Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterisation of Yersinia Enterocolitica Strains Isolated from Wildlife in the Northwestern Italian Alps

Abstract Introduction Yersiniosis is a zoonosis causing gastroenteritis, diarrhoea, and occasionally reactive arthritis and septicaemia. Cases are often linked to meat consumption and the most common aetiological agent is the Gram-negative bacilliform Yersinia enterocolitica bacterium. The occurrence of Yersinia spp. among wild animals has mostly been studied in wild boar, but it has seldom been in other species. Material and Methods A total of 1,868 faecal samples from animals found dead or hunted were collected between 2015 and 2018 in the Valle d’Aosta region of the northwestern Italian Alps. Alpine ibex faecal samples were collected during a health monitoring program in 2018. Bacteria were isolated via PCR and confirmed as Y. enterocolitica biochemically. Strain antimicrobial susceptibility was tested by Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion, and the presence of virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance genes was investigated using whole-genome sequencing. Results Yersinia enterocolitica strains of biotype 1A were detected in six faecal samples from red deer (0.93%), roe deer (0.49%) and red foxes (0.7%). Strains found in beech martens (3.57%) and Alpine ibex (2.77%) belonged to biotypes 1B and 5, respectively and harboured the pYPTS01 plasmid that had only been detected in Y. pseudotuberculosis PB1/+. All the isolates were resistant to ampicillin and erythromycin. Conclusion The biovar 1A strains exhibited different virulence factors and behaved like non-pathogenic commensals. The strain from an Alpine ibex also harboured the self-transmissible pYE854 plasmid that can mobilise itself and the pYPTS01 plasmid to other strains. The beech marten could be considered a sentinel animal for Y. enterocolitica. Phenotypic resistance may account for the ability of all the strains to resist β-lactams.
Traffic Aware Planner for Cockpit-based Trajectory Optimization

The Traffic Aware Planner (TAP) software application is a cockpit-based advisory tool designed to be hosted on an Electronic Flight Bag and to enable and test the NASA concept of Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests (TASAR). The TASAR concept provides pilots with optimized route changes (including altitude) that reduce fuel burn and/or flight time, avoid interactions with known traffic, weather and restricted airspace, and may be used by the pilots to request a route and/or altitude change from Air Traffic Control. Developed using an iterative process, TAP's latest improvements include human-machine interface design upgrades and added functionality based on the results of human-in-the-loop simulation experiments and flight trials. Architectural improvements have been implemented to prepare the system for operational-use trials with partner commercial airlines. Future iterations will enhance coordination with airline dispatch and add functionality to improve the acceptability of TAP-generated route-change requests to pilots, dispatchers, and air traffic controllers.
How to Build a Customized Scoring Tool to Evaluate and Select Early-stage Projects

Overview: In the early stages of technology or innovation projects, companies often need to make decisions about which projects to pursue when only scant information is available. In this article, we provide guidance on how to make the best use of the information available by assessing projects against several appropriate factors and allocating scores. Although companies have used this type of scoring method for many years, they have paid little attention to how to best design and configure scoring tools. We explain how to design a scoring tool specifically tailored for a particular situation and present the example of Grundfos to illustrate the efficacy of developing a customized scoring method that includes identifying factors under Opportunity and Feasibility. We suggest how to choose the factors to ensure that the scoring is as consistent and objective as possible and how to treat the inevitable uncertainty arising from early-stage projects.
Flight Path Planning of Hypersonic Vehicle Based on PSO

A flight path planning method based on PSO(Particle Swarm Optimization) for hypersonic vehicle was proposed and simulated.First,minimum turning radius of hypersonic vehicle was calculated.Second,threat model was established.The model was projected into the Equatorial Plane.And a polynomial function with finite terms was used to approach the projection of actual flight path in the Equatorial Plane.So the flight path planning problem was simplified to the problem of searching the best series of values in the coefficient space of the polynomial function.Flight path in the Equatorial Plane could be generated by particle swarm optimization considering hypersonic vehicle's characteristic.The actual flight path could be generated according to corresponding relation.Simulation results show that the generated flight path can automatically avoid threat.
Chlamydia trachomatis effector Dre1 interacts with dynactin to reposition host organelles during infection

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular pathogen that replicates within a specialized membrane-bound compartment, called the inclusion. Chlamydia species express a unique class of effectors, Incs, which are translocated from the bacteria by a Type III secretion system and are inserted into the inclusion membrane where they modulate the host-bacterium interface. C. trachomatis repositions specific host organelles during infection to acquire nutrients and evade host cell surveillance, however the bacterial and host proteins controlling these processes are largely unknown. Here, we identify an interaction between the host dynactin complex and the C. trachomatis Inc CT192 (CTL0444), hereafter named Dre1 for Dynactin Recruiting Effector 1. We show that dynactin is recruited to the inclusion in a Dre1-dependent manner and that loss of Dre1 diminishes the recruitment of specific host organelles, including the centrosome, mitotic spindle, and Golgi apparatus to the inclusion. Inactivation of Dre1 results in decreased C. trachomatis fitness in cell-based assays and in a mouse model of infection. By targeting particular functions of the versatile host dynactin complex, Dre1 facilitates re-arrangement of certain organelles around the growing inclusion. Our work highlights how C. trachomatis employs a single effector to evoke specific, large-scale changes in host cell organization that establish an intracellular replicative niche without globally inhibiting host cellular function.
Synaptotagmin 9 modulates spontaneous neurotransmitter release in striatal neurons by regulating substance P secretion

Synaptotagmin 9 (SYT9) is a tandem C2 domain Ca2+ sensor for exocytosis in neuroendocrine cells; its function in neurons remains unclear. Here, we show that, in mixed-sex cultures, SYT9 does not trigger rapid synaptic vesicle exocytosis in mouse cortical, hippocampal, or striatal neurons, unless it is massively overexpressed. In striatal neurons, loss of SYT9 reduced the frequency of spontaneous neurotransmitter release events (minis). We delved into the underlying mechanism and discovered that SYT9 was localized to dense-core vesicles that contain substance P (SP). Loss of SYT9 impaired SP release, causing the observed decrease in mini frequency. This model is further supported by loss of function mutants. Namely, Ca2+ binding to the C2A domain of SYT9 triggered membrane fusion in vitro, and mutations that disrupted this activity abolished the ability of SYT9 to regulate both SP release and mini frequency. We conclude that SYT9 indirectly regulates synaptic transmission in striatal neurons by controlling SP release. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Synaptotagmin 9 (SYT9) has been described as a Ca2+ sensor for dense-core vesicle (DCV) exocytosis in neuroendocrine cells, but its role in neurons remains unclear, despite widespread expression in the brain. This article examines the role of SYT9 in synaptic transmission across cultured cortical, hippocampal, and striatal neuronal preparations. We found that SYT9 regulates spontaneous neurotransmitter release in striatal neurons by serving as a Ca2+ sensor for the release of the neuromodulator substance P from DCVs. This demonstrates a novel role for SYT9 in neurons and uncovers a new field of study into neuromodulation by SYT9, a protein that is widely expressed in the brain.
Efficiency and Reliability Improvement of Solving Power Systems Steady-State Stability Limit Operation Equations

Various mathematical models and methods for solving steady-state stability limit (SSSL) operation equations of electric power systems are analyzed. It is shown that the Newton method is the optimal since it provides sufficiently fast convergence, yet it is sensitive to initial approximation. For the efficiency improvement purpose of SSSL calculation based on the singular value decomposition, a calculation methodology of the initial approximation values of SSSL equations eigenvector elements has been developed. A methodology of the Newton method step-size constraint where the calculation of initial approximations faces difficulties has been developed. The implementation is carried out according to the Eneev-Matveev method. It is shown that the proposed methodology application improves the reliability of obtaining a solution of the SSSL equations at various points of the limiting hypersurface.
An Unsupervised Facial Expression Recognition Method Based on CycleGAN

With the rapid development of technology, facial expression recognition is widely used in all walks of life. Due to factors such as facial expression intensity, light intensity, facial occlusion, and picture background, the recognition accuracy of facial expression decreases. The traditional facial expression recognition system uses a supervised learning method, but this way requires complex data labelling. Therefore, this paper proposes an unsupervised learning method based on Cyclegan combined with the Crossentropy loss function to solve the above problems. Firstly, cyclegan is used to generate the corresponding neutral facial expression. Secondly, the neutral facial expression is combined with other facial expressions to train CGAN. Finally, the classification network was constructed by using residual expression information to generate neutral faces. Experiments on the JAFFE dataset show that the unsupervised generation of neutral faces eliminates the labelling process and achieves the final accuracy of 98.81%, demonstrating that the method has good identification accuracy on small datasets.
Performance Improvement of Micro Grid Energy Management System using Interleaved Boost Converter and P&O MPPT Technique

This paper aims the integrationof photo voltaic array and battery in a micro grid and management of energy happening in the grid. The regulation of battery depending on the requisite of load i.e., battery hold, charge and discharge actions using a bi-directional DC-DC converter has been proposed. The usage of a simple boost converter and interleaved boost converter with MPPT control, two-level inverter and three-level NPC inverter has been compared for various situations like PV delivering supply to the load and charging battery, only PV system delivering supply to the load, only battery delivering supply to the load and PV-battery both delivering supply to the load. Output factors like power, voltage and current are analyzed and plotted for all the situations. The proposed micro grid energy management system is simulated under MATLAB/Simulink environment
The Rubber Slider Metaphor: Visualisation of Temporal and Geolocated Data

In the context of the IEEE VR 2022 3DUI Contest entitled “Arts, Science, Information, and Knowledge - Visualized and Interacted”, this paper presents a VR application to highlight the usage of the rubber slider metaphor. The rubber slider is an augmentation of usual 2D slider controls where users can bend the slider axis in order to control an additional degree of freedom value in the application. This demonstration immerses users in a Virtual Environment where they will be able to explore a database of art pieces geolocated on a 3D earth model and their corresponding art movements displayed on a timeline interface.
Federated Learning: An Energy Efficiency Perspective to Extend Smartphone Battery Life

Battery capacity estimators play a vital role in assessing remaining usage time in today's smartphones. Latest data driven techniques need an extensive curated dataset to provide precise battery capacity estimation. Transferring secure smartphone battery data generated from various devices to data servers consumes an inordinate amount of energy. Federated Learning (FL) aims to avoid large-scale data transfer between devices and servers by training Machine Learning (ML) models on localized devices. This approach is advantageous as there is a marked reduction in total energy consumption, while user privacy is also maintained. The aim of this article is to provide beneficial insights into using Federated Learning to prolong the battery life of smartphones. The objective of this article is to present unique solutions and challenges Federated Learning brings to the field of smartphone energy management.
Jamming in MR: Towards Real-Time Music Collaboration in Mixed Reality

Recent pandemic-related contact restrictions have made it difficult for musicians to meet in person to make music. As a result, there has been an increased demand for applications that enable remote and real-time music collaboration. One desirable goal here is to give musicians a sense of social presence, to make them feel that they are “on site” with their musical partners. We conducted a focus group study to investigate the impact of remote jamming on users' affect. Further, we gathered user requirements for a Mixed Reality system that enables real-time jamming and developed a prototype based on these findings.
Numerical Simulation of Frequency-dependent AC Transport Losses in HTS 2G Tape with Copper Stabilizer

Tendency of environmental damage reduction pushes to a replacement of traditional power sources with renewable ones. Some of renewable generation systems, such as solar or wind power plants, have an inconsistent power output, so an application of energy storages becomes inevitable for power quality enhancement. One of the most promising of them is superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) wounded with high temperature superconductor (HTS) tape. It has no losses at normal operation with direct current, but transient processes during charge or discharge of SMES induce AC losses. The scope of this paper covers the problem of numerical calculation of separate losses components. The problem is investigated for 2G HTS tape with copper stabilizer and non-magnetic substrate. Dependencies on frequency are obtained for hysteresis and eddy current losses. As a result, it has been determined that hysteresis losses preponderate on lower frequencies, while eddy current losses dominate in the upper range.
All Shook Up: The Impact of Floor Vibration in Symmetric and Asymmetric Immersive Multi-user VR Gaming Experiences

This paper investigates the influence of floor-vibration tactile feedback on immersed users. Under symmetric and asymmetric tactile sensory cue conditions, we explore how multi-user Virtual Reality (VR) experiences are impacted by these cues in terms of illusion and coherence. Based on the reported positive impact of tactile cues in solo VR experiences, we posit that if context-matched perceptual tactile feedback is exchanged between users, they will report a significantly enhanced VR experience compared to not receiving the sensory stimuli, even within the same immersive VR experience. With our custom-built, computer-controlled vibration floor, we implemented a cannonball shooting game for two physically-separated players. In the VR game, the two players shoot cannonballs to destroy their opponent’s protective wall and cannon, while the programmed floor platform generates vertical vibrations depending on the experimental condition. We used a mixed-factorial design with four conditions for each pair of participants: 1) both A and B had vibration, and 2) neither A nor B had vibration (the Symmetric group), or 3) A had vibration, but B did not, and 4) B had vibration, but A did not (the Asymmetric group). We collected subjective and objective data for variables previously shown to be related to levels of illusion, coherence, and usability, including Presence, Co-Presence, Social Presence, Plausibility Illusion, Engagement, Embodiment, Coherence, Gaming Performance, and Overall Preference. A total of 39 pairs of participants were involved in the study. We found statistically significant differences for the vibration conditions on Co-Presence, Social Presence, Engagement, and Coherence, and for the symmetric conditions on the Plausibility Illusion and Coherence, but only with trivial or small effect sizes. The results indicate that vibration provided to a pair of game players in immersive VR can significantly enhance the VR experience, but sensory symmetry does not guarantee improved gaming performance.
The Chaotic Behavior of Redirection – Revisiting Simulations in Redirected Walking

Redirected Walking (RDW) is a common technique leveraged to allow real walking for exploring large virtual environments in constrained physical tracking spaces. Effective RDW is challenging due to its complexity and disturbance factors (e.g., spontaneous user behavior). Existing techniques range from combinations of simple motion scaling to more elaborate curvature injections and reactive, predictive, or scripted steering concepts. However, many of these approaches were evaluated in simulation only, and researchers argued that the findings would translate to real scenarios to motivate the effectiveness of their algorithms. Using the Redirected Walking Toolkit and its virtual path generator, a randomized waypoint-based path generator has been common practice, although its built-in simplifications assume sequential user behavior regarding translation and rotation.In this paper, we argue that pure simulation-based evaluations employing such simplified path generators require critical reflection. We demonstrate RDW simulations that show the chaotic process fundamental to RDW, in which altering the initial user’s position by mere millimeters can drastically change the resulting steering behavior. This insight suggests that RDW is more sensitive to the underlying data than previously assumed. Thus, we rigorously analyze the influence of commonly used synthetically generated paths on multiple state-of-the-art steering concepts and compare them against previously recorded real paths.
A Cardboard-Based Virtual Reality Study on Self-Avatar Appearance and Breathing

Cardboard-based virtual reality is an affordable solution for experiencing virtual reality content. Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, several studies used cardboard-based virtual reality remotely to minimize viral spread. We conducted a study to explore the potentials of low-cost virtual reality on participants' sense of presence and body ownership illusion in our research lab, thereby providing a controlled research setting. Our 2 (Avatar: realistic vs. mannequin self-avatar) × 2 (Breathing; breathing vs. no breathing motion) study investigated presence and body ownership when participants were instructed to observe a virtual environment passively through a cardboard-based virtual reality application while being embodied as a self-avatar. Our study's results indicated that: (1) the mannequin self-avatar exerted a stronger effect on participants' presence; (2) younger participants who experienced the mannequin avatar reported stronger body ownership compared with older participants; and (3) while experiencing a mannequin avatar with no breathing motion, participants with prior VR experience reported higher body ownership illusion compared with participants with no prior VR experience. In this paper, we discuss our findings, as well as the study's limitations and future research directions.
An Evaluation of Native versus Foreign Communicative Interactions on Users’ Behavioral Reactions towards Affective Virtual Crowds

This investigation compared the impact on the users’ non-verbal behaviors elicited by interacting with a crowd of emotional virtual humans (VHs) in native and non-native language settings. In a between-subject experiment, we collected objective metrics regarding the users’ behaviors during interaction with a crowd of VHs who expressed verbal and non-verbal communicative behaviors in response to users’ speech-based interaction. The study presented four VH crowd conditions based on their emotional disposition, namely Positive, Negative, Neutral, and Mixed, in accordance with which VHs exhibited the appropriate behaviors. Participants were tasked with collecting items in a virtual flea market, and they interacted using natural speech-based dialogue with the VHs. The language conditions were collected in the USA and under two different conditions in Taiwan. The participants in the USA group interacted with the VHs in English (a native language for the USA setting); and two different groups in Taiwan interacted with the VHs in either a foreign (English) or native (Mandarin) language, respectively. Results reveal that in the (TMA, TEN) and (UEN, TEN) conditions, native versus non-native language communication can alter social behaviors (e.g., interaction time) of participants towards virtual interlocutors. Our results also revealed strong effects of cultural differences on participants’ non-verbal social behaviors with VHs in the UEN and TMA conditions.
The Impact of Throshold DC Voltage on the SC Control Stability Based on Brushless Doubly Exited Induction Machine BDFIM

this paper is concerned in verifying the reliability of DC Boost voltages and its effect on the performance of the scaler control algorithm to handle the reluctance machine performance through the drop voltage close synchronous zone, when the slip frequency equal zero. The mathematical treatments taking in account Maximum Torque per Ampere Inverter MTPAI and steady state condition has been involved to simplify the dynamic model of secondary side supply voltage equations for the simple scalar control algorithms control winding CW. The speed of the machine's response to the Simulink applications made the topic a subject of trust and interest and a good outlet for proving and confirming the hypothesis. Enhancement of emerging Brushless Doubly Fed Machine BDFIM (Motoring Mod) which is classified as one of cascade construction Machin is the target of this investigation. So the preventing the machine which may be experienced to speed drop or torque failure draw clear motives to maintain the bipolar (±) DC Boost voltage in the control side for emerging BDFM.
Synthesis of Hard and Soft Switching Skills of The MOSFET With the Flyback Converters

In this paper, hard and soft switching synthesis and skills both are highlighted to ascertain the power loss modeling, power loss allocations, switching loss reductions and performance analysis of the Flyback converter used by silicon carbide (SiC) which is better than the normal silicon (Si) MOSFET. The SiC MOSFET are also beneficial for the high voltage and high switching frequency applications. The SiC semiconductors not only uses for high power density but gives also better performance in high operating switching frequency Flyback SMPS. SiC MOSFET also reduces the conduction loss due to lower value of its drain to source resistance and switching resistance both to improve the circuit efficiency and performance as well of the power converter while switching characteristics and performance study are exposed under a same tent and platform for practical applications