7,378 research outputs found
Hardware/software codesign of configurable fuzzy control systems
Fuzzy inference techniques are an attractive and well-established approach for solving control problems. This is mainly
due to their inherent ability to obtain robust, low-cost controllers from the intuitive (and usually ambiguous or incomplete)
linguistic rules used by human operators when describing the control process. This paper focuses on the hardware/software
codesign of configurable fuzzy control systems. Two prototype systems implemented on general-purpose development boards
are presented. In both of them, hardware components are based on specific and configurable fuzzy inference architecture
whereas software tasks are supported by a microcontroller. The first prototype uses an off-the-shelf microcontroller and a
low-complexity Xilinx XC4005XL field programmable gate array (FPGA). The second one is implemented as a system on
programmable chip (SoPC), integrating the microcontroller together with the fuzzy hardware architecture and its interface
circuits into a Xilinx Spartan2E200 FPGA.Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC2001-1726-C02-0
Agreement between a simple dyspnea-guided treatment algorithm for stable COPD and the GOLD guidelines: A pilot study
Introduction: Guidelines recommendations for the treatment of COPD are poorly followed. This could be related to the complexity of classification and treatment algorithms. The purpose of this study was to validate a simpler dyspnea-based treatment algorithm for inhaled pharmacotherapy in stable COPD, comparing its concordance with the current Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guideline. Methods: We enrolled patients who had been diagnosed with COPD in three primary care facilities and two tertiary hospitals in Spain. We determined anthropometric data, forced expiratory volume in the 1st second (percent), exacerbations, and dyspnea based on the modified Medical Research Council scale. We evaluated the new algorithm based on dyspnea and exacerbations and calculated the concordance with the current GOLD recommendations. Results: We enrolled 100 patients in primary care and 150 attending specialized care in a respiratory clinic. There were differences in the sample distribution between cohorts with 41% vs 26% in grade A, 16% vs 12% in grade B, 16% vs 22% in grade C, and 27% vs 40% in grade D for primary and respiratory care, respectively (P=0.005). The coincidence of the algorithm with the GOLD recommendations in primary care was 93% and 91.8% in the respiratory care cohort. Conclusion: A simple dyspnea-based treatment algorithm for inhaled pharmacotherapy of COPD could be useful in the management of COPD patients and concurs very well with the recommended schema suggested by the GOLD initiative
The Effects of Atmospheric Dispersion on High-Resolution Solar Spectroscopy
We investigate the effects of atmospheric dispersion on observations of the
Sun at the ever-higher spatial resolutions afforded by increased apertures and
improved techniques. The problems induced by atmospheric refraction are
particularly significant for solar physics because the Sun is often best
observed at low elevations, and the effect of the image displacement is not
merely a loss of efficiency, but the mixing of information originating from
different points on the solar surface. We calculate the magnitude of the
atmospheric dispersion for the Sun during the year and examine the problems
produced by this dispersion in both spectrographic and filter observations. We
describe an observing technique for scanning spectrograph observations that
minimizes the effects of the atmospheric dispersion while maintaining a regular
scanning geometry. Such an approach could be useful for the new class of
high-resolution solar spectrographs, such as SPINOR, POLIS, TRIPPEL, and ViSP
Uncovering Networks from Genome-Wide Association Studies via Circular Genomic Permutation
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) aim to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) associated with trait variation. However, due to the large number of tests, standard analysis techniques impose highly stringent significance thresholds, leaving potentially associated SNPs undetected, and much of the trait genetic variation unexplained. Pathway- and network-based methodologies applied to GWAS aim to detect associations missed by standard single-marker approaches. The complex and non-random architecture of the genome makes it a challenge to derive an appropriate testing framework for such methodologies. We developed a rapid and simple permutation approach that uses GWAS SNP association results to establish the significance of pathway associations while accounting for the linkage disequilibrium structure of SNPs and the clustering of functionally related elements in the genome. All SNPs used in the GWAS are placed in a “circular genome” according to their location. Then the complete set of SNP association P values are permuted by rotation with respect to the genomic locations of the SNPs. Once these “simulated” P values are assigned, the joint gene P values are calculated using Fisher’s combination test, and the association of pathways is tested using the hypergeometric test. The circular genomic permutation approach was applied to a human genome-wide association dataset. The data consists of 719 individuals from the ORCADES study genotyped for ∼300,000 SNPs and measured for 51 traits ranging from physical to biochemical measurements. KEGG pathways (n = 225) were used as the sets of pathways to be tested. Our results demonstrate that the circular genomic permutations provide robust association P values. The non-permuted hypergeometric analysis generates ∼1400 pathway-trait combination results with an association P value more significant than P ≤ 0.05, whereas applying circular genomic permutation reduces the number of significant results to a more credible 40% of that value. The circular permutation software (“genomicper”) is available as an R package at http://cran.r-project.org/
Effect of a dietary intervention based on the mediterranean diet on the quality of life of patients recovered from depression: analysis of the PREDIDEP randomized trial
Introduction: There is substantial evidence supporting that improving diet quality leads to improved healthrelated quality of life (HRQoL). Our major aim was to assess the effectiveness of a Mediterranean diet–based
nutritional intervention to improve HRQoL in the context of a secondary prevention trial of depression.
Secondarily to assess its effectiveness among adults aged 60 or more years.
Methods: The PREDIDEP study is a 2-year multicentre, randomized, single-blinded nutritional trial. At baseline
and at 1-year and 2-year follow-up, SF-36 health survey questionnaire was collected to evaluate participants'
HRQoL (total and specific range for each of the 8 dimensions: 0 to 100 points). Mixed effect linear models were
used to assess changes in HRQoL according to adherence to the Mediterranean diet. The trial was registered at
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03081065.
Results: After 2 years of intervention, the Mediterranean Diet intervention group compared to control group
(without nutritional intervention, only usual clinical care) showed an improvement in some dimensions of
HRQoL such as Mental Health (7.22; 95 % CI = 2.22–12.22) (between-group difference: 6.79; 95 % CI
− 0.14–13.73, p = 0.055); Vitality (9.51; 95 % CI = 4.00–15.03) (between-group difference: 9.00; 95 % CI
1.75–16.25, p = 0.020); Mental Summary Component (2.83; 95 % CI = 0.55–5.11) (between-group difference:
1.17; 95 % CI = − 1.96–4.30, p = 0.462); and General Health (10.70; 95 % CI = 5.58–15.81) (between-group
difference: 6.20; 95 % CI = − 0.89–13.28, p = 0.086). Similar results were observed for participants aged 60 or
more years.
Conclusion: The intervention based on Mediterranean diet in patients with previous depression seems to be
effective in improving HRQoL, especially the mental dimensions. This effect is also observed among participants
aged 60 or more years.This study was externally funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Carlos III National Health Institute-ISCIII), PI16/01274
Characterisation of Genome-Wide Association Epistasis Signals for Serum Uric Acid in Human Population Isolates
Genome-wide association (GWA) studies have identified a number of loci underlying variation in human serum uric acid (SUA) levels with the SLC2A9 gene having the largest effect identified so far. Gene-gene interactions (epistasis) are largely unexplored in these GWA studies. We performed a full pair-wise genome scan in the Italian MICROS population (n = 1201) to characterise epistasis signals in SUA levels. In the resultant epistasis profile, no SNP pairs reached the Bonferroni adjusted threshold for the pair-wise genome-wide significance. However, SLC2A9 was found interacting with multiple loci across the genome, with NFIA - SLC2A9 and SLC2A9 - ESRRAP2 being significant based on a threshold derived for interactions between GWA significant SNPs and the genome and jointly explaining 8.0% of the phenotypic variance in SUA levels (3.4% by interaction components). Epistasis signal replication in a CROATIAN population (n = 1772) was limited at the SNP level but improved dramatically at the gene ontology level. In addition, gene ontology terms enriched by the epistasis signals in each population support links between SUA levels and neurological disorders. We conclude that GWA epistasis analysis is useful despite relatively low power in small isolated populations
HerMES: Candidate Gravitationally Lensed Galaxies and Lensing Statistics at Submillimeter Wavelengths
We present a list of 13 candidate gravitationally lensed submillimeter
galaxies (SMGs) from 95 square degrees of the Herschel Multi-tiered
Extragalactic Survey, a surface density of 0.14\pm0.04deg^{-2}. The selected
sources have 500um flux densities (S_500) greater than 100mJy. Gravitational
lensing is confirmed by follow-up observations in 9 of the 13 systems (70%),
and the lensing status of the four remaining sources is undetermined. We also
present a supplementary sample of 29 (0.31\pm0.06deg^{-2}) gravitationally
lensed SMG candidates with S_500=80--100mJy, which are expected to contain a
higher fraction of interlopers than the primary candidates. The number counts
of the candidate lensed galaxies are consistent with a simple statistical model
of the lensing rate, which uses a foreground matter distribution, the intrinsic
SMG number counts, and an assumed SMG redshift distribution. The model predicts
that 32--74% of our S_500>100mJy candidates are strongly gravitationally lensed
(mu>2), with the brightest sources being the most robust; this is consistent
with the observational data. Our statistical model also predicts that, on
average, lensed galaxies with S_500=100mJy are magnified by factors of ~9, with
apparently brighter galaxies having progressively higher average magnification,
due to the shape of the intrinsic number counts. 65% of the sources are
expected to have intrinsic 500micron flux densities less than 30mJy. Thus,
samples of strongly gravitationally lensed SMGs, such as those presented here,
probe below the nominal Herschel detection limit at 500 micron. They are good
targets for the detailed study of the physical conditions in distant dusty,
star-forming galaxies, due to the lensing magnification, which can lead to
spatial resolutions of ~0.01" in the source plane.Comment: ApJ in press. 31 pages, 16 figures, 5 tables. This version updated to
match accepted versio
STREGA: STRucture and Evolution of the GAlaxy - I : Survey overview and first results
STREGA (STRucture and Evolution of the GAlaxy) is a guaranteed time survey being performed at the VST (the ESO Very Large Telescope Survey Telescope) to map about 150 square degrees in the Galactic halo, in order to constrain the mechanisms of galactic formation and evolution. The survey is built as a 5 yr project, organized in two parts: a core programme to explore the surrounding regions of selected stellar systems and a second complementary part to map the southern portion of the Fornax orbit and extend the observations of the core programme. The adopted stellar tracers are mainly variable stars (RR Lyraes and long-period variables) and main-sequence turn-off stars for which observations in the g, r, i bands are obtained. We present an overview of the survey and some preliminary results for three observing runs that have been completed. For the region centred on ω Cen (37 deg^2), covering about three tidal radii, we also discuss the detected stellar density radial profile and angular distribution, leading to the identification of extratidal cluster stars. We also conclude that the cluster tidal radius is about 1.2 deg, in agreement with values in the literature based on the Wilson model.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio
Observation of the Baryonic Flavor-Changing Neutral Current Decay Lambda_b -> Lambda mu+ mu-
We report the first observation of the baryonic flavor-changing neutral
current decay Lambda_b -> Lambda mu+ mu- with 24 signal events and a
statistical significance of 5.8 Gaussian standard deviations. This measurement
uses ppbar collisions data sample corresponding to 6.8fb-1 at sqrt{s}=1.96TeV
collected by the CDF II detector at the Tevatron collider. The total and
differential branching ratios for Lambda_b -> Lambda mu+ mu- are measured. We
find B(Lambda_b -> Lambda mu+ mu-) = [1.73+-0.42(stat)+-0.55(syst)] x 10^{-6}.
We also report the first measurement of the differential branching ratio of B_s
-> phi mu+ mu- using 49 signal events. In addition, we report branching ratios
for B+ -> K+ mu+ mu-, B0 -> K0 mu+ mu-, and B -> K*(892) mu+ mu- decays.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, 4 tables. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
Search for the Higgs boson in events with missing transverse energy and b quark jets produced in proton-antiproton collisions at s**(1/2)=1.96 TeV
We search for the standard model Higgs boson produced in association with an
electroweak vector boson in events with no identified charged leptons, large
imbalance in transverse momentum, and two jets where at least one contains a
secondary vertex consistent with the decay of b hadrons. We use ~1 fb-1
integrated luminosity of proton-antiproton collisions at s**(1/2)=1.96 TeV
recorded by the CDF II experiment at the Tevatron. We find 268 (16) single
(double) b-tagged candidate events, where 248 +/- 43 (14.4 +/- 2.7) are
expected from standard model background processes. We place 95% confidence
level upper limits on the Higgs boson production cross section for several
Higgs boson masses ranging from 110 GeV/c2 to 140 GeV/c2. For a mass of 115
GeV/c2 the observed (expected) limit is 20.4 (14.2) times the standard model
prediction.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
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