Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Power flow analysis under uncertainty using symmetric fuzzy arithmetic

This paper present a novel approach using symmetric fuzzy numbers to deal with uncertainty in power system analysis. Special attention is put on reducing overestimation due to conservatism inherent in fuzzy arithmetic. The midpoint-radius interval representation and a linear programming optimization problem are used in order to enhance efficiency and accuracy, respectively. The proposed method is tested over the IEEE 14-bus test system and compared with other techniques available in the literature. The case study that the proposed method yields accurate results at a reduced computational cost.
Parametric polymorphism and operational equivalence

Studies of the mathematical properties of impredicative polymorphic types have for the most part focused on the polymorphic lambda calculus of Girard–Reynolds, which is a calculus of total polymorphic functions. This paper considers polymorphic types from a functional programming perspective, where the partialness arising from the presence of fixpoint recursion complicates the nature of potentially infinite (‘lazy’) data types. An approach to Reynolds' notion of relational parametricity is developed that works directly on the syntax of a programming language, using a novel closure operator to relate operational behaviour to parametricity properties of types. Working with an extension of Plotkin's PCF with ∀-types, lazy lists and existential types, we show by example how the resulting logical relation can be used to prove properties of polymorphic types up to operational equivalence.
A Systematic Approach to Blocking Convolutional Neural Networks

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are the state of the art solution for many computer vision problems, and many researchers have explored optimized implementations. Most implementations heuristically block the computation to deal with the large data sizes and high data reuse of CNNs. This paper explores how to block CNN computations for memory locality by creating an analytical model for CNN-like loop nests. Using this model we automatically derive optimized blockings for common networks that improve the energy efficiency of custom hardware implementations by up to an order of magnitude. Compared to traditional CNN CPU implementations based on highly-tuned, hand-optimized BLAS libraries,our x86 programs implementing the optimal blocking reduce the number of memory accesses by up to 90%.
Stellar halo constraints on simulated late-type galaxies

How do late-type spiral galaxies form within the context of a cold dark matter cosmology? We contrast N-body, smoothed particle hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy formation that employ two different supernova feedback mechanisms. Observed mass and metallicity distributions of the stellar haloes of the Milky Way and M31 provide constraints on these models. A strong feedback model, incorporating an adiabatic phase in starburst regions, better reproduces these observational properties than our comparative thermal feedback model. This demonstrates the importance of energy feedback in regulating star formation in small systems, which collapse at early epochs, in the evolution of late-type disc galaxies.
Effect of different light transmittance paper bags on fruit quality and antioxidant capacity in loquat.

BACKGROUND Bagging has been widely used to improve the commercial value of fruit. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different light transmittance paper bags on the quality and antioxidant capacity of loquat fruit. Two loquat cultivars, Baiyu and Ninghaibai (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.), were used for materials. One-layered white paper bags (OWPB) with approximately 50% light transmittance and two-layered paper bags with a black inner layer and a grey outer layer (TGDPB) with approximately 0% light transmittance were used as treatments and unbagged fruits were used as the control (CK) in this experiment. Fruit quality was determined by physicochemical characteristics, the quantity of sugar, total phenolic, flavonoid, carotenoid and vitamin C. The antioxidant capacities of the methanol extracted from the pulp were tested using three different assays. RESULTS The results showed that bagging decreased the weight of fruit but promoted the appearance of loquat fruits. The total sugar content in the fruit bagged with OWPB was higher than in controls and in fruit bagged with TGDPB. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were decreased by both bagging treatments, with the lowest occurring in the fruit bagged with TGDPB. Bagging also decreased the total antioxidant capacity of the fruit pulp, which was again lower in TGDPB-treated fruits than in those bagged using OWPB. Correlation analysis showed a linear relationship between total antioxidant capacity and the content of total phenolic and flavonoid. CONCLUSION The results showed that different light transmittance bags had different effects on fruit quality and antioxidant capacity. In particular, bags with low light transmittance (TGDPB) decreased the inner quality and total antioxidant capacity of loquat fruit. All results indicated that bagging with OWPB was more suitable for maintaining the quality of the loquat fruit than bagging with TGDPB.
Maternal Endothelin-1 and Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate Concentrations in Pregnancies Complicated by Pregravid and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Background/Aims: Pregnancy complicated by diabetes is associated with increased risk of unfavorable obstetric outcomes. A common abnormality in diabetes is endothelial dysfunction resulting in an altered pattern of vasoactive substance production by the endothelial cells. The aim of study was to assess serum endothelin-1 (ET-1) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in pregnant women with pregravid (PGDM) or gestational diabetes (GDM). Methods: At the time of delivery, serum ET-1, cGMP, glycated hemoglobin (A1c), fructosamine and non-fasting glucose were measured in 19 PGDM, 23 GDM and 18 controls. Results: ET-1 and cGMP were similar in all groups. In GDM there was a positive association between A1c and ET-1 (r = 0.437; p < 0.05) and cGMP (r = 0.542; p < 0.02). In the controls, but not in PGDM and GDM, we found a positive correlation between ET-1 and cGMP (r = 0.634; p < 0.005). In women with diabetes, an optimal (A1c <6%) or inadequate (A1c >6%) metabolic control of diabetes did not influence ET-1 or cGMP levels. Conclusions: In women with PGDM and GDM, serum ET-1 and cGMP were similar to the levels observed in healthy pregnant women. However, the physiological balance between vasoconstrictor and vasodilator substances might be defective in pregnancies complicated by diabetes.
Emergency anticoagulation treatment for cirrhosis patients with portal vein thrombosis and acute variceal bleeding

Abstract Objective. To determine the safety and efficacy of anticoagulation treatment for portal vein thrombosis in cirrhosis patients with acute variceal bleeding, with patient eligibility determined by contrast ultrasonography findings. Materials and methods. This prospective study included 23 consecutive cirrhosis patients (63.8 ± 11.8 years old, 12 males and 11 females) with emergency admission for acute variceal bleeding with or without portal vein thrombus. Eligibility for anticoagulation treatment was determined by positive intra-thrombus enhancement on contrast ultrasonography (perflubutane microbubble agent, 0.0075 mL/kg) performed before endoscopy. Low-molecular-weight heparin was administered after hemostasis was achieved by band ligation. Repeated band ligation or injection sclerotherapy combined with argon plasma coagulation was performed for variceal disappearance. Results. Hemostasis was achieved in all 10 patients with active bleeding. Five of these patients had portal vein thrombus, and all showed positive intra-thrombus enhancement on contrast ultrasonography. Anticoagulation treatment of these five patients resulted in complete recanalization of the portal vein within 2–11 days. There were no significant differences in the number of endoscopic treatment sessions or the length of hospital stay between the groups with and without thrombosis, and no complications including rebleeding were reported. Long term, none of the patients who continued oral anticoagulation treatment had recurrence of thrombosis (4/5). Variceal recurrence occurred only in the non-thrombosis group (2/18) during the follow-up period (median: 351 days). Conclusions. Early anticoagulation treatment in cirrhosis patients with portal vein thrombosis and acute variceal bleeding may be safe, tolerated, and effective in cases with positive intra-thrombus enhancement on contrast ultrasonography.
Two Hemispheres for Better Memory in Old Age: Role of Executive Functioning

This experiment explored the functional significance of age-related hemispheric asymmetry reduction associated with episodic memory and the cognitive mechanisms that mediate this brain pattern. ERPs were recorded while young and older adults performed a word-stem cued-recall task. Results confirmed that the parietal old/new effect was of larger latency and reduced magnitude and less lateralized in the older group than the young group. Correlational and regression analyses indicated that the degree of laterality of brain activity determines the accuracy of memory performance and mediates age-related differences in memory performance among older participants. They also confirmed a cascade model in which the individual level of executive functioning of older adults mediates age-related differences in the degree of lateralization of brain activity, which in turn mediates age-related differences in memory performance.
Ieee Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence 1 Scene Text Recognition Using Similarity and a Lexicon with Sparse Belief Propagation

—Scene text recognition (STR) is the recognition of text anywhere in the environment, such as signs and store fronts. Relative to document recognition, it is challenging because of font variability, minimal language context, and uncontrolled conditions. Much information available to solve this problem is frequently ignored or used sequentially. Similarity between character images is often overlooked as useful information. Because of language priors, a recognizer may assign different labels to identical characters. Directly comparing characters to each other, rather than only a model, helps ensure that similar instances receive the same label. Lexicons improve recognition accuracy but are used post hoc. We introduce a probabilistic model for STR that integrates similarity, language properties, and lexical decision. Inference is accelerated with sparse belief propagation, a bottom-up method for shortening messages by reducing the dependency between weakly supported hypotheses. By fusing information sources in one model, we eliminate unrecoverable errors that result from sequential processing, improving accuracy. In experimental results recognizing text from images of signs in outdoor scenes, incorporating similarity reduces character recognition error by 19%, the lexicon reduces word recognition error by 35%, and sparse belief propagation reduces the lexicon words considered by 99.9% with a 12X speedup and no loss in accuracy.
Mid-IR waveguide lasers in transition metal doped II-VI semiconductors

This thesis focuses on the development of compact Mid-IR waveguide laser systems in transition metal doped II-VI semiconductors. These waveguide lasers have been developed to produce high brightness and compact sources in the Mid-IR. The wavelength tuneable operation of Cr:ZnSe waveguides was investigated. The waveguides were fabricated using ultrafast laser inscription. The waveguide laser demonstrated a tuning range of 2080 2883 nm, with more than 15 mW of output power across the full range. This resulted in a tuneable bandwidth of 39 THz, which is the widest range demonstrated by a Mid-IR waveguide laser. Modelocking of a Cr:ZnSe waveguide laser was investigated using a SESAM. This resulted in the demonstration of a CW modelocked laser with a PRF of 308 MHz, pulse energy of 0.3 nJ and a pulse width of 638 fs. In addition, a CW modelocked laser was demonstrated with a PRF of 1.03 GHz, this is the fastest PRF of any Cr:ZnSe laser demonstrated. Other transition metal doped II-VI semiconductors were investigated. Waveguides were developed in Cr:ZnS because of its improved thermal properties compared with Cr:ZnSe for future power scaling applications. The Cr:ZnS waveguide laser emitted 97 mW at a central wavelength of 2333 nm. Waveguide laser operation was investigated in Fe:ZnSe for laser operation in the 3.7 to 5 μm spectral band. Firstly, low-loss laser waveguide parameters were investigated in Fe:ZnSe. The passive characterisation found the waveguide propagation losses to be as low as 0.4 dB/cm, which is much lower than those demonstrated in other ULI cladding waveguides in Cr:ZnSe and Cr:ZnS. The low-loss waveguides were inserted inside a cryostat for CW laser operation. A free running CW laser operation with an Fe:ZnSe waveguide laser was demonstrated. An output power of 76 mW was produced at 4122 nm with a pump power of 908 mW. This work highlights the operational wavelength versatility of ULI fabricated depressed cladding waveguides.
Mechanical behaviour of adhesively bonded composite single lap joints under quasi-static and impact conditions with variation of temperature and overlap

The use of adhesively bonded joints in structural components for the automotive industry has significantly increased over the last years, supported by the widespread integration of composite materials. This synergy allows vehicle manufacturers to offer a significant weight reduction of the vehicle allowing for fuel and emissions reduction and, at the same time, providing high mechanical strength. However, to ensure vehicle safety, the crashworthiness of these adhesive joints must be assessed, to evaluate if the structures can sustain large impact loads, transmitting the load and absorbing the energy, without damaging the joint. The novelty of this work is the study of the strain rate dependent behaviour of unidirectional composite adhesive joints bonded with a ductile epoxy crash resistant adhesive, subjected to low and high testing temperatures and using different overlap lengths. It was demonstrated that joints manufactured with this type of adhesive and composite substrates can exhibit excellent quasi-static and impact performance for the full range of temperatures tested. Increasing the overlap length, and independently of the testing temperature, it was observed an increase of energy absorbed for both quasi-static and impact loads, this is of considerable importance for the automotive industry, demonstrating that composite joints exhibit higher performance under impact.
30S Subunit-Dependent Activation of the Sorangium cellulosum So ce56 Aminoglycoside Resistance-Conferring 16S rRNA Methyltransferase Kmr

ABSTRACT Methylation of bacterial 16S rRNA within the ribosomal decoding center confers exceptionally high resistance to aminoglycoside antibiotics. This resistance mechanism is exploited by aminoglycoside producers for self-protection while functionally equivalent methyltransferases have been acquired by human and animal pathogenic bacteria. Here, we report structural and functional analyses of the Sorangium cellulosum So ce56 aminoglycoside resistance-conferring methyltransferase Kmr. Our results demonstrate that Kmr is a 16S rRNA methyltransferase acting at residue A1408 to confer a canonical aminoglycoside resistance spectrum in Escherichia coli. Kmr possesses a class I methyltransferase core fold but with dramatic differences in the regions which augment this structure to confer substrate specificity in functionally related enzymes. Most strikingly, the region linking core β-strands 6 and 7, which forms part of the S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) binding pocket and contributes to base flipping by the m1A1408 methyltransferase NpmA, is disordered in Kmr, correlating with an exceptionally weak affinity for SAM. Kmr is unexpectedly insensitive to substitutions of residues critical for activity of other 16S rRNA (A1408) methyltransferases and also to the effects of by-product inhibition by S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH). Collectively, our results indicate that adoption of a catalytically competent Kmr conformation and binding of the obligatory cosubstrate SAM must be induced by interaction with the 30S subunit substrate.
Benefits of Exercise in Rheumatoid Arthritis

This paper aims to highlight the importance of exercise in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to demonstrate the multitude of beneficial effects that properly designed exercise training has in this population. RA is a chronic, systemic, autoimmune disease characterised by decrements to joint health including joint pain and inflammation, fatigue, increased incidence and progression of cardiovascular disease, and accelerated loss of muscle mass, that is, “rheumatoid cachexia”. These factors contribute to functional limitation, disability, comorbidities, and reduced quality of life. Exercise training for RA patients has been shown to be efficacious in reversing cachexia and substantially improving function without exacerbating disease activity and is likely to reduce cardiovascular risk. Thus, all RA patients should be encouraged to include aerobic and resistance exercise training as part of routine care. Understanding the perceptions of RA patients and health professionals to exercise is key to patients initiating and adhering to effective exercise training.
Cdc42-Interacting Protein-4 Promotes TGF-Β1-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Extracellular Matrix Deposition in Renal Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cells

Cdc42-interacting protein-4 (CIP4) is an F-BAR (Fer/CIP4 and Bin, amphiphysin, Rvs) family member that regulates membrane deformation and endocytosis, playing a key role in extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and invasion of cancer cells. These processes are analogous to those observed during the initial epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of renal tubular epithelial cells. The role of CIP4 in renal tubular EMT and renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis was investigated over the course of the current study, demonstrating that the expression of CIP4 increased in the tubular epithelia of 5/6-nephrectomized rats and TGF-β1 treated HK-2 cells. Endogenous CIP4 evidenced punctate localization throughout the cytosol, with elevated levels observed in the perinuclear region of HK-2 cells. Subsequent to TGF-β1 treatment, CIP4 expression increased, forming clusters at the cell periphery that gradually redistributed into the cytoplasm. Simultaneously, EMT induction in cells was confirmed by the prevalence of morphological changes, loss of E-cadherin, increase in α-SMA expression, and secretion of fibronectin. Overexpression of CIP4 promoted characteristics similar to those commonly observed in EMT, and small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules capable of CIP4 knockdown were used to demonstrate reversed EMT. Cumulatively, results of the current study suggest that CIP4 promotes TGF-β1-induced EMT in tubular epithelial cells. Through this mechanism, CIP4 is capable of inducing ECM deposition and exacerbating progressive fibrosis in chronic renal failure.
PAIN MANAGEMENT

Postoperative pain is caused by neuronal damage that occurs during the surgical procedure and the stimulation of the nociceptors. In postoperative period, total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is painful, and pain management is quite difficult. The main purpose of postoperative pain relief is to reduce the pain of the patient, to contribute to the healing process, to shorten the length of hospital stay, and to reduce hospital costs. Techniques such as intravenous analgesia, epidural analgesia, and peripheral nerve blocks are used to prevent postoperative pain. In addition, oral and parenteral analgesics, patientcontrolled analgesia (PCA), nerve blocks, and periarticular injection methods are used as multimodal analgesia methods. Pain scales such as visual analogue scale (VAS), verbal descriptive scale (VDS), and numerical rating scale (NRS) are used as the standard methods in the evaluation of pain of patients. Systemic opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and local anesthetics are used for postoperative analgesia. Preemptive analgesia, defined as analgesia initiated prior to surgical incision, and multimodal analgesia have been shown to reduce opioid consumption associated with high complication rates. Postoperative pain management should be planned considering the clinical characteristics of the patient, experience of the anesthetist, and clinical facilities. Early postoperative analgesia reduces systemic complication rates and improves early rehabilitation, patient satisfaction, and quality of life.
Uncertainty quantification of fiber orientation distribution measurements for long-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites

We present a detailed methodology for experimental measurement of fiber orientation distribution in injection-molded discontinuous fiber composites using the method of ellipses on two-dimensional cross sections. Best practices to avoid biases occurring during surface preparation and optical imaging of carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics are discussed. A marker-based watershed transform routine for efficient image segmentation and the separation of touching fiber ellipses is developed. The sensitivity of the averaged orientation tensor to the image sample size is studied for the case of long-fiber thermoplastics. A Mori–Tanaka implementation of the Eshelby model is then employed to quantify the sensitivity of elastic stiffness predictions to biases in the fiber orientation distribution measurements.
Urinary organophosphate metabolite levels in Palestinian pregnant women: results of the Middle East Regional Cooperation Project

The purpose of the study was to measure urinary organophosphate (OP) metabolites in Palestinian pregnant women, and to compare levels with those in pregnant women in Jerusalem and women from the general population in Israel. We measured six dialkyl phosphates in urine samples collected from 148 pregnant women from the West Bank area. Median total dimethyl phosphate (DMtotal) levels were significantly lower in Palestinian women compared to Jerusalem pregnant women and women in Israel (p = 0.041). In Palestinian women reporting that their place of residence was near an agricultural field, DMtotal levels were significantly higher (p = 0.037). Lower urinary excretion of dimethyl phosphate pesticide metabolites in Palestinian women compared to Israeli women may result from lower consumption of fruits and vegetables in the Palestinian population. Our findings highlight differences in OP pesticide exposure in populations with close geographical proximity but with differences in culture, diet, lifestyle, and regulatory oversight of pesticides.
Task translation and integration specification in intelligent machines

Intelligent machines are defined to be hierarchically intelligent control systems composed of three levels: the organization level, the coordination level, and the execution level. The authors present an analytical model for the coordination level of intelligent machines, which, together with the established mathematical formulation for the organization level and the well-developed control theory for the execution level, completes the first step toward a mathematical theory for intelligent machines. The framework of the coordination level is a tree structure consisting of a dispatcher and a number of coordinators. A new type of transducer, Petri net transducers (PNTs), is introduced to serve as the basic module in the analytical model. The PNTs can be used to represent the concurrence and conflict among the individual processes within the dispatcher and coordinators. Coordination structures are introduced as a formalism for the specification of integration in the coordination level. The task precedence relationship in the coordination process is presented by the Petri nets derived from the coordination structures. A case study is presented. >