Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Graph Partitioning Algorithms for Control of AC Transmission Networks : Generator Slow Coherency, Intentional Controlled Islanding, and Secondary Voltage Control

The vast size of a modern interconnected power grid precludes controlling and operating it as a single object. Subdividing a power grid into a number of internally coherent areas allows to cope with its inherent complexity and to enable more efficient control structures. This thesis focuses on discovering the power system structure to facilitate the definition of control areas for wide-area monitoring, protection and control (WAMPAC) applications. Graph partitioning is a well-developed discipline whose potential is not fully recognized in the power system domain. Particularly, spectral graph partitioning methods are shown to be very promising. Their efficiency is first demonstrated by accurately selecting the number and extent of control zones for secondary voltage control (SVC). Next, it is shown that grouping generators with similar slow rotor angle dynamics can also be efficiently tackled through spectral graph partitioning. The final topic is constrained graph partitioning subject to node grouping constraints, which is related to intentional controlled islanding (ICI). As both solution time and accuracy are critical for ICI, a new polynomial-time heuristic algorithm is proposed that is more accurate than comparable state-of-the-art methods.
Phosphorylation of LXRα impacts atherosclerosis regression by modulating monocyte/macrophage trafficking

LXRα activation in macrophages enhances regression of atherosclerotic plaques in mice by regulating genes crucial for cholesterol efflux, cell motility and inflammation. Diabetes, however, impairs plaque regression in mice. LXRα is phosphorylated at serine 198 (pS198), which affects the expression of genes controlling inflammation, lipid metabolism and cell movement. We hypothesize that LXRα function is affected by hyperglycemia through changes in LXRα pS198. Indeed, macrophages cultured in diabetes relevant high glucose versus normal glucose display alterations in LXR-dependent gene expression and increased LXRα pS198. We therefore examined the consequence of disrupting LXRα phosphorylation (S196A in mouse LXRα) during regression of atherosclerosis in normal and diabetic mice. We find that phosphorylation deficient LXRα S196A reduces macrophage retention in plaques in diabetes, which is predicted to be anti-atherogenic and enhance plaque regression. However, this favorable effect on regression is masked by increased monocyte infiltration in the plaque attributed to leukocytosis in LXRα S196A mice. RNA-seq of plaque macrophages from diabetic S196A mice shows increased expression of chemotaxis and decreased expression of cell adhesion genes, consistent with reduced macrophage retention by LXRα S196A. Thus, the non-phosphorylated form of LXRα precludes macrophage retention in the plaque. Our study provides the first evidence for a physiological role of LXRα phosphorylation in modulating atherosclerosis regression. Compounds that prevent LXRα phosphorylation or ligands that induce the conformation of non-phosphorylated LXRα may selectively enhance macrophage emigration from atherosclerotic plaques.
Characterization of Anthocyanins in Aronia

CHARACTERIZATION OF ANTHOCYANINS IN ARONIA THEODORE MOHR 2018 Anthocyanins function as antioxidants and offer numerous other health benefits, such as anti-atherogenic and anti-inflammation protection, and may aid in the prevention of degenerative diseases. Aronia berries, uniquely high in anthocyanins, have a great potential in improving human wellness. The objectives of this study were: (1) to develop a rapid and reproducible analytical method for estimating the anthocyanin amount in Aronia berries; and (2) to determine the effect of growing conditions on anthocyanin concentration. A standard curve method was established based on anthocyanin absorbance in the visible range. The results reveal that the developed protocol could yield rapid and reproducible values. Subsequently, a total of 51 Aronia samples of Viking, McKenzie, and Galicjanka varieties grown at nine locations (Ogle County, IL, Minnehaha County, SD, Harrison County, MO, Clay County, IA, Plymouth County, IA, Charles Mix County, SD, Buchanan County, IA, Webster County, IA, and Woodbury County, IA) in the Midwest region of the United States have been analyzed. In general, the anthocyanin amount increased throughout the harvest season. It is not statistically (p < 0.05) dependent on the mean maximum temperature, mean temperature, mean minimum temperature, precipitation, and latitude. However, berries grown in the southeastern locations tend to have higher anthocyanins than those from the northwestern region.
Forecasting Stock Market Realized Volatility using decomposition

Empirical studies concerned with realized volatility reveal the presence of heterogeneous behavior within the stock market. The sum of this heterogeneous behavior takes a persistent form, which may be modeled and forecasted according to different time horizons by the class of HAR models. In this paper, we investigate the HAR-RV and HAR-RV-CJ models for high-frequency data based on five realized volatility indices. The aim here is to demonstrate that the predictability of realized volatility can be improved by decomposing realized variance into its continuous and jump components. What is more, the results show that this decomposition of the realized variance into its components does indeed enhance the modeling and forecasting of the indices’ realized volatility.
Antifungal susceptibility profiles of otomycosis etiological agents in Ahvaz, Iran

Background and Purpose: Otomycosis is a secondary ear fungal infection among predisposed individuals in humid conditions. Aspergillus species are the most common etiologic agents of this infection. Several ototopical antifungals are currently used for the treatment of this disease; however, recurrence and treatment failure are usually observed in some cases. Regarding this, the present study was conducted to investigate the antifungal activity of caspofungin, azoles, and terbinafine against the isolated agents of otomycosis. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on the specimens collected from 90 patients with otomycosis. The samples were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar and identified based on morphological characteristics, physiological tests, and microscopic features. Furthermore, the microdilution method was used for antifungal susceptibility testing according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Finally, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum effective concentration (MEC) ranges, MIC/MEC50, MIC/MEC90, and geometric mean (GM) MIC/MEC were calculated for the isolates. Results: According to the results, 77 patients with otomycosis were positive for different Aspergillus (88.3%) and Candida (11.7%) species. Aspergillus niger complex (n=36) was found to be the most common agent, followed by A. flavus, A. terreus, and A. nidulans complexes. Furthermore, epidemiological cutoff values (ECVs) were lower than those presented by the CLSI for itraconazole and caspofungin in 98.5% and 42.6% of Aspergillus species, respectively. Terbinafine exhibited a great activity against Aspergillus species, while fluconazole revealed a low activity against both Aspergillus species. Based on the results, 77.8% of Candida species were resistant to caspofungin; however, miconazole and econazole had low MIC ranges. Conclusion: Aspergillus niger and A. flavus complexes were identified as the most common agents accounting for 85.7% of the isolates. In addition, terbinafine was identified as the best antifungal for both Aspergillus and Candida species. Moreover, tested azoles had relatively low MICs, whereas most of the isolates had the MIC values beyond the caspofungin ECVs.
The Population Ecology of Wild Horses in the Australian Alps

In this thesis I examine the population ecology of wild horses (Equus caballus) in the Australian Alps. Wild horses were first introduced into the Alps over 150 years ago. Paradoxically, they are a feral animal impacting on the environment, but are also a cultural icon. Managing wild horse populations is contentious and needs to be founded on knowledge of their population ecology. This is the first study of its kind in the Australian Alps and therefore has a broad focus. Four general areas were addressed: distribution, estimation of abundance and density, population dynamics and the influence of brumby-running. The study was conducted between 1999 and 2002 inclusive in the Australian Alps national parks, which form a contiguous protected area in south-eastern Australia from the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in the north, through New South Wales (NSW) and into Victoria in the south. The current distribution of wild horses in the Australian Alps national parks is patchy. There are five major discrete populations in NSW and Victoria with the northern most population in Kosciuszko National Park (NSW) bordering on the ACT. A review of published material and oral history reveals historic influences on distribution. The presence of each population is associated with introductions by people. The distribution of some populations expanded after introductions and many have fluctuated over time. Distributions have been contained or reduced through control by people, natural events such as snow and drought and by geographical barriers. Park managers eliminated a population of wild horses in the ACT in the 1980s. Distributions have expanded in areas without active management (notably northern Kosciuszko National Park) and are likely to continue expanding under a policy of no management. In February and March 2001, abundance and density of wild horses were estimated by helicopter aerial survey in areas where the mapping showed horses to occur. This was the first time that these parameters have been estimated empirically. I compared three different aerial survey techniques (strip, mark-recapture and line transect) based on relative accuracy and precision and found that line transect analysis gave the highest, most precise estimate.
Associations of Hyper-filtration and Proteinuria with Clinical Severity Score among Adult Sudanese Sickle anemia patients

Background: Sickle Cell Anemia (SCA) is an autosomal recessive haemoglobinopathy with high morbidity and mortality. Global survival of sickle patients is increased and subsequently, prevalence of chronic complications including renal manifestations due to advances in management. Therefore, early detection and management of these complications become mandatory. This study aimed to investigate the estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR), proteinuria and serum uric acid as markers of renal involvement in Sudanese sickle adults and association between these parameters and clinical severity score of sickle cell disease. Methods: Cross-sectional hospital-based study included thirty-two adult Sudanese patients diagnosed with SCA and twenty-three controls. Written informed consent was obtained. Blood and urine samples were collected. Severity score was calculated using Bios online calculator and eGFR was calculated using Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) formula without adjustment for ethnicity. Results: Protein/Creatinine Ratio (PCR) was significantly higher (p-value < 0.001) in sickle cell anaemia group compared to controls. Hyper-filtration and Hyperuricemia were manifested in 75% and 6.3% of SCA group respectively. There was no association between the severity score and renal manifestations in the SCA group. Conclusions: Hyper-filtration and proteinuria were the most prevalent renal manifestations in SCA group. Further studies are recommended to determine the predictors of renal complications and early management of them.
Evaluating the impact of artificial intelligence technologies in public services: towards an assessment framework

Many governments are exploring applications of AI technologies to improve their public services. While AI has the potential to radically improve governmental processes, services and policy, limited studies empirically validate the effects of the use of AI. In this research paper, a first discussion on the development of a conceptual framework to research more rigorously the effects of AI in government is proposed. The proposed elements of the framework build upon the current understanding of the drivers influencing adoption of AI and takes into account the need for complementary organisational changes for increasing impact. The model follows a public value approach to understand the possible impact of AI on both the internal mechanism of the organisation, public service quality and broader societal effects.
Population Genetics of the Wyoming Endemic Phlox pungens Dorn (Polemoniaceae)

Abstract. Phlox pungens is a rare taxon restricted to cold deserts in the Wyoming Basins Ecoregion of west-central Wyoming, with occurrences in both the Wind River Basin (from which it was originally described) and the Green River Basin (populations that have been characterized as a different “morph”). The population genetics of P. pungens was investigated using microsatellite markers developed for the genus. Four microsatellite loci were genotyped from a total of 200 individuals of P. pungens from 10 sites. Ploidy levels were also assessed using flow cytometry. Most sampled populations of P. pungens were tetraploid, but 2 populations in the Green River Basin were diploid, and one high-ploidy population was discovered in the Wind River Basin. Mitotic chromosome counts were conducted for the high-ploidy site and documented the presence of 10x individuals (2n = approximately 70). Microsatellite data analysis revealed moderate genetic differentiation between populations of P. pungens, notably structured by geography with the Wind River Basin versus the Green River Basin (i.e., the 2 morphs) corresponding closely to different genetic groups. Cytotypic variation generally did not impact genetic patterns, with the exception of the high-ploidy population, which constituted a third genetic group with a high number of alleles per locus and many private alleles. The genetic differences between the 2 morphs were driven more by different allele frequencies than by fixation for different alleles at these microsatellite loci. The results of this study highlight the genetic differentiation between populations of P. pungens in the Wind River versus the Green River Basins. Moreover, P. pungens is part of a taxonomically challenging set of glandular cespitose Phlox taxa distributed in western North America, and our findings on population genetic variation in this rare taxon contribute to ongoing work on taxonomy and diversity in the Phlox study system.
Aster chuanshanensis (Asteraceae), a New Species from Shanxi and Sichuan, China

Aster chuanshanensis W.P. Li, a new species of Asteraceae from Shanxi and Sichuan, China, is described and illustrated based on morphological, micromorphological, molecular and cytological evidence. It is similar to A. indicus and A. shimadae, but differs from them in rhizome type, leaf size and texture, receptacle shape, floral tube and pappi lengths, and in the ratio of stigmatic line to the style arm appendage. Phylogenetic analysis based on nrDNA (ITS and ETS) sequence data supported A. chuanshanensis as a distinct species belonging to sect. Asteromoea. It is diploid with a karyotype 2n = 2x = 18m, which distinguishes it from the morphologically similar species.
Pyroxasulfone is Effective for Management of Bromus spp. in Winter Wheat in Western Canada

Abstract In response to concerns about acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor–resistant weeds in wheat production systems, we explored the efficacy of managing Bromus spp. , downy and Japanese bromes, in a winter wheat system using alternative herbicide treatments applied in either fall or spring. Trials were established at Lethbridge and Kipp, Alberta, and Scott, Saskatchewan, Canada over three growing seasons (2012–2014) to compare the efficacy of pyroxasulfone (a soil-applied very-long-chain fatty acid elongase inhibitor; WSSA Group 15) and flumioxazin (a protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitor; WSSA Group 14) against industry-standard ALSinhibiting herbicides for downy and Japanese brome control. Winter wheat injury from herbicide application was minor, with the exception of flucarbazone application at Scott. Bromus spp. control was greatest with pyroxsulam and all herbicide treatments containing pyroxasulfone. Downy and Japanese bromes were controlled least by thiencarbazone and flumioxazin, respectively, whereas Bromus spp. had intermediate responses to the other herbicides tested. Herbicides applied in fall resulted in reduced winter wheat yield relative to the spring applications. Overall, pyroxasulfone or pyroxsulam provided the most efficacious Bromus spp. control compared with the other herbicides and consistently maintained optimal winter wheat yields. Therefore, pyroxasulfone could facilitate management of Bromus spp. resistant to ALS inhibitors in winter wheat in the southern growing regions of western Canada. Improved weed control and delayed herbicide resistance may be achieved when pyroxasulfone is applied in combination with flumioxazin. Nomenclature: Flucarbazone; flumioxazin; pyroxasulfone; pyroxsulam; thiencarbazone; downy brome, Bromus tectorum L. BROTE; Japanese brome, Bromus japonicus Thunb. BROJA; winter wheat, Triticum aestivum L.
The Reliability of Fitts’s Law as a Movement Model for People with and without Limited Fine Motor Function

For over six decades, Fitts’s law (1954) has been utilized by researchers to quantify human pointing performance in terms of “throughput,” a combined speed-accuracy measure of aimed movement efficiency. Throughput measurements are commonly used to evaluate pointing techniques and devices, helping to inform software and hardware developments. Although Fitts’s law has been used extensively in HCI and beyond, its test-retest reliability, both in terms of throughput and model fit, from one session to the next, is still unexplored. Additionally, despite the fact that prior work has shown that Fitts’s law provides good model fits, with Pearson correlation coefficients commonly at r=. 90 or above, the model fitness of Fitts’s law has not been thoroughly investigated for people who exhibit limited fine motor function in their dominant hand. To fill these gaps, we conducted a study with 21 participants with limited fine motor function and 34 participants without such limitations. Each participant performed a classic reciprocal pointing task comprising vertical ribbons in a 1-D layout in two sessions, which were at least four hours and at most 48 hours apart. Our findings indicate that the throughput values between the two sessions were statistically significantly different, both for people with and without limited fine motor function, suggesting that Fitts’s law provides low test-retest reliability. Importantly, the test-retest reliability of Fitts’s throughput metric was 4.7% lower for people with limited fine motor function. Additionally, we found that the model fitness of Fitts’s law as measured by Pearson correlation coefficient, r, was . 89 (SD=0.08) for people without limited fine motor function, and . 81 (SD=0.09) for people with limited fine motor function. Taken together, these results indicate that Fitts’s law should be used with caution and, if possible, over multiple sessions, especially when used in assistive technology evaluations.
Cover Crops have Negligible Impact on Soil Water in Nebraska Maize–Soybean Rotation

One perceived cost of integrating winter cover cropping in maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ] rotation systems is the potential negative impact on soil water storage available for primary crop production. The objective of this 3-yr study was to evaluate the effects of winter cover crops on soil water storage and cover crop biomass production following no-till maize and soybean rotations. Locations were near Brule (west-central), Clay Center (south-central), Concord (northeast), and Mead (east-central), NE. Treatments included crop residue only (no cover crop) and a multi-species cover crop mix, both broadcast-seeded before primary crop harvest and drilled following harvest. Pre-harvest broadcast-seeded cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) was also included in the last year of the study because rye was observed to be the dominant component of the mix in spring biomass samples. Soil water content was monitored using neutron probe or gravimetric techniques. Mean aboveground cover crop biomass ranged from practically 0 to ∼3,200 kg ha–¹ across locations and cover crop treatments. Differences in the change in soil water storage between autumn and spring among treatments occurred in 4 of 20 location–rotation phase–years for the top 0.3 m of soil and 3 of 20 location–rotation phase–years for the 1.2-m soil profile. However, these differences were small (<11 mm for the top 0.3 m and <26 mm for the 1.2-m profile). In conclusion, winter cover crops did not have an effect on soil water content that would impact maize and soybean crop production.
The Enhanced Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy by Emotional Intelligence Depended on Proactive Personality

espanolIntroduccion. La adolescencia es un periodo de transicion entre la infancia y la edad adulta durante el cual se toma la decision de emprender una carrera. Ademas, la inteligencia emo- cional esta vinculada a la autoeficacia en la toma de decisiones profesionales, y algunos ado- lescentes poseen un rasgo de personalidad proactiva que aparentemente fortalece la relacion entre los dos conceptos. Metodo. Este estudio evaluo las relaciones entre la inteligencia emocional y la autoeficacia en la toma de decisiones profesionales y considero si dichas relaciones son moderadas (forta- lecidas o debilitadas) por la personalidad proactiva. Se encuesto una muestra grupal (N = 840) de escuelas secundarias estatales superiores en Indonesia. Resultados. La autoeficacia en la toma de decisiones profesionales se correlaciono con la inteligencia emocional. Ademas, la personalidad proactiva tuvo un efecto moderador en la relacion entre la inteligencia emocional y la autoeficacia en la toma de decisiones profesiona- les. Discusion y Conclusion: Existe una relacion positiva significativa entre los dos factores, y se acepta la hipotesis. El papel de la personalidad proactiva sugiere que las intervenciones pro- fesionales deberian enfatizar los aspectos de la personalidad proactiva para aumentar la auto- eficacia de los adolescentes en la toma de decisiones profesionales. EnglishIntroduction. Adolescence is a transition period between childhood and adulthood during which a decision to embark on a career is made. Furthermore, emotional intelligence is linked to self-efficacy in career decision-making, and some adolescents possess a proactive person- ality trait that seemingly strengthens the relation between the two concepts. Method. This study evaluated relations between emotional intelligence and career decision- making self-efficacy and considered whether such relations are moderated (strengthened or weakened) by proactive personality. A group sample (N = 840) from state senior high schools in Indonesia was surveyed. Results. Career decision-making self-efficacy correlated with emotional intelligence. Addi- tionally, proactive personality had a moderating effect on the relation between emotional in- telligence and career decision-making self-efficacy. Discussion and Conclusion. There is a significant positive relation exists between the two factors, and the hypothesis is accepted. The role of proactive personality suggests that career interventions should emphasize proactive personality aspects to increase the career decision- making self-efficacy of adolescents