems are triggered by seasonal temperature changes. Climate change may shift the timing of these events. We use a century of herbarium collections of Himalayan rhododendrons to investigate climate-driven change in flowering time. Although increased annual temperatures are associated with earlier flowering, increased fall temperatures are associated with delayed flowering. Annual warming may advance flowering through positive effects on overwintering bud formation, whereas fall warming may delay flowering through an impact on chilling requirements. These contrasting effects have resulted in opposing changes in flowering time, even as temperatures have warmed rapidly in the past 45 y. This study demonstrates the value of natural history collections to inform ecological questions, especially regarding climate change. Responses by flowering plants to climate change are complex and only beginning to be understood. Through analyses of 10,295 herbarium specimens of Himalayan Rhododendron collected by plant hunters and botanists since 1884, we were able to separate these responses into significant components. We found a lack of directional change in mean flowering time over the past 45 y of rapid warming. However, over the full 125 y of collections, mean flowering time shows a significant response to year-to-year changes in temperature, and this response varies with season of warming. Mean flowering advances with annual warming (2.27 d earlier per 1 °C warming), and also is delayed with fall warming (2.54 d later per 1 °C warming). Annual warming may advance flowering through positive effects on overwintering bud formation, whereas fall warming may delay flowering through an impact on chilling requirements. The lack of a directional response suggests that contrasting phenological responses to temperature changes may obscure temperature sensitivity in plants. By drawing on large collections from multiple herbaria, made over more than a century, we show how these data may inform studies even of remote localities, and we highlight the increasing value of these and other natural history collections in understanding long-term change.
Globalization and the New Challenges for Construction Engineering Education

The world has been transformed in past decades by a phenomenon affecting us all, what we call globalization. Globalization brought a critical inquiry into the shifting ground of ethical thought in the changing climate of the global economy. The need to educate engineering students on how to work in a globalized economy is well recognized within the engineering education community worldwide. The United States, however, is tardy in the acceptance of globalization. The U.S. construction industry has been slow to recognize the effects of globalization and many construction programs at universities across the United States are hindered as a result. If education is behind the current industry, in incorporating courses that adequately prepare students to compete and work in the global work place, their value as engineers is diminished. The construction industry is unique in that design, construction and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment on a global level requires not only technical information but also requires knowledge of local, regional, international codes and business culture. It is imperative that global aspects of construction, including ethical and cultural characteristics, are incorporated in the education and training process of construction engineers so that they are better prepared for their practice and are globally competent. This paper will discuss existing current Global Construction Programs and courses and also will provide a hypothetical and specific framework of incorporating global course content of construction in construction engineering education that will empower students in a global market. As a result, future engineers will have utilized proper educational resources in order to better serve the field of construction on a global level. This allows students to become a more valuable commodity to seeking employers.
Chronic Intracerebroventricular Administration of Relaxin-3 Increases Body Weight in Rats

Bolus-administered intracerebroventricular (ICV) relaxin-3 has been reported to increase feeding. In this study, to examine the role of relaxin-3 signaling in energy homeostasis, we studied the effects of chronically administered ICV relaxin-3 on body weight gain and locomotor activity in rats. Two groups of animals received vehicle or relaxin-3 at 600 pmol/head/day, delivered with Alzet osmotic minipumps. In animals receiving relaxin-3, food consumption and weight gain were statistically significantly higher than those in the vehicle group during the 14-day infusion. During the light phase on days 2 and 7 and the dark phase on days 3 and 8, there was no difference in locomotor activity between the two groups. Plasma concentrations of leptin and insulin in rats chronically injected with relaxin-3 were significantly higher than in the vehicle-injected controls. These results indicate that relaxin-3 up-regulates food intake, leading to an increase of body weight and that relaxin-3 antagonists might be candidate antiobesity agents.
Privacy issues in the ubiquitous information society and law in Japan

It is said that the ubiquitous information society is overcome by technological developments. It seems that privacy and other legal issues that have been not thought so far is the cause in the society. To realize safe and reliable ubiquitous information society, it is important to prescribe privacy guidelines that ubiquitous information systems should meet and examine legal issues from an initial stage of the development of technology. This paper points out privacy issues in the ubiquitous information society, presents privacy guidelines and systems to protect privacy and examines legislation problems in Japan.
Comparison analysis of ICA versus MCA-KSVD blind source separation on task-related fMRI data

Decomposition of working brain into meaningful clusters of regions is an important step to understand brain functionality. Blind source separation algorithms can achieve this, which results in diverse outcomes dependent upon underlying assumptions of the decomposition algorithm in use. The conventional data-driven method to detect brain functional networks is the Independent Component Analysis (ICA). The ICA method assumes decomposed components are statistically independent of each other. However, such a mathematical assumption is physiologically uncertain in regard to its applications to functional MRI (fMRI) studies. A recently proposed MCA-KSVD method, which stands for Morphological Component Analysis implemented using a K-SVD algorithm, relaxes the independence assumption imposed by the ICA method. In this study, a comprehensive comparison between the conventional ICA and MCA-KSVD methods was conducted in the presence of various simulated noise conditions. Experimental results showed that in a task-related fMRI experiment, the MCA-KSVD method successfully identified same networks as those detected by the ICA method and had advantages of better signal localization and spatial resolution. However, improper choices of the sparsity parameter and the number of trained atoms introduced phenomena, namely signal leakage, signal splitting and signal ambiguity. The MCA-KSVD method could be used as an alternative or in parallel with the ICA method, but with careful consideration of model parameter selection.
Singular higher order complete vector bases for finite methods

This paper presents new singular curl- and divergence-conforming vector bases that incorporate the edge conditions. Singular bases complete to arbitrarily high order are described in a unified and consistent manner for curved triangular and quadrilateral elements. The higher order basis functions are obtained as the product of lowest order functions and Silvester-Lagrange interpolatory polynomials with specially arranged arrays of interpolation points. The completeness properties are discussed and these bases are proved to be fully compatible with the standard, high-order regular vector bases used in adjacent elements. The curl (divergence) conforming singular bases guarantee tangential (normal) continuity along the edges of the elements allowing for the discontinuity of normal (tangential) components, adequate modeling of the curl (divergence), and removal of spurious modes (solutions). These singular high-order bases should provide more accurate and efficient numerical solutions of both surface integral and differential problems. Sample numerical results confirm the faster convergence of these bases on wedge problems.