Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multi-Objective Model-Predictive Control for High-Power Converters

This paper presents a multi-objective model-predictive control (MOMPC) strategy for controlling converters in high-power applications. The controller uses the system model to predict the system behavior in each sampling interval for each voltage vector, and the most appropriate vector is then chosen according to an optimization criterion. By changing the cost function properly, multiobjectives can be achieved. To eliminate the influences of one step delay in digital implementation, a model-based prediction scheme is introduced. For high-power applications, the converter switching frequency is normally kept low in order to reduce the switching losses; this is done by adding a nonlinear constraint in the cost function. However, to avoid system stability deterioration caused by the low switching frequency, an N-step horizontal prediction is proposed. Finally, the control algorithm is simplified using a graphical algorithm to reduce the computational burden. The proposed MOMPC strategy was verified numerically by using MATLAB/Simulink, and validated experimentally using a laboratory ac/dc converter.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL GEOMETRIES AND THE ANALYSIS OF H ii REGIONS

We compare emission line intensities from photoionization models of smooth and fractal shell geometries for low density H ii regions, with particular focus on the low-ionization diagnostic diagram [N ii]/Hα versus Hα. Building on previously published models and observations of Barnard's Loop, we show that the observed range of intensities and variations in the line intensity ratios may be reproduced with a three-dimensional shell geometry. Our models adopt solar abundances throughout the model nebula, in contrast with previous one-dimensional modeling which suggested the variations in line intensity ratios could only be reproduced if the heavy element abundances were increased by a factor of ∼1.4. For spatially resolved H ii regions, the multiple sightlines that pierce and sample different ionization and temperature conditions within smooth and fractal shells produce a range of line intensities that are easily overlooked if only the total integrated intensities from the entire nebula model are computed. Our conclusion is that inference of H ii region properties, such as elemental abundances, via photoionization models of one-dimensional geometries must be treated with caution and further tested through three-dimensional modeling.
Novel Minicircle Vector for Gene Therapy in Murine Myocardial Infarction

Background— Conventional plasmids for gene therapy produce low-level and short-term gene expression. In this study, we develop a novel nonviral vector that robustly and persistently expresses the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) therapeutic gene in the heart, leading to functional benefits after myocardial infarction. Methods and Results— We first created minicircles (MC) carrying double-fusion reporter gene consisting of firefly luciferase and enhanced green fluorescent protein (Fluc-eGFP) for noninvasive measurement of transfection efficiency. Mouse C2C12 myoblasts and normal FVB/N mice were used for in vitro and in vivo confirmation, respectively. Bioluminescence imaging showed stable MC gene expression in the heart for >12 weeks and the activity level was 5.6±1.2-fold stronger than regular plasmid at day 4 (P<0.01). Next, we created MC carrying HIF-1α (MC-HIF-1α) therapeutic gene for treatment of myocardial infarction. Adult FVB/N mice underwent left anterior descending ligation and were injected intramyocardially with: (1) MC-HIF-1α; (2) regular plasmid carrying HIF-1α (PL-HIF-1α) as positive control; and (3) PBS as negative control (n=10/group). Echocardiographic study showed a significantly greater improvement of left ventricular ejection fraction in the MC group (51.3%±3.6%) compared to regular plasmid group (42.3%±4.1%) and saline group (30.5%±2.8%) at week 4 (P<0.05 for both). Histology demonstrated increased neoangiogenesis in both treatment groups. Finally, Western blot showed MC express >50% higher HIF-1α level than regular plasmid. Conclusion— Taken together, this is the first study to our knowledge to demonstrate that MC can significantly improve transfection efficiency, duration of transgene expression, and cardiac contractility. Given the serious drawbacks associated with most viral vectors, we believe this novel nonviral vector can be of great value for cardiac gene therapy protocols.
Relationship Between Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy and Brugada Syndrome: New Insights From Molecular Biology and Clinical Implications

Both arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) and Brugada syndrome (BS) are inherited conditions, which distinctively affect the RV and predispose to arrhythmic sudden cardiac death (SCD). 1,2 Although ARVC is a heart muscle disorder characterized by loss of RV myocardium with fibrofatty substitution which constitute a part of the substrate for malignant ventricular arrhythmias,3–5 BS is a primary electrical heart disease, and the ventricular electrical instability is not directly related to widespread, major structural myocardial changes.6–8 Since the first description of BS in 1992, problems on nosographic definition, pathogenetic relationship, and differential diagnosis with ARVC have emerged on the basis of common phenotypic manifestations mostly related to the predominant RV involvement with right precordial ECG repolarization abnormalities, RV (outflow tract [OT]) conduction disturbances, and RV ventricular arrhythmias degenerating into ventricular fibrillation (VF). 9,10 Moreover, because of the concealed nature of structural changes, which may fall under the resolution power of routine imaging techniques, early/minor variants of ARVC may simulate a channelopathy-like primarily electrical disorder mimicking BS.11 Whether ARVC and BS actually have a common pathogenetic denominator remained unsolved by past clinical and pathologic studies. However, recent experimental studies have renewed the interest in identifying the mechanisms responsible for the overlapping disease phenotype by demonstrating a subcellular inter-relationship caused by a cross talk between desmosomal and sodium channel proteins.12–21 This article reviews the available clinical, imaging, electrophysiologic, and pathologic evidence of the overlapping phenotype between ARVC and BS and reweaves the scientific discussion about the possible pathogenetic link between these 2 conditions on the basis of significant insights coming from recent studies of molecular biology. The purpose is to put into perspective the debate on this controversial issue, without claiming to draw definite conclusions. According to traditional …
Synchronous Physical-Layer Network Coding: A Feasibility Study

Recently, physical-layer network coding (PNC) attracts much attention due to its ability to improve throughput in relay-aided communications. However, the implementation of PNC is still a work in progress, and synchronization is a significant and difficult issue. This paper investigates the feasibility of synchronous PNC with M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (M-QAM). We first propose a synchronization scheme for PNC. Then, we analyze the synchronization errors and overhead of potential synchronization techniques, which includes phase-locked loop (PLL) and maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) based synchronization schemes. Their effects on the average symbol error rate and the goodput are subsequently discussed. Based on the analysis, we perform numerical evaluations and reveal that synchronous PNC can outperform conventional network coding (CNC) even when taking synchronization errors and overhead into account. The theoretical throughput gain of PNC over CNC can be approached when using the MLE based synchronization method with optimized training sequence length. The results in this paper provide some insights and benchmarks for the implementation of synchronous PNC.
The information security management toolbox - taking the pain out of security management

Because of changes that have taken place in the way that IT is used in organisations, as well as the purposes for which it is used, traditional forms of computer security are no longer adequate. Today, information is more important than the IT systems which house it and effective information security management is required to adequately protect this information. The implementation of information security management is, however, a complex process and a methodology for its implementation provided in the form of an interactive software tool, featuring automation of certain steps, would prove valuable to modern organisations.
Creative Thinking as a Predictor of Teacher Effectiveness in Higher Education

ABSTRACT: Creative thinking, defined as the quantity and quality of ideational fluency, was investigated as a predictor of teacher effectiveness in 58 college-level instructors. The correlation between creative thinking and teacher effectiveness defined as real-life problem solving was r = . 64, p < . 0001. The absence of a relation between creative thinking and student evaluations was attributed to the fact that student evaluations did not include their opinion of their teachers' creativity. The findings suggest the potential benefits in sponsoring pre-service and in-service workshops to enhance teachers' creative thinking ability and including creativity in the evaluations of faculty.
Immunoassay for detection of feline immunodeficiency virus core antigen

The feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a recently identified feline lentivirus that has been found at significant levels in domestic cat populations worldwide. A microdilution plate format, monoclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed for the detection of the FIV group-associated antigen (gag) designated p24. Assays of serially diluted samples containing disrupted virus showed that the assay had a sensitivity limit of approximately 0.2 ng/ml for FIV p24. The assay was approximately eightfold more sensitive than the assay for viral reverse transcriptase activity when it was tested with diluted tissue culture samples. A qualitative confirmation assay by standard antibody inhibition techniques was coupled to the screening test methodology. The test was used to detect and confirm the presence of virus in cultured feline lymphocytes from infected animals.
Inference of Genetic Networks from Time Course Expression Data Using Functional Regression with Lasso Penalty

Statistical inference of genetic regulatory networks is essential for understanding temporal interactions of regulatory elements inside the cells. In this work, we propose to infer the parameters of the ordinary differential equations using the techniques from functional data analysis (FDA) by regarding the observed time course expression data as continuous-time curves. For networks with a large number of genes, we take advantage of the sparsity of the networks by penalizing the linear coefficients with a L 1 norm. The ability of the algorithm to infer network structure is demonstrated using the cell-cycle time course data for Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Gender Recognition Based On Combining Facial and Hair Features

This paper presents a gender recognition method by combining three types of effective features, including facial texture features, hair geometry features, and mustache features. The recognition method includes two phases which are based on the AdaBoost algorithm. In the first phase, facial and hair features are extracted from a face image and then fed into a classifier to roughly classify the image into male and female classes. In the second phase, the mustache features are added into the feature vector of the female patterns which classified into female class in the first phase. The female patterns are then classified again to correct the misclassified patterns. The FERET database is used to evaluate our method in the experiment. In the FERET data set, 659 images are chosen in which 366 of them are used as training data and the rest are regarded as test data. The best classification rate of the proposed method achieves 96.25%.
Human rhinoviruses in INDIS‐study material—evidence for recovery of viable rhinovirus from fecal specimens

The significance of human rhinoviruses (HRV) as prevailing respiratory pathogens has sharpened during the recent years followed by implementation of molecular methods in detection. Rhinoviruses are detected exceedingly in hospitalized cases of respiratory infection with varying severity, in addition to being frequent in cases of common cold. The aim of this study was to evaluate occurrence of HRV in a prospective study material. The prospective INDIS material comprises nasopharyngeal (N = 429) and fecal (N = 425) specimens from children under 11 years of age collected during any clinical infection. Validated real‐time RT‐PCR assays were applied for the detection of HRV. HRV were detected numerously not only in the nasopharyngeal specimens, but a myriad also in fecal specimens, 236 (55.0%) and 149 (35.1%), respectively, fecal findings actually beyond anticipation. A total of 13 of HRV‐positive fecal specimens were selected for genetic typing in the VP4/VP2 coding region. HRV‐A strains were detected in seven specimens: HRV‐A9, ‐A10, ‐A24, ‐A49, ‐A56 and ‐A82. HRV‐B—strains were detected three times: HRV‐B42 and ‐B79, and HRV‐C twice: HRV‐C12 and HRV‐Cpat4. HRV‐B42 also showed cytopathic effect in cell culture, confirmed by real‐time RT‐PCR and VP4/VP2 sequencing, suggesting presence of viable HRV in fecal specimens. J. Med. Virol. 85:1466–1472, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An Alternative Way of Helping Chinese Parents With Parenting Difficulties: Learning From the Participants' Feedback on the Multiple Family Groups in Hong Kong

Children with special needs have posed a great challenge to parenting. The multiple family groups developed in the 1960s in Western societies have become an increasingly acceptable intervention approach to help families with special needs, but its application in Hong Kong has been limited. The authors launched a one-year project in March 2008 to examine the applicability of this model in resolving parenting difficulties in a Chinese context and, through the use of in-depth posttreatment interviews, to assess if the participants viewed this approach as beneficial. Parents who were interviewed reported positive changes at intra- and interfamilial levels. The implications of the study are discussed.
Infusion of Reconstituted High-Density Lipoprotein Leads to Acute Changes in Human Atherosclerotic Plaque

Studies have shown a reduction in plaque volume and change in plaque ultrasound characteristics after 4 infusions of reconstituted high-density lipoprotein (rHDL). Whether rHDL infusion leads to acute changes in plaque characteristics in humans is not known. Patients with claudication scheduled for percutaneous superficial femoral artery revascularization were randomized to receive 1 intravenous infusion of either placebo or rHDL (80 mg/kg given over 4 hours). Five to 7 days following the infusion, patients returned and revascularization was performed including atherectomy to excise plaque from the superficial femoral artery. Twenty patients (17 males) average age, 68±10 years (mean±SD) were recruited. Eleven patients had a history of documented coronary artery disease, all patients were on aspirin, and 18 were on statins. Ten of the patients received rHDL and 10 placebo. There was significantly less vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression (28±3% versus 50±3%; P<0.05) and a reduction in lipid content in the plaque of HDL-treated subjects compared to placebo. The level of HDL cholesterol increased by 20% after infusion of rHDL and the capacity of apolipoprotein B–depleted plasma to support cholesterol efflux increased. Intravenous infusion of a single dose of reconstituted HDL led to acute changes in plaque characteristics with a reduction in lipid content, macrophage size, and measures of inflammation. These changes may contribute to the cardioprotective effects of HDL.
A Technique for Detecting New Attacks in Low-Interaction Honeypot Traffic

Honeypots are flexible security tools for gathering artefacts associated with a variety of Internet attack activities. While existing work on honeypot traffic analysis focuses mainly on identifying existing attacks, this paper describes a technique for detecting new attacks based on principal component analysis. The proposed technique requires no prior knowledge of attack types and has low computational requirements that makes it suitable for online detection systems. Our method of detecting new attacks is based on measuring changes in the residual space using square prediction error (SPE) statistics. When attack vectors are projected onto the residual space, attacks that are not presented by the main hyperspace will create new directions with high SPE values. We demonstrate the usefulness of our technique by using real traffic data from the Leurré. com project, a world-wide deployment of low-interaction honeypots, where several examples of new traffic detected by the system are illustrated.
Integration of Ontology in Distance Learning Systems - Models, Methods and Applications

Semantic web technologies, including domain ontologies, can enhance possibilities and functionality of traditional Web systems. The problem is that these technologies are not fully adopted yet to bring benefits to final users. We analyse the oppurtunities to integrate domain ontologies into typical learning management systems in order to gain some automation or support from the system in frequent and time consuming jobs, which are performed by students and academic staff in ourdays systems. The main aim of our research is to propose a methodology for the development of the distance learning course domain ontology and its integration into the distance learning systems. In this paper, we present our research directions and proposed solutions. Furthermore, we pay here more attention to learning scenarios, which we design considering the proposed methodology and the particular learning manamement system – MOODLE – in mind.
Role of Microtubules in Extracellular Release of Poliovirus

ABSTRACT Cellular autophagy, a process that directs cytosolic contents to the endosomal and lysosomal pathways via the formation of double-membraned vesicles, is a crucial aspect of innate immunity to many intracellular pathogens. However, evidence is accumulating that certain RNA viruses, such as poliovirus, subvert this pathway to facilitate viral growth. The autophagosome-like membranes induced during infection with wild-type poliovirus were found to be, unlike cellular autophagosomes, relatively immobile. Their mobility increased upon nocodazole treatment, arguing that vesicular tethering is microtubule dependent. In cells infected with a mutant virus that is defective in its interaction with the host cytoskeleton and secretory pathway, vesicle movement increased, indicating reduced tethering. In all cases, the release of tethering correlated with increased amounts of extracellular virus, which is consistent with the hypothesis that small amounts of cytosol and virus entrapped by double-membraned structures could be released via fusion with the plasma membrane. We propose that this extracellular delivery of cytoplasmic contents be termed autophagosome-mediated exit without lysis (AWOL). This pathway could explain the observed exit, in the apparent absence of cellular lysis, of other cytoplasmic macromolecular complexes, including infectious agents and complexes of aggregated proteins.
Analyzing phorbol ester effects on gap junctional communication: a dramatic inhibition of assembly

The effect of 12-O-tetradeconylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) on gap junction assembly between Novikoff hepatoma cells was examined. Cells were dissociated with EDTA to single cells and then reaggregated to form new junctions. When TPA (25 nM) was added to the cells at the onset of the 60-min reaggregation, dye transfer was detected at only 0.6% of the cell-cell interfaces compared to 72% for the untreated control and 74% for 4-alpha TPA, an inactive isomer of TPA. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy of reaggregated control cells showed interfaces containing an average of more than 600 aggregated intramembranous gap junction particles, while TPA-treated cells had no gap junctions. However, Lucifer yellow dye transfer between nondissociated cells via gap junctions was unaffected by 60 min of TPA treatment. Therefore, TPA dramatically inhibited gap junction assembly but did not alter channel gating nor enhance disassembly of preexisting gap junction structures. Short term TPA treatment (< 30 min) increased phosphorylation of the gap junction protein molecular weight of 43,000 (Cx43), but did not change the cellular level of Cx43. Cell surface biotinylation experiments suggested that TPA did not substantially reduce the plasma membrane concentration of Cx43. Therefore, the simple presence of Cx43 in the plasma membrane is not sufficient for gap junction assembly, and protein kinase C probably exerts an effect on assembly of gap junctions at the plasma membrane level.
N‐cadherin mediates interaction between precursor cells in the subventricular zone and regulates further differentiation

Neurogenesis and cell differentiation in the brain continues throughout life. In the subventricular zone and rostral migratory stream, precursor cells contact each other. Cell–cell interactions mediated via adhesion molecules are no doubt involved in establishing and maintaining the neurogenic ability of these cells. Here, we demonstrate that N‐cadherin plays important roles in forming cell clusters and in regulating cell differentiation. N‐cadherin is abundantly expressed in chain migrating cells in the subventricular zone and rostral migratory stream but is down‐regulated after cells exit these regions. We also show that neurosphere formation is inhibited via suppression of N‐cadherin function and that N‐cadherin expression is decreased after induction of neurosphere differentiation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that functional blockade of N‐cadherin can enhance glial cell differentiation in explant cultures of precursors from the subventricular zone. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Family Change, Employment Transitions, and the Welfare State: Household Income Dynamics in the United States and Germany

Since the demise of modernization theory, social scientists have sought explanations for persisting differences in the stratification of industrialized societies, primarily by studying how educational and labor market institutions shape the life chances of individuals. This approach undervalues two key features of any stratification system: family dynamics and the welfare state. Employment changes, changes in household composition, and changes in the employment situation of a spouse or partner can all trigger large shifts in income and material well-being. The impact of these events is mediated by public tax and transfer mechanisms and by private actions taken by household members. This comparative analysis of household income dynamics in the United States and Germany shows that variations in welfare state policy produce distinct societal patterns of income mobility, and furthermore, shows that the relative importance of labor market events, family change, and welfare state policies for income dynamics depends on gender. The strong interrelationship between individual incentives and the structure of opportunity produces an asymmetry in the long-term impact of events. The negative effects of events that reduce income generally decay over time, while the effects of positive events generally persist.