1,356,744 research outputs found
Gestational hypertension: how much should we worry?
No full textRobyn A. North and Mark A. Brownhttp://www.amazon.com/Hypertension-Pregnancy-George-Saade/dp/082470827
Case Study of a Community Lighting Project by Oxfam in Lebanon
No full text
This is a case study produced by Rita Saade, Protection Advisor at Oxfam in Lebanon, and Lara AlBekai, Protection Officer at Oxfam in Lebanon, as part of the Resource Pack on Community-Based Protection. The document discusses capacity strengthening, material support, self-protection outside community protection structures and social cohesion.
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Lambl's excrescences in transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a word of caution on the way to tailored and individualized approach
No full textPerformance measures and preferences for fuzzy controllers design algorithms
No full textThis study defines practical performance measures for testing data-driven design algorithms for fuzzy controllers through the use of non-linear control functions. Also, criteria, which can be applied to these measures in order to determine preferences between data-driven algorithms, are discussed and a framework for solutions is proposed. After offering a summary of a new algorithm for the design of Mamdani-type fuzzy controllers with emphasis on its design requirements, the algorithm is tested along with neuro-fuzzy and other design methods and performance comparisons are given. This is done by considering the defined measures and typical non-linear functions, which were adopted in published research. The new algorithm is found to provide better noise-free data-fitting than some published algorithms based on clustering, fuzzy partitions, and heuristics. However, the error values were found higher than those obtained using neuro-fuzzy and clustering-position-gradient approaches. In the practical noisy data case, however, the algorithm outperforms the combined fuzzy-neuro-least-square algorithm and the heuristic approach. This superiority is verfied based on performance measures related to noise-free data-fitting in the noisy data case, noise insensitivity, and generalization capability, the combination of these latter two measures and function shape representation.Al-Khatib M, 2003, FUZZY SET SYST, V134, P65, DOI 10.1016-S0165-0114(02)00230-0; BUCKLEY JJ, 1993, FUZZY SET SYST, V60, P1, DOI 10.1016-0165-0114(93)90283-N; Carse B, 1996, FUZZY SET SYST, V80, P273, DOI 10.1016-0165-0114(95)00196-4; Chen JQ, 1998, FUZZY SET SYST, V98, P319, DOI 10.1016-S0165-0114(96)00384-3; Delgado M, 1997, IEEE T FUZZY SYST, V5, P223, DOI 10.1109-91.580797; HORIKAWA S, 1992, IEEE T NEURAL NETWOR, V3, P801, DOI 10.1109-72.159069; JANG JSR, 1993, IEEE T SYST MAN CYB, V23, P665, DOI 10.1109-21.256541; JANG JSR, 1995, P IEEE, V83, P378, DOI 10.1109-5.364486; JANG JSR, 1992, IEEE T NEURAL NETWOR, V3, P714, DOI 10.1109-72.159060; Klawonn F, 1997, FUZZY SET SYST, V85, P177, DOI 10.1016-0165-0114(95)00350-9; Klawonn F, 1996, FUZZY SET SYST, V81, P331, DOI 10.1016-0165-0114(96)83710-9; Klir GJ, 1995, FUZZY SETS FUZZY LOG; Koczy LT, 1997, FUZZY SET SYST, V85, P203, DOI 10.1016-0165-0114(95)00348-7; Lee CW, 2003, FUZZY SET SYST, V137, P297, DOI 10.1016-S0165-0114(02)00344-5; LEE J, 1993, FUZZY SET SYST, V56, P127, DOI 10.1016-0165-0114(93)90138-8; Li Y, 2002, FUZZY SET SYST, V127, P85, DOI 10.1016-S0165-0114(01)00154-3; Lin YH, 1997, IEEE T FUZZY SYST, V5, P614; NOMURA H, 1992, IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FUZZY SYSTEMS, P203, DOI 10.1109-FUZZY.1992.258618; Nozaki K, 1997, FUZZY SET SYST, V86, P251, DOI 10.1016-0165-0114(95)00413-0; Saade J. J., 2000, MATHWARE SOFT COMPUT, V7, P159; Saade JJ, 1996, IEEE T FUZZY SYST, V4, P227, DOI 10.1109-91.531767; SAADE JJ, 1992, FUZZY SET SYST, V50, P237, DOI 10.1016-0165-0114(92)90222-P; Shi Y, 2000, FUZZY SET SYST, V112, P99, DOI 10.1016-S0165-0114(98)00238-3; Shi Y, 2000, FUZZY SET SYST, V112, P51, DOI 10.1016-S0165-0114(98)00056-6; Siarry P, 1998, FUZZY SET SYST, V99, P37, DOI 10.1016-S0165-0114(97)00003-1; Sugeno M., 1993, IEEE Transactions on Fuzzy Systems, V1, DOI 10.1109-TFUZZ.1993.390281; TAKAGI T, 1985, IEEE T SYST MAN CYB, V15, P116; Tarng YS, 1996, FUZZY SET SYST, V83, P301, DOI 10.1016-0165-0114(95)00335-5; ZADEH LA, 1973, IEEE T SYST MAN CYB, VSMC3, P28, DOI 10.1109-TSMC.1973.54085750
A New Augmented RISE Feedback Controller for Pick-and-Throw Applications with PKMs
No full textPublisher Copyright: Copyright © 2022 The Authors.Most of the current industrial applications (like food packaging, waste sorting, machining, etc.) use parallel kinematic manipulators (PKMs) owing to their high speed and accuracy. However, parallel robots are exposed to highly nonlinear dynamics, time-varying parameters and uncertainties, especially in those applications. Considering all these issues, the synthesis of advanced and robust control schemes for PKMs is considered a challenging task. A new control scheme based on the Robust Integral of the Sign of the Error (RISE) control scheme is proposed in this work. A revision of the standard RISE control law is proposed by considering, in the control loop, a compensation term computed from the dynamic model of the robot, the measured and the desired trajectories, and the tracking error. In addition, we propose to extend the resulting controller with a nonlinear feedback function to compensate for the errors resulting from using the desired trajectories instead of the measured ones in the dynamic compensation term. The proposed control contribution can compensate for PKM parameter uncertainties and high nonlinearities as well as improve the robustness of the standard RISE controller. Numerical simulations have been conducted on a parallel robot, called T3KR, in a pick- and-throw task under different operating conditions to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.This work is supported by Tecnalia ”Pick-and-Throw” research project. The corresponding author acknowledged the Lebanese University and the social foundation AZM and SAADE for financial support.Peer reviewe
Role of thymulin or its analogue as a new analgesic molecule
No full textThe thymic peptide thymulin is known for its immunomodulatory role. However, several recent reports have indicated that thymulin is capable of interacting directly and-or indirectly with the nervous system. One of the first lines of evidence of this interaction was obtained in a series of experiments showing the hyperalgesic actions of this peptide. We demonstrated that, at low doses (ng), local (intraplantar) or systemic (intraperitoneal) injections of thymulin resulted in hyperalgesia with an increase in proinflammatory mediators, and that this peptide could act directly on the afferent nerve terminals through prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2)-dependent mechanisms, thus forming a neuroimmune loop involving capsaicin-sensitive primary afferent fibers. In further experiments, systemic injections of relatively high doses (1-25 μg) of thymulin or of an analogue peptide (PAT) deprived of hyperalgesic effect, have been shown to reduce the inflammatory pain and the upregulated levels of cytokines induced by endotoxin (ET) injection. In addition, PAT treatment appeared to alleviate the sickness behavior (motor behavior and fever) induced by systemic inflammation. These effects could be attributed, at least partly, to the downregulation of proinflammatory mediators. Furthermore, when compared with the effects of other anti-inflammatory drugs, PAT exerted equal or even stronger analgesic effects, and at much lower concentrations. Subsequent experiments were designed to examine the effects of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections of thymulin on cerebral inflammation induced by i.c.v. injection of ET. Pretreatment with thymulin reduced, in a dose-dependant manner, the ET-induced hyperalgesia, and exerted differential effects on the upregulated levels of cytokines in different areas of the brain, suggesting a neuroprotective role for thymulin in the central nervous system (CNS). Preliminary results demonstrate that thymulin inhibits in the hippocampus the ET-induced nuclear activation of NF-κB, the transcription factor required for the expression of proinflammatory cytokines genes. Although the mechanism of action of these molecules is not totally elucidated, our results indicate a possible therapeutic use of thymulin or PAT as analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs. © 2006 New York Academy of Sciences.BACH JF, 1983, CLIN IMMUNOL ALLERGY, V3, P133; BACH JF, 1977, NATURE, V266, P55, DOI 10.1038-266055a0; BALASINGAM V, 1994, J NEUROSCI, V14, P846; BLALOCK JE, 1994, IMMUNOL TODAY, V15, P504, DOI 10.1016-0167-5699(94)90205-4; BUCKINGHAM JC, 1992, J NEUROENDOCRINOL, V4, P295, DOI 10.1111-j.1365-2826.1992.tb00171.x; CUNHA FQ, 1992, BRIT J PHARMACOL, V107, P660; Dantzer R, 1998, ANN NY ACAD SCI, V840, P586, DOI 10.1111-j.1749-6632.1998.tb09597.x; Dardenne M, 2000, PAIN AND NEUROIMMUNE INTERACTIONS, P127; DARDENNE M, 1982, P NATL ACAD SCI-BIOL, V79, P5370, DOI 10.1073-pnas.79.17.5370; DASCOMBE MJ, 1979, BRIT J PHARMACOL, V66, P565; DESIMONI MG, 1995, ENDOCRINOLOGY, V136, P897, DOI 10.1210-en.136.3.897; DINARELLO CA, 1993, JAMA-J AM MED ASSOC, V269, P1829, DOI 10.1001-jama.269.14.1829; FERREIRA SH, 1988, NATURE, V334, P698, DOI 10.1038-334698a0; Hori T, 2000, PAIN AND NEUROIMMUNE INTERACTIONS, P171; Kanaan SA, 1996, PAIN, V66, P373, DOI 10.1016-0304-3959(96)03068-0; Kanaan SA, 1998, J NEUROIMMUNOL, V86, P142, DOI 10.1016-S0165-5728(98)00027-7; Konsman JP, 2002, TRENDS NEUROSCI, V25, P154, DOI 10.1016-S0166-2236(00)02088-9; Lemke R, 1999, GLIA, V27, P75, DOI 10.1002-(SICI)1098-1136(199907)27:175::AID-GLIA83.0.CO;2-J; LEWIN GR, 1993, J NEUROSCI, V13, P2136; MAIER SF, 1993, BRAIN RES, V623, P321, DOI 10.1016-0006-8993(93)91446-Y; PLEAU JM, 1979, IMMUNOL LETT, V1, P179, DOI 10.1016-0165-2478(79)90025-7; Poole S, 2000, PAIN AND NEUROIMMUNE INTERACTIONS, P31; POOLE S, 1992, BRIT J PHARMACOL, V106, P489; Saade NE, 1999, J NEUROIMMUNOL, V97, P16, DOI 10.1016-S0165-5728(99)00031-4; Saade NE, 2003, NEUROSCIENCE, V119, P155, DOI 10.1016-S0306-4522(03)00072-1; Saade NE, 1998, J NEUROIMMUNOL, V91, P171, DOI 10.1016-S0165-5728(98)00176-3; Saade NE, 1997, BRAIN RES, V769, P57; SAFIEH B, 1991, J PHYSL, V438, P50; Safieh-Garabedian B, 1998, PAIN MECHANISMS AND MANAGEMENT, P131; SafiehGarabedian B, 1997, BRIT J PHARMACOL, V121, P1619, DOI 10.1038-sj.bjp.0701313; SafiehGarabedian B, 1997, BRAIN BEHAV IMMUN, V11, P185, DOI 10.1006-brbi.1997.0491; SafiehGarabedian B, 1997, J NEUROIMMUNOL, V73, P162, DOI 10.1016-S0165-5728(96)00195-6; Safieh-Garabedian B, 2000, NEUROPHARMACOLOGY, V39, P1653, DOI 10.1016-S0028-3908(99)00247-6; Safieh-Garabedian B, 1999, NEUROIMMUNOMODULAT, V6, P39, DOI 10.1159-000026362; Savino W, 2000, ENDOCR REV, V21, P412, DOI 10.1210-er.21.4.412; Spranger M, 1996, NEUROSCIENTIST, V2, P293, DOI 10.1177-107385849600200515; Turrin NP, 2001, BRAIN RES BULL, V54, P443, DOI 10.1016-S0361-9230(01)00445-2; VANE JR, 1994, P NATL ACAD SCI USA, V91, P2046, DOI 10.1073-pnas.91.6.2046; vonGaudecker B, 1997, MICROSC RES TECHNIQ, V38, P237, DOI 10.1002-(SICI)1097-0029(19970801)38:3237::AID-JEMT53.0.CO;2-J; WOOLF CJ, 1994, NEUROSCIENCE, V62, P327, DOI 10.1016-0306-4522(94)90366-211141
Reading literature written by women: a strategy to foster literary thinking and creative writing in EFL learners
No full textLa implementación de literatura escrita por mujeres es una herramienta que se podría utilizar para incentivar el desarrollo del pensamiento literario en los estudiantes. Este consiste en
enseñar a estudiantes cómo analizar textos literarios basados en sus habilidades lectoras, encontrando relación entre su contexto histórico-social, para así generar inferencias sobre lo que
leen y lo evalúen, para así ponerlo en funcionamiento con su perspectiva de la mujer y su participación histórica en el desarrollo de la literatura. A través de este proyecto nos enfocaremos en estudiantes de secundaria donde existe una falta de acceso a literatura escrita por mujeres, lo que conlleva que dicha percepción sea escasa. El enfoque de nuestro estudio es demostrar de qué forma la implementación de este tipo de literatura fomenta en los estudiantes dicho pensamiento literario, a través de entrevistas, debates y discusiones grupales y que a su vez se sientan motivados a hacerlo.Fisher SchoolPregradoLicenciado en Bilingüismo con Énfasis en la Enseñanza del InglésThe implementation of literature written by women is a tool that can be used to encourage both the development of literary thinking in students and the ability to write with creativity. This literary thinking consists of teaching students how to analyze literary texts based on their reading skills; it makes them find a relationship between their social-historical context and their reality, being able to compare this phenomena generating inferences about what they read and then evaluating it. Through this project, we focus on high school students, where there is a lack of access to literature written by women, which leads to a low perception of their contributions to literature. The focal point of the study is to demonstrate how this implementation fosters such literary thinking and creative writing through surveys and questionnaires, interviews, debates, and group discussions, and at the same time, motivates them to do so
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Flexibility of mental representations of spatial information depending on the perspective during learning
No full textView-based theories of the mental representation of spatial information claim that distinct views experience during learning are represented separately in memory. Networks of such views are considered to be the basis for spatial navigation. Two experiments (N = 56) investigated the role of observer perspective on the resulting mental representation when learning a spatial configuration on the computer. Learning in route perspective, which induced the impression of passive navigation through the configuration, was compared with a survey perspective, which consisted of an overview of the whole configuration from one point of view. In accordance with view-based theories, previously seen views could be identified faster and with less error than new views for both perspectives during learning. Recoding the information into the alternative: perspective was also possible participants were asked to integrate distinct route views into a survey view during learning, the flexibility of the resulting mental representation was greatly increased. This indicates that conscious processes such as imagery play an important role in the integration of spatial knowledge
Hedge funds an unexplained performance - by Nicolas Saade III
No full textProject (M.B.A.)--American University of Beirut, Suliman S. Olayan School of Business, 2009.;"First Reader : Dr. Salim Chahine, Associate Professor, Suliman S. Olayan School of Business--Second Reader : Mr. Michel Chikhani, Instructor, Saint Joseph UniverBibliography : leaves 68-69.This project examines the relationship linking Hedge funds' performance to its t heoretical determinants. For this to be possible, we made use of several econome trics techniques using a yearly panel dataset ranging from 2004 to 2007. More pr ecisely, w
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