Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimation of Uncertainty Bounds for the Future Performance of a Power Plant

Prediction of the future performance of large-scale power plants can be very relevant for the operators of these plants, as the predictions can indicate possible problems or failures due to current operating conditions and/or future possible operating conditions. A problem in predicting the future performance of these plants is that available models of the plants are uncertain. In this brief, three schemes for predicting uncertain dynamical systems are presented. The schemes estimate upper and lower bounds on the system performance. Two of the schemes are statistically based, one only based on recent data and the other is based on operating points as well. The third proposed scheme uses dynamical models of the prediction uncertainties, like in H infin-control. The proposed schemes are subsequently applied to experimental data from a coal-fired power plant. Two sets of data from an actual power plant are used, one containing normal plant operation and in the second set, coal is accumulating in the coal mill due to an unbalance in the operating conditions. These tests showed that Schemes II and III did bound the real system performance, while Scheme I failed doing so. In addition, the plant was simulated operating under the same conditions with additional large disturbances. These simulations were used to investigate the robustness and conservatism of the proposed schemes. In this test, Schemes I and II failed, while Scheme III succeeded.
Existence Theorems of Solutions for a System of Nonlinear Inclusions with an Application

By using the iterative technique and Nadler's theorem, we construct a new iterative algorithm for solving a system of nonlinear inclusions in Banach spaces. We prove some new existence results of solutions for the system of nonlinear inclusions and discuss the convergence of the sequences generated by the algorithm. As an application, we show the existence of solution for a system of functional equations arising in dynamic programming of multistage decision processes.
Preliminary results on OCT-based position control of a concentric tube robot

This paper presents preliminary results on OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) based control of a concentric tube robot (CTR). The potential use of OCT system is presented then its ability to perform an optical biopsy and an eye-to-hand configuration for robot control is highlighted. A prototype of CTR with three curved tubes is shortly described then a model-less OCT-based controller is detailed. The extraction of visual features from OCT images is performed by normalized cross-correlation. The proposed control scheme was experimentally validated. The positioning accuracy of CTR control was evaluated in benchtop trials. The error in tip placement can reach 10 μm along X and 74 μm along Y according to controller parameters. The 2D positioning (XY plan) is also tested then a final error about 55 μm is achieved.
Novel fluid detail enhancement based on multi‐layer depth regression analysis and FLIP fluid simulation

In this paper, we propose a novel integrated method for effective modeling and realistic enhancement of scale‐sensitive fluid simulation details. The core of our method is the organic of multi‐layer depth image regression analysis and fluid implicit particle fluid simulation of which the regression analysis induces the criterion where the fluid details should be produced. First, we capture the depth buffer of the fluid surface dynamically from the top of scene. Second, we employ depth peeling technique to decompose the target fluid volume into multiple depth layers and conduct time‐space analysis over surface layers. Third, we propose a logistic regression‐based model to rigorously pinpoint the complex interacting regions, wherein multiple detail‐relevant factors are taken into account based on the captured multiple depth layers. Finally, details are enhanced by animating extra diffuse materials and augmenting the air‐fluid mixing phenomenon. It is evident that, with depth peeling technology, we can afford rigorous analysis not only across surface layers at different fluid depth but along the depth direction as well. After integrating the analysis results from these two sources, we are capable of performing detail enhancement both on the fluid surface and inside the fluid to obtain a great visual effect, even when large occlusion exists. Directly benefiting from the flexibility of image‐space‐dominant processing, our unified framework can be entirely implemented on graphics processing units and thus achieves interactive performance. For various fluid phenomena with different diffuse materials (e.g., spray, foam, and bubble), comprehensive experiments and evaluations have demonstrated its superiority in high‐fidelity fluid detail enhancement and its interaction with surrounding environment.
Extratropical Air‐Sea Interaction, Sea Surface Temperature Variability, and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation

We examine processes that influence North Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies including surface heat fluxes, upper ocean mixing, thermocline variability, ocean currents, and tropical-extratropical interactions via the atmosphere and ocean. The ocean integrates rapidly varying atmospheric heat flux and wind forcing, and thus a stochastic model of the climate system, where white noise forcing produces a red spectrum, appears to provide a baseline for SST variability even on decadal time scales. However, additional processes influence Pacific climate variability including the “reemergence mechanism,” where seasonal variability in mixed layer depth allows surface temperature anomalies to be stored at depth during summer and return to the surface in the following winter. Wind stress curl anomalies in the central/east Pacific drive thermocline variability that propagates to the west Pacific via baroclinic Rossby waves and influences SST by vertical mixing and the change in strength and position of the ocean gyres. Atmospheric changes associated with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) also influence North Pacific SST anomalies via the “atmospheric bridge. ” The dominant pattern of North Pacific SST anomalies, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), exhibits variability on interannual as well as decadal time scales. Unlike ENSO, the PDO does not appear to be a mode of the climate system, but rather it results from several different mechanisms including (1) stochastic heat flux forcing associated with random fluctuations in the Aleutian Low, (2) the atmospheric bridge augmented by the reemergence mechanism, and (3) wind-driven changes in the North Pacific gyres.
Juvenile Justice Interventions: System Escalation and Effective Alternatives to Residential Placement

The overarching goals of the evaluation are to assess the use of community-based interventions as an alternative to residential commitments for delinquent youth, and determine why some youth escalate from community-sanctions to residential placement. Using logistic regression and propensity score matching techniques, the study examined pathways through the continuum of care, and the relative effectiveness of probation and residential dispositions. All youth disposed to either juvenile probation (n = 2,823) or residential facilities (n = 269) in Connecticut between July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2007 were included in the study. The results demonstrate that delaying delinquency and increasing family protective factors help prevent youth escalation through the system. Further, an assessment of comparable probation and residential placements revealed that probationers had significantly lower recidivism than those placed in commitment programs. These findings suggest that community-based supervision is an effective alternative to more restrictive and costly residential services for some juvenile delinquents; and highlight important considerations for reducing system escalation.
A Reference Model Based Adaptive Fuzzy Controller for Nonlinear Dynamic Systems

In this paper, we first present some dynamic TS fuzzy subsystems to approximate a nonlinear system. To make the subsystems asymptotically stable, the reference model with the same fuzzy sets of the system rule is established. A feedback controller is designed based on an exact approximation model. The control gain can be solved by LMI approach. Since in practical plant, there are parameters uncertainty and external disturbance in approximation models, we propose a new controller with an adaptive fuzzy control term to compensate the uncertainty and alleviate the disturbance. Lyapunov constitute techniques can prove the stability of the closed loop systems. The simulations results illustrate the effectiveness of this approach.
Transition from practitioner to educator: A repertory grid analysis

We examined the process of transition from being a practitioner in a field to becoming an educator in the same field, using repertory grid technique and a longitudinal methodology. A total intake of Technical and Further Education beginning teachers was followed throughout their 2-year preparation program. At five intervals, 6 months apart, repertory grids were administered to the group, with the elements supplied relating to various roles and aspects of the self relevant to transition. Constructs elicited from the group mapped the transition process during the 2-year period and showed the changing emphasis over the course. Measurements of selfesteem and the effect of the transition on family relationships were also administered. Results showed that the nature of the transition was generally positive. The constructs elicited identified change in the transition process as experienced by the group under study. Initially constructs were general and included satisfaction, striving, and participation. They then revealed greater concern with issues of time, control, personal and professional development, and, finally, those attributes of "being qualified. " Specifically, results show the transition process to be a personal experience, and illustrate the beneficial function of proceeding through the transition process as part of a group.
Low Perceived Social Support and Post–Myocardial Infarction Prognosis in the Enhancing Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease Clinical Trial: The Effects of Treatment

Objective: In post hoc analyses, to examine in low perceived social support (LPSS) patients enrolled in the Enhancing Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease (ENRICHD) clinical trial (n = 1503), the pattern of social support following myocardial infarction (MI), the impact of psychosocial intervention on perceived support, the relationship of perceived support at the time of MI to subsequent death and recurrent MI, and the relationship of change in perceived support 6 months after MI to subsequent mortality. Methods: Partner status (partner, no partner) and score (<12 = low support; >12 = moderate support) on the ENRICHD Social Support Instrument (ESSI) were used post hoc to define four levels of risk. The resulting 4 LPSS risk groups were compared on baseline characteristics, changes in social support, and medical outcomes to a group of concurrently enrolled acute myocardial infarction patients without depression or LPSS (MI comparison group, n = 408). Effects of treatment assignment on LPSS and death/recurrent MI were also examined. Results: All 4 LPSS risk groups demonstrated improvement in perceived support, regardless of treatment assignment, with a significant treatment effect only seen in the LPSS risk group with no partner and moderate support at baseline. During an average 29-month follow-up, the combined end point of death/nonfatal MI was 10% in the MI comparison group and 23% in the ENRICHD LPSS patients; LPSS conferred a greater risk in unadjusted and adjusted models (HR = 1.74–2.39). Change in ESSI score and/or improvement in perceived social support were not found to predict subsequent mortality. Conclusions: Baseline LPSS predicted death/recurrent MI in the ENRICHD cohort, independent of treatment assignment. Intervention effects indicated a partner surrogacy role for the interventionist and the need for a moderate level of support at baseline for the intervention to be effective. CAD = coronary artery disease; CHD = coronary heart disease; AMI = acute myocardial infarction; MI = myocardial infarction; ENRICHD = Enhancing Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease; LPSS = low perceived social support; ESSI = ENRICHD Social Support Instrument; UC = usual care; INT = intervention; DISH = Diagnostic Interview and Structured Hamilton; ECG = electrocardiogram; BDI = Beck Depression Inventory; HR = hazard ratio; CI = confidence interval.
Incremental clustering-based object tracking in wireless sensor networks

Emerging significance of moving object tracking has been actively pursued in the Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) community for the past decade. As a consequence, a number of methods from different angle of assessment have been developed while relatively satisfying performance. Amongst those, clustering based object tracking has shown significant results, which in term provides the network to be scalable and energy efficient for large-scale WSNs. As of now, static cluster based object tracking is the most common approach for large-scale WSN. However, as static clusters are restricted to share information globally, tracking can be lost at the boundary region of static clusters. In this paper, an Incremental Clustering Algorithm is proposed in conjunction with Static Clustering Technique to track an object consistently throughout the network solving boundary problem. The proposed research follows a Gaussian Adaptive Resonance Theory (GART) based Incremental Clustering that creates and updates clusters incrementally to incorporate incessant motion pattern without defiling the previously learned clusters. The objective of this research is to continue tracking at the boundary region in an energy-efficient way as well as to ensure robust and consistent object tracking throughout the network. The network lifetime performance metric has shown significant improvements for Incremental Static Clustering at the boundary regions than that of existing clustering techniques.
Dissociative experience and mood-dependent memory

Amnesia is the main phenomenon in dissociative experiences. The present study investigated whether amnesia in participants with frequent dissociative experiences depended on state-dependent memory. Undergraduates scoring high (n=32) or low (n=32) on the Dissociative Experiences Scale Version-II (DES-II) participated in this experiment. Mood induction and a remember/know task were used in a typical mood-independent memory design. In the inconsistent mood state condition, participants in the high DES group showed decreased memory performance compared to the low DES group. These results were attributed to the recollection components of recognition and not to the familiarity component. Therefore we concluded that the normal population with highly frequent dissociative experiences showed strong state-dependent memory and had a memory bias in the recollection component of memory.
Use of cidofovir in pediatric patients with adenovirus infection

Background: Adenoviruses contribute to morbidity and mortality among immunocompromised pediatric patients including stem cell and solid organ transplant recipients. Cidofovir (CDV), an antiviral compound approved by the FDA in 1996, is used for treatment of adenoviral (ADV) infections in immunocompromised patients despite concern of potential nephrotoxicity. Methods: We conducted a retrospective 5-year review at Boston Children’s Hospital of 16 patients (mean age = 6.5 years) receiving 19 courses of CDV. During therapy all pertinent data elements were reviewed to characterize potential response to therapy and incidence of renal dysfunction. Results: Of the 19 CDV courses prescribed, 16 courses (84%) were in patients who had a positive blood ADV Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) alone or in combination with positive ADV PCR/ Direct Immunofluorescence Assay (DFA) at another site. Respiratory symptoms with or without pneumonia were the most common presentation (10/19, 53%). In the majority of blood positive courses (10/16, 63%), viral clearance was also accompanied by clinical response. This was not the case in four courses where patients expired despite viral clearance, including one in which death was directly attributable to adenovirus. There was reversible renal dysfunction observed during the use of CDV. Conclusions: CDV appeared safe and reasonably tolerated for treatment of ADV in this pediatric population and was associated with viral response and clinical improvement in the majority of patients but reversible renal dysfunction was a side effect. Further studies of the efficacy of CDV for immunocompromised children with ADV infection are warranted.
Evidence-based conclusions concerning practice, curriculum design and curriculum reform in a civil engineering capstone design course in Hong Kong

This study aimed to provide evidence-based conclusions from students concerning a capstone-design course in a civil engineering programme in Hong Kong. The evidence was generated by designing a student-experience questionnaire. The questionnaire instrument was assessed for internal consistency in four scales (curriculum and structure changes; design and problem solving; personal and transferable skills; and Industrial-Links and Real-Life Authentic Academic Knowledge). The internal structure of each scale was also examined separately. Overall, the findings suggest that this internal structure is uni-dimensional in nature and has good internal consistency. Our quantitative and qualitative data have provided support on the student learning experience in the reformed capstone-design: how students were able to develop depth and breadth in engineering knowledge and skills that were previously not covered by teachers in conventional taught courses to enhance student learning. Rationale and changes of the curriculum were documented to contribute to the building of an authentic capstone-design curriculum.
Argo: a system for distributed collaboration

The goal of the Argo system is to allow medium-sized groups of users to collaborate remotely from their desktops in a way that approaches as closely as possible the effectiveness of face-to-face meetings. In support of this goal, Argo combines high quality multi-party digital video and full-duplex audio with telepointers, shared applications, and whiteboards in a uniform and familiar environment. The shared applications can be unmodified X programs shared via a proxy server, unmodified groupware applications, and applications written using our toolkit. Workers can contact each other as easily as making a phone call, and can easily bring into a conference any material they are working on. They do so by interacting with an object-oriented, client/server conference control system. The same conference control system is used to support teleporting, i.e. moving the desktop environment from one workstation's display to another (for example, from office to home). This paper describes the system we have built to test the hypothesis that the effectiveness of remote collaboration can be substantially impacted by the responsiveness of the interaction media.
Leaf hydraulic vulnerability to drought is linked to site water availability across a broad range of species and climates.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Vulnerability of the leaf hydraulic pathway to water-stress-induced dysfunction is a key component of drought tolerance in plants and may be important in defining species' climatic range. However, the generality of the association between leaf hydraulic vulnerability and climate across species and sites remains to be tested. METHODS Leaf hydraulic vulnerability to drought (P50leaf, the water potential inducing 50 % loss in hydraulic function) was measured in a diverse group of 92 woody, mostly evergreen angiosperms from sites across a wide range of habitats. These new data together with some previously published were tested against key climate indices related to water availability. Differences in within-site variability in P50leaf between sites were also examined. KEY RESULTS Values of hydraulic vulnerability to drought in leaves decreased strongly (i.e. became more negative) with decreasing annual rainfall and increasing aridity across sites. The standard deviation in P50leaf values recorded within each site was positively correlated with increasing aridity. P50leaf was also a good indicator of the climatic envelope across each species' distributional range as well as their dry-end distributional limits within Australia, although this relationship was not consistently detectable within sites. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that species sorting processes have influenced distributional patterns of P50leaf across the rainfall spectrum, but alternative strategies for dealing with water deficit exist within sites. The strong link to aridity suggests leaf hydraulic vulnerability may influence plant distributions under future climates.
Role of two-way airflow owing to temperature difference in severe acute respiratory syndrome transmission: revisiting the largest nosocomial severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in Hong Kong

By revisiting the air distribution and bioaerosol dispersion in Ward 8A where the largest nosocomial severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak occurred in Hong Kong in 2003, we found an interesting phenomenon. Although all the cubicles were in ‘positive pressure’ towards the corridor, the virus-containing bioaerosols generated from the index patient's cubicle were still transmitted to other cubicles, which cannot be explained in a traditional manner. A multi-zone model combining the two-way airflow effect was used to analyse this phenomenon. The multi-zone airflow model was evaluated by our experimental data. Comparing with the previous computational fluid dynamic simulation results, we found that the air exchange owing to the small temperature differences between cubicles played a major role in SARS transmission. Additionally, the validated multi-zone model combining the two-way airflow effect could simulate the pollutant transport with reasonable accuracy but much less computational time. A probable improvement in general ward design was also proposed.
Reflections and Ruminations

This is a timely issue on the contributions of mixed methodology to the contemporary demand for credible evaluative evidence on which to base policy and resource‐allocation decisions. The character of evidence—especially evidence on the quality and effectiveness of efforts to improve the life quality or even life chances of many in our societies—requires the best minds from all corners of the evaluation community. The mixed methods voice is needed in the evidence‐based conversation. ©Wiley Periodicals, Inc., and the American Evaluation Association.