Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Shaking Maps Based on Cumulative Absolute Velocity and Arias Intensity: The Cases of the Two Strongest Earthquakes of the 2016-2017 Central Italy Seismic Sequence

By referring to the two strongest earthquakes of the 2016–2017 Central Italy seismic sequence, this paper presents a procedure to make shaking maps through empirical relationships between macroseismic intensity and ground-motion parameters. Hundreds of waveforms were processed to obtain instrumental ground-motion features which could be correlated with the potential damage intensities. To take into account peak value, frequency, duration, and energy content, which all contribute to damage, cumulative absolute velocity and Arias intensity were used to quantify the features of the ground motion. Once these parameters had been calculated at the recording sites, they were interpolated through geostatistical techniques on the whole struck area. Finally, empirical relationships were used for mapping intensities, i.e., potential effects on the built environment. The results referred to both earthquake scenarios that were analyzed and were also used for assessing the influence of the spatial coverage of the instrumental network. In fact, after the first events, the Italian seismic network was subjected to the addition and thickening of sensors in the epicentral area, especially. The results obtained by models only dependent on ground-motion parameters or even on the epicentral distance were compared with the official ShakeMaps and the observed intensities for assessing their reliability. Finally, some suggestions are proposed to improve the procedure that could be used for rapidly assessing ground shaking and mapping damage potential producing useful information for non-expert audience.
Control and Analysis of a Modular Bridge for Battery Cell Voltage Balancing

A new distributed control scheme and charge flow analysis is presented for voltage balancing of series connected battery cells using nondissipative modular power electronics. Each modular bridge is connected across two battery cells using a high frequency transformer and an asymmetrical half-bridge. This results in using one switch and one diode per battery cell. Intrabridge charge transfer equalizes the voltage of two battery cells within a module using coupled transformer windings. Each modular bridge is connected to adjacent bridges by connecting transformer windings within each module. This allows interbridge charge transfer and the balancing of pairs of battery cells, both within adjacent bridge modules and modules more removed. The proposed controller uses a distributed control strategy whereby the control of each modular bridge monitors its own battery cell voltages and also those of adjacent bridges, thus reducing the number of feedback sensors. Detailed analysis is presented that quantifies the flow of charge between a number of series connected battery cells ($ N$ battery cells). A per-unit design methodology is used to illustrate the system charge flow characteristics. Simulations, design guidelines and experimental results are presented to validate the proposed method.
A Passivity-Based Approach to Voltage Stabilization in DC Microgrids

We consider the application of passivity theory to the problem of voltage stabilization in DC microgrids (DCmGs) given by the interconnection of Distributed Generation Units (DGUs), dynamic RL lines, and loads. We first provide a novel result on stable interconnection of multiple passive systems and then apply it to DCmGs. More specifically, we consider the decentralized controllers proposed in [1] synthesized by solving linear matrix inequalities, which allow addition and removal of DGUs in a plug-n-play fashion. We show that they passivate DGUs and combine this property with the inherent passivity of RL lines for proving voltage stability without Quasi-Stationary-Line approximations, which are assumed in [1]. Theoretical results are backed up by simulations in PSCAD.
Bidirectional DC-DC Conversion Device Usage in Tram

The paper considers questions of energy storage devices used in electric transport, especially in electric traction drive of trolley bus, in order to provide an autonomous motion, overhead system's load leveling and energy recovering. For efficiency of the proposed system it is used a bidirectional DC-DC converter. During the simulation regulation curves of the bidirectional DC-DC converters were obtained.
An MDS-PIR Capacity-Achieving Protocol for Distributed Storage Using Non-MDS Linear Codes

We propose a private information retrieval (PIR) protocol for distributed storage systems with noncolluding nodes where data is stored using an arbitrary linear code. An expression for the PIR rate, i.e., the ratio of the amount of retrieved data per unit of downloaded data, is derived, and a necessary and a sufficient condition for codes to achieve the maximum distance separable (MDS) PIR capacity are given. The necessary condition is based on the generalized Hamming weights of the storage code, while the sufficient condition is based on code automorphisms. We show that cyclic codes and Reed-Muller codes satisfy the sufficient condition and are thus MDS-PIR capacity-achieving.
Arbitrarily Varying Wiretap Channel: a New Scheme for the Proof of Strong Secrecy

This paper is a summary version of [4]. A new coding scheme is proposed to establish a lower bound on the strong secrecy capacity of stochastic code over the general arbitrarily varying wiretap channel. Moreover, the lower bound is the secrecy capacity when the main channel is less noisy than the wiretap channel. The main idea is to construct secure partitions over the “good” codebook by extending Csiszár's almost independent coloring scheme. This new scheme provides a fundamental tool to deal with the strong secrecy problems of wiretap channels.
Bi-modal annoyance level detection from speech and text

The main goal of this work is the identification of emotional hints from speech. Machine learning researchers have analysed sets of acoustic parameters as potential cues for the identification of discrete emotional categories or, alternatively, of the dimensions of emotions. However, the semantic information gathered in the text message associated to its utterance can also provide valuable information that can be helpful for emotion detection. In this work this information is included within the acoustic information leading to a better system performance. Moreover, it is noticeable the use of a corpus that include spontaneous emotions gathered in a realistic environment. It is well known that emotion expression depends not only on cultural factors but also on the individual and on the specific situation. Thus, theconclusions extracted from the present work can be more easily extrapolated to a real system than those obtained from a classical corpus with simulated emotions.
The Error Exponent of Generalized Random-Gilbert Varshamov Codes

We introduce a random code construction for channel coding in which the codewords are constrained to be well-separated according to a given distance function, analogously to an existing construction attaining the Gilbert-Varshamov bound. We derive an achievable error exponent for this construction, and prove its tightness with respect to the ensemble average. We show that the exponent recovers the Csiszár and Körner exponent as a special case by choosing the distance function to be the negative of the empirical mutual information. We further establish the optimality of this distance function with respect to the exponent of the random coding scheme.
Coordination Model of Multiple Operator Servers and Distribution Status Management System for Media-Unifying Platform

We propose a model that manages a distribution status of same content distributed via various media such as broadcasts, internet simulcasts, and video-on-demand for a media-unifying platform (MUP). We have proposed the MUP to address the difficulties for a content viewer to select appropriate media in accordance with the functions of the viewing device and the viewer's situation. In the proposed model, multiple operator servers respectively manage the distribution statuses of the content. When a content viewer taps an MUP link associated with a content, the distribution status management server (DSMS) specifies the content by parameters contained in the link and creates a distribution status list of the content by coordinating with the operator servers. Consequently, the viewer can view the desired content via an appropriate media selected from the list. We implemented the prototype and verified the feasibility of the proposed model.
Band-Pass Filters on U-Shaped Resonators

the designs of compact microstrip band-pass filters on identical U-shaped resonators are proposed. These resonators are located on a completely metallized substrate surface. The supply and removal of the microwave signal is carried out using microstrip segments located on the opposite side of the substrate from the resonators. Based on the results of the simulation, band-pass filters were made and their frequency characteristics coincided with good accuracy with the results of the design.
Experimental Testbed for Edge Computing in Fiber-Wireless Broadband Access Networks

Recently, edge computing has emerged as a promising computing paradigm to meet stringent quality-of-service requirements of an increasing number of latency-sensitive applications. The core principle of edge computing is to bring the capability of cloud computing in close proximity to mobile devices, sensors, actuators, connected things and end users, thereby supporting various types of services and applications at the network edge. In this article, we design capacity-centric FiWi broadband access networks enhanced with edge computing as well as resulting fiber backhaul sharing and computation offloading capabilities. More specifically, we introduce the concept of FiWi enhanced two-level edge computing at the access edge cloud and metro edge cloud. To guarantee low end-to-end latency, we propose a TDMA based polling scheme for resource management. Furthermore, given the vital importance of experimentally demonstrating the potential and practical limitations of edge computing, we develop an experimental testbed for edge computing across converged FiWi broadband access networks. The proof-ofconcept demonstration of the testbed is studied in terms of response time and response time efficiency of both edge clouds, including their respective energy consumption.
A Method for a Precise and Instantaneous Measurement of a Refractive Index

A noninvasive machine vision-based system aimed at the measurement of a refractive index (RI) of slab materials and liquids inside a cell is presented. The principle of the proposed method is based on the relaying laser stripe displacements, which occur due to the difference of the refraction across mediums, to the corresponding RI. Two of the main advantages of the proposed method are that the RI of a liquid inside a cell can be measured instantaneously and without knowing any of the optical parameters of the cell walls, respectively. Other available methods however are based on a two-step measurement (first for an empty and then for the filled cell, respectively) procedure. The RI of several well-studied liquids and aqueous solutions of NaCl was measured and the results were confirmed with the corresponding reference values. The precision of up to 10−4 in RI measurement is achieved due to the ability of localizing laser stripe displacements with the subpixel accuracy and robust image processing algorithms. The uncertainty components of the proposed method are thoroughly analyzed, and it is shown that the precision can be further increased subject to the corresponding application and budget.
Controlled Chemical Modification of Biomolecules by Femtosecond Laser in Polar Liquids

Covalent chemical modification of peptides and human insulin by ultrashort laser pulses in room-temperature polar liquids show highly nonlinear scaling with laser intensity. Mass spectrometry analysis of the products obtained in acetonitrile-water and methanol-water, using isotope-marked liquids, and argon sparging demonstrates the participation of dissolved oxygen and interaction of the biomolecules with the laser-modified molecules derived from the liquids.
Effectiveness of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder and Comorbid Borderline Personality Disorder

Objective Previous research suggests that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)—the criterion standard for the treatment of severe depression—is not as effective when the patient has comorbid borderline personality disorder (BPD). The ECT outcomes of patients with and without BPD were compared in a retrospective chart review to test this claim. Methods We enrolled 137 patients with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder who completed the McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder. Twenty-nine patients had positive screening scores for BPD. The difference in Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scores before and after ECT was compared between patients with and without BPD. Follow-up PHQ-9 scores determined after treatment were collected and analyzed. Results Electroconvulsive therapy equally improved symptoms of depression as measured by PHQ-9 score in both patients who screened positive and patients who screened negative for BPD. No difference in the increase in PHQ-9 scores between these 2 groups was noted 1 month after treatment (P = 0.19). Conclusions These data showed that a positive BPD screen does not necessarily predict a poorer response to ECT, nor does it predict greater symptom recurrence after ECT. This does not suggest that ECT is necessarily an appropriate treatment for major depressive disorder in patients with a comorbid BPD, given the limitations of screening instruments.
Three-Dimensional Modeling of a Fin-Actuated Robotic Fish With Multimodal Swimming

Dynamical model is always an important factor in controller design for robots. Existing models of robotic fish typically incorporate only planar motion, rarely considering spatial motion. This paper formulates a complete three-dimensional (3-D) dynamic model for the robotic fish actuated by pectoral and caudal fins, in which the fluid forces mainly contain quasi-steady lift and drag, gravity and buoyancy, and waterjet strike force. The critical lift and drag of flapping fins are derived with an explicit 3-D angle of attack. Taking a bioinspired central pattern generator as the system actuation, our model can produce multimodal maneuvers, including forward/backward swimming, turning, and ascending/descending, as well as complicated motions, such as rolling and spiraling. Motions simulated in a 3-D environment are experimentally validated with a free-swimming robotic fish. Furthermore, systematic comparisons between simulations and experiments are conducted over a wide range of the control parameter space for beating frequency, amplitude, and offset. The overall results demonstrate the effectiveness and the versatility of the developed 3-D dynamic model in the prediction of the robot trajectory, velocity, and attitude.
Ssd1 and Gcn2 suppress global translation efficiency in replicatively aged yeast while their activation extends lifespan

Translational efficiency correlates with longevity, yet its role in lifespan determination remains unclear. Using ribosome profiling, translation efficiency is globally reduced during replicative aging in budding yeast by at least two mechanisms: Firstly, Ssd1 is induced during aging, sequestering mRNAs to P-bodies. Furthermore, Ssd1 overexpression in young cells reduced translation and extended lifespan, while loss of Ssd1 reduced the translational deficit of old cells and shortened lifespan. Secondly, phosphorylation of eIF2α, mediated by the stress kinase Gcn2, was elevated in old cells, contributing to the global reduction in translation without detectable induction of the downstream Gcn4 transcriptional activator. tRNA overexpression activated Gcn2 in young cells and extended lifespan in a manner dependent on Gcn4. Moreover, overexpression of Gcn4 sufficed to extend lifespan in an autophagy-dependent manner in the absence of changes in global translation, indicating that Gcn4-mediated autophagy induction is the ultimate downstream target of activated Gcn2, to extend lifespan.
Enhancements for Enabling Point-to-Multipoint Communication Using Unlicensed Spectrum

Exponential increase in data rate demand has lead to the periodic upgrade of mobile network infrastructure, with a new generation of wireless access technology being developed every decade. Currently, the fifth generation (5G) of mobile networks - supporting higher data rates and reliability, with lower latency are being developed and planned to be deployed. Point-to-Multipoint or multicast / broadcast communication, which has received limited attention so far in 5G, enables the delivery of common content to a multitude of users, while consuming minimal amount of radio resources. In this work, we consider the usage of unlicensed spectrum for enabling such transmissions using enhancements of the currently specified LTE-Advanced eMBMS network. The proposed enhancements are fully compatible with distributed radio access network deployments, and require limited coordination between base stations. Using realistic 5G network assumptions, we also evaluate performance of such enhancements in delivering media content to a large number of users.
Video Surveillance System Based on 3D Action Recognition

Human action recognition using depth-map images from 3D camera for surveillance system is a promising alternative to the conventional 2D video based surveillance. We propose a security-event detection method based on body part classification and human action recognition for more effective video surveillance system. Experimental results show that the body part classification accuracy of 65.0% and security event detection accuracy of 0.878 were achieved for 9 security events.
Single Letter Formulas for Quantized Compressed Sensing with Gaussian Codebooks

Theoretical and experimental results have shown that compressed sensing with quantization can perform well if the signal is very sparse, the noise is very low, and the bitrate is sufficiently large. However, a precise characterization of the fundamental tradeoffs between these quantities has remained elusive. In our previous work, we considered a quantization scheme that first computes the conditional expectation of the signal. In this paper, we focus on a different approach in which the measurements are encoded directly using Gaussian codebooks. We show that that mean-square error (MSE) distortion of this approach can be analyzed by studying a degraded measurement model without any bitrate constraints. Building upon ideas from statistical physics and random matrix theory, we then provide single-letter formulas for the reconstruction error associated with optimal decoding. These formulas provide an explicit characterization of the mean-squared error (MSE) as a function of: (1) the average quantization bitrate, (2) the prior distribution of the signal, and (3) the spectral distribution of the sensing matrix. These formulas provide upper bounds on the fundamental limits of compressed sensing with quantization. Interestingly, it is shown that in some problem regimes, this method achieves the best known performance, even though the encoding stage does not use any information about the signal distribution other than its mean and variance.
Low-Complexity Lattice Reduction Demapper for Massive Order One-Dimensional Non-Uniform Constellations

This paper presents a low-complexity demapping method for demodulating M-ary one-dimensional non-uniform constellations. For uniform constellations, there are several algorithms for searching the closest point to the received observation. However, for non-uniform constellations these techniques are not valid. We propose a novel technique based on dividing the non-uniform constellation into lattices of identical dimensions. The value of the received symbol is modified in order to provide an entry to a look-up table where the closest point is stored. This solution provides low complexity for demodulation of the in-phase and quadrature PAMs of the nonuniform constellation. The complexity is O(2 + log2 M) while the exhaustive search is O(M). The complexity implications in terms of memory and computations and the system performance are analyzed.
Whole Slide Imaging Based on a Low-Cost Camera

This work presents a new low-cost digital single-lens reflex camera whole slide imaging (DC-WSI) system, which is the most recent imaging modality being employed by pathology departments worldwide due to its high-throughput routine and high-speed capabilities. The DC-WSI system field of view achieves 22.6 times larger than that of the equivalent magnification of a conventional microscope system. The DC-WSI is capable of performing the whole slide scanning (2 cm2) under 2 seconds.
Organelle Optogenetics: Direct Manipulation of Intracellular Ca2+ Dynamics by Light

As one of the ubiquitous second messengers, the intracellular Ca2+, has been revealed to be a pivotal regulator of various cellular functions. Two major sources are involved in the initiation of Ca2+-dependent signals: influx from the extracellular space and release from the intracellular Ca2+ stores such as the endoplasmic/sarcoplasmic reticulum (ER/SR). To manipulate the Ca2+ release from the stores under high spatiotemporal precision, we established a new method termed “organelle optogenetics. ” That is, one of the light-sensitive cation channels (channelrhodopsin-green receiver, ChRGR), which is Ca2+-permeable, was specifically targeted to the ER/SR. The expression specificity as well as the functional operation of the ER/SR-targeted ChRGR (ChRGRER) was evaluated using mouse skeletal myoblasts (C2C12): (1) the ChRGRER co-localized with the ER-marker KDEL; (2) no membrane current was generated by light under whole-cell clamp of cells expressing ChRGRER; (3) an increase of fluorometric Ca2+ was evoked by the optical stimulation (OS) in the cells expressing ChRGRER in a manner independent on the extracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]o); (4) the ΔF/F0 was sensitive to the inhibitor of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) and (5) the store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) was induced by the OS in the ChRGRER-expressing cells. Our organelle optogenetics effectively manipulated the ER/SR to release Ca2+ from intracellular stores. The use of organelle optogenetics would reveal the neuroscientific significance of intracellular Ca2+ dynamics under spatiotemporal precision.
Controllability of Networks with Multivariable Agents

We study the controllability problem of multiagent networks in which each agent has multiple state variables. In many applications such as robot swarms and smart grids, a nontrivial number of variables is needed to fully describe the status of an agent, making analysis of the whole network difficult. Due to limitations of communication bandwidth, computing power, and energy consumption, it is desirable to secure controllability of a network using the minimum number of drivers. For systems with single-variable agents, this problem can be solved efficiently by finding the minimum number of externally controlled state variables. For systems with multivariable agents, a driver is an externally controlled agent with possibly multiple state variables, and such a method does not guarantee finding the minimum number of drivers. To our best knowledge, there has not been a general efficient method to determine the minimum (agent-) drivers for networks with multivariable agents. In this paper, we introduce a method to solve this problem by transforming it into a standard 0–1 linear programming problem. A systematic derivation and proof of the transformation is presented. Accuracy of the proposed method is numerically validated against the solution from a brute-force method.