Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synchronous consensus of double-integrator continuous-time multi-agent systems with switching topologies and time-varying delays

In this paper, we propose a class of second-order continuous-time consensus protocols in networks with bounded communication delay and switching interaction topologies. We present a sufficient condition under which the information states of all agents approach common values. The convergence analysis relies on properties of nonnegative matrices and graph theory and requires that the union of communication graphs has a spanning tree over a bounded period of time. In addition, convergence in leader-following consensus is proved for switching topology and time-varying agents' awareness. Also the appropriate feedback gains are computed via given mathematical relations.
Radial Basis Function Neural Network Nonlinear Equalizer for 16-QAM Coherent Optical OFDM

We propose a radial basis function neural network (RBFNN)-based nonlinear equalizer (NLE) for coherent optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (CO-OFDM) systems. The hidden layer neuron weights of the RBFNN-NLE are calculated using the K-means clustering algorithm and the output layer weights are updated using the least mean square algorithm. With only 3% overhead in training, the proposed RBFNN-NLE was found to provide up to 4-dB performance improvement in terms of Q-factor for 70-Gb/s 16-QAM CO-OFDM transmission over 1000 km (10 × 100 km) fiber. Numerical results show that the operating data rate is 80 Gb/s at Q = 6.25 dB with the proposed RBFNN-NLE, compared with previously reported value of 70 Gb/s with artificial neural network-based NLE.
STUDY OF LIPID PROFILE IN HYPOTHYROIDISM

Changes in plasma lipid concentrations are well known metabolic consequences of thyroid dysfunction. The alterations are most prominent in hypothyroidism which is typically associated wit h pronounced hypercholesterolaemia and frequently with moderate hypertriglyceridaemia. Primary hypothyroidism is a common disorder affecting a large group of population and is a cause of the secondary hyperlipidemia. The aim of the present study was to assess the relation between the lipid profile and thyroid profile in newly diagnosed hypothyroid, subjects on treatment for hypothyroidism and controls. The present study was performed on 160 subjects of both sexes between 11 70 years of age. The subjects were divided into
Integrated optics N*N multiplexer on silicon

The authors report the measured performance of an integrated N*N multiplexer fabricated using SiO/sub 2//Si waveguides. The insertion loss for N=7 was typically lower than 2.5 dB, and crosstalk was less than -25 dB. The multiplexer response is approximately periodic. In each period the multiplexer accepts, from each input waveguide, a total of N channels, and it efficiently transmits each channel to a particular output port. Similarly, each output port receives N channels, one from each input port. Thus, the total number of channels that can be transmitted simultaneously is N/sup 2/, which requires N optical frequencies. <<ETX>>
A Nonlinear Feature Fusion by Variadic Neural Network in Saliency-based Visual Attention

This study presents a novel combinational visual attention system which applies both bottom-up and topdown information. This can be employed in further processing such as object detection and recognition purpose. This biologically-plausible model uses nonlinear fusion of feature maps instead of simple superposition by employing a specific Artificial Neural Network (ANN) as combination operator. After extracting 42 feature maps by Itti’s model, they are weighed purposefully through several training images with their corresponding target masks to highlight the target in the final saliency map. In fact, the weights of 42 feature maps are proportional to their influence on finding target in the final saliency map. The lack of bottom-up information is compensated by applying top-down information with available target masks. Our model could automatically detect the conceptual features of desired object only by considering the target information. We have tried to model the process of combining 42 feature maps to form saliency map by applying the neural network which resembles biological neural network. The Experimental results and comparing our model with the basic saliency model using 32 images of test dataset indicate a noticeable improvement in finding target in the first hit.
Autoeficacia, actividades con TIC y rendimiento académico

En este estudio se disenan actividades, en dos asignaturas distintas, con el fin de introducir algunas tecnologias digitales (Twitter, cuestionarios y videos en linea, Whatsapp) como apoyo al proceso de ensenanza-aprendizaje. Mediante un cuestionario inicial se evalua el nivel de autoeficacia percibida de los alumnos, asi como algunas cuestiones sobre el grado de uso de las TIC. Y se analizan las posibles relaciones entre el uso de las TIC, tanto en el ambito cotidiano como en las actividades propuestas en las asignaturas, con el nivel de autoeficacia percibida y el rendimiento academico de los estudiantes. Los resultados mostraron una correlacion positiva entre rendimiento academico y autoeficacia (r=0.38, p<0.05) y una correlacion tambien positiva (0.37) entre la frecuencia de uso de las TIC y la autoeficacia.
The Adverse Effects of Estrogen and Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators on Hemostasis and Thrombosis

Abstract Agonists of the estrogen receptor include estrogens and selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). Both types of compounds increase the risk for thrombosis in the arterial and the venous tree. The magnitude of the effect is influenced by potency, which depends on the type of compound and the dose. The particulars of the process change in each territory. Atherosclerosis, which creates local inflammatory conditions, may favor thrombogenesis in arteries. A direct effect of estrogen agonists is also well endorsed at both arteries, as suggested from data with high-estrogenic contraceptives, and veins. Dose reduction has been proved to be an effective strategy, but there is debate on whether additional benefit may be attained beyond a certain threshold. Hormone therapy and SERMs exhibit a lower potency estrogenic profile, but are mainly used by older women, who have a baseline increased thrombogenic risk. When used as sole agents, estrogens substantially reduce the increased risk (venous thrombosis) or may even be neutral (coronary disease). SERMs exhibit a neutral profile for coronary disease and possibly for stroke but not for venous thrombosis.
Comparing different preparation methods to study human fibrin fibers and platelets using TEM

For the study of cellular ultrastructure, the sample needs to be stabilized by fixation, with the ultimate aim to preserve the native tissue organization and to protect the tissue against later stages of preparation. Chemical and freezing fixation are most used, and chemical fixation employs agents that permeate tissues and cells by diffusion and covalently bind with their major biochemical constituents to fix them. Most widely used chemical fixatives are aldehydes, e.g., formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde, which are noncoagulating, crosslinking agents. Cryofixation methods for ultrastructural studies are also popular, and high‐pressure freezing immobilizes all cell constituents and arrests biological activity by removing the thermal energy from the system. In the current research, we used platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) to study expansive fibrin fibers and platelet ultrastructure to compare the two fixation techniques. We also used thrombin and calcium chloride as a clotting agent to determine the technique most suitable for the formation of extensive fibrin networks. Chemically fixated fibrin fibers were more compact and condensed and also showed a banding pattern on longitudinal sections. High‐pressure frozen samples were more dispersed while platelets fixated showed better preserved cellular membranes and organelle structure. PRP coagulated by addition of CaCl2 showed blood platelets that are noticeably more activated compared with PRP; however, with thrombin, a sharp ultrastructure was seen. We conclude that PRP mixed with thrombin, and freeze substituted, is the most suitable method for the study of extensive fibrin fibers as well as platelets. Microsc. Res. Tech. 75:801–806, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of annealing temperature on morphology and Crystallinity of nitrogen doped zinc oxide (ZnO:N) nano films

Semiconductor of ZnO has been extensively researched in recent years for its extraordinary properties. ZnO is naturally an n-type semiconductor and due to asymmetric doping limitations, it is difficult to obtain p-type ZnO. In this work the deposited nitrogen doped zinc oxide nano films by reactive magnetron sputtering technique, were treated using conventional thermal annealing, while, the annealing temperature were varied from 300°C to 800°C in a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen ambient. The surface morphology, Crystallinity and electrical characteristics of prepared films have been investigated with respect to the temperature of annealing process. The XRD spectra of samples before and after annealing processes confirmed the deposition of wurtzite crystalline structures of ZnO. However, the annealed samples exhibited smaller FWHM compared to un-annealed ones, which confirms better crystalline structure of annealed films. Moreover, un-annealed specimens showed n-type conductivity with an electron concentration of 2.5×1016 cm-3, while the annealed samples exhibited p-type behavior with a hole concentration of 8.2×1015 cm-3.
Improved model predictive control for three-phase inverter with output LC filter

The control of inverters with output LC filter has a special importance in applications where a high quality voltage is needed. However, the controller design becomes more difficult. A model predictive control (MPC) is used for voltage control of a three-phase inverter with output LC filter. The controller uses a model of the system to predict the behaviour of the variables for a given voltage vector sequence until a certain horizon of time, then a cost function is used as a criterion for selecting the switching state that will be applied during the next sampling interval. This paper presents the effect of considering different numbers of prediction steps in terms of THD and the number of cycles or the settling time to reach steady state operation. The simulation results for MPC with only one prediction step and the improved MPC with two prediction steps are presented and compared, under linear and nonlinear loads, using MATLAB/Simulink tools. The simulation results show that the improved MPC improves the THD for nonlinear loads and makes it constant for different resistive loads. Moreover, the settling time can be considered constant for various linear and nonlinear loads.
The Good, the Bad, the Unaddressed

ABSTRACT The International Federation on Information Processing Working Group on Digital Forensics (IFIP WG 11.9) is an international body comprised of primarily researchers and educators in the field of digital forensics. It is my privilege to be the chair of this group and we recently held our fifth annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, that was attended by a broad representation from at least eight countries. The program committee did a great job at recruiting good papers and presentations, one of which I would like to share with our readers. In a field that evolves as quickly as this one, it is important from time to time to stop and look at how we are doing. To that end, Dr. Nicole Beebe from the University of Texas at San Antonio was asked to put together a presentation that would examine what we are doing well in the field, what needs work, and what is lacking in attention. Though Dr. Beebe is an expert in her own right—a college professor, an investigator and forensic examiner in both the public and.
Authoring vs. Configuring Affective Agents for Interactive Storytelling

Autonomous characters in interactive storytelling can be supported by using affective agent architectures. The configuration of most current tools for controlling agents is, however, implementation specific and not tailored to the needs of authors. Based on literature review, a questionnaire evaluation of authors’ preferences for character creation, and a case study of an author’s conceptualization of this process, we investigate the different methods of configuration available in current agent architectures, reviewing discrepancies and matches. Given these relations, promising approaches to configuration are identified, based on initial inner states, “global” parameters of characters, libraries of stock characters, and selections of backstory experiences.
SYNTHESIS OF ESTRONE-OPIOID PEPTIDE ANALOGUE WITH EXPECTED ANALGESIC ACTIVITY

The search for new peptides to be used as analgesics in place of morphine has been mainly directed to develop peptide analogues to have higher biological stability and receptor selectivity. Therefore extensive researches have been carried out on naturally occurring and synthetic opiates in order to enhance the analgesic potency, so we intended to prepare opioiod peptide analogue linked to estrone which may increase the analgesic effect of this compound. Steric hindrance clearly will be produced by estrone may affect the enzymatic activity on the synthesized analogue and this in turn may enhance the bioavailability of the analogue itself, meanwhile estrone may affect physicochemical properties of the analogue by increasing its lipophilicity and so facilitate its passage through the biological barriers, also estrone may affect receptor binding selectivity of this analogue and decrease the side effect of the original opioid peptide. The designed analogue is (estrone-3-O-acyl-tyr-gly-gly-phe-met-OH), where this opioid peptide synthesized following the conventional solution method, then linked to estrone by amide linkage and it was characterized using: thin layer chromatography (TLC), melting point, infrared spectroscopy (IR), elemental microanalysis(CHN), optical rotation, amino acid analysis, and hydrogen-nuclear magnetic resonance( 1 H-NMR).
Impairment of death‐inducing signalling complex formation in CD95‐resistant human primary lymphoma B cells

Multiple mechanisms exist by which tumour cells can escape CD95‐mediated apoptosis. Previous studies by our laboratory have shown that primary B cells from non‐Hodgkin's Lymphoma (B‐NHL) were resistant to CD95‐induced cell death. In the current study, we have analysed the mechanisms underlying CD95 resistance in primary human lymphoma B cells. We report that FADD (FAS‐associated death domain protein) and caspase‐8 were constitutively expressed in lymphoma B cells and that the CD95 pathway was blocked upstream to caspase‐8 activation. However, caspase‐8 was processed and functional after treatment with staurosporine (STS). We found that the expression levels of FLICE (FADD‐like interleukin‐1 beta‐converting enzyme)‐Inhibitory Protein (c‐FLIP) and Bcl‐2‐related proteins were heterogeneous in B‐NHL cells and were not related to CD95 resistance. Finally, we report the absence of a CD95‐induced signalling complex [death‐inducing signalling complex (DISC)] in lymphoma B cells, with no FADD and caspase‐8 recruitment to CD95 receptor. In contrast, DISC formation was observed in CD95‐resistant non‐tumoural (NT) B cells. Therefore, we propose that the absence of DISC formation in primary lymphoma B cells may contribute to protect these cells from CD95‐induced apoptosis.
A Review of Whale-Watching and Whaling with Applications for the Caribbean

Whale-watching is a significant and growing tourism industry worldwide. Whaling has a long history and, although largely curtailed today, still occurs in a few countries around the world and in the Caribbean. Whaling has been labeled an incompatible activity with whale-watching because, in some cases, it reduces the number of whales available for use and changes whale behavior. Moreover, in some situations, whale-watching generates greater revenue than whaling, and whaling may detrimentally affect the larger tourism industry because of negative attitudes toward whaling by whale-watchers, other tourists, and host communities. This article examines the potential impacts of whaling on the whale-watching and tourism industries, and places these impacts in the Caribbean context. In doing so, the article outlines the history and current status of whale-watching in the Caribbean, outlines other potential constraints, and highlights the need for research about the impacts and roles of these industries. In the highly competitive global tourism industry, maintaining and nurturing a country's tourism image is critically important.
Helicobacter pylori and dyspepsia: trick or treat?

See article on page 186 Clinicians working in both primary and secondary care still do not have evidence-based guidance on the management of dyspepsia which is both clinically effective and cost-efficient. Perhaps we never will. Moving therapeutic targets often generate questions faster than researchers can answer them. Nevertheless, we do need better information about the inter-relations between dyspepsia, Helicobacter pylori infection, H pylori eradication, and endoscopy. The paper by Heaney et al (see page 186) provides a good deal of information, but also raises further questions about alternative strategies for managing dyspepsia. The background is familiar. Until H pylori burst on to the scene, there was some controversy about empirical therapy versus early endoscopy in the initial management of dyspepsia, but the availability of accurate diagnostic and effective therapeutic methods in H pylori management means that clinicians can now choose from two further strategies—(1) test and endoscope and (2) test and treat. In the first of these the H pylori test is used as a “screen” for endoscopy, with H pylori positive patients undergoing endoscopy and H pylori negative patients treated as if they have non-ulcer dyspepsia. Patel and colleagues1 claimed that this approach …
Apoptosis of sinusoidal endothelial cells occurs during liver preservation injury by a caspase-dependent mechanism.

BACKGROUND Cold ischemia/warm reperfusion (CI/WR) liver injury remains a problem in liver transplants. Sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC) are a target of CI/WR injury, during which they undergo apoptosis. Because caspase proteases have been implicated in apoptosis, our aim was to determine whether liver CI/WR injury induces a caspase-dependent apoptosis of SEC. METHODS Rat livers were stored in the University of Wisconsin (UW) solution for 24 hr at 4 degrees C and reperfused for 1 hr at 37 degrees C in vitro. Apoptosis was quantitated using the TUNEL assay, and caspase 3 activation determined by immunohistochemical analysis. Rat liver orthotopic liver transplants (OLT) were also performed using livers stored for 30 hr. RESULTS Terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) positive hepatocytes were rare and did not increase during CI/WR injury. In contrast, TUNEL positive SEC increased 6-fold after reperfusion of livers stored under cold ischemic conditions, compared with controls or livers stored but not reperfused. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated active caspase 3 only in endothelial cells after CI/WR injury. When IDN-1965, a caspase inhibitor, was given i.v. to the donor animal and added to UW solution and the reperfusion media, TUNEL positive endothelial cells were reduced 63+/-11% (P<0.05). Similarly, the duration of survival after OLT was significantly increased in the presence of the inhibitor. CONCLUSION During liver CI/WR injury: 1) selective apoptosis of endothelial cells occurs; 2) caspase 3 is activated only in endothelial cells; and 3) a caspase inhibitor reduces endothelial cell apoptosis and prolongs animal survival after OLT. The pharmacologic use of caspase inhibitors could prove useful in clinical transplantation.
Measuring temporal variations in presence

Summary z In the current study we have applied the concept of presence to 3DTV research. More specifically, we took this concept to reflect the increased perceptual linkage between the observer and the mediated environment, supporting an illusion of non-mediation. We applied the continuous assessment methodology to reveal time-variant properties of presence, which were hitherto largely ignored, and to assess some of the contributing factors that have been suggested as determinants of presence. z Our results indicate that subjective presence ratings are subject to considerable temporal variation depending on the stimulus material used. The continuous assessment methodology may be regarded as a useful measurement tool that is sensitive to this time-varying information in subjective presence judgements, provided that any conclusions are based on averaged results obtained from an adequate number of observers. z We also found qualitative evidence suggesting that increasing the extent of sensory information provided to an observer, through the addition of stereoscopic and motion parallax cues (simulated via camera movement), may enhance the observer's sense of presence.
Blood Pressure Is a Major Modifiable Risk Factor Implicated in Pathogenesis of Intraplaque Hemorrhage: An In Vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Objective— Effective prevention and management strategies of intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) remain elusive because of our limited knowledge regarding its contributing factors. This hypothesis-generating study aimed to investigate associations between cardiovascular risk factors and IPH for improved understanding of the pathogenesis of IPH. Approach and Results— Asymptomatic subjects with 16% to 79% stenosis on ultrasound underwent carotid magnetic resonance imaging using a large-coverage, 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging protocol. Individual plaques (maximum thickness >1.5 mm) in bilateral carotid arteries were identified, and presence of IPH was determined. From 80 subjects, 176 de novo plaques were measured, of which 38 (21.6%) contained IPH. Blood pressure (BP), primarily low diastolic BP, was associated with IPH in multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, and plaque size (odds ratio with 95% confidence interval per 10-mm Hg increase: 0.51 [0.30–0.88]), which was little changed after adjusting for antihypertensive use and systemic atherosclerosis. Antiplatelet use was associated with IPH in age and sex-adjusted models (P=0.018), for which a trend remained after considering plaque size and past medical history (odds ratio for aspirin alone versus none: 3.1 [0.66–14.8]; odds ratio for clopidogrel or dual therapy versus none: 5.3 [0.80–35.0]; P=0.083). Conclusions— Low diastolic BP was independently associated with IPH, which was not attributed to treatment difference or BP changes from systemic atherosclerosis. Hemodynamic changes from lowering diastolic BP may be the pathophysiological link. Prospective serial studies are needed to assess whether BP and antiplatelet use are associated with the development of new or repeated IPH.