Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Experimental test on the islanding of an advanced PV inverter

The recent exponential growth of utility-interconnected PV systems has led to changes to IEEE 1547 - the standard for interconnecting distributed resources with electric power systems. IEEE 1547a and IEEE 1547.8 are unleashing the application of advanced inverter functionalities, or grid support functions, for the purpose of minimizing adverse distribution system effects that are commonly encountered in areas with high levels of PV penetration. However, there is concern over the interference of some of these functionalities with the inverter islanding detection schemes. This paper summarizes experimental test results on attempts to create an islanded situation of an advanced 12 kVA inverter by activating some of these functions and closely matching generation with load. The functionalities that were tested include larger tolerance of voltage and frequency disturbances, non-unity power factor operation, and dynamic Volt/VAr control.
Using tag similarity in SVD-based recommendation systems

Data analysis has become a very important area for both companies and researchers as a consequence of the technological developments in recent years. Companies are trying to increase their profit by analyzing the existing data about their customers and making decisions for the future according to the results of these analyses. Parallel to the need of companies, researchers are investigating different methodologies to analyze data more accurately with high performance. In this paper, we adopted free-formatted text-based tags into traditional 2-Dimensional SVD approach. We analysed the effect of different tag similarity techniques to the 3-Dimensional SVD recommendation performance. Our experiments illustrated that, tags increase the performance to some extent. The more similar tags means, the more accurate predictions.
Evaluation of a high sensitivity radiofrequency inductive probe for the non-contact sensing of dielectric properties of organic media

The sensing of dielectric properties of organic media is required in various fields such as agriculture, food industry or human health. Indeed these properties are related to the state of the organic media, and may be used as relevant indicators, especially in the radiofrequencies (RF), to either assess the quality of food in food industry or the physiopathological state of tissues in medical applications. As opposed to some conventional dielectric measurement techniques, the technique proposed in this study is contactless, easy to implement, and sensitive to both the conductivity and the permittivity of the media under investigation. The sensing technique lies in the distant monitoring of a high-quality factor inductive RF resonator, electromagnetically coupled to the investigated medium. In this study, the authors aim at assessing the feasibility and accuracy of dielectric media sensing by means of their contactless and easy-to-implement method. To that purpose, a wireless cylindrical inductive RF resonator inductively coupled to a monitoring bobbin coil is considered. It constitutes a radiating transmit and receive inductive sensor electromagnetically interacting with its direct environment (e.g. organic material). The dielectric properties of this environment are sensed through the impedance changes of the resonator, which is remotely monitored by a distant bobbin coil. In this study, the resonator is implemented for the distant sensing of organic material phantoms constituted of solutions featuring tabulated dielectric properties. A lumped element modeling of the RF probe interacting with the medium is proposed. Preliminary results open the way to the development of easy-to-implement dielectric characterization techniques of organic media, such as contactless medical sensing devices.
An Enhanced Algorithm Of The Statistical Training Method In Boosting-Based Face Detection

A trained cascade for face detection with a reduced number of Haar-like features should be computationally efficient. The accurate classical scheme for selecting these Haar-like features is proposed by Viola and Jones, but the training process may take weeks. Recently, there have been several heuristics reducing the training time in a dramatic way but the selected weak classifiers are not as good as those chosen by Viola and Jones, which leads to an increased number of features in the final cascade and then decreasing detection speed. Our method is an improved version of a statistical training method; it presents both faster selections and accuracy comparable to the Viola and Jones method.
Cell-Specific Expression of Connexins and Evidence of Restricted Gap Junctional Coupling between Glial Cells and between Neurons

The transmembrane connexin proteins of gap junctions link extracellularly to form channels for cell-to-cell exchange of ions and small molecules. Two primary hypotheses of gap junction coupling in the CNS are the following: (1) generalized coupling occurs between neurons and glia, with some connexins expressed inboth neurons and glia, and (2) intercellular junctional coupling is restricted to specific coupling partners, with different connexins expressed in each cell type. There is consensus that gap junctions link neurons to neurons and astrocytes to oligodendrocytes, ependymocytes, and other astrocytes. However, unresolved are the existence and degree to which gap junctions occur between oligodendrocytes, between oligodendrocytes and neurons, and between astrocytes and neurons. Using light microscopic immunocytochemistry and freeze–fracture replica immunogold labeling of adult rat CNS, we investigated whether four of the best-characterized CNS connexins are each present in one or more cell types, whether oligodendrocytes also share gap junctions with other oligodendrocytes or with neurons, and whether astrocytes share gap junctions with neurons. Connexin32 (Cx32) was found only in gap junctions of oligodendrocyte plasma membranes, Cx30 and Cx43 were found only in astrocyte membranes, and Cx36 was only in neurons. Oligodendrocytes shared intercellular gap junctions only with astrocytes, with each oligodendrocyte isolated from other oligodendrocytes except via astrocyte intermediaries. Finally, neurons shared gap junctions only with other neurons and not with glial cells. Thus, the different cell types of the CNS express different connexins, which define separate pathways for neuronal versus glial gap junctional communication.
Hovering of MAV by using magnetic adhesion and winch mechanisms

We propose a method by which a micro air vehicle (MAV) can hover without propulsion power. In this paper, we describe the design of a magnetic adhesion mechanism and a winch mechanism for an MAV that is used to perform search operations inside buildings. An MAV equipped with these mechanisms can adhere to an iron ceiling and search for a long time from an appropriate position. We designed a magnetic adhesion mechanism with an adhesion force of over 20 N. The magnetic adhesion mechanism comprises a magnet, dual coil springs, and a switching mechanism. Using models of MAV and the adhesion mechanism, we determined the parameters of the mechanism. The magnetic adhesion mechanism can be detached easily by a force less than the magnetic adhesion force. The winch mechanism comprises a structure to retrieve the adhesion mechanism, a strong, lightweight tether and a servo-motor that produces enough torque to lift the MAV by the tether. We confirmed that the MAV can hover without propulsion power by using these mechanisms.
Pilot-Abstraction: A Valid Abstraction for Data-Intensive Applications on HPC, Hadoop and Cloud Infrastructures?

HPC environments have traditionally been designed to meet the compute demand of scientific applications and data has only been a second order concern. With science moving toward data-driven discoveries relying more on correlations in data to form scientific hypotheses, the limitations of HPC approaches become apparent: Architectural paradigms such as the separation of storage and compute are not optimal for I/O intensive workloads (e.g. for data preparation, transformation and SQL). While there are many powerful computational and analytical libraries available on HPC (e.g. for scalable linear algebra), they generally lack the usability and variety of analytical libraries found in other environments (e.g. the Apache Hadoop ecosystem). Further, there is a lack of abstractions that unify access to increasingly heterogeneous infrastructure (HPC, Hadoop, clouds) and allow reasoning about performance trade-offs in this complex environment. At the same time, the Hadoop ecosystem is evolving rapidly and has established itself as de-facto standard for data-intensive workloads in industry and is increasingly used to tackle scientific problems. In this paper, we explore paths to interoperability between Hadoop and HPC, examine the differences and challenges, such as the different architectural paradigms and abstractions, and investigate ways to address them. We propose the extension of the Pilot-Abstraction to Hadoop to serve as interoperability layer for allocating and managing resources across different infrastructures. Further, in-memory capabilities have been deployed to enhance the performance of large-scale data analytics (e.g. iterative algorithms) for which the ability to re-use data across iterations is critical. As memory naturally fits in with the Pilot concept of retaining resources for a set of tasks, we propose the extension of the Pilot-Abstraction to in-memory resources.
Energy-dependent Gamma-Ray Burst-Peak Durations and Blast-Wave Deceleration

Temporal analyses of the prompt gamma-ray and X-ray light curves of gamma-ray bursts reveal a tendency for the burst pulse timescales to increase with decreasing energy. For an ensemble of BATSE bursts, Fenimore and colleagues show that the energy dependence of burst-peak durations can be represented by Δt ∝ E-γ, with γ ≃ 0.4-0.45. This power-law dependence has led to the suggestion that this effect is due to radiative processes, most notably to synchrotron cooling of the nonthermal particles that produce the radiation. Here we show that a similar power-law dependence occurs, under certain assumptions, in the context of the blast-wave model and is a consequence of the deceleration of the blast wave. This effect will obtain whether or not synchrotron cooling is important, but different degrees of cooling will cause variations in the energy dependence of the peak durations.
EVIDENCE FOR SPECIES' DIFFERENCES IN THE EFFECT OF SERUM γ-GLOBULIN CONCENTRATION ON γ-GLOBULIN CATABOLISM

The fractional rates of catabolism of isotopically labeled mouse, human, bovine, and guinea pig γ-globulins and human serum albumin were determined in mice and in guinea pigs whose serum γ-globulin and serum albumin levels were elevated by immunization or by injections of exogenous serum proteins. These serum proteins were also followed in mice with different serum γ-globulin levels due to different bacterial environments. The fractional rates of catabolism of the labeled γ-globulins from all species tested were markedly increased in mice with elevated γ-globulins due to immunization; to injections of human, mouse, guinea pig, or rabbit γ-globulins; to exposure to supra normal numbers of bacteria in the environment. Injections of bovine γ-globulin were only partially effective, and injections of human serum albumin had no effect. The γ-globulin catabolic rates were decreased in mice with subnormal serum γ-globulin levels (germfree mice). The catabolic rate of human serum albumin was essentially the same in all mice in spite of differences in serum γ-globulin levels. In contrast, elevation of the serum γ-globulin levels by injections of exogenous γ-globulins or by hyperimmunization with keyhole limpet hemocyanin produced no change in the fractional catabolic rates of the isotopically labeled γ-globulins and labeled albumin in guinea pigs. Thus, a feedback mechanism for the control of the serum γ-globulin concentration appears to be operative in the mouse, but not in the guinea pig. Guinea pigs immunized with antigens in complete Freund's adjuvant or a saline suspension of killed E. coli had an increase in the catabolic rates of all labeled proteins tested including human serum albumin. Evidence is presented that the mechanism of this increase in catabolism is not the same as that seen in mice with elevated serum γ-globulin levels.
Intelligence tests for robots: Solving perceptual reasoning tasks with a humanoid robot

xvii CHAPTER 1. OVERVIEW . 1 1.
Role of tumor necrosis factor alpha in pathogenesis of pneumococcal pneumonia in mice

The production and role of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in pneumococcal pneumonia were investigated in a mouse pneumonia model. When approximately 10(6) CFU of Streptococcus pneumoniae TUM19 were used to inoculate CBA/J mice intranasally, TNF-alpha levels in the lungs and serum began to increase from 1 and 3 days after infection, respectively, concomitantly with the increase in bacterial counts in the lungs. Anti-TNF-alpha antibody accelerated bacterial proliferation in the blood and the death of the mice. Although serum levels of immunoglobulin G antibody against the infecting bacteria were not affected by the anti-TNF-alpha antibody treatment, neutrophil counts in the blood were decreased by the treatment. These results suggest that TNF-alpha produced in the course of pneumococcal pneumonia prevents bacteremia by increasing the number of neutrophils in the blood.
Micromotives, Microstructure, and Macrobehavior: The Case of Voluntary Cooperation

How micromotives, the microstructural features of interactions, and macrobehavior are related is a fundamental question in all social sciences. In this article we argue that laboratory experiments are a useful tool to study this question, because the experimenter can measure motivations, manipulate microstructures, and sometimes even exploit variation in the macrosocial environment. We illustrate the experimental approach with the help of four examples from the context of voluntary cooperation. The examples (from previous and new experiments) illustrate the link between individual pro-social motives and wage formation in labor markets, the inevitability of the “Tragedy of the Commons,” and two potential ways to avoid the tragedy: sorting and punishment.
Mutation of putative divalent cation sites in the alpha 4 subunit of the integrin VLA-4: distinct effects on adhesion to CS1/fibronectin, VCAM-1, and invasin

To investigate the functional significance of putative integrin divalent cation binding sites, several mutated alpha 4 subunit cDNAs were constructed. Mutants contained the conservative substitution of Glu for Asp or Asn at the third position in each of three putative divalent cation sites. Transfection of wild-type or mutated alpha 4 into K562 cells yielded comparable expression levels and immunoprecipitation profiles. However, for all three alpha 4 mutants, adhesion to CS1/fibronectin was greatly diminished in either the presence or absence of the stimulatory anti-beta 1 mAb TS2/16. Constitutive adhesion to vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) 1 was also diminished but, unlike CS1 adhesion, was restored upon TS2/16 stimulation. In contrast, adhesion to the bacterial protein invasin was minimally affected by any of the three mutations. For each of the mutants, the order of preference for divalent cations was unchanged compared to wild-type alpha 4, on CS1/fibronectin (Mn2+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+), on VCAM-1 (Mn2+ > Mg2+ = Ca2+) and on invasin (Mg2+ = Ca2+). However for the three mutants, the efficiency of divalent cation utilization was decreased. On VCAM-1, 68-108 microM Mn2+ was required to support half-maximal adhesion for the mutants compared with 14-18 microM for wild-type alpha 4. These results indicate (a) that three different ligands for VLA-4 show widely differing sensitivities to mutations within putative divalent cation sites, and (b) each of the three putative divalent cation sites in alpha 4 have comparable functional importance with respect to both divalent cation usage and cell adhesion.
A virtual reality exposure therapy application for Iraq war military personnel with post traumatic stress disorder: From training to toy to treatment

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is reported to be caused by traumatic events that are outside the range of usual human experiences including (but not limited to) military combat, violent personal assault, being kidnapped or taken hostage and terrorist attacks. Initial data suggests that 1 out of 6 Iraq War veterans are exhibiting symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD. Virtual Reality (VR) exposure treatment has been used in previous treatments of PTSD patients with reports of positive outcomes. The aim of the current paper is to specify the rationale, design and development of a Virtual Iraq PTSD VR application that has been created from the virtual assets that were initially developed for a combat tactical training simulation, which then served as the inspiration for the X-Box game entitled Full Spectrum Warrior.
Flexible Feature Processing Mechanism of Radar Target Signal

Extracting effective and reliable features is fundamental and critical for constructing target recognition systems. Flexible Feature Processing Mechanism emphasizes the integration of feature extraction arithmetic and the self-adaptation of feature selection. On one hand, it would try to dig up the valuable information on as many as possible aspects, so as to construct the feature extraction method sets. On the other hand, it emphasizes to select the distinct features and eliminate the redundant features. The series of feature processing methods have been applied in multiple radar recognition projects successfully. According to the observation and analysis on a large number of real-life data, and taking the thinking process and the description methods of radar operators for reference, a set of feature extraction and selection methods basing on visual effects for dynamic radar target echo series have been introduced. The effectiveness, robustness and extendibility have been proved by large amount of tests and applications.
Determinants of Fast Food Consumption among Iranian High School Students Based on Planned Behavior Theory

Objective. This study was conducted to identify some factors (beliefs and norms) which are related to fast food consumption among high school students in Isfahan, Iran. We used the framework of the theory planned behavior (TPB) to predict this behavior. Subjects & Methods. Cross-sectional data were available from high school students (n = 521) who were recruited by cluster randomized sampling. All of the students completed a questionnaire assessing variables of standard TPB model including attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavior control (PBC), and the additional variables past behavior, actual behavior control (ABC). Results. The TPB variables explained 25.7% of the variance in intentions with positive attitude as the strongest (β = 0.31, P < 0.001) and subjective norms as the weakest (β = 0.29, P < 0.001) determinant. Concurrently, intentions accounted for 6% of the variance for fast food consumption. Past behavior and ABC accounted for an additional amount of 20.4% of the variance in fast food consumption. Conclusion. Overall, the present study suggests that the TPB model is useful in predicting related beliefs and norms to the fast food consumption among adolescents. Subjective norms in TPB model and past behavior in TPB model with additional variables (past behavior and actual behavior control) were the most powerful predictors of fast food consumption. Therefore, TPB model may be a useful framework for planning intervention programs to reduce fast food consumption by students.
Factors contributing to high PhD completion rates: a case study in a research-intensive university in New Zealand

Abstract This exploratory study determined PhD completions at a research-intensive university in New Zealand and considered factors affecting PhD completions. Completion data were calculated for PhD cohorts at the University of Otago from 2000 to 2012 (n = 2770) and survival models determined whether gender, enrolment status, age at admission, citizenship, scholarship status and academic field influenced completion. The impact of the doctoral programme and the research environment was also considered. Across all cohorts, 83% submitted their thesis for examination (17% withdrawal). The median submission time was 3.4 years for full-timers, with a median completion time (to award of degree) of 4.1 years. Survival modelling showed that completion can be enhanced by having mainly full-time candidates, but also allowing periods of part-time enrolment near submission, recruiting a large international cohort, and providing three year scholarships. Health science candidates had the highest submission percentages, while commerce candidates submitted in the fastest times. There were only minor or negligible effects of gender and age at admission. Other factors contributing to high submission rates included recruiting quality candidates, close monitoring during candidature, provision of research training, a vibrant research culture, a personal performance coach, high-quality supervision and funding incentives for candidates who submit in under four years.
LOOSE MECHANOCHEMICAL COUPLING OF MOLECULAR MOTORS

In living cells, molecular motors convert chemical energy into mechanical work. Its thermodynamic energy efficiency, i.e. the ratio of output mechanical work to input chemical energy, is usually high. However, using two-state models, we found the motion of molecular motors is loosely coupled to the chemical cycle. Only part of the input energy can be converted into mechanical work. Others are dissipated into environment during substeps without contributions to the unidirectional movement.
Warning! A Comprehensive Model of the Effects of Digital Information Security Warning Messages

Despite existing countermeasures to combat malicious actions, users are the last line of defense to protect personal and organizational assets. Given that users often ignore warning messages that motivate compliant behavior, the issue of protecting personal and organizational assets is exacerbated. Messages that are largely ignored cannot have any impact on attitudes, motivation, or behavior. Therefore, crafting messages that increase attention and comprehension regarding specific threats and ways to cope with these threats is vital. This research combines the communication-human information processing (C-HIP) model with protection motivation theory (PMT) to assess how warning message content affects adherence especially when users pay attention to the content of the warning message. In essence, this study considers a holistic view of examining the channel (warning message), attention, comprehension and their influence on attitudes and beliefs, motivation, and behavior. Additionally, we propose including alternative courses of action in digital warning messages to increase secure attitudes, beliefs, and behavior. We test this holistic model through a series of field and lab experiments to evaluate message comprehension, attitudes, and beliefs and capture actual attention and secure behavior. [http://ifip.byu. edu/ifip2015.html Paper download]