Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IGBT Open-Circuit Fault Diagnosis for MMC Submodules Based on Weighted-Amplitude Permutation Entropy and DS Evidence Fusion Theory

Modular multilevel converters (MMCs) have a complex structure and a large number of submodules (SMs). If there is a fault in one of the SMs, it will affect the reliable operation of the system. Therefore, rapid fault diagnosis and accurate fault positioning are crucial to ensuring the continuous operation of the system. However, the IGBT open-circuit faults in different submodules of MMCs have similar fault features, and the traditional fault feature extraction method cannot effectively extract the key features of the fault so as to accurately locate the faulty submodules. In response to this problem, this paper proposes a fault diagnosis method based on weighted-amplitude permutation entropy (WAPE) and DS evidence fusion theory. The simulation results show that WAPE has better feature extraction ability than basic permutation entropy, and the fused multiscale feature decision output has better diagnostic accuracy than the single-scale feature. Compared with traditional fault diagnosis methods, this method achieves the diagnosis of multiple fault types by collecting a single signal, which greatly reduces the number of samples and leads to higher diagnostic accuracy and faster diagnostic speed.
Smart panels for active structural acoustic control

This paper presents a theoretical study comparing the sound transmission through different types of smart panels. All of the smart panels considered consist of an aluminium plate of dimensions 247 278 1 mm with embedded structural sensors and actuators. The analysis has focused on systems were simple single channel feedback controllers can be used so that self-contained, compact and lightsensor-controller-actuator devices can be built. The panels studied can be classified as being between two limiting cases: first, a panel with a collocated volume velocity sensor and uniform force actuator pair connected via a single channel fixed gain feedback control; second a panel with a 44 grid of collocated point velocity sensors and point force actuators each controlled by a decentralised single channel fixed gain feedback control system. For each type of panel the control effectiveness obtained with ideal distributed or local sensor and actuator systems have been contrasted with those of more realistic devices in which the sensing system is made either of a large piezoelectric distributed film or an array of accelerometer point transducers, and the actuation is given either by a large piezoelectric film or an array of small piezoelectric patches. The control effectiveness, stability and robustness of each control configuration have been discussed. Also, some practical problems related to the construction of the smart panels have been briefly described.
Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms of IL-6 and susceptibility to skin cancer: a meta-analysis and systematic review

Background As one of the most common body malignant cancers, skin cancers contain a group of highly heterogeneous tumors with different malignant potential, prognosis and treatment methods. Despite the progress in the treatment of skin cancers worldwide, the overall prognosis is still poor. Recent studies indicated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of interleukin-6 (IL-6), including 174G/C and 597G/A, might be associated with susceptibility to skin cancer. This meta-analysis aims to clarify the relationship between IL-6 gene polymorphisms and skin cancers. Methods Eligible studies were identified from searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane. Pooled odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were obtained for the relationships between IL-6 174G/C and 597G/A polymorphisms and skin cancer using random-effects models. For the included studies, the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) score was calculated to assess study quality. Heterogeneity tests, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias assessments were also performed. Trim-and-fill method was used when publication bias existed aiming to adjusting OR. All data were analyzed in R (version 4.0.2). Results This meta-analysis included 1,705 cases and 1,987 controls for 174G/C polymorphism (10 publications), and 968 cases and 998 controls for 597G/A polymorphism (3 publications). No elevated risk of skin cancer was found in all comparisons for 174G/C polymorphism: CC vs. GC + GG, OR =1.03 (95% CI: 0.81–1.31); GC + CC vs. GG, OR =1.16 (95% CI: 0.96–1.39); CC vs. GG, OR =1.14 (95% CI: 0.86–1.53); GC vs. GG, OR =1.16 (95% CI: 0.99–1.37); C vs. G, OR =1.07 (95% CI: 0.92–1.24). Then we performed subgroup analysis based on publication year, the cancer type, sample size, NOS score. Significant differences were observed in the subgroup of publication year before 2010 (GC + CC vs. GG, OR =1.255, P=0.012; GC vs. GG, OR =1.277, P=0.01), while there is no statistical significance in the subgroup of publication year after 2010 (P>0.05 for all comparisons). After publication bias adjustment, the results further suggested that 174G/C polymorphism is not associated with the risk of skin cancer. No elevated risk of skin cancer was found in the comparisons for 597G/A polymorphism. Discussion Current evidence showed that IL-6 gene polymorphisms might not be associated with the susceptibility to skin cancer.
Does Board Overlap Promote Coordination Between Firms?

We investigate how board overlap affects coordination and performance among public firms. Our identification exploits the staggered introduction of Corporate Opportunity Waivers (COWs) in nine U.S. states since 2000. By reducing legal risk to directors serving on multiple boards, the COW legislation increased intra-industry board overlap for those firms that benefit most from the information flow facilitated by board overlap. We find that more board overlap improves firm profitability but also reduces investment, product overlap, and innovation. Our findings support the notion that board overlap curtails firm rivalry.
Thermal fogging with disinfectants and antifreezes enables effective industrial disinfection in subzero cold‐chain environment

During several local COVID‐19 outbreaks in China in 2020, SARS‐CoV‐2 or its RNA was isolated or detected from frozen food or packages, revealing the lack of effective disinfection measures in the frozen food chain and risk of transmission. We explored the possibility that disinfectant plus antifreeze could be delivered as thermal fog to realize effective disinfection at subzero temperatures.
Interleukin-10-Mediated Lymphopenia Caused by Acute Infection with Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus in Mice

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is characterized by a pronounced lymphopenia that is associated with immune suppression. However, the mechanisms leading to lymphopenia remain unclear. In this study, the number of total CD4+, CD8+ T cells, B cells, and NK cells in the peripheral blood were dramatically reduced in C57BL/6 mice infected with foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype O, and it was noted that mice with severe clinical symptoms had expressively lower lymphocyte counts than mice with mild or without clinical symptoms, indicating that lymphopenia was associated with disease severity. A further analysis revealed that lymphocyte apoptosis and trafficking occurred after FMDV infection. In addition, coinhibitory molecules were upregulated in the expression of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from FMDV-infected mice, including CTLA-4, LAG-3, 2B4, and TIGIT. Interestingly, the elevated IL-10 in the serum was correlated with the appearance of lymphopenia during FMDV infection but not IL-6, IL-2, IL-17, IL-18, IL-1β, TNF-α, IFN-α/β, TGF-β, and CXCL1. Knocking out IL-10 (IL-10-/-) mice or blocking IL-10/IL-10R signaling in vivo was able to prevent lymphopenia via downregulating apoptosis, trafficking, and the coinhibitory expression of lymphocytes in the peripheral blood, which contribute to enhance the survival of mice infected with FMDV. Our findings support that blocking IL-10/IL-10R signaling may represent a novel therapeutic approach for FMD.
Towards a Comprehensive Characterization of the Low-Temperature Autoxidation of Di-n-Butyl Ether

In the present study, we investigated the oxidation of 2500 ppm of di-n-butyl ether under fuel-rich conditions (φ = 2) at low temperatures (460–780 K), a residence time of 1 s, and 10 atm. The experiments were carried out in a fused silica jet-stirred reactor. Oxidation products were identified and quantified in gas samples by gas chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. Samples were also trapped through bubbling in cool acetonitrile for high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses. 2,4-dinitro-phenylhydrazine was used to derivatize carbonyl products and distinguish them from other isomers. HPLC coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (Orbitrap Q-Exactive®) allowed for the detection of oxygenated species never observed before, i.e., low-temperature oxidation products (C8H12O4,6, C8H16O3,5,7, and C8H18O2,5) and species that are more specific products of atmospheric oxidation, i.e., C16H34O4, C11H24O3, C11H22O3, and C10H22O3. Flow injection analyses indicated the presence of high molecular weight oxygenated products (m/z > 550). These results highlight the strong similitude in terms of classes of oxidation products of combustion and atmospheric oxidation, and through autoxidation processes. A kinetic modeling of the present experiments indicated some discrepancies with the present data.
Endocan: A Novel Marker for Colchicine Resistance in Familial Mediterranean Fever Patients?

Introduction: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) patients had 5–10% colchicine resistance. Although FMF attacks are characterized by acute phase elevation, there are no biomarkers that can show colchicine resistance yet. The serum endocan levels may elevate in inflammatory and auto-inflammatory diseases. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate serum endocan levels in FMF patients according to whether attack and colchicine resistance or not and also compare them with classical acute phase reactants. Methods: In this single-center and cross-sectional study, a total of 111 FMF patients and 60 healthy individuals were enrolled. All patients' basic demographic and clinical data were recorded and blood samples were collected. Results: A total of 46 (41.4%) FMF patients had colchicine resistance. In comparison to the FMF patients according to colchicine response, colchicine resistance patients had a significantly higher median (IQR) endocan levels than colchicine responsive patients [36.98 ng/ml (97.41) vs. 13.57 ng/ml (27.87), p = 0.007], but there were no differences between in terms of median ESR and CRP levels. Inversely, serum endocan levels were similar during an attack and attack-free period in FMF patients, although ESR and CRP levels were significantly different. Interestingly, the highest serum endocan levels were in the control group. Conclusion: In conclusion, serum endocan levels were higher in colchicine resistance than colchicine responsive patients, but attack state had no effect on serum endocan levels in our study. Unlike ESR and CRP, serum endocan may be a novel biomarker for detection of colchicine resistance and distinguish the FMF attacks.
Comfort Evaluation of Slow-Recovery Ejection Seat Cushions Based on Sitting Pressure Distribution

Sitting discomfort not only affects the health of pilots carrying out long-endurance missions but also affects operational performance. The experimental objects included four ejection seat cushions: N1 was a fast-recovery foam as the comparison group, and the experimental groups were slow-recovery foams with different indentation force deflection (IFD), named N2 (hard), N3 (mid), and N4 (soft). The sitting comfort of 20 participants was tested on the four cushions by using subjective rating and sitting pressure distribution analysis. The results showed that compared with fast-recovery cushion N3 and N4 slow-recovery cushions have lower contact pressure and more uniform pressure distribution. Slow-recovery cushions that were too soft or too hard would reduce the comfort. No matter from the subjective rating or the analysis of the contact pressure data, the N3 cushion with a thickness of 3 cm and 65% IFD of 280 N had the highest comfort. In addition, the seat pressure distribution (SPD%) has a significant correlation with the subjective rating (p = 0.019, R = −0.98), which is more suitable for evaluating the comfort of the cushions. However, the slow-recovery cushions would show a decrease in support after a period of sitting, while the fast-recovery cushion could always maintain constant support.
Widespread Circulation of Flaviviruses in Horses and Birds in Northeastern Spain (Catalonia) between 2010 and 2019

The surveillance for West Nile virus (WNV) in Catalonia (northeastern Spain) has consistently detected flaviviruses not identified as WNV. With the aim of characterizing the flaviviruses circulating in Catalonia, serum samples from birds and horses collected between 2010 and 2019 and positive by panflavivirus competition ELISA (cELISA) were analyzed by microneutralization test (MNT) against different flaviviruses. A third of the samples tested were inconclusive by MNT, highlighting the limitations of current diagnostic techniques. Our results evidenced the widespread circulation of flaviviruses, in particular WNV, but also Usutu virus (USUV), and suggest that chicken and horses could serve as sentinels for both viruses. In several regions, WNV and USUV overlapped, but no significant geographical aggregation was observed. Bagaza virus (BAGV) was not detected in birds, while positivity to tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) was sporadically detected in horses although no endemic foci were observed. So far, no human infections by WNV, USUV, or TBEV have been reported in Catalonia. However, these zoonotic flaviviruses need to be kept under surveillance, ideally within a One Health framework.
Long-term memory predictors of adult language learning at the interface between syntactic form and meaning

Recent neurocognitive models of second language learning have posited specific roles for declarative and procedural memory in the processing of novel linguistic stimuli. Pursuing this line of investigation, the present exploratory study examined the role of declarative and procedural memory abilities in the early stages of adult comprehension of sentences in a miniature language with natural language characteristics (BrocantoJ). Thirty-six native Italian young adults were aurally exposed to BrocantoJ in the context of a computer game over three sessions on consecutive days. Following vocabulary training and passive exposure, participants were asked to perform game moves described by aural sentences in the language. Game trials differed with respect to the information the visual context offered. In part of the trials processing of relationships between grammatical properties of the language (word order and morphological case marking) and noun semantics (thematic role) was necessary in order reach an accurate outcome, whereas in others nongrammatical contextual cues were sufficient. Declarative and procedural learning abilities were respectively indexed by visual and verbal declarative memory measures and by a measure of visual implicit sequence learning. Overall, the results indicated a substantial role of declarative learning ability in the early stages of sentence comprehension, thus confirming theoretical predictions and the findings of previous similar studies in miniature artificial language paradigms. However, for trials that specifically probed the learning of relationships between morphosyntax and semantics, a positive interaction between declarative and procedural learning ability also emerged, indicating the cooperative engagement of both types of learning abilities in the processing of relationships between ruled-based grammar and interpretation in the early stages of exposure to a new language in adults.
Determinants of Disparity in Desired Fertility among Married Women in Urban and Rural Areas of Southwest Nigeria.

Purpose: The study examined the determinants of disparity in desired fertility among married women in urban and rural centres in Southwest Nigeria. Methodology: The study adopted a mixed method research design. A total number of one thousand one hundred and eighty-seven (1,187) women (urban=713; rural=474) of reproductive ages (15-49) years were drawn from Southwest States in Nigeria using multi-stage sampling technique. Questionnaire method was used to gather data from the field. Three levels of data analysis were undertaken to achieve the study objectives. Frequency distribution of socio-demographic factors by place of residence was used at the univariate stage of analyses, chi-square test and binary logistic regression were used at the bivariate and multivariate levels of analysis. Findings: The results showed that more than three-quarter (79.4%) desired four children and below while more than one-fifth (20.6%) of the women desired 5 children and above. Higher percentage of women (84.8%) desired four children and below in rural area when compared with women in urban centres (75.7%). However, among those that desired 5 children and above higher proportion (24.3%) was found in the urban centres when compared with their counterpart in rural areas (15.2%). There is significant relationship (p<0.05) between desired number of children and education of women, husband’s education, religion, age of husband and birth interval urban areas while there is significant relationship between desired number of children and women and husbands’ education in rural areas. Further analysis showed that women’s education especially women with below secondary education had higher odds of desiring more children than those with post-secondary education (OR: 1.57; 95% C.I: 0.70-3.56). In addition, women whose husbands had no education, below secondary education and secondary education were less likely to desire more children in the urban areas than those with post-secondary education. In rural areas, there was significant relationship (p<0.05) between women whose husbands had no education, below secondary education and desired fertility. Women whose husbands had no education and those whose husbands had below secondary education were 16.94 and 2.93 more likely to desire more children than those in the reference category respectively. In addition, women who were Christian were more likely to desire more children in urban areas than their counterparts who were traditionalists. It was also discovered that women who spaced their births for twenty-four months and below were 0.51 times less likely to desire more children than their counterparts in the reference category (OR:0.51; 95%C.I 0.32-0.80). Recommendation: The study recommends that policy aimed at reducing the desired fertility in both urban and rural areas should be implemented with the hope that high fertility rate will be reduced to a manageable level.
Decision-making in Engineering Design: Observations from Design Experiments

SUMMARY During the engineering design process, decisions influence both the direction of the process and the definition of the product. The process of decision-making is not understood completely, so more research into how decisions are actually made is needed. To that end, descriptive studies, i.e. studies on how design processes actually take place, have been undertaken in a controlled laboratory environment at Cambridge Engineering Design Centre. This paper describes these studies, discusses the main research issues, presents some results and identifies some of the limitations of this type of research.
Profiling of Antifungal Activities and In Silico Studies of Natural Polyphenols from Some Plants

A worldwide increase in the incidence of fungal infections, emergence of new fungal strains, and antifungal resistance to commercially available antibiotics indicate the need to investigate new treatment options for fungal diseases. Therefore, the interest in exploring the antifungal activity of medicinal plants has now been increased to discover phyto-therapeutics in replacement to conventional antifungal drugs. The study was conducted to explore and identify the mechanism of action of antifungal agents of edible plants, including Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Cinnamomum tamala, Amomum subulatum, Trigonella foenumgraecum, Mentha piperita, Coriandrum sativum, Lactuca sativa, and Brassica oleraceae var. italica. The antifungal potential was assessed via the disc diffusion method and, subsequently, the extracts were assessed for phytochemicals and total antioxidant activity. Potent polyphenols were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and antifungal mechanism of action was evaluated in silico. Cinnamomum zeylanicum exhibited antifungal activity against all the tested strains while all plant extracts showed antifungal activity against Fusarium solani. Rutin, kaempferol, and quercetin were identified as common polyphenols. In silico studies showed that rutin displayed the greatest affinity with binding pocket of fungal 14-alpha demethylase and nucleoside diphosphokinase with the binding affinity (Kd, −9.4 and −8.9, respectively), as compared to terbinafine. Results indicated that Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Cinnamomum tamala exert their antifungal effect possibly due to kaempferol and rutin, respectively, or possibly by inhibition of nucleoside diphosphokinase (NDK) and 14-alpha demethylase (CYP51), while Amomum subulatum and Trigonella foenum graecum might exhibit antifungal potential due to quercetin. Overall, the study demonstrates that plant-derived products have a high potential to control fungal infections.
Impact of corporate tax aggressiveness on firm value: evidence from India

PurposeThere is mixed evidence in the extant literature on the firm value implications of corporate tax aggressiveness in the developed economies. There are, however, limited studies that discuss this relationship in the case of emerging economies. The present study aims to bridge this research gap by exploring the relationship between corporate tax aggressiveness and firm value in context of the Indian economy.Design/methodology/approachThe sample comprises 547 S&P BSE 500 (Standard and Poor's Bombay Stock Exchange 500) Index companies for Financial Year (FY) 2009–10 through FY 2018–19. A fixed-effects panel model has been used to discern the impact of corporate tax aggressiveness on firm value with and without the moderating effect of a proxy for corporate governance strength.FindingsThe results highlight a significant negative relationship between corporate tax aggressiveness and firm value in India, whilst the analysis on the moderating effect of corporate governance strength on this relationship revealed a mix of significant and insignificant results. These results were robust to an alternate specification of the corporate governance strength proxy, the system GMM estimation employed to deal with endogeneity and a change in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) regulation brought into effect by the Companies Act, 2013.Originality/valueThe study reveals a firm value discount associated with corporate tax aggressiveness in India which is likely due to its ability to increase opportunities for wealth expropriation by managers. This can further be attributed to the ineffective corporate governance mechanisms that make agency problems more severe in the case of emerging economies like India.