Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multilevel asymmetric power converters for switched reluctance machines

This paper presents a new family of multilevel asymmetric power converters which are suitable for unipolar current loads such as a switched reluctance motor drive. The fundamental operation of each topology is reviewed and some simulation results are presented showing the potential system performance improvements that can be realised by operating with intermediary voltages rather than the full DC-link.
Active Printed Materials for Complex

We propose a new design of complex self-evolving structures that vary over time due to environmental interaction. In conventional 3D printing systems, materials are meant to be stable rather than active and fabricated models are designed and printed as static objects. Here, we introduce a novel approach for simulating and fabricating self-evolving structures that transform into a predetermined shape, changing property and function after fabrication. The new locally coordinated bending primitives combine into a single system, allowing for a global deformation which can stretch, fold and bend given environmental stimulus.
A Study on Analyzing Fake news through Neural Network Models

Fake news is defined as a made-up story with an intention to deceive or to mislead. In this paper we present the solution to the task of fake news detection by using Deep Learning architectures. Gartner research [1] predicts that “By 2022, most people in mature economies will consume more false information than true information”. The exponential increase in production and distribution of inaccurate news presents an immediate need for automatically tagging and detecting such twisted news articles. However, automated detection of fake news is a hard task to accomplish as it requires the model to understand nuances in natural language. Moreover, majority of the existing fake news detection models treat the problem at hand as a binary classification task, which limits model’s ability to understand how related or unrelated the reported news is when compared to the real news. To address these gaps, we present neural network architecture to accurately predict the stance between a given pair of headline and article body. Our model outperforms existing model architectures by 2.5% and we are able to achieve an accuracy of 94.21% on test data.
Projektarbeit Informatik Development of a framework for text classification and participation at SemEval.

With increase in computing power sentiment analysis has become more and more applicable to solve concrete problems in everyday life in recent years – thus getting more interesting for business application. The aim of this thesis is the development and evaluation of a framework for sentiment analysis with a focus on analyzing tweets, and its participation at the SemEval 2015 challenge. The thesis expounds the reasons for design decisions and troubles during development and provides usage examples, outlooks and useful information for further development. Papers, data and scores from previous SemEval participants were used to implement and test each part of the framework during development. The scores from the winning team of SemEval 2014 (NRC Canada) were taken as the intermediate goal and have been reached in mid-November. After that a multitude of experiments were conducted with varying framework configurations on the same data in order to further increase the score. The best scoring configuration was then used to participate in SemEval 2015 one month later. The 8 th rank was reached (out of 40 participating teams) with a precision of 62.61%. On the basis of these final results, it can be concluded that the chosen design bears significant potential and should be further developed.
Statistical Undecidability in Linear, Non-Gaussian Causal Models in the Presence of Latent Confounders

If causal relationships are linear and acyclic and noise terms are independent and Gaussian, causal orientation is not identified from observational data — even if faithfulness is satisfied (Spirtes et al., 2002). Shimizu et al. (2006) showed that acyclic, linear, non-Gaussian (LiNGAM) causal models are identified from observational data, so long as no latent confounders are present. That holds even when faithfulness fails. Genin and Mayo-Wilson (2020) refine that result: not only are causal relationships identified, but causal orientation is statistically decidable. That means that for every ε > 0, there is a method that converges in probability to the correct orientation and, at every sample size, outputs an incorrect orientation with probability less than ε. These results naturally raise questions about what happens in the presence of latent confounders. Hoyer et al. (2008) and Salehkaleybar et al. (2020) show that, although the causal model is not uniquely identified, causal orientation among observed variables is identified in the presence of latent confounders, so long as faithfulness is satisfied. This paper refines these results: although it is possible to converge to the right orientation in the limit, causal orientation is no longer statistically decidable—it is not possible to converge to the correct orientation with finite-sample bounds on the probability of orientation errors, even if faithfulness is satisfied. However, that limiting result suggests several adjustments to the LiNGAM model that may recover decidability.
Constitutive deficiency of the neurogenic hippocampal modulator AP2γ promotes anxiety-like behavior and cumulative memory deficits in mice from juvenile to adult periods

The transcription factor activating protein two gamma (AP2γ) is an important regulator of neurogenesis both during embryonic development as well as in the postnatal brain, but its role for neurophysiology and behavior at distinct postnatal periods is still unclear. In this work, we explored the neurogenic, behavioral, and functional impact of a constitutive and heterozygous AP2γ deletion in mice from early postnatal development until adulthood. AP2γ deficiency promotes downregulation of hippocampal glutamatergic neurogenesis, altering the ontogeny of emotional and memory behaviors associated with hippocampus formation. The impairments induced by AP2γ constitutive deletion since early development leads to an anxious-like phenotype and memory impairments as early as the juvenile phase. These behavioral impairments either persist from the juvenile phase to adulthood or emerge in adult mice with deficits in behavioral flexibility and object location recognition. Collectively, we observed a progressive and cumulative impact of constitutive AP2γ deficiency on the hippocampal glutamatergic neurogenic process, as well as alterations on limbic-cortical connectivity, together with functional behavioral impairments. The results herein presented demonstrate the modulatory role exerted by the AP2γ transcription factor and the relevance of hippocampal neurogenesis in the development of emotional states and memory processes.
Scheduling of hydrothermal power systems

The authors present a method for scheduling hydrothermal power systems based on the Lagrangian relaxation technique. By using Lagrange multipliers to relax system-wide demand and reserve requirements, the problem is decomposed and converted into a two-level optimization problem. Given the sets of Lagrange multipliers, a hydro unit subproblem is solved by a merit order allocation method, and a thermal unit subproblem is solved by using dynamic programming without discretizing generation levels. A subgradient algorithm is used to update the Lagrange multipliers. Numerical results based on Northeast Utilities data show that this algorithm is efficient, and near-optimal solutions are obtained. Compared with previous work where thermal units were scheduled by using the Lagrangian relaxation technique and hydro units by heuristics, the new coordinated hydro and thermal scheduling generates lower total costs and requires less computation time. >
Advancing the Mechanical Performance of Glasses: Perspectives and Challenges

Glasses are materials that lack a crystalline microstructure and long‐range atomic order. Instead, they feature heterogeneity and disorder on superstructural scales, which have profound consequences for their elastic response, material strength, fracture toughness, and the characteristics of dynamic fracture. These structure–property relations present a rich field of study in fundamental glass physics and are also becoming increasingly important in the design of modern materials with improved mechanical performance. A first step in this direction involves glass‐like materials that retain optical transparency and the haptics of classical glass products, while overcoming the limitations of brittleness. Among these, novel types of oxide glasses, hybrid glasses, phase‐separated glasses, and bioinspired glass–polymer composites hold significant promise. Such materials are designed from the bottom‐up, building on structure–property relations, modeling of stresses and strains at relevant length scales, and machine learning predictions. Their fabrication requires a more scientifically driven approach to materials design and processing, building on the physics of structural disorder and its consequences for structural rearrangements, defect initiation, and dynamic fracture in response to mechanical load. In this article, a perspective is provided on this highly interdisciplinary field of research in terms of its most recent challenges and opportunities.
Fabrication of PMMA micro- and nanofluidic channels by proton beam writing: electrokinetic and morphological characterization

The fabrication of microfluidic channels in poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) by proton beam writing and the characterization of their electrokinetic behavior are reported. Microchannels down to 200 nm width have been fabricated in high-molecular-weight, thick PMMA sheets and a surface smoothness of 2.45 nm for the sidewalls of the channels was measured using atomic force microscopy. The polymeric channels were sealed using thermal bonding. The methods of digital video microscopy and current monitoring were used for characterization of the electrokinetic phenomena. The electrokinetic properties of the PMMA rectangular microchannels were measured in 20 mM buffered solutions of phosphate (pH 7.20), tris (pH 8.00) and borate (pH 9.05) at different voltages. In addition, particle image velocimetry was used to determine the electroosmotic flow profile and the electrophoretic mobility of 600 nm polystyrene microspheres. A theoretical model was developed to predict the bulk electroosmotic flow of phosphate buffer solution in the PMMA microchannels and this model showed good agreement with the measured electroosmotic mobilities.
Compatibility of a Beta-cyfluthrin-Based ‘Attract-and-Kill’ Device with Tamarixia radiata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) for Suppression of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) on Residential Citrus

Abstract The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), is a serious threat to the U.S. citrus industry because it spreads huanglongbing (HLB), a bacterial and incurable citrus disease. The nymphal parasitoid, Tamarixia radiata Waterston (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), has been extensively released for biological control of D. citri in South Texas since 2010 but provides insufficient control. An ‘attract-and-kill’ (AK) device was evaluated for its compatibility with T. radiata for suppression of D. citri on dooryard citrus. The AK device is visually attractive to D. citri adults because it is the same color as young citrus flush and kills individuals on contact with the toxicant beta-cyfluthrin. This study evaluated 1) lethality of AK devices to T. radiata adults under lab conditions; 2) efficacy of AK devices for year-round psyllid suppression on individual dooryard lemon trees; 3) discovery and parasitism of D. citri colonies by T. radiata on lemon trees with or without AK devices. Contact with AK devices for 5 s or more was lethal to adult parasitoids. Deployment of 20 AK devices per tree provided significant year-round suppression of D. citri on infested lemon trees and reduced mean attack intensity (cumulative psyllid-days) of adults by 66% and nymphs by 82%. Discovery and parasitism rates of D. citri colonies by T. radiata were similar on control trees and trees protected by AK devices. An AK device that targets adult psyllids could be used to effectively complement biological control of D. citri by T. radiata in residential landscapes. Graphical Abstract
Music Upper Limb Therapy–Integrated Provides a Feasible Enriched Environment and Reduces Post-stroke Depression

Objective This study’s aims were to refine Music Upper Limb Therapy–Integrated (MULT-I) to create a feasible enriched environment for stroke rehabilitation and compare its biologic and behavioral effects with that of a home exercise program (HEP). Design This was a randomized mixed-methods study of 30 adults with post-stroke hemiparesis. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and oxytocin levels measured biologic effects, and upper limb function, disability, quality of life, and emotional well-being were assessed as behavioral outcomes. Participant experiences were explored using semistructured interviews. Results MULT-I participants showed reduced depression from preintervention to postintervention as compared with HEP participants. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels significantly increased for MULT-I participants but decreased for HEP participants, with a significant difference between groups after excluding those with post-stroke depression. MULT-I participants additionally improved quality of life and self-perceived physical strength, mobility, activity, participation, and recovery from preintervention to postintervention. HEP participants improved upper limb function. Qualitatively, MULT-I provided psychosocial support and enjoyment, whereas HEP supported self-management of rehabilitation. Conclusions Implementation of a music-enriched environment is feasible, reduces post-stroke depression, and may enhance the neural environment for recovery via increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. Self-management of rehabilitation through an HEP may further improve upper limb function.
The Impact of Kinesiology Tape Over the Posterior Lower Limb on Runner Fatigue

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if placing kinesiology tape on the posterior lower limbs helps preserve runner gait in a fatigued state. The hypothesis was that the elastic properties of the tape may help the runners push off with each step. Methods: Sixty healthy participants (age= 26.7 + 4.3 yrs, height= 1.72 + 0.09 m, body mass= 75.4 + 17.0 kg: mean + SD) engaged in a baseline 90-second running gait analysis at 6 mph without kinesiology tape. Participants then completed an Astrand cycle ergometer maximal test until they reached maximal volitional exhaustion and had over 8 mmol/l blood lactate, which correlates with maximal to near maximal exercise effort. Following this, participants were randomized to one of two interventions: 1) Intervention, which had kinesiology tape placed on the back of the lower limbs bilaterally from their gluteal fold to their heel under tension or 2) Control, no-tape group. All participants then engaged in a running gait analysis in a fatigued state at 6 mph. Researchers used a 2-way repeated measures analysis of variance considering fatigue (pre-fatigue, post-fatigue) and group (tape, no-tape) as subject factors.
A three-phase ZVS PWM DC/DC converter with asymmetrical duty cycle for high power applications

This paper proposes the application of the asymmetrical duty cycle to the three-phase DC/DC PWM isolated converter. Thus soft commutation is achieved for a wide load range using the leakage inductance of the transformer and the intrinsic capacitance of the switches, as no additional semiconductor devices are needed. The resulting topology is characterized by an increase in the input current and output current frequency, by a factor of three compared to the full bridge converter, which reduces the filters size. In addition, the RMS current through the power components is lower, implying an improved thermal distribution of the losses. Besides, the three-phase transformer allows the reduction of the core size. In this paper, a mathematical analysis, the main waveforms, a design procedure as well as simulation and experimental results obtained in a prototype of 6 kW are presented.
Responsible innovation in health and health system sustainability: Insights from health innovators’ views and practices

Although healthcare managers make increasingly difficult decisions about health innovations, the way they may interact with innovators to foster health system sustainability remains underexplored. Drawing on the Responsible Innovation in Health (RIH) framework, this paper analyses interviews (n=37) with Canadian and Brazilian innovators to identify: how they operationalize inclusive design processes; what influences the responsiveness of their innovation to system-level challenges; and how they consider the level and intensity of care required by their innovation. Our qualitative findings indicate that innovators seek to: 1) engage stakeholders at an early ideation stage through context-specific methods combining both formal and informal strategies; 2) address specific system-level benefits but often struggle with the positioning of their solution within the health system; and 3) mitigate staff shortages in specialized care, increase general practitioners’ capacity or patients and informal caregivers’ autonomy. These findings provide empirical insights on how healthcare managers can promote and organize collaborative processes that harness innovation towards more sustainable health systems. By adopting a RIH-oriented managerial role, they can set in place more inclusive design processes, articulate key system-level challenges, and help innovators adjust the level and intensity of care required by their innovation.
Examples of Mechanism Design: from King Solomon to eBay

The judgment of king Solomon is an early example of mechanism design. Mechanism design attempts to achieve desired outcomes in situations with self-interested players by setting the rules of the game in a specific way. We will see that the game Solomon proposed would not have worked if the women were rational, and we will see an alternative mechanism (or game) as proposed by Moore (1992). Then we will relate this mechanism to another mechanism, namely the auction protocol used in e-Bay. Finally, we briefly introduce some mechanism design problems we study in the Algorithmics group (under prof. dr. Cees Witteveen).
The association of problematic use of social media and online videogames with aggression is mediated by insomnia severity: A cross-sectional study in a sample of 18- to 24-year-old individuals.

One of the worrying concomitants of problematic use of Internet (PUI) is aggression. Although the mechanisms underlying such link have not been completely clarified, it has been suggested that problematic use of social media and online videogames (i.e., two common forms of PUI among young adults) lead to increased sleep disturbances which, in turn, represent a relevant trigger for aggression. We have tested this hypothesis in a sample (N = 480) of young individuals (351 females and 129 males; mean age: 21.76 ± 1.92 years; range: 18-24). Self-report measures investigating symptoms related to social media addiction (SMA), Internet gaming disorder (IGD), insomnia severity, and aggression were used. Mediational models analyzing the direct and indirect associations of SMA- and IGD-related symptoms on aggression severity through insomnia-related symptoms were performed controlling for confounding factors. The models showed that the total effects of SMA-related symptoms (B = 0.018; p = .010) and of IGD-related symptoms (B = 0.018; p = .041) on aggression severity were significant and that these associations were mediated by insomnia-related symptoms (respectively, p < .001 and p = .003). Our findings support the potential mediating role of insomnia severity in the association of SMA- and IGD-related disturbances with levels of aggression.
Intermittent maternofetal oxygenation during late gestation improved birthweight, neonatal growth, body symmetry, and muscle metabolism in intrauterine growth-restricted lambs.

In humans and animals, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) results from fetal programming responses to poor intrauterine conditions. Chronic fetal hypoxemia elevates circulating catecholamines, which reduces skeletal muscle β2 adrenoceptor content and contributes to growth and metabolic pathologies in IUGR-born offspring. Our objective was to determine whether intermittent maternofetal oxygenation during late gestation would improve neonatal growth and glucose metabolism in IUGR-born lambs. Pregnant ewes were housed at 40°C from the 40 th to 95 th d of gestational age (dGA) to produce IUGR-born lambs (n = 9). A 2 nd group of IUGR-born lambs received prenatal O2 supplementation via maternal O2 insufflation (100% humidified O2, 10 L/min) for 8 h/d from dGA 130 to parturition (IUGR+O2, n = 10). Control lambs (n = 15) were from pair-fed thermoneutral ewes. All lambs were weaned at birth, hand-reared, and fitted with hindlimb catheters at d 25. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and hindlimb hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (HEC) studies were performed at d 28 and 29, respectively. At d 30, lambs were euthanized and ex vivo HEC studies were performed on isolated muscle. Without maternofetal oxygenation, IUGR lambs were 40% lighter (P < 0.05) at birth and maintained slower (P < 0.05) growth rates throughout the neonatal period compared to controls. At 30 d of age, IUGR lambs had lighter (P < 0.05) hindlimbs and flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) muscles. IUGR+O2 lambs exhibited improved (P < 0.05) birthweight, neonatal growth, hindlimb mass, and FDS mass compared to IUGR lambs. Hindlimb insulin-stimulated glucose utilization and oxidation rates were reduced (P < 0.05) in IUGR but not IUGR+O2 lambs. Ex vivo glucose oxidation rates were less (P < 0.05) in muscle from IUGR but not IUGR+O2 lambs. Surprisingly, β2 adrenoceptor content and insulin responsiveness were reduced (P < 0.05) in muscle from IUGR and IUGR+O2 lambs compared to controls. In addition, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was reduced (P < 0.05) in IUGR lambs and only modestly improved (P < 0.05) in IUGR+O2. Insufflation of O2 also increased (P < 0.05) acidosis and hypercapnia in dams, perhaps due to the use of 100% O2 rather than a gas mixture with a lesser O2 percentage. Nevertheless, these findings show that intermittent maternofetal oxygenation during late gestation improved postnatal growth and metabolic outcomes in IUGR lambs without improving muscle β2 adrenoceptor content.