Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigation on the dynamic behaviors of paralleling T-type IGBT modules

The paralleling of three level T-type IGBT modules delivers unusual switching voltage and current. Influences of the temperature deviance on paralleling performance are analyzed in this paper. Turn-on behaviors of paralleling modules can be improved by certain temperature deviance. Turn-off behaviors are affected by temperature deviance in two ways, by both energy loss mismatch increases with temperature deviance. IGBT over voltage risk and di/dt risk show different trends. In addition, T-type IGBT modules have better paralleling performance as negative temperature coefficient of diode and positive temperature coefficient of IGBT compensate with each other when current flows into the neutral path. However unexpected current loop is formed when the paralleling T-type IGBT modules operated with temperature deviance. This paper provides guidance on hard circuit design of T-type IGBT modules paralleling applications.
pROST : A Smoothed Lp-norm Robust Online Subspace Tracking Method for Realtime Background Subtraction in Video

An increasing number of methods for background subtraction use Robust PCA to identify sparse foreground objects. While many algorithms use the L1-norm as a convex relaxation of the ideal sparsifying function, we approach the problem with a smoothed Lp-norm and present pROST, a method for robust online subspace tracking. The algorithm is based on alternating minimization on manifolds. Implemented on a graphics processing unit it achieves realtime performance. Experimental results on a state-of-the-art benchmark for background subtraction on real-world video data indicate that the method succeeds at a broad variety of background subtraction scenarios, and it outperforms competing approaches when video quality is deteriorated by camera jitter.
Generation of whistler waves by continuous HF heating of the upper ionosphere

Broadband VLF waves in the frequency range 7–10 kkHz and 15–19 kHz, generated by F region CW HF ionospheric heating in the absence of electrojet currents, were detected by the DEMETER satellite overflying the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) transmitter during HAARP/BRIOCHE campaigns. The VLF waves are in a frequency range corresponding to the F region lower lybrid (LH) frequency and its harmonic. This paper aims to show that the VLF observations are whistler waves generated by mode conversion of LH waves that were parametrically excited by HF‐pump‐plasma interaction at the upper hybrid layer. The paper discusses the basic physics and presents a model that conjectures (1) the VLF waves observed at the LH frequency are due to the interaction of the LH waves with meter‐scale field‐aligned striations—generating whistler waves near the LH frequency; and (2) the VLF waves at twice the LH frequency are due to the interaction of two counterpropagating LH waves—generating whistler waves near the LH frequency harmonic. The model is supported by numerical simulations that show good agreement with the observations. The (Detection of Electromagnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions results and model discussions are complemented by the Kodiak radar, ionograms, and stimulated electromagnetic emission observations.
Revisiting the multiplicity codes: A new class of high-rate locally correctable codes

Locally correctable codes are error-correcting codes with efficient decoding schemes, which can recover any bit of a codeword by visiting a small number of locations of the codeword. Recently Kopparty et. al. [1] and Guo et. al. [2] presented multiplicity codes and lifted Reed-Solomon codes, respectively, which are two families of high-rate locally correctable codes. In this paper, we generalize the method of multiplicities and provide a new construction of locally correctable codes of rate approaching 1, which is also a theoretical connection between the codes in [1] and [2].
The Vasodilator Effect of a Cream Containing 10% Menthol and 15% Methyl Salicylate on Random-Pattern Skin Flaps in Rats

Background It is still difficult to prevent partial or full-thickness flap necrosis. In this study, the effects of a cream containing menthol and methyl salicylate on the viability of randompattern skin flaps were studied. Methods Forty female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two equal groups. Caudally based dorsal random-pattern skin flaps were elevated, including the panniculus carnosus. In the study group, 1.5 mL of a cream containing menthol and methyl salicylate was applied to the skin of the flap, and saline solution (0.9%) was used in the control group. Upon completion of the experiment, flap necrosis was analyzed with imaging software and radionuclide scintigraphy. Histopathological measurements were made of the percentage of viable flaps, the number of vessels, and the width of the panniculus carnosus muscle. Results According to the photographic analysis, the mean viable flap surface area in the study group was larger than that in the control group (P=0.004). According to the scintigrams, no change in radioactivity uptake was seen in the study group (P>0.05). However, a significant decrease was observed in the control group (P=0.006). No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of the percentage of viable flaps, the number of vessels, or the width of the panniculus carnosus muscle (P>0.05). Conclusions Based on these results, it is certain that the cream did not reduce the viability of the flaps. Due to its vasodilatory effect, it can be used as a component of the dressing in reconstructive operations where skin perfusion is compromised.
Increasing dependency of older people in nursing homes is associated with need for dental treatments

To determine relationships between the need for dental treatments of institutionalized elderly people and cognitive impairment and the general level of care needed. Two hundred and sixty-eight residents of long-term care facilities in Germany were included in this study. Age, sex, diseases, number of frequently taken drugs, and location of the long-term care facility of the participants were recorded. For each participant, the need for care was assessed by use of the Barthel index (BI). Cognitive impairment was evaluated by use of the mini-mental state examination (MMSE). To assess dental treatment needs, the revised oral assessment guide (ROAG) was applied for different oral health conditions, which were rated “healthy” or “treatment needed”. Spearman correlations were performed to evaluate associations between BI and MMSE and dental treatment needs. Statistical analysis revealed significant associations of BI (P<0.001) and MMSE (P=0.015) with the ROAG score. Increasing dependency and decreasing cognitive ability worsen oral health and increase the need for dental treatment.
Structural Basis of the Selective Block of Kv1.2 by Maurotoxin from Computer Simulations

The 34-residue polypeptide maurotoxin (MTx) isolated from scorpion venoms selectively inhibits the current of the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.2 by occluding the ion conduction pathway. Here using molecular dynamics simulation as a docking method, the binding modes of MTx to three closely related channels (Kv1.1, Kv1.2 and Kv1.3) are examined. We show that MTx forms more favorable electrostatic interactions with the outer vestibule of Kv1.2 compared to Kv1.1 and Kv1.3, consistent with the selectivity of MTx for Kv1.2 over Kv1.1 and Kv1.3 observed experimentally. One salt bridge in the bound complex of MTx-Kv1.2 forms and breaks in a simulation period of 20ns, suggesting the dynamic nature of toxin-channel interactions. The toxin selectivity likely arises from the differences in the shape of the channel outer vestibule, giving rise to distinct orientations of MTx on block. Potential of mean force calculations show that MTx blocks Kv1.1, Kv1.2 and Kv1.3 with an IC50 value of 6 µM, 0.6nM and 18 µM, respectively.
Fritz - A Humanoid Communication Robot

In this paper, we present the humanoid communication robot Fritz. Our robot communicates with people in an intuitive, multimodal way. Fritz uses speech, facial expressions, eye-gaze, and gestures to interact with people. Depending on the audio-visual input, our robot shifts its attention between different persons in order to involve them into the conversation. He performs human-like arm gestures during the conversation and also uses pointing gestures generated with eyes, head, and arms to direct the attention of its communication partners towards objects of interest. To express its emotional state, the robot generates facial expressions and adapts the speech synthesis. We discuss experiences made during two public demonstrations of our robot.
HD 75289Ab revisited - Searching for starlight reflected from a hot Jupiter

Aims. We attempt to detect starlight reflected from a hot Jupiter, orbiting the main-sequence star HD 75289Ab. We report a revised analysis of observations of this planetary system presented previously by another research group. Methods. We analyze high-precision, high-resolution spectra, collected over four nights using UVES at the VLT/UT2, by way of data synthesis. We try to interpret our data using different atmospheric models for hot Jupiters. Results. We do not find any evidence for reflected light, and, therefore, establish revised upper limits to the planet-to-star flux ratio at the 99.9% significance level. At high orbital inclinations, where the best sensitivity is attained, we can limit the relative reflected radiation to be less than � = 6.7 × 10 −5 assuming a grey albedo, and � = 8.3 × 10 −5 assuming an Class IV function, respectively. This implies a geometric albedo smaller than p = 0.46 and p = 0.57, for the grey albedo and the Class IV albedo shape, respectively, assuming a planetary radius of 1.2 RJup.
An application-independent system for visualizing user operation history

A history-of-user-operations function helps make applications easier to use. For example, users may have access to an operation history list in an application to undo or redo a past operation. To provide an overview of a long operation history and help users find target interactions or application states quickly, visual representations of operation history have been proposed. However, most previous systems are tightly integrated with target applications and difficult to apply to new applications. We propose an application-independent method that can visualize the operation history of arbitrary GUI applications by monitoring the input and output GUI events from outside of the target application. We implemented a prototype system that visualizes operation sequences of generic Java Awt/Swing applications using an annotated comic strip metaphor. We tested the system with various applications and present results from a user study.
Modeling edge effects in graphene nanoribbon field-effect transistors with real and mode space methods

A computationally efficient mode space simulation method for atomistic simulation of a graphene nanoribbon field-effect transistor in the ballistic limits is developed. The proposed simulation scheme, which solves the nonequilibrium Green’s function coupled with a three dimensional Poisson equation, is based on the atomistic Hamiltonian in a decoupled mode space. The mode space approach, which only treats a few modes (subbands), significantly reduces the simulation time. Additionally, the edge bond relaxation and the third nearest neighbor effects are also included in the quantum transport solver. Simulation examples show that the mode space approach can significantly decrease the simulation cost by about an order of magnitude, yet the results are still accurate. This article also demonstrates that the effects of the edge bond relaxation and the third nearest neighbor significantly influence the transistor’s performance and are necessary to be included in the modeling.
Randomised Controlled Trial of Unsolicited Occupational Therapy in Community-Dwelling Elderly People: The LOTIS Trial

Objective: The objective of this trial, the Leiden 85-Plus Occupational Therapy Intervention Study (LOTIS), was to assess whether unsolicited occupational therapy, as compared to no therapy, can decelerate the increase in disability in high-risk elderly people. Design: This was a randomised controlled trial with 2-y follow-up. Setting: The study took place in the municipality of Leiden in the Netherlands. Participants: The participants were 402 community-dwelling 85-y-old people, with a Mini-Mental State Examination score of >18 points at baseline. Interventions: Participants in the intervention group were visited by an occupational therapist who provided training and education about assistive devices that were already present and who gave recommendations and information about procedures, possibilities, and costs of assistive devices and community-based services. Control participants were not visited by an occupational therapist. Outcome Measures: The primary outcome measure was the score achieved on the Groningen Activity Restriction Scale. Secondary outcome measures included self-evaluations of well-being and feelings of loneliness. Results: The participants were evenly divided between the two groups: 202 participants were allocated to the intervention group and 200 participants to the control group. Of the 202 participants randomised to occupational therapy, 55 participants declined the proposed intervention. An occupational therapist indicated that of the remaining 147 participants, 66 (45%) needed an occupational therapy intervention. A total of 44 new assistive devices and five community-based services were implemented. During follow-up there was a progressive increase in disability in the intervention group (mean annual increase, 2.0 points; SE 0.2; p < 0.001) and control group (mean annual increase, 2.1 points; SE 0.2; p < 0.001). The increase in disability was not significantly different between study groups (0.08 points; 95% CI, −1.1–1.2; p = 0.75). There was also no difference between study groups for any of the secondary outcome measures. Conclusion: Unsolicited occupational therapy in high-risk elderly participants does not decelerate the increase in disability over time.
Pathway Modeling: New face of Graphical Probabilistic Analysis

Pathway analysis is one of the most interesting aspects of Systems Biology. Modeling biological pathways is interesting as well as difficult to optimize. Various modeling problems of diseases can be successfully analyzed using this simulation approach. Graphical probabilistic approaches are one of the unique methodologies that are used for designing and analyzing pathways. We have discussed the various graphical approaches that are actively involved in pathway modeling.
Development of Hospital Information Systems: User Participation and Factors Affecting It

Introduction: Given the large volume of data generated in hospitals, in order to efficiently management them; using hospital information system (HIS) is critical. User participation is one of the major factors in the success of HIS that in turn leads Information needs and processes to be correctly predicted and also their commitment to the development of HIS to be augmented. The purpose of this study is to investigate the participation rate of users in different stages of HIS development as well as to identify the factors affecting it. Method and materials: This is a descriptive–cross sectional study which was inducted in 2014. The study population consists of 140 HIS users (from different types of job including physicians, nurses, laboratory, radiology and HIM staffs) from Teaching Hospitals Affiliated to Urmia University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire which was estimated as both reliable and valid. The data were analyzed by SPSS software descriptive statistics and analytical statistics (t-test and chi-square). Results: The highest participation rate of users in the four-stage development of the HIS was related to the implementation phase (2.88) and the lowest participation rate was related to analysis (1.23). The test results showed that the rate of user participation was not satisfactory in none of the stages of development (P< 0.05). The most important factors in increasing user participation include established teamwork from end-users and the support of top managers from HIS development. Conclusion: According to the results obtained from the study, it seems that health care administrators must have a detailed plan for user participation prior to the development and purchase of HIS so that they identify the real needs as well as increase their commitment and motivations to develop, maintain and upgrade the system, and in this way, the success of the system will be assured.
Geohistorical records indicate no impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on oyster body size

Documentation of the near- and long-term effects of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, one of the largest environmental disasters in US history, is still ongoing. We used a novel before-after-control-impact analysis to test the hypothesis that average body size of intertidal populations of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) inhabiting impacted areas in Louisiana decreased due to increased stress/mortality related to the oil spill. Time-averaged death assemblages of oysters were used to establish a pre-spill baseline of body-size structure for four impacted and four control locations along a 350 km stretch of Louisiana's coastline. Post-spill body sizes were then measured from live oysters at each site in order to evaluate the differences in body size between oiled (i.e. impact) and unoiled (i.e. control) locations before and after the spill. Our results indicate that average body size of oysters remained relatively unchanged after the oil spill. There were also no temporal patterns in temperature, salinity or disease prevalence that could have explained our results. Together, these findings suggest that oysters either recovered rapidly following the immediate impact of the DWH oil spill, or that its impact was not severe enough to influence short-term population dynamics of the oyster beds.
Opening the Black Box of Finance: North–South Investment, Political Risk, and US Military Intervention

In this article, we examine the foreign policy implications of different types of investment flows. North–South investment is more sensitive to political risks (expropriation, default, civil war) than North–North investment. We argue that North–South investment flows create a constituency within the US financial sector that is likely to support stabilising intervention – military intervention aimed at reducing political risk abroad. Examining political action committee donations from Fortune 500 financial firms with a cross-sectional Tobit model, we find that US financial firms with greater exposure to the Global South are likely to favour congressional candidates with a record of voting for intervention in developing countries. This study contributes to the literature on economic interdependence and peace, proposes an original method for capturing the revealed preferences of political actors, and enhances our understanding of the sectoral underpinnings of foreign policy-making.
Four Years of Tropical ERA-40 Vorticity Maxima Tracks. Part I: Climatology and Vertical Vorticity Structure

Abstract Using the 40-yr European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Re-Analysis (ERA-40), vorticity maxima (VM) have been manually tracked and classified as developing and nondeveloping. The VM are identified on Hovmoller plots for June–October 1998–2001, within 0°–35°N, 140°–10°W. Over 600 low-level and midlevel VM are tracked. The ERA-40 VM track climatology compares favorably with previous knowledge about easterly waves. Some new results have also been found. The VM are not equivalent to easterly waves, so it is important to distinguish between the large-scale wave and the embedded VM. Unlike waves, individual VM leaving Africa generally do not survive to cross the entire Atlantic. Unlike waves, which can cross Central America, most individual east Pacific VM originate in the east Pacific. Genesis productivity is defined as the fraction of nontropical cyclone VM that eventually develop. It reaches 50% in the eastern North Pacific (EPAC) and 30% in the Atlantic, where there is geographical separ.
The role of perceived social norms on attitudes and behavior: An examination of the false consensus effect

This paper examined the role of perceived social norms in relation to people's attitudes and behavioral intentions, specifically in regards to the false consensus effect (FCE). People are prone to numerous biases in judgments about peers' beliefs, including overestimating support for their own position (i.e., false consensus). These misperceptions can then shape people's beliefs and guide their behavior. This series of studies assessed the influence of this type of misperception on attitudes and behavioral intentions regarding controversial social issues. Study 1 demonstrated that people displayed false consensus for current social issues. Alterations in wording and order of presentation did not affect the findings. Study 2 showed that this bias subsequently predicts behavioral intentions in a modified test of the theory of reasoned action. Study 3 reduced the false consensus effect by exposing participants to information supporting both sides of social issues. Recommendations for interventions that effectively change and promote beneficial social norms are discussed.
Measuring Pulsatile Flow in Cerebral Arteries Using 4D Phase-Contrast MR Imaging

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: 4D PCMRI can be used to quantify pulsatile hemodynamics in multiple cerebral arteries. The aim of this study was to compare 4D PCMRI and 2D PCMRI for assessments of pulsatile hemodynamics in major cerebral arteries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We scanned the internal carotid artery, the anterior cerebral artery, the basilar artery, and the middle cerebral artery in 10 subjects with a single 4D and multiple 2D PCMRI acquisitions by use of a 3T system and a 32-channel head coil. We assessed the agreement regarding net flow and the volume of arterial pulsatility (ΔV) for all vessels. RESULTS: 2D and 4D PCMRI produced highly correlated results, with r = 0.86 and r = 0.95 for ΔV and net flow, respectively (n = 69 vessels). These values increased to r = 0.93 and r = 0.97, respectively, during investigation of a subset of measurements with <5% variation in heart rate between the 4D and 2D acquisition (n = 31 vessels). Significant differences were found for ICA and MCA net flow (P = .004 and P < .001, respectively) and MCA ΔV (P = .006). However, these differences were attenuated and no longer significant when the subset with stable heart rate (n = 31 vessels) was analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: 4D PCMRI provides a powerful methodology to measure pulsatility of the larger cerebral arteries from a single acquisition. A large part of differences between measurements was attributed to physiologic variations. The results were consistent with 2D PCMRI.
Spontaneous symmetry breaking and the p-->0 limit

I point out a basic ambiguity in the $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{p}0$ limit of the connected propagator in a spontaneously broken phase. This may represent an indication that the conventional singlet Higgs boson, rather than being a purely massive field, might have a gapless branch. This would dominate the energy spectrum for $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{p}0$ and give rise to a very weak, long-range force. The natural interpretation is in terms of density fluctuations of the ``Higgs condensate:'' in the region of very long wavelengths, infinitely larger than the Fermi scale, it cannot be treated as a purely classical c-number field.