Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Global terrestrial water storage connectivity revealed using complex climate network analyses

Abstract. Terrestrial water storage (TWS) exerts a key control in global water, energy, and biogeochemical cycles. Although certain causal relationship exists between precipitation and TWS, the latter quantity also reflects impacts of anthropogenic activities. Thus, quantification of the spatial patterns of TWS will not only help to understand feedbacks between climate dynamics and the hydrologic cycle, but also provide new insights and model calibration constraints for improving the current land surface models. This work is the first attempt to quantify the spatial connectivity of TWS using the complex network theory, which has received broad attention in the climate modeling community in recent years. Complex networks of TWS anomalies are built using two global TWS data sets, a remote sensing product that is obtained from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission, and a model-generated data set from the global land data assimilation system's NOAH model (GLDAS-NOAH). Both data sets have 1° × 1° grid resolutions and cover most global land areas except for permafrost regions. TWS networks are built by first quantifying pairwise correlation among all valid TWS anomaly time series, and then applying a cutoff threshold derived from the edge-density function to retain only the most important features in the network. Basinwise network connectivity maps are used to illuminate connectivity of individual river basins with other regions. The constructed network degree centrality maps show the TWS anomaly hotspots around the globe and the patterns are consistent with recent GRACE studies. Parallel analyses of networks constructed using the two data sets reveal that the GLDAS-NOAH model captures many of the spatial patterns shown by GRACE, although significant discrepancies exist in some regions. Thus, our results provide further measures for constraining the current land surface models, especially in data sparse regions.
Purification and characterization of human erythrocyte phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase. Phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-monophosphate 4-kinase are distinct enzymes.

PtdIns 4-kinase has been purified 83,000-fold from human erythrocyte membranes. The major protein detected by SDS/PAGE is of molecular mass 56 kDa, and enzymic activity can be renatured from this band of the gel. The characteristics of this enzyme are similar to other type II PtdIns kinases previously described: PtdIns presented in Triton X-100 micelles is preferred as a substrate over PtdIns vesicles, the enzyme possesses a relatively low Km for ATP (20 microM), and adenosine is an effective inhibitor. A monoclonal antibody raised against bovine brain type II PtdIns 4-kinase is an effective inhibitor of the purified enzyme. PtdIns(4,5)P2 inhibits by approx. 50% when added in equimolar amounts with PtdIns; PtdIns4P has little effect on activity. A PtdIns3P 4-kinase activity has also been detected in erythrocyte lysates. Approximately two-thirds of this activity is in the cytosolic fraction and one-third in the membrane fraction. No PtdIns3P 4-kinase activity could be detected in the purified type II PtdIns 4-kinase preparation, nor could this activity be detected in a bovine brain type III PtdIns 4-kinase preparation. The monoclonal antibody that inhibits the type II PtdIns 4-kinase does not affect the PtdIns3P 4-kinase activity in the membrane fraction. The cytosolic PtdIns3P 4-kinase can be efficiently recovered from a 60%-satd. -(NH4)2SO4 precipitate that is virtually free of PtdIns 4-kinase activity. We conclude that PtdIns3P 4-kinase is a new enzyme distinct from previously characterized PtdIns 4-kinases, and that this enzyme prefers PtdIns3P over PtdIns as a substrate.
Anger Expression Moderates the Effects of Psychological Reactance to Sexual Health Messages

ABSTRACT This study examined how anger expression tendencies moderate the negative consequences of state reactance. An experiment was conducted whereby participants (N = 226) read a health public service announcement (PSA) that encouraged conversations about sexual health history prior to sexual encounters with new partners and that varied in freedom-threatening language. As hypothesized, the freedom-threatening appeal increased perceived threat to freedom and subsequent reactance. However, the negative relationship between reactance and attitude was mitigated for people who were lower in dispositional anger expression. The results showed that the extent to which state reactance resulted in unhealthy outcomes depended on the degree to which people tend to communicate anger. These findings are discussed in terms of theoretical implications for reactance scholars and practical utility for health message designers.
Data-based controllability analysis of discrete-time linear time-delay systems

In this paper, a data-based method is used to analyse the controllability of discrete-time linear time-delay systems. By this method, one can directly construct a controllability matrix using the measured state data without identifying system parameters. Hence, one can save time in practice and avoid corresponding identification errors. Moreover, its calculation precision is higher than some other traditional approaches, which need to identify unknown parameters. Our methods are feasible to the study of characteristics of deterministic systems. A numerical example is given to show the advantage of our results.
Model predictive based load frequency control design in the presence of DFIG wind turbine

In this paper, a new load frequency control (LFC) using the model predictive control (MPC) technique in the presence of wind turbines (WT) has been presented. The MPC technique has been designed such that the effect of the uncertainty due to governor and turbine parameters variation and load disturbance is reduced. A simplified frequency response model is introduced and physical constraints of the governor and turbine are considered in this model. The model has been employed in the MPC structure. Digital simulations for a single control area are provided to validate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. The results show that, with the proposed MPC technique and with participation of WT, the system performance is robust to the uncertainties due to governor and turbine parameters variation including load disturbance. A performance comparison between the proposed and a conventional integral control scheme is carried out confirming the superiority of the proposed MPC technique in presence of doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) WT.
High-performance and lightweight real-time deep face emotion recognition

Deep learning is used for all kinds of tasks which require human-like performance, such as voice and image recognition in smartphones, smart home technology, and self-driving cars. While great advances have been made in the field, results are often not satisfactory when compared to human performance. In the field of facial emotion recognition, especially in the wild, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) are employed because of their excellent generalization properties. However, while CNNs can learn a representation for certain object classes, an amount of (annotated) training data roughly proportional to the class's complexity is needed and seldom available. This work describes an advanced pre-processing algorithm for facial images and a transfer learning mechanism, two potential candidates for relaxing this requirement. Using these algorithms, a lightweight face emotion recognition application for Human-Computer Interaction with TurtleBot units was developed.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews

Dual-task methodology has been increasingly used to assess cognitive motor interference while walking. However, whether the observed dual-task-related gait changes are systematically related to methodological variations remains unclear and researchers still lack knowledge of what cognitive task to use in different groups for clinical purposes or for research. We systematically reviewed experimental studies that measured gait performance with and without performing concurrent cognitive task. Our results suggest that cognitive tasks that involve internal interfering factors seem to disturb gait performance more than those involving external interfering factors. Meta-analysis results show that the overall effect of different cognitive tasks was prominent in gait speed. In healthy participants, meta-regression analysis suggests strong associations between age and speed reduction under dual-task conditions and between the level of cognitive state and speed reduction under dual-task conditions. Standardizing research methodologies, as well as improving their ecological validity, enables better understanding of dualtask-related gait changes in different populations and improves, in turn, our understanding of neural mechanisms and gait control in general in content.
Impact of M-Shoppers Age on Customer Satisfaction and M Shopping Continuance Intention in Indian Consumers

M-commerce is in its nascent stage in India and is gradually picking up among the masses. Under these circumstances it becomes imperative for e-retailers to identify the factors that are affecting the acceptance of their products. The factors identified through literature review include word of mouth (WOM) and convenience of usage to name a few. The present study aims to analyse the impact of various identified determinants such as convenience, payments etc. on customer’s satisfaction with m-shopping and continuous Intention. The data was obtained by administering a questionnaire to two groups based on age. Young adults (individuals below 25 years) and adults (individuals above 25 years). The responses were obtained from only those respondents who had used m-commerce at least once. With information obtained from 194 m-commerce users, this study investigated hypothesized relationships embedded within m service quality and ECM(Expectation and Confirmation model) to predict customers’ continuance intention and overall satisfaction by adopting to m-shopping in India. Results indicate interesting implications for them-commerce companies and consumers.
X-Ray photon correlation spectroscopy study of Brownian motion of gold colloids in glycerol.

We report x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy studies of the static structure factor and dynamic correlation function of a gold colloid dispersed in the viscous liquid glycerol. We find a diffusion coefficient for Brownian motion of the gold colloid which agrees well with that extrapolated from measurements made with visible light, but which was determined on an optically opaque sample and in a wave-vector range inaccessible to visible light.
A geothermal thermo-electric energy converter for charging lithium-ion battery

The paper analyzes the optimal conditions for thermal power conversion system. Geothermal water source heat and thermo-electrical conversion is performed with cells TEG (thermo electric generators) based on the Seebeck effect. This study developed in the frame of a national research project is useful for ensuring the energy conversion in conjunction with storage Li-Ion battery. Design method uses Matlab-Simulink program and can be generalized for various thermo-electric cells. Batteries inserted into the simulation scheme can be modified by constructive parametric values. Software solution developed can be extended to numerous applications with efficient electronic conversion. Implemented electronic converter has high efficiency as an integrated electronic structure.
Diagnostics of insulation systems by means of partial discharges

The fundamental requirements of a diagnostic procedure composed by defect identification, noise and disturbance rejection, separation of multiple sources, set-up conditions and test prescriptions, are described in this paper. This procedure allows to overcome problems found when practical objects are tested using the apparent charge measurement approach according to Std.IEC 60270. Definitions, methodologies and validation procedures relevant to the different diagnostic steps, are presented and discussed considering also a possible future development of fully automated instruments.
An Ultra-Low Power CMOS LNA for WPAN Applications

In this letter, an integrated CMOS LNA has been designed for low-rate wireless personal area network applications in <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$0.18~\mu $ </tex-math></inline-formula> m technology, by employing various low-power techniques. In order to achieve ultra-low power consumption and small chip size, an inductorless LNA with triple cross-coupling technique working in the subthreshold region has been designed. These techniques provide a high gain, low noise figure (NF) and ultra-low power consumption. The trade-off of the circuit has been discussed. Measured results have been shown: an average 17 dB gain, 4.2 dB NF while dissipating only 0.2 mW (LNA core) power from 1 V DC supply voltage and occupies only 0.27 mm<sup>2</sup> area. These are considered to be state-of-the-art for 400 MHz~1 GHz CMOS WPAN applications.
Endothelial Angiogenesis and Barrier Function in Response to Thrombin Require Ca2+ Influx through the Na+/Ca2+ Exchanger*

Background: Thrombin stimulates protease-activated receptors (PAR) on endothelial cells, and this pathway becomes dysregulated in disease. Results: Ca2+ influx through the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) regulated angiogenesis and endothelial permeability in response to thrombin via reactive oxygen species generation and ERK1/2 activation. Conclusion: NCX activity is a novel determinant of thrombin signaling in the endothelium. Significance: Inhibiting NCX could improve conditions involving unregulated thrombin signaling. Thrombin acts on the endothelium by activating protease-activated receptors (PARs). The endothelial thrombin-PAR system becomes deregulated during pathological conditions resulting in loss of barrier function and a pro-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic endothelial phenotype. We reported recently that the ion transporter Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) operating in the Ca2+-influx (reverse) mode promoted ERK1/2 activation and angiogenesis in vascular endothelial growth factor-stimulated primary human vascular endothelial cells. Here, we investigated whether Ca2+ influx through NCX was involved in ERK1/2 activation, angiogenesis, and endothelial barrier dysfunction in response to thrombin. Reverse-mode NCX inhibitors and RNAi-mediated NCX1 knockdown attenuated ERK1/2 phosphorylation in response to thrombin or an agonist of PAR-1, the main endothelial thrombin receptor. Conversely, promoting reverse-mode NCX by suppressing Na+-K+-ATPase activity enhanced ERK1/2 activation. Reverse-mode NCX inhibitors and NCX1 siRNA suppressed thrombin-induced primary human vascular endothelial cell angiogenesis, quantified as proliferation and tubular differentiation. Reverse-mode NCX inhibitors or NCX1 knockdown preserved barrier integrity upon thrombin stimulation in vitro. Moreover, the reverse-mode NCX inhibitor SEA0400 suppressed Evans' blue albumin extravasation to the lung and kidneys and attenuated edema formation and ERK1/2 activation in the lungs of mice challenged with a peptide activator of PAR-1. Mechanistically, thrombin-induced ERK1/2 activation required NADPH oxidase 2-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and reverse-mode NCX inhibitors and NCX1 siRNA suppressed thrombin-induced ROS production. We propose that reverse-mode NCX is a novel mechanism contributing to thrombin-induced angiogenesis and hyperpermeability by mediating ERK1/2 activation in a ROS-dependent manner. Targeting reverse-mode NCX could be beneficial in pathological conditions involving unregulated thrombin signaling.
Isolation, composition, and biological activity of sugar chains of porcine oocyte zona pellucida 55K glycoproteins

ZP3, a preparation of the 55K families of porcine oocyte zona pellucida, possesses carbohydrate‐dependent ligand activity for boar sperm. The aim of the present study was to analyze ZP3 N‐ and O‐linked oligosaccharides with respect to size distribution, composition, and role in sperm‐zona recognition events. Digestion of denatured ZP3 with peptide N‐glycosidase F (PNGaseF) released the majority of N‐glycans which fractionated on Sephadex G‐75 resin as a polydisperse population with apparent molecular masses ranging from 1,900–8,200 Da. The higher molecular weight N‐glycans were characterized by the presence of strongly anionic sulfated/sialylated polylactosamine structures. Alkaline‐borohydride treatment of the PNGaseF‐digested core proteins liberated O‐glycans as a heterogeneous population of oligosaccharide alcohols, which were fractionated on a Sephadex G‐50 column. Compositional analyses indicated sulfated polylactosamine units associated with the higher molecular weight O‐glycans. Preincubation of boar sperm with ZP3 or purified O‐glycans, but not N‐glycans, inhibited subsequent attachment to zona‐encased oocytes. Purified O‐glycans were, however, 2 to 3 orders of magnitude less effective than ZP3 as competitive ligands. The results document the extreme heterogeneity of the ZP3 carbohydrate moiety, in large part attributable to a board spectrum of variably sized N‐ and O‐linked sulfated polylactosamines. Ligand competition bioassays suggest that O‐glycans mediate, at least in part, the sperm adhesive properties of ZP3 and strongly imply that high‐affinity interaction of ZP3 sugar chains with complementary sperm receptors is dependent upon their covalent association with core proteins.
Fuzzy Entropy Based Neuro-Wavelet Identifier-Cum-Quantifier for Discrimination of Gases/Odors

In this paper, a new approach to design of an odor/gas identifier-cum-quantifier is presented. Dynamic response curves of an oxygen-plasma treated thick-film tin oxide sensor array exposed to four different gases were subjected to continuous wavelet transform (CWT). Appropriate wavelet coefficients were selected using multiscale principal component analysis (MSPCA). Fuzzy entropy and fuzzy subsethood values were calculated for the individual odor/gas and for the particular concentration band of each odor/gas, respectively. The quantitative information was encoded in the fuzzy subsethood values of the particular concentration bands in the output feature space, whereas the fuzzy entropy values were used to normalize the training data set consisting of MSPCA selected wavelet coefficients. A feedforward neural network was trained with a backpropagation algorithm with the training data containing the wavelet coefficients normalized with fuzzy entropies of individual odors/gases. The target data set was made up of the fuzzy subsethood values of the particular concentration band. The proposed network achieved identification and quantification of odors/gases with a 100% success rate. Also, fuzzy entropy based normalization helped to achieve 100% identification/quantification with a reduced number of sensors in the array.
Steepest-descent contours in the path-integral approach to quantum cosmology. I. The de Sitter minisuperspace model.

We consider the issue of finding a convergent contour of integration in the path-integral representation of the wave function for a simple exactly soluble model, the de Sitter minisuperspace model. Following a suggestion of Hartle, we look for the steepest-descent contour in the space of complex four-metrics. We determine all the possible contours which give solutions to the Wheeler-DeWitt equation or Green's functions of the Wheeler-DeWitt operator. We attempt to apply the boundary-condition proposal of Hartle and Hawking. We find that the proposal does not fix the solution uniquely because, although the initial point of the paths is fixed, the contour is not. We find a contour which represents the Vilenkin wave function and discuss the differences between the Hartle-Hawking and Vilenkin wave functions. We also discuss some of the implications of integrating over complex metrics. One consequence is that the signature of the metric is not respected, even at the semiclassical level.
Operation of a prototype microgrid system based on micro-sources quipped with fast-acting power electronics interfaces

The paper presents experimental results from the operation of a prototype microgrid system, installed in the National Technical University of Athens, which comprises a PV generator, battery energy storage, local load and a controlled interconnection to the LV grid. Both the battery unit and the PV generator are connected to the AC grid via fast-acting DC/AC power converters. The converters are suitably controlled to permit the operation of the system either interconnected to the LV network, or in stand-alone (island) mode, with a seamless transfer from the one mode to the other. The paper provides a technical description of the system components and the control concept implemented, along with extensive measurement results which demonstrate its capability to operate in the aforementioned way.
Nonorthogonal sp 3 d 5 tight-binding parameterization of single-layer phosphorene under biaxial strain and application to FETs

This paper presents a new set of sp 3 d 5 tight-binding (TB) parameters for single-layer phosphorene within the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) scheme. For this, we develop the numerical algorithm to find the NRL TB parameters fitted to ab initio results. It is shown that the proposed NRL TB parameters successfully reproduce the band structure of a single-layer phosphorene, and even under biaxial or uniaxial strain, they appropriately describe the effects, such as modification of anisotropic effective masses and band gap. Via the top-of-the-barrier model, we also investigate the performance of single-layer phosphorene FETs under biaxial strain with the NRL TB Hamiltonian and find that the results are well in accordance with those of previous studies.
Mechanism of Stimulation of Catalytic Activity of Dnmt3A and Dnmt3B DNA-(cytosine-C5)-methyltransferases by Dnmt3L*

Dnmt3L has been identified as a stimulator of the catalytic activity of de novo DNA methyltransferases. It is essential in the development of germ cells in mammals. We show here that Dnmt3L stimulates the catalytic activity of the Dnmt3A and Dnmt3B enzymes by directly binding to their respective catalytic domains via its own C-terminal domain. The catalytic activity of Dnmt3A and -3B was stimulated ∼15-fold, and Dnmt3L directly binds to DNA but not to S-adenosyl-l-methionine (AdoMet). Complex formation between Dnmt3A and Dnmt3L accelerates DNA binding by Dnmt3A 20-fold and lowers its Km for DNA. Interaction of Dnmt3L with Dnmt3A increases the binding of the coenzyme AdoMet to Dnmt3A, and it lowers the Km of Dnmt3A for AdoMet. On the basis of our data we propose a model in which the interaction of Dnmt3A with Dnmt3L induces a conformational change of Dnmt3A that opens the active site of the enzyme and promotes binding of DNA and the AdoMet. We demonstrate that the interaction of Dnmt3A and Dnmt3L is transient, and after DNA binding to Dnmt3A, Dnmt3L dissociates from the complex. Following dissociation of Dnmt3L, Dnmt3A adopts a closed conformation leading to slow rates of DNA release. Therefore, Dnmt3L acts as a substrate exchange factor that accelerates DNA and AdoMet binding to de novo DNA methyltransferases.
A package-integratable six-port reflectometer for power devices

High frequency power devices require specific loading conditions to provide maximum output power, operate efficiently and avoid self-destruction. In applications with unknown or time varying loading conditions it is therefore desirable to monitor, in-situ, the loading conditions offered to the PA. This work proposes an ultra-compact six-port package-integratable reflectometer. The resulting structure is implemented on a 9.4×4 mm2 substrate that can fit into an SOT1110A package. The performance of the realized hardware is validated by an active load-pull system, which synthesizes impedances covering the entire Smith chart.