Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PFC topologies for AC to DC converters in DC micro-grid

With increasing dominance of renewable energy resources and DC household appliances, the novelty of DC micro grid is attracting significant attention. The key interface between the main supply grid and DC micro grid is AC to DC converter. The conventional AC to DC converter with large output capacitor introduces undesirable power quality problems in the main supply current. It reduces system efficiency due to low power factor and high harmonic distortion. Power Factor Correction (PFC) circuits are used to make supply currents sinusoidal and in-phase with supply voltages. This paper presents different PFC topologies for single phase AC to DC converters which are analyzed for power factor (PF), total harmonic distortion (THD) and system efficiency by varying output power. Two-quadrant shunt active filter topology attains a power factor of 0.999, 3.03% THD and 98% system efficiency. Output voltage regulation of the presented active PFC topologies is simulated by applying a step load. Two-quadrant shunt active filter achieves better output voltage regulation compared to other topologies and can be used as grid interface.
Distributed Mining of Popular Paths in Road Networks

We consider the problem of finding large scale mobility patterns. A common challenge in mobility tracking systems is that large quantity of data is spread out spatially and temporally across many tracking sensors. We thus devise a spatial sampling and information exchange protocol that provides probabilistic guarantees on detecting prominent patterns. For this purpose, we define a general notion of significant popular paths that can capture many different types of motion. We design a summary sketch for the data at each tracking node, which can be updated efficiently, and then aggregated across devices to reconstruct the prominent paths in the global data. The algorithm is scalable, even with large number of mobile targets. It uses a hierarchic query system that automatically prioritizes important trajectories – those that are long and popular. We show further that this scheme can in fact give good results by sampling relatively few sensors and targets, and works for streaming spatial data. We prove differential privacy guarantees for the randomized algorithm. Extensive experiments on real GPS data show that the method is efficient and accurate, and is useful in predicting motion of travelers even with small samples.
Integrating Humans with Multi-Robot Exploration

Robots can work collaboratively to increase the efficiency of exploration tasks. In search or rescue scenarios, the participation of humans can provide intelligence and knowledge to accomplish tasks. Little work has been done to integrate humans into multi-robot systems. We aimed to integrate a human agent with a multi-robot system for exploration in this paper. The multi-robot system was built using market-based approach and behaviors of a human agent was simulated by the individual mobility model, which includes two features of human mobility (i.e. exploration and preferential return). We further developed a function to allow robots to obtain the current location of human and predict upcoming human pathways. Our main goal was to investigate the efficiency of exploration time in six different levels of information sharing scenarios between a human agent and a multi-robot system to complete an office exploration task. Results showed that sharing human agents current location and the map with the multi-robot system using our predicted function can achieve the similar efficiency compared to sharing the map and destinations. It is hard for a human to share future destination to the multi-robot system in reality. Therefore, it is relatively easy for a human agent to share the current position with the multi-robot system, for example, by carrying a GPS. Future work can obtain practical data of human exploration to tune the parameters of this human-integrated multi-robot system. Different exploration environments besides an office can further be simulated to replicate if our findings are robust.
Effects of push-off ability and handcycle type on handcycling performance in able-bodied participants.

OBJECTIVE To assess the effects on handcycling performance and physiological responses, of: (i) making a closed chain by comparing handcycling in a recumbent bike with 2-feet footrest (closed chain) with handcycling with 1 footrest (partial closed chain) and without a footrest (no closed chain); (ii) equipment by comparing handcycling in a recumbent bike with a kneeling bike. METHODS Ten able-bodied participants performed submaximal exercise and sprint tests, once in a knee-ling bike and 3 times on a recumbent: 2-feet support, 1-foot support and without foot support. Physical strain (submaximal oxygen uptake and heart rate), peak (POpeak) and mean power output (POmean) were measured. RESULTS Significantly higher POpeak and POmean were found with 2-feet support (mean 415 W (standard deviation (SD) 163) and mean 281 W (SD 96)) and higher POmean with 1-foot support (mean 279 W (SD 104)) compared with no foot support (mean 332 W (SD 127) and mean 254 W (SD 101)), p < 0.05. No differences were found for physical strain. In the kneeling bike, POpeak and POmean were significantly higher (mean 628 W (SD 231) and 391 W (SD 121)) than in the recumbent (mean 415 W (SD 163) and 281 W (SD 96)), p = 0.001. CONCLUSION The ability to make a closed chain has a significant positive effect on handcycling sprint performance; therefore, this ability may be a discriminating factor. Sprint performance was significantly higher in kneeling compared with recumbent handcycling.
The emergence of the millenial: Intergenerational differences in contemporary workplace numeracy

Young people have grown up in very different times from other generations. Their worlds have been highly technologised with concomitant changes in how to process information. Literacy educators have recognized the impact of technology on both processing and construction of texts. Drawing on 19 case studies of workplaces, where workshadowing was undertaken using stimulated recall methods, this paper explores the ways in which young adults undertake numeracy practices in contemporary workplaces and notes that they possess novel ways of working, often seen as antithetical by senior members of the community. Rather than portray young people as innumerate, this paper suggests that they are differently numerate.
Engaging religious leaders to support HIV prevention and care for gays, bisexual men, and other men who have sex with men in coastal Kenya

Abstract In Kenyan communities, religious leaders are important gatekeepers in matters of health and public morality. In a context that is generally homophobic, religious leaders may aggravate or reduce stigmatization of sexual minorities such as gay and bisexual men, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). Literature indicates mixed results in efforts to encourage religious leaders to work effectively and sensitively with issues regarding HIV and sexuality. This paper describes the implementation of an engagement intervention with religious leaders from different denominations, which took place following a homophobic hate attack that was led by local religious leaders, at an HIV research clinic for GBMSM on the Kenyan coast. After the homophobic attack, tailored engagement activities, including a comprehensive four-day online sensitivity training course took place between June 2015 and October 2016 in the Kenyan coast. HIV researchers, together with trained GBMSM activists, organized the series of engagement activities for religious leaders which unfolded iteratively, with each subsequent activity informed by the results of the previous one. Facilitated conversations were used to explore differences and disagreements in relation to questions of scripture, mission, HIV, and human sexuality. As a result, researchers noted that many religious leaders, who initially expressed exceedingly negative attitudes towards GBMSM, started to express far more accepting and supportive views of sexuality, sexual identities, and same-sex relations. This paper describes the changes in religious leaders’ discourses relating to GBMSM, and highlights the possibility of using engagement interventions to build trust between research institutes, religious leaders, and GBMSM.
Iron partitioning between ferropericlase and bridgmanite in the Earth's lower mantle

Earth's lower mantle is generally believed to be seismically and chemically homogeneous because most of the key seismic parameters can be explained using a simplified mineralogical model at expected pressure‐temperature conditions. However, recent high‐resolution tomographic images have revealed seismic and chemical stratification in the middle‐to‐lower parts of the lower mantle. Thus far, the mechanism for the compositional stratification and seismic inhomogeneity, especially their relationship with the speciation of iron in the lower mantle, remains poorly understood. We have built a complete and integrated thermodynamic model of iron and aluminum chemistry for lower mantle conditions and from this model has emerged a stratified picture of the valence, spin, and composition profile in the lower mantle. Within this picture the lower mantle has an upper region with Fe3+‐enriched bridgmanite with high‐spin ferropericlase and metallic Fe and a lower region with low‐spin, iron‐enriched ferropericlase coexisting with iron‐depleted bridgmanite and almost no metallic Fe. The transition between the regions occurs at a depth of around 1600 km and is driven by the spin transition in ferropericlase, which significantly changes the iron partitioning and speciation to one that favors Fe2+ in ferropericlase and suppresses Fe3+ and metallic iron formation. These changes lead to lowered bulk sound velocity by 3–4% around the middle‐lower mantle and enhanced density by ~1% toward the lowermost mantle. The predicted chemically and seismically stratified lower mantle differs dramatically from the traditional homogeneous model.
Influence of treatments on the mechanical and thermal properties of sugar palm fibre reinforced phenolic composites

Sugar palm fibre (SPF) was used to prepare composites with phenolic resin. The SPF underwent treatment with either sea water for 30 d or a 0.5% alkaline solution for 4 h. The composites contained 30% (vol.) SPF in a powdered form, and the composite samples were fabricated by a hot press machine. The effects of the fibre treatments on the mechanical (flexural, impact, and compressive), thermal, and morphological properties of the composites were analyzed. The SPF treatments considerably improved the mechanical properties of the composites compared with the untreated composite. The alkaline treatment resulted in the most improved flexural and impact strength of the composites. In contrast, the sea water treatment had the best results for improving the compressive strength. Morphological analyses indicated that the surface treatments improved the fibre-matrix bonding. The thermal degradation analysis showed that both the sea water and alkaline treatments of the SPF slightly affected the thermal stability of the composites. Consequently, SPF can be effectively used as an alternative natural fibre for reinforcing bio-composites.
Changes in Implicit Flood Risk Premiums: Empirical Evidence from the Housing Market

Hedonic valuation models have shown that sales prices can capitalize property risk factors, such as flood zone; properties facing lower risk sell at a premium, all else being equal. Previous research has indicated that price differentials reflecting risk of flooding become much larger in the wake of a storm. We re-examine these findings for Pitt County, North Carolina, using multiple storm events within a difference-in-differences framework, and we compare flood zone price differentials for a more recent sample of property sales. Prior to Hurricane Fran in 1996, we detect no market risk premium for the presence in a flood zone, but we find significant price differentials after major flooding events, amounting to a 5.7% decrease after Hurricane Fran and 8.8% decrease after Hurricane Floyd. Results from a separate model that examines more recent data covering a period without significant storm-related flood impacts indicate a significant risk premium ranging between 6.0% and 20.2% for homes sold in the flood zone, but this effect is diminishing over time, essentially disappearing about 5 or 6 years after Hurricane Floyd. The lack of a persistent effect suggests that buyers’ and sellers’ risk perceptions may change with the prevalence of hazard events and that homebuyers are unaware of flood risks and insurance requirements when bidding on properties.
Possible association between polymorphisms of human vascular endothelial growth factor A gene and susceptibility to glioma in a Chinese population

Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), one of the most predominant mediators of pathologic angiogenesis, plays a critical role in glioma carcinogenesis and development via promoting tumor growth. We hypothesized that VEGFA polymorphisms may influence glioma risk. We recently genotyped 9 VEGFA single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 766 glioma patients and 824 cancer‐free controls selected from a Chinese population. We evaluated the glioma risk conferred by individual SNPs, haplotypes as well as cumulative SNP effect. In the single‐locus analysis, we found that rs2010963 (G+405C, G‐634C) [odds ratio (OR) = 1.29; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04–1.58; GC/CC vs. GG] and rs3025030 (OR = 2.21; 95% CI = 1.18–4.14; CC vs. GG/GC) were associated with increased risk for glioma, and rs3024994 (OR = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.47–0.94; CT/TT vs. CC) was associated with reduced glioma risk, albeit insignificant after Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. The haplotype‐based analysis revealed that AGG in block 1 and ATT, ACT in block 2 were associated with 20–40% reductions in glioma risk. The inverse association of haplotype AGG containing rs2010963G remained significant after correction for multiple testing (p = 0.002, pcorrected = 0.022). The aforementioned 3 SNPs revealed a significant cumulative risk effect; the increased risk for glioma was 1.38‐fold for each additional adverse genotype he or she carries (ptrend = 8.4 × 10−5). Our findings suggested that VEGFA variants may be involved in glioma risk. Larger studies with ethnically diverse populations are warranted to confirm the results reported in this investigation.
Long noncoding RNA CCAT 2 as an independent prognostic marker in various carcinomas : evidence based on four studies

Objective: Numerous studies have demonstrated that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in various biological processes, including cancer progression and metastasis. CCAT2, a newly discovered lncRNA, has been reported that is aberrantly expressed in many types of cancers. However, the clinical application value of CCAT2 in cancers remains to be clarified. We aimed to explore comprehensively potential role of CCAT2 as a prognostic biomarker in malignancy. Methods: Systematic search was performed in Embase, Medline and Cochrane Library until June 2015. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated to summarize the effect. Results: A total of 576 patients from four studies were included in this meta-analysis. A significant association was found between high CCAT2 expression and poor overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with cancers, with pooled hazard ratio (HR) of 1.99 (95% CI: 1.25-3.17, P=0.004) and 2.10 (95% CI: 1.36-3.22, P=0.0007), respectively. Conclusion: the findings from this present meta-analysis suggest that CCAT2 abundance may serve as a novel predictive factor for poor prognosis in different types of cancers.
Effects of IGFBP-2 on proliferation and differentiation in neural stem cell line C17.2

Objective: Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2), a member of a highly conserved family of six insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs), can regulate several cellular processes through IGF-dependent or IGF-independent pathway. Recent studies have provided solid evidence for the importance to delineate that olfactory ensheathing cells (OEC)-conditioned medium (OCM) can not only facilitate the differentiation of neural stem cell line (C17.2) into neurons, but also promote the survival and proliferation. We have previously reported that IGFBP-2 was detected in OCM. This study is designed to investigate the roles of IGFBP-2 for the regulation of C17.2 differentiation and proliferation. Methods and results: IGFBP-2 was identified and upregulated in OCM to compare with astrocytes-conditioned medium by shotgun proteomics and semiquantitative proteomic analysis. In order to investigate whether exogenous IGFBP-2 could stimulate proliferation in C17.2 cells and differentiate it into glia or neuron, we used various concentrations of IGFBP-2 to induce C17.2 cells which were cultured in DMEM/F12. The results showed that exogenous IGFBP-2 can promote proliferation in C17.2 cells, but had little effect on differentiation. Interestingly, we also found that IGFBP-2 could induce C17.2 cells to differentiate into astrocytes, while inhibit-ing their differentiation into neurons in a dose-dependent manner when cultured C17.2 cells in OCM. Changes in cell morphology were imaged under a light microscope, and proliferating cells were counted. Cell viability was determined by MTT. In addition, Western blot, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry analysis were performed to detect protein expression patterns of proliferation-related antigen, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, neuroectodermal stem cell marker, neuron specific class III beta tubulin, and glial fibrillary acidic protein. Conclusion: Exogenous IGFBP-2 could stimulate proliferation in C17.2 cells, and promote the differentiation of C17.2 cells into astrocytes induced by OCM. Its mechanism is related to activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 pathway.
Contrasting ecological roles of non-native ungulates in a novel ecosystem

Conservation has long focused on preserving or restoring pristine ecosystems. However, understanding and managing novel ecosystems has grown in importance as they outnumber pristine ecosystems worldwide. While non-native species may be neutral or detrimental in pristine ecosystems, it is possible that even notorious invaders could play beneficial or mixed roles in novel ecosystems. We examined the effects of two long-established non-native species—Philippine deer (Rusa marianna) and feral pigs (Sus scrofa)—in Guam, Micronesia, where native vertebrate frugivores are functionally absent leaving forests devoid of seed dispersers. We compared the roles of deer and pigs on seedling survival, seed dispersal and plant community structure in limestone karst forests. Deer, even at low abundances, had pronounced negative impacts on forest communities by decreasing seedling and vine abundance. By contrast, pigs showed no such relationship. Also, many viable seeds were found in pig scats, whereas few were found in deer scats, suggesting that pigs, but not deer, provide an ecosystem function—seed dispersal—that has been lost from Guam. Our study presents a discrepancy between the roles of two non-native species that are traditionally managed as a single entity, suggesting that ecological function, rather than identity as a non-native, may be more important to consider in managing novel systems.
Synchronous Scheduling Algorithms for Edge Coordinated Internet of Things

Machines controlled by cloud or edge resident coordinators are becoming an important trend for creating smart systems. The cloud provides a global perspective while the edge provides low latency and localized service to the machines. Coordinating these machines to work collectively to solve problems with strict timing requirements in the presence of disconnections is a challenge. Clock synchronization is necessary but not sufficient for such a system. We introduce a three-tiered hierarchical system model with the cloud at the top, devices at the leaf and fog in between. Tasks are differentiated into three categories: synchronous, asynchronous and local depending on the execution mode and requirements. We propose three scheduling algorithms; static, dynamic and batch synchronization scheduling algorithms, and evaluate the performance of the algorithms through simulations under varying operating conditions. Finally, we implement the dynamic synchronous scheduling algorithm on a polyglot programming platform for Cloud of Things to show its practicability and report initial findings.
Crowd vs. Expert: What Can Relevance Judgment Rationales Teach Us About Assessor Disagreement?

While crowdsourcing offers a low-cost, scalable way to collect relevance judgments, lack of transparency with remote crowd work has limited understanding about the quality of collected judgments. In prior work, we showed a variety of benefits from asking crowd workers to provide \em rationales for each relevance judgment \citemcdonnell2016relevant. In this work, we scale up our rationale-based judging design to assess its reliability on the 2014 TREC Web Track, collecting roughly 25K crowd judgments for 5K document-topic pairs. We also study having crowd judges perform topic-focused judging, rather than across topics, finding this improves quality. Overall, we show that crowd judgments can be used to reliably rank IR systems for evaluation. We further explore the potential of rationales to shed new light on reasons for judging disagreement between experts and crowd workers. Our qualitative and quantitative analysis distinguishes subjective vs.\ objective forms of disagreement, as well as the relative importance of each disagreement cause, and we present a new taxonomy for organizing the different types of disagreement we observe. We show that many crowd disagreements seem valid and plausible, with disagreement in many cases due to judging errors by the original TREC assessors. We also share our WebCrowd25k dataset, including: (1) crowd judgments with rationales, and (2) taxonomy category labels for each judging disagreement analyzed.
Using the Web of Data to Study Gender Differences in Online Knowledge Sources: the Case of the European Parliament

Gender inequalities are known to exist in Wikipedia. However, objective measures of inequality are hard to obtain, especially when comparing across languages. We study gender differences in the various Wikipedia language editions with respect to coverage of the Members of the European Parliament. This topic allows a relatively fair comparison of coverage between the (European) language editions of Wikipedia. Moreover, the availability of open data about this group allows us to relate measures of Wikipedia coverage to objective measures of their notable actions in the offline world. In addition, we measure gender differences in the content of Wikidata entries, which aggregate content from across Wikipedia language editions.