Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatiotemporal Trajectory of China’s Provincial Energy Efficiency and Implications on the Route of Economic Transformation

A comparative analysis of the spatiotemporal trajectory of energy efficiency (STEE) among the provinces in China over the past 21 years was conducted based on a quadrant diagram of the GDP per capita and the energy consumption per capita. An energy macro-efficiency per capita indicator (EMEPCI) was established using the energy consumption data of 30 Chinese provinces from 1996 to 2016. The spatiotemporal trajectory clustering method (STCM) and the industrial structure upgrading index (ISUI) were used for an exploratory analysis of the driving force of the changes in the STEE. The results showed the following: (1) The growth rate and amplitude of energy efficiency differed by province. From a geospatial perspective, the energy efficiency of the eastern regions was higher than that of the western regions, and that of the southern regions was higher than that of the northern regions. The growth trends demonstrated a pattern in which the provinces with higher energy efficiency had higher growth rates, whereas the provinces with lower energy efficiency showed lower growth rates. (2) The majority of the Chinese provinces, particularly the southwest region and the regions near the middle stream of the Yangtze River, were still undergoing a development process. Thus, it is necessary to pay attention to the adjustment of the economic development model to avoid shifting towards quadrants I or II, where the energy consumption is higher. (3) A spatiotemporal trajectory clustering analysis grouped the different provinces into four categories. Besides the majority of the provinces, which remained in quadrant III, Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin have remained in the “dual-high” quadrant for long period of time and are shifting towards quadrant IV. The trajectory of the second group was characterized by movement almost directly from the “dual-low” quadrant (III) towards the target quadrant (IV). The common feature of the energy efficiency trajectory of the third group was that they remained in the high energy consumption and low GDP quadrant for a relatively long period, and immediate changes were required in their development models. (4) The provinces with a similar industrial structure transformation level were more likely to have similar spatiotemporal trajectories of energy efficiency. Particularly, provinces with a similar level of transformation from secondary industries to tertiary industries enjoyed a greater probability of transformation as well as similar spatiotemporal trajectories of energy efficiency.
Early Introduction of Robust Control Concepts: Hands-On Experience and CAD

This paper presents an educational experience in an initial course in feedback control. The purpose is to introduce the concepts of robust design not included in the regular curriculum. The problem of designing a controller for a simple mechanical system without knowing the true value of the parameters is proposed in a laboratory class. The task is performed on the real system with the aid of Computer-Aided Design freeware. The combination of practice and software tools encourages the development of autonomous learning and favours the apprehension of the concepts of uncertainty and robustness. A perception survey shows promising results indicating that the strategy of learning by doing is very well accepted by the students.
Improved Statistical Methods for the Calculation of Damages in Discrimination Lawsuits

This paper develops a new method to calculate individual-specific damage payments in discrimination lawsuits using empirical Bayes techniques and a simple random-coefficients model. The method yields payments that can be mathematically proven to be more accurate than existing statistically based approaches, as measured by the mean squared error. This method also provides a natural justification for not playing the members of the noninjured class and substantially reduces the bias caused by the legal restriction on negative payments. We empirically demonstrate our method in the context of mortgage-pricing decisions using detailed loan-level data from a large subprime lender.
From Cryptography to Hardware: Analyzing Embedded Xilinx BRAM for Cryptographic Applications

Design of cryptographic applications need special care. For instance, physical attacks like Side-Channel Analysis (SCA) are able to recover the secret key, just by observing the activity of the computation, even for mathematically robust algorithms like AES. SCA considers the "leakage" of a well chosen intermediate variable correlated with the secret. Field programmable gate-arrays (FPGA) are often used for hardware implementations for low to medium volume productions or when flexibility is needed. They offer many possibilities for the computation, like small Look-Up Tables (LUT) and embedded block memories (BRAM). Certain countermeasures can be deployed, like dual-rail logic or masking, to resist SCA on FPGA. However to design an effective countermeasure, it is of prime importance for a designer to know the main leakage sources of the device. In this article, we analyze the leakage source of a Xilinx Virtex V FPGA by studying 3 different AES architectures. The analysis is based on real measurements by using specific leakage models of the sensitive variable, adapted to each architecture. Our results demonstrate that, BRAM which were considered to leak less traditionally, are found to be equally vulnerable if we change the attack target from address register to output latch. Hence by providing important clues about the leakage, this study allows the designers to enhance the robustness of their implementation in FPGA.
12V VR Efficiency Improvement based on Two-stage Approach and a Novel Gate Driver

High frequency VR is demanded to meet future microprocessor's requirements. However, the high switching loss and body diode loss suffer the efficiency of VR. Based on two-stage approach, the snubber capacitor paralleled with the top switch is proposed to reduce the switching loss. And a new gate driver is proposed to reduce body diode loss and gate drive loss. The experiment verified these methods
Protective role of noradrenaline in benzo[a]pyrene‐induced learning impairment in developing rat

Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a carcinogen, affects brain development, learning, and memory. Isolated studies have reported that B[a]P elevates noradrenaline (NA) level that may modulate neuronal growth, learning, and memory. Therefore, we investigated in vivo and in vitro the effects of B[a]P on learning and memory and its possible mechanism of action. Intracisternal administration of B[a]P on postnatal day 5 significantly reduced learning and memory in adolescent rats as observed by probe test using the Morris water maze. The density of both the subunits of the N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor, NMDAR1 and NMDAR2B, significantly increased in the hippocampus. In vitro, B[a]P significantly increased NMDAR1 in both C6 and Neuro2a cell lines, whereas NMDAR2B was significantly increased in C6 but was significantly decreased in Neuro2a. Pretreatment with NA prevented the B[a]P‐induced effect on NMDAR1 expression in both cell lines. However, although NA prevented the B[a]P‐mediated increase in NMDAR2B expression in C6, it further potentiated the decrease of NMDAR2B in Neuro2a cells. Also, NA prevented the B[a]P‐induced increase in intracellular Ca2+ both in C6 and in Neuro2a. Our findings show that postnatal exposure of developing rats to B[a]P impairs learning and memory even when the rats became adolescent. We also observed that the effects were mediated by elevated intracellular Ca2+ levels and increased expression of NMDAR; furthermore, NA exerted a protective effect by modulating those factors. NA differentially affects neurons and glia, which may have a compensatory role during toxic insults, especially from B[a]P. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
L'effet des inégalités d'éducation sur le développement économique : un essai d'évaluation

Cette these cherche a approfondir la nature et la forme des relations entre les inegalites educatives et le developpement. Elle s’inscrit dans le prolongement des analyses engagees sur les liens education/croissance et inegalites/croissance, en essayant d’apporter un eclairage complementaire sur ces deux relations. Elle vise a retracer de maniere stylisee l’evolution des inegalites educatives particulierement dans les pays en developpement et a caracteriser la non-linearite de la relation a partir de l’estimation de modeles non-parametriques et semi-parametriques. Cette these est constituee de trois chapitres auxquels correspondent des objectifs, des bases de donnees et des methodologies specifiques. Dans un premier chapitre, nous proposons une nouvelle base mondiale sur les inegalites d’education. La majorite des travaux sur la relation entre capital humain et developpement economique ont principalement apprehende la mesure du capital humain a travers des mesures de l’education en utilisant notamment la moyenne d’annees de scolarisation (stock du capital humain). Notre base de donnees, qui presente une mesure alternative du capital humain, tend a ameliorer sensiblement le mode de calcul des inegalites de l’education. Elle exploite toute la richesse des donnees desagregees, corrige les ponderations inappropriees et affine certaines hypotheses reductrices sur les durees des cycles d’enseignement et les niveaux d’education retenus. Nous avons aussi generalise la formule proposee par Berthelemy (2006) sur l’indice de Gini de l’education. Le domaine de variation possible de cet indice est identifie graphiquement selon la moyenne d’annees de scolarisation et les durees cumulees des cycles d’enseignement. Nous mettons en evidence, dans le cadre du chapitre II, l’existence d’une relation non lineaire entre les inegalites dans l’education et le developpement economique en utilisant des modeles non-parametriques et semi-parametriques qui n’exigent pas de formes fonctionnelles predefinies a l’avance. Plusieurs phases sont ainsi mises en evidence : les trois premieres sont reperees seulement par rapport aux niveaux de developpement ; deux autres sont identifiees a la fois par des seuils de developpement et d’inegalite d’education ; une sixieme et derniere phase est definie par rapport au seul niveau d’inegalite d’education. Nous montrons que c’est dans la troisieme et cinquieme phases que la reduction de l’inegalite d’education presente l’impact le plus benefique sur le developpement economique.Au-dela du schema general mis en evidence sur le plan transnational dans les chapitres I et II, nous explorons dans le chapitre III la nature de cette relation au plan regional dans le cas du Maroc, pour lequel nous disposons de donnees aux niveaux communal et provincial. La non-linearite de la relation est aussi confirmee. La troisieme phase reperee au chapitre II est subdivisee, dans le cas des provinces marocaines, en deux sous phases qui presentent un impact differencie selon un seuil de developpement et d’inegalite d’education.
Structural Features of the Murine Gene Encoding the RIβ Subunit of cAMP-Dependent Protein Kinase

The activation of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase is controlled by the regulatory (R) subunits of the holoenzyme. Here we present a characterization of the mouse RI beta subunit gene, which in contrast to other subunit genes of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase is expressed almost exclusively in neurons. It was determined that RI beta is relatively large with 11 exons spanning a minimum 75 kb. The mouse chromosomal locus (designated Prkar1b) was determined by interspecific backcross mapping and found to reside on the distal arm of chromosome 5. Previously, it was shown that 3.5 kb of DNA encompassing the RI beta promoter could direct neural-specific gene expression in transgenic mice. Analysis of this DNA suggests the presence of an unusually large number of binding sites for transcription factors ranging from tissue-specific regulators, immediate-early genes, and mediators of hormone action. In addition to 18 putative SP1 sites, we identified 27 consensus sequences for basic Helix-Loop-Helix, POU, and Pax family members, 5 AP1 sites, and over 40 half-sites for the superfamily of steroid hormone receptor. Gel mobility-shift assays employing brain nuclear extract and pure transcription factor protein established that many of these DNA sequences are functional in binding protein. The abundance and configuration of transcription factor binding sites within the promoter region of RI beta suggests that this gene is subject to complex modes of regulation in neurons.
Epicardial Fat and Coronary Artery Calcification in Patients on Long-Term Hemodialysis

Introduction Recent studies have shown a significant correlation between increased epicardial fat volume (EFV) and mortality, coronary artery disease events, and measures of coronary atherosclerotic burden, for example, coronary calcium. Patients with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis have an increased prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis and coronary calcium. The mechanisms underlying both may differ from patients with normal kidney function. Only limited data are available on the relationship between epicardial fat and coronary calcium in these patients. Methods Ninety-three consecutive patients (62 men and 31 women; mean age, 55 ± 11 years) with chronic kidney failure on regular hemodialysis underwent computed tomography for coronary calcium scoring as well as assessment of cardiovascular risk factors. Calcium scoring was performed using a low-dose, prospectively ECG-triggered high pitch spiral acquisition protocol (dual-source computed tomography, 280-millisecond (ms) rotation, 2 × 128 × 0.6-mm collimation, 120-kV tube voltage, 80-mA·s tube current). Cross-sectional images were reconstructed with 3.0-mm thickness, 1.5-mm increment, and a medium sharp reconstruction kernel (B35f). Agatston score and EVF were analyzed in a semiautomatic fashion using dedicated software. Results The mean duration of dialysis was 5.7 years. Of all patients, 93% had arterial hypertension, 66% had hyperlipidemia, 30% were diabetic, and 49.5% were current or prior smokers. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 27 ± 4 kg/m2. The mean EFV was 162 ± 80 mL, and the mean coronary artery calcification (CAC) was 765 ± 1391 Agatston units (AU). In univariable and multivariable analysis, EFV was significantly correlated to BMI (P < 0.05) and age (P = 0.021), but not to CAC (P = 0.106). In subanalysis for values binned by median, we also found a significant correlation between EFV (binned) and smoking (P = 0.49) as well as a significant correlation between EFV (binned) and CAC for 46 patients younger than 55 years (median age). Conclusion The epicardial fat volume in patients with chronic kidney disease and on hemodialysis is significantly correlated to BMI, age, and smoking but, with the exception of younger patients, not to the coronary calcium score. Our data suggest that in this special patient cohort, other mechanisms might influence the genesis of coronary calcification.
Circularly polarized MIMO antennas for wireless LAN applications

The performance of a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) system employing circularly polarized (CP) antennas are addressed in the case of indoor propagations. In particular, the comparison between a MIMO system employing CP antennas with respect to linearly polarized (LP) ones has been carefully investigated. To this purpose a set of antennas operating in CP or LP has been designed to operate at 2.45 GHz and their most significant parameters have been preliminary analysed.
Transition phenomena in unstably stratified turbulent flows.

We study experimentally and theoretically the transition phenomena caused by external forcing from Rayleigh-Bénard convection with large-scale circulation (LSC) to the limiting regime of unstably stratified turbulent flow without LSC, where the temperature field behaves like a passive scalar. In the experiments we use the Rayleigh-Bénard apparatus with an additional source of turbulence produced by two oscillating grids located near the sidewalls of the chamber. When the frequency of the grid oscillations is larger than 2 Hz, the LSC in turbulent convection is destroyed, and the destruction of the LSC is accompanied by a strong change of the mean temperature distribution. However, in all regimes of the unstably stratified turbulent flow the ratio [(ℓ{x}∇{x}T)²+(ℓ{y}∇{y}T)² + (ℓ{z}∇{z}T)²]/ varies slightly (even in the range of parameters where the behavior of the temperature field is different from that of the passive scalar). Here ℓ{i} are the integral scales of turbulence along the x,y,z directions, and T and θ are the mean and fluctuating parts of the fluid temperature. At all frequencies of the grid oscillations we have detected long-term nonlinear oscillations of the mean temperature. The theoretical predictions based on the budget equations for turbulent kinetic energy, turbulent temperature fluctuations, and turbulent heat flux, are in agreement with the experimental results.
Diversity of hepatitis C virus genotype 1b in Buenos Aires, Argentina: description of a new cluster associated with response to treatment

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b is the most prevalent in Argentina. As observed in most HCV‐genotype 1b described previously worldwide, the population analyzed in this work is growing at exponential rate. Ten out of 22 samples tested comprise a well‐defined cluster. This new cluster appears to be highly susceptible to therapy with non‐pegylated interferon plus ribavirin (80% rate of sustained response). The comparative analysis of amino acid sequences yielded a characteristic pattern for responder samples defined by amino acids S75, V147, V158 (Core region) and AC2217‐8 (NS5A region). In conclusion, this study describes the epidemic spread of genotype 1b in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and shows the emergence of a new cluster that would result from a founder effect of an unusual sequence or a quasispecies variant that evolved through the time. This cluster, which appears to be highly susceptible to therapy, suggests that the virus itself might be more important than individual patient characteristics when responding to treatment. J. Med. Virol. 80:619–627, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A holistic framework for developing excellent academic practice

This article outlines an original and practical framework that synoptically integrates the factors underpinning a strategic approach to developing excellent academic practice (DEAP) within an institution.It considers recent developments driving development of ‘excellence’ in academic practice and describes a practical model – based on the requirements of the sector, the needs of institutions and the perspectives and goals of staff – that can be used to meet the desires of the various stakeholders.The framework’s philosophy is that outcomes depend upon three factors: individual colleagues’ attributes at different stages of their career; the opportunities provided at each career stage to develop academic practice; and the agency of the colleague and the institution to engage with one another behaviourally, emotionally and/or cognitively to align these attributes and opportunities.The framework is likely to be of practical use to all staff engaged in developing their own or others’ academic practice, while at the same time offering a theoretical framework for scholarship.
Validity of the ActivPAL™ and the ActiGraph monitors in preschoolers.

PURPOSE This study aimed to compare three objective measures (GT1M ActiGraph, ActivPAL™, and direct observation) of sedentary behavior in preschoolers. METHODS Fifty-two 4- to 6-yr-old preschoolers wore an ActivPAL™ and a GT1M ActiGraph for five consecutive days and were videotaped for 1 h during classroom activities at preschool. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was calculated to assess the criterion validity of the ActivPAL™ (sitting/lying, with and without standing still) and the GT1M ActiGraph (<100 counts per minute) to estimate sedentary behavior (directly observed sitting behaviors). A two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to define the convergent validity of the ActivPAL™ and the GT1M ActiGraph sedentary behavior estimates across the measurement days. The practical utility of the ActivPAL™ was tested in the same sample by asking the parents how their child perceived wearing the ActivPAL™. RESULTS Results indicated a poor classification accuracy for both devices (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.6) to measure sedentary behavior based on the direct observation, with and without the inclusion of standing. Time defined as sedentary behavior (sitting/lying) was lower for the ActivPAL™ compared with the GT1M ActiGraph (mean bias, 7.7%; limits of agreement, -29.01% to 13.6%). According to the parental reports, 38% of the preschoolers had skin irritation due to wearing the ActivPAL™ for consecutive days. CONCLUSIONS Low classification accuracy was found for the ActivPAL™ and the GT1M ActiGraph to measure sedentary behavior in preschoolers. No correction factor can be suggested to make the sedentary estimates of the GT1M ActiGraph and the ActivPAL™ convergent as no systematic bias and wide limits of agreement were found. Furthermore, the practical utility of the ActivPAL™ was perceived to be lower compared with the ActiGraph accelerometer in preschoolers.
The butterfly design: coverage of a large sacral defect with two pedicled lumbar artery perforator flaps.

The treatment of sacral pressure sores in ambulatory patients presents a challenge to the reconstructive surgeon. We report the successful use of two pedicled lumbar artery perforator flaps to cover a sacral defect measuring 12 cm x 25 cm. Stable coverage was provided, with protective sensibility, acceptable contour and minimal donor-site morbidity, while additional functional loss of the gluteal muscle was avoided. The configuration of the flaps resembles a butterfly.
Direct democracy in mining conflicts in Latin America: mobilising against the La Colosa project in Colombia

ABSTRACT This article examines the conditions under which popular consultations serve as a means of protest against mining and the socio-political effects that result. Building on empirical research into the protests against the La Colosa gold mining project in Colombia, the analysis is rooted in social movement studies and democracy theory. It shows that the use of popular consultations is enabled by long-term political-institutional changes and short-term changes in structural conditions. The outcomes range from changes in project design to political agenda setting, and the opening of spaces for participation and public debate.
Error Analysis and Adaptive-Robust Control of a 6-DoF Parallel Robot with Ball-Screw Drive Actuators

Parallel kinematic machines PKMs are commonly used for tasks that require high precision and stiffness. In this sense, the rigidity of the drive system of the robot, which is composed of actuators and transmissions, plays a fundamental role. In this paper, ball-screw drive actuators are considered and a 6-degree of freedom DoF parallel robot with prismatic actuated joints is used as application case. A mathematical model of the ball-screw drive is proposed considering the most influencing sources of nonlinearity: sliding-dependent flexibility, backlash, and friction. Using this model, the most critical poses of the robot with respect to the kinematic mapping of the error from the joint- to the task-space are systematically investigated to obtain the workspace positional and rotational resolution, apart from control issues. Finally, a nonlinear adaptive-robust control algorithm for trajectory tracking, based on the minimization of the tracking error, is described and simulated.