Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scaled cluster consensus of discrete-time multi-agent systems with general directed topologies

ABSTRACT This note proposes a notion of scaled cluster consensus, wherein the final consensus states within different clusters converge to prescribed ratios. Unlike most results in existing literature on cluster consensus, no constraints are imposed on the system topologies under the designed protocol, i.e. the agents are not required to possess any cluster affiliation information of others. For the delay-free case, an explicit scaled cluster consensus function is provided by exploring the characteristics of stochastic matrices. Diverse input delays and asymmetric communication delays are both considered, and sufficient condition for scaled cluster consensus is derived based on frequency domain analysis. Finally, numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the presented results.
Optimize the PID parameters based on improvement of immune algorithm

According to the disadvantages of general PID controller parameters optimization methods, this paper presents an improved immune algorithm. Main characteristics of this algorithm is to generate an initial population using homogenization techniques, self-adapt crossover operator and mutation operator. Result of simulation shows that the new method is superior to Z-N optimization algorithm. This method can overcome the premature phenomenon effectively and has good convergence performance and optimizing capacity.
WATER BALANCE AND THE PITUITARY GLAND: A REVIEW

Furthermore, the treatment of tetanus demands absolutely continuous nursing, and unless a hospital staff is geared to give this type of special attention, the routine work of the hospital could become considerably disorganized. Because of this, one centre with staff, experienced in the treatment of this disease, should be maintained in all areas-one such centre would suffice for a very large area. Patients could be transferred to this centre immediately on diagnosis.
Interface trap characterization and electrical properties of Au-ZnO nanorod Schottky diodes by conductance and capacitance methods

Schottky diodes with Au/ZnO nanorod (NR)/n-SiC configurations have been fabricated and their interface traps and electrical properties have been investigated by current-voltage (I-V), capacitance-voltage (C-V), capacitance-frequency (C-f), and conductance-frequency (Gp/ω-ω) measurements. Detailed and systematic analysis of the frequency-dependent capacitance and conductance measurements was performed to extract the information about the interface trap states. The discrepancy between the high barrier height values obtained from the I-V and the C-V measurements was also analyzed. The higher capacitance at low frequencies was attributed to excess capacitance as a result of interface states in equilibrium in the ZnO that can follow the alternating current signal. The energy of the interface states (Ess) with respect to the valence band at the ZnO NR surface was also calculated. The densities of interface states obtained from the conductance and capacitance methods agreed well with each other and this confirm .
Cognitive M odeling for Human-Computer Interaction 1

The field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), whose goal is to make computers support human activity in much more satisfying ways than they currently do, has three main uses for cognitive modeling. A cognitive model can substitute for a human user to predict how users will perform on a system before it is implemented or even prototyped. A system can generate a cognitive model of the user currently interacting with the system in order to modify the interaction to better serve that user. Finally, cognitive models can substitute directly for people so groups of individuals can be simulated in situations that require many participants, e.g., for training or entertainment. This paper presents some instances of such models and the implications for GI design. Le domaine de l'Interaction Homme-Machine, dont le but est d'améliorer le soutien que portent les ordinateurs aux activités humaines, peut utiliser la modélisation cognitive de trois manières différentes. Un modèle cognitif peut se substituer à un utilisateur humain pour prévoir comment les utilisateurs agiront avec un système avant qu'il ne soit implémenté ou même prototypé. Un système peut générer un modèle cognitif d'un utilisateur en train d'interagir avec le système afin de modifier l'interaction au bénéfice de cet utilisateur. Enfin, des modèles cognitifs peuvent se substituer directement à des utilisateurs, de sorte que des groupes d'individus peuvent être simulés dans des situations qui nécessitent beaucoup de participants, par exemple l’apprentissage ou les loisirs. Cet article présente des exemples de tels modèles et leur conséquences sur la conception d'interfaces graphiques.
Immunocytochemical localization of smooth muscle actin-containing cells in the trabecular meshwork of glaucomatous and nonglaucomatous dogs.

PURPOSE It has been recently demonstrated that trabecular meshwork (TM) cells within the canine iridocorneal angle (ICA) contain smooth muscle actin (smA) and possess contractile abilities that probably alter aqueous outflow. As the number of trabecular meshwork cells in glaucomatous canine eyes have been found to be less than those in age-matched nonglaucomatous eyes, we hypothesize that the sub-population of TM cells that contain smooth muscle actin will also decline with age. We also hypothesize that a greater loss of these cells will be observed in glaucomatous eyes than in nonglaucomatous eyes of the same age. In the present study the ICA of 17 glaucomatous and eight nonglaucomatous eyes were examined for the presence of smA-containing TM cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS Five-micron sagittal sections of each whole globe were immunolocalized for smooth muscle actin. Positive and negative controls were performed concomitantly. RESULTS Labeling was observed in the meshwork of 10 out of the 17 glaucomatous eyes, distributed across all of the age groups represented, including eyes with primary and secondary glaucoma. Smooth muscle actin labeling was observed in the TM of 7 out of 14 eyes with closed-angle glaucoma. Positive immunoreaction was observed in 3/3 eyes with open ICAs. Labeling of smooth muscle actin was observed in the anterior part of the meshwork in only 4 of the 17 glaucomatous eyes, each having had secondary glaucoma. There were no eyes in which label was observed exclusively in the anterior portion of the meshwork. Labeling was most consistently observed in the outer, posterior uveal TM and the inner, posterior corneoscleral TM. All of the eight nonglaucomatous eyes showed greater labeling in both area and intensity than the glaucomatous eyes of the same age. CONCLUSION It was concluded that smooth muscle actin-cell loss is associated with age in canine eyes and that this loss is more severe in glaucomatous eyes.
Branch-Line Coupler Design Operating in Four Arbitrary Frequencies

This letter presents a successful design approach for a branch-line coupler operating in four arbitrary frequencies. An optimized compensation technique is adopted to fulfill satisfactory matching, transmission and isolation properties within each operating band. Based on the simple planar microstrip technology, the proposed quad-band coupler has been realized and tested. A return loss better than 16 dB, together with an amplitude imbalance limited to 0.3 dB and an isolation higher than 17.5 dB, have been experimentally measured on each operating band, validating the proposed design methodology.
Real-Time Streaming Protocol Version 2.0

This memorandum defines the Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) version 2.0, which obsoletes RTSP version 1.0 defined in RFC 2326. RTSP is an application-layer protocol for the setup and control of the delivery of data with real-time properties. RTSP provides an extensible framework to enable controlled, on-demand delivery of real- time data, such as audio and video. Sources of data can include both live data feeds and stored clips. This protocol is intended to control multiple data delivery sessions; provide a means for choosing delivery channels such as UDP, multicast UDP, and TCP; and provide a means for choosing delivery mechanisms based upon RTP (RFC 3550).
Impact of Primary Care Patient Visits on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Preventive Care in the United States

Background: The causes of racial and ethnic disparities in preventive care are not fully understood. We examined the hypothesis that fewer primary care visits by minority patients contribute to these disparities. Methods: We analyzed claims for Medicare beneficiaries 65 and older who participated in the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, 1998 to 2002. Five preventive services were included: colorectal cancer testing, influenza vaccination, lipid screening, mammography, and Papanicolaou smear screening. In separate multivariate analyses, we examined the effect of minority status (self-report of African American race or Hispanic ethnicity) on having a claim in the past 12 months for each preventive service after successive control for number of primary care visits and other patient characteristics. Results: The final sample included 15,962 subjects. In age-adjusted analyses, minorities had statistically lower rates of claims for each of the 5 procedures. After controlling for number of primary care visits, the effect of minority status was slightly attenuated but remained statistically significant for receipt of each procedure. After adding low income, low educational level and supplementary insurance, health status, and year, minority status was significantly associated only with colorectal cancer screening (odds ratio [OR] 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67 to 0.94) and influenza vaccinations (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.49 to 0.64). Conclusions: The frequency of primary care visits seems to contribute minimally to racial and ethnic disparities in preventive services. Other patient characteristics, particularly those associated with poverty, explain much of these disparities.
Preventive effect of caffeine and curcumin on hepatocarcinogenesis in diethylnitrosamine-induced rats

following the publication of this article, an interested reader drew to our attention an anomaly associated with the presentation of figs. 3 and 4; essentially, there was the direct duplication of a panel between fig. 3b, upper left-hand panel (the g1-10w data) and fig. 4b, also the upper left-hand panel (the g1-14w data). in the upper-left panels of fig. 3b and 4b, we wanted to demon strate microscopic features of the control liver at 10 weeks and 14 weeks, respectively. after having reexamined our original data, we note that we inadvertently duplicated the picture of the control liver at 14 weeks in the upper-left panel of fig. 3b. a corrected version of fig. 3 is presented below, in which the g1-10w data in fig. 3b are now correctly shown. since g1-10w and g1-14w are control images of the liver, exhibiting a normal appearance, this error did not affect the findings in the study. We sincerely apologize for this mistake, and thank the reader of our article who drew this matter to our attention. furthermore, we regret any inconvenience this mistake has caused. figure 3. macroscopic and microscopic features of the liver at 10 weeks. representative macroscopic (a) and microscopic (b) features of the liver at 10 weeks are demonstrated. (a) macroscopic features of the liver from control rats (g1-10w), Den-treated rats (g2-10w), Den-treated rats administered with curcumin (g3-10w) and Den-treated rats administered with caffeine (g4-10w) for 10 weeks are demonstrated. arrows indicate the representative nodules. (b) histological analysis by hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed that hyperplastic nodules (arrows) were developed in G2-10w, G3-10w and G4-10w. Original magnification, x200. w, weeks.
DNA constraints on transcription activation in vitro.

Activators of eukaryotic transcription often function over a range of distances. It is commonly hypothesized that the intervening DNA between the transcription start site and the activator binding sites forms a loop in order to allow the activators to interact with the basal transcription apparatus, either directly or through mediators. If this hypothesis is correct, activation should be sensitive to the presence of intrinsic bends in the intervening DNA. Similarly, the precise helical phasing of such DNA bends and of the activator binding sites relative to the basal promoter should affect the degree of transcription activation. To explore these considerations, we designed transcription templates based on the adenovirus E4 promoter supplemented with upstream Gal4 activator binding sites. Surprisingly, we found that neither insertion of intrinsically curved DNA sequences between the activator binding sites and the basal promoter, nor alteration of the relative helical alignment of the activator binding sites and the basal promoter significantly affected in vitro transcription activation in HeLa cell nuclear extract. In all cases, the degree of transcription activation was a simple inverse function of the length of intervening DNA. Possible implications of these unexpected results are discussed.
Phthalate Exposure and Human Semen Parameters

Background. There is scientific and public concern about commonly used chemicals, including phthalates, that are associated with reproductive toxicity in laboratory animals and are hormonally active. People are exposed to phthalates through diet, consumer products and medical devices. The present study explored whether environmental levels of phthalates are associated with altered semen quality in humans. Methods. We recruited 168 men who were part of subfertile couples and who presented to the Massachusetts General Hospital andrology laboratory for semen analysis between January 2000 and April 2001. Semen parameters were dichotomized based on 1999 World Health Organization reference values for sperm concentration (<20 million/ml) and motility (<50% motile), as well as Tygerberg Strict criteria for morphology (<4% normal). The comparison group was men for whom these semen parameters were all above the reference values. In urine, eight phthalate metabolites were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Specific gravity-adjusted phthalate metabolite levels were categorized into tertiles. Results. There was a dose-response relation between tertiles of mono-butyl phthalate and sperm motility (odds ratio per tertile = 1.0, 1.8, 3.0;P-value for trend = 0.02) and sperm concentration (1.0, 1.4, 3.3;P-value for trend = 0.07). In addition, there was a dose-response relation between tertiles of monobenzyl phthalate and sperm concentration (1.0, 1.4, 5.5;P-value for trend = 0.02). Conclusions. There were dose-response relations for mono-butyl phthalate and monobenzyl phthalate with one or more semen parameters, and suggestive evidence for monomethyl phthalate with sperm morphology. The lack of a relation for other phthalates may indicate a difference in spermatotoxicity among phthalates.
Analysis of clinical data with breached blindness by Shein‐Chung Chow and Jun Shao, Statistics in Medicine 2004; 23:1185–1193

In their recent paper, Chow and Shao [1] proposed a method for analysing clinical data with breached blindness, claiming that bias caused by knowledge of the identity of the treatment can seriously distort statistical inference on therapeutic eeects. Thus, they argued that adjustments to statistical analyses should be made when the integrity of blinding is doubtful. However, if blinding was a fundamentally essential requirement of the validity of studies, it would have dramatic eeects on medical research since no meaningful studies could be carried out on cigarette smoking, rare side-eeects of drugs, surgery, etc. The validity of Chow and Shao's argument is thus highly important. First, identiÿcation of treatment by subjective observation should not be considered merely a nuisance, because in many cases the unambiguous purpose of physicians is to reduce the subjective symptoms of patients. At the individual level, such eeects can be investigated using the 'N = 1' type of trial in which breaching of blindness often is an important explicit outcome [2, 3]. Second, there is no valid evidence indicating that the so-called placebo eeect is large and omnipresent. A recent meta-analysis of trials comparing placebo and no-treatment groups found no placebo eeect in studies that measured binary outcomes [4, 5]. In studies measuring continuous outcomes, only those that measured pain found evidence of a placebo eeect, but it was quite small. Chow and Shao disregarded these negative empirical ÿndings in arguing that in general any knowledge of treatment may seriously distort statistical inference on the treatment eeect. Chow and Shao brieey discussed two old trials as examples of unreliable results caused by breaching of blindness. The trial by Brownell and Stunkard focused on reducing weight in obese women using an appetite suppressant [6]. Since dosage was adjusted according to reports of side-eeects, many study participants could obviously infer their treatment correctly [6]. Chow and Shao speculated that the diierence between the trial groups in loss of weight might have been caused by the breached blindness, i.e. by the placebo eeect [1]. However, to evaluate the eeect of believing, Brownell and Stunkard compared patients who believed they were taking the drug with those who believed they were taking the placebo. These two groups did not diier, which is inconsistent with the placebo eeect explanation. Furthermore, pooling the results of eight trials comparing a placebo group to a no-treatment group found no evidence that placebo would aaect obesity …
Telaprevir triple combination therapy, and dual peginterferon α-2a/ribavirin therapy for 24 weeks for those with rapid-early response is not inferior to 48 weeks of therapy for treatment-naïve patients with genotype 1 hepatitis C virus infection

Commentary on: Sherman KE, Flamm SL, Afdhal NH, et al. Response-guided telaprevir combination treatment for hepatitis C virus infection. N Engl J Med 2011; 365:1014–24. [OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] Until recently, the standard of care for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been pegylated interferon and ribavirin for 48 weeks for genotype 1 and 24 weeks for genotype 3 infection, with overall sustained virological response (SVR), which equates to cure, of 50% and 80%, respectively. With the recent licensing of the protease inhibitors telaprevir and boceprevir, first generation direct acting antivirals (DAAs), we are at the dawn of a new era of HCV therapy. The ILLUMINATE study explores response-guided therapy in HCV treatment naive individuals using telaprevir in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. ILLUMINATE is a phase 3 non-inferiority study exploring shorter course therapy for HCV infection … [1]: {openurl}? query=rft.jtitle%253DNew%2BEngland%2BJournal%2Bof%2BMedicine%26rft.stitle%253DNEJM%26rft.issn%253D0028-4793%26rft.aulast%253DSherman%26rft.auinit1%253DK. %2BE. %26rft.volume%253D365%26rft.issue%253D11%26rft.spage%253D1014%26rft.epage%253D1024%26rft.atitle%253DResponse-guided%2Btelaprevir%2Bcombination%2Btreatment%2Bfor%2Bhepatitis%2BC%2Bvirus%2Binfection. %26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1056%252FNEJMoa1014463%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F21916639%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref? access_num=10.1056/NEJMoa1014463&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref? access_num=21916639&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F17%2F5%2F143.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref? access_num=000294857300009&link_type=ISI
Fabrication of microcrystalline silicon TFTs using a high-density plasma approach

N-channel microcrystalline silicon (mc-Si) thin film transistors (TFTs) were fabricated using a high density plasma (HDP) approach. An electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma source was employed to deposit all of the thin film materials needed for the transistor; that is, intrinsic mc-Si, n-type mc-Si, and dielectric silicon dioxide were grown with the ECR high density plasmas and the deposition rates for these films were in the range of 120-150 /spl Aring//min. The substrate temperatures during these depositions were maintained below 285/spl deg/C. To complete the fabrication of these TFTs, we used only two masks with one alignment. After 1 h annealing under forming gas atmosphere, the mc-Si TFTs perform with linear field effect mobility of 12 cm/sup 2//V-s, on/off ratio of 10/sup 6/, subthreshold swing of 0.3 V/decade, off-current of 4/spl times/10/sup -13/ A//spl mu/m and threshold voltage of 5 V.
Repression of Antibiotic Down-regulator WblA by AdpA in Streptomyces coelicolor 1 2 3

1 2 3 Han-Na Lee, Jin-Su Kim, Pil Kim, Heung-Shick Lee and Eung-Soo Kim 4 5 6 Department of Biological Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 402-751, Korea 7 Division of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Kyungki 420-743, 8 Republic of Korea 9 Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Korea University, Jochiwon, Chungnam 10 339-700, Korea 11 3 12 13 14 15 16 Corresponding Authors: 17 Eung-Soo Kim: Department of Biological Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 402-751, 18 Korea. Tel: 82-32-860-8318, Fax: 82-32-872-4046, E-mail: eungsoo@inha.ac. kr 19 20 21 22
VEGFR-2 inhibitors and apoptosis inducers: synthesis and molecular design of new benzo[g]quinazolin bearing benzenesulfonamide moiety

Abstract Two series of novel 4-(2-(2-(2-(substituted) hydrazinyl)-2-oxoethylthio)-4-oxobenzo[g]quinazolin-3(4H)-yl) benzenesulfonamide 5–17 and 4-(2-(2-(substituted-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-2-oxoethylthio)-4-oxobenzo[g]quinazolin-3(4H)-yl) benzenesulfonamide 18–24 were synthesised from the starting material 4-(2-(2-hydrazinyl-2-oxoethylthio)-4-oxobenzo[g]quinazolin-3(4H)-yl) benzenesulfonamide 5, to be evaluated for their inhibitory activity towards VEGFR-2. The target compounds 5–24, were screened for their cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cell line and the percentage inhibition against VEGFR-2. Compounds 9, 20, 22 and 23, showed excellent VEGFR-2 inhibitory activity with IC50 ranging from 0.64 to 1.04 µm. Being the most potent, compound 9 was evaluated for its apoptotic inducer effect by studying the effect on caspase-3, it was found to increase its level. Compound 9 boosted the level of Bax and reduced the level of BCl2, compared to the control. Cell cycle analysis was conducted, compound 9 showed cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase. Moreover, mild cytotoxic effect (IC50 = 29.41 µm, respectively) in normal breast cells MCF-12 A, was observed when treated with the same compound. Finally, a molecular docking study was performed to investigate the possible binding interaction inside the active site of the VEGFR-2 enzyme. Graphical Abstract
Competing for Professional Control: Professional Mix in the Eyeglasses Industry

IN analyzing the eyeglasses industry the literature on professional control has principally focused on optometrists and the information controls they have imposed on the market. In particular, Benham's 1972 study demonstrated that eyewear prices are systematically 25 to 100 per cent higher where regulations prevent optometrists from advertising. ' In a second pathbreaking article, Benham and Benham reported that higher eyeglasses prices coincide both with participation by optometrists in professional associations that restrict information flows and with state re-