Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Open-Circuit Switching Fault Analysis and Tolerant Strategy for Dual-Active-Bridge DC–DC Converter Considering Parasitic Parameters

The dual-active-bridge (DAB) is a typical topology of dc–dc converter for bus connection, voltage conversion, power transmission, and electrical isolation in dc power grids. The open-circuit switching fault (OCSF) may threaten the safe operation of DAB and should be eliminated in time. However, the researches on parasitic parameters mainly focus on traditional dc–dc converters, and there are still few discussions on parasitic parameters in the high-frequency dc–dc converter such as DAB. The power components are usually considered without parasitic parameters in OCSF analysis and tolerant control, leading to deviations in modality analysis and practical control for DAB. To solve this issue, the modality analysis considering parasitic parameters during OCSF in DAB is investigated, and the sneak circuits and electrical characteristics with parasitic parameters are discussed in this article. Besides, to realize fault tolerance for DAB during OCSF considering parasitic parameters, a new fault tolerance control strategy including modeling, topology transformation principle, and practical control architecture are also proposed. Compared with conventional fault tolerance strategy, the proposed strategy will be more efficient, rapid and feasible for DAB during OCSF process. The experimental results in DAB prototype verify correctness and effectiveness of analysis and proposed strategy.
Sorption properties of wood impregnated with the fire retardant Burnblock

The sorption properties of wood have a characteristic influence on some of its properties, such as the mechanical properties and susceptibility to fungal decay. Moist wood is more susceptible to fungal decay, and wood is often impregnated in order to protect it from fungal decomposition, photodegradation or fire. In particular, inorganic salts affect the sorption properties of wood. For this purpose, the sorption properties of Norway spruce wood impregnated with Burnblock refractory (uptake 38 kg/m³) were investigated. The microscopic analysis confirmed the presence of crystals of this in the cell lumina of wood tissue. Sorption properties were determined using an instrument capable of dynamic vapour sorption (DVS) assessment. DVS analysis confirmed that the sorption properties of impregnated spruce wood are comparable to those of non-impregnated spruce wood. However, the higher hysteresis at higher relative humidity is probably due to the presence of crystals in the cell lumina.
Effect of Ecto and Endomycorrhizae on Seedling Growth of Four Savanna Tree Seeds in Nigeria (Tamarindus Indica (L), Albezia lebbeck (benth), Prosopis africana (L) and Parkia biglobossa (Jacq.B))

Studies on the effect of ecto and endomycorrhizal inoculums on seedling growth of four savanna tree seeds in Nigeria. Endomycorrhizae (Glomus mossae) and ectomycorrhizae (Saillus luteus); both were used in crude forms. The relative endomycorrhizal dependency of the seedlings were maximum in P.biglobossa seedlings by having up to 68%, 41.0% in Albizia, 35.0% in T.indica and the least was 21% in P. africana seedlings. However, T.indica seedlings had the highest ectomycorrhizal dependency with about 55.0%, while 54.0% was showed in P. africana. About 50.0% and 46.0% were shown in A. lebbeck and P. biglobossa seedlings respectively. Ectomycorrhizal inoculation greatly enhanced seedling growth and development of Prosopis africana, A. lebbeck,T. indica, P. biglobossa had the highest significant difference (p<0.05) in leaf area at treatment. Endomycorrhizal inoculation also greatly enhanced seedling growth of P. africana, A. lebbeck and T. indica, P. biglobossa had highest significant difference (P<0.05) in leaf area, leaf number, petiol length, stem girth and plant heights in the treatment. Treatment means were separated using least significant difference at 5% probability level. The results obtained in this study will foster valuable contributions in the areas of increasing the seedling growth of these savanna tree seeds through the incorporation of both ecto and endomycorrhizae into the soil. These findings will also assist to increase seedling production for agro forestry purposes in Nigeria.
Lightweight Source-Free Transfer for Privacy-Preserving Motor Imagery Classification

Transfer learning utilizes data or knowledge in one problem to help solve a related problem. It is particularly useful in electroencephalogram (EEG)-based motor imagery (MI) classification, to handle high intrasubject and/or cross-subject variations. This article considers offline unsupervised cross-subject MI classification, i.e., we have labeled EEG trials from several source subjects, but only unlabeled EEG trials from the target subject. Existing transfer learning approaches usually make use of the source-domain data directly in target model learning. To protect the privacy of the source subjects, we propose lightweight source-free transfer (LSFT), which first generates source models locally and encapsulates them as model application programming interfaces (APIs), then constructs a virtual intermediate domain to transfer the knowledge in the source domains to the target domain, and finally performs feature adaptation learning. Compared with the existing deep transfer learning approaches, LSFT does not need to transfer from massive source data or models, is computationally efficient, and has a small number of parameters. Experiments on four benchmark MI data sets demonstrated that LSFT outperformed 13 different approaches, including several state-of-the-art transfer learning approaches that make use of the source-domain samples or model parameters directly.
Inverse problems in image processing

Inverse problems involve estimating parameters or data from inadequate observations; the observations are often noisy and contain incomplete information about the target parameter or data due to physical limitations of the measurement devices. Consequently, solutions to inverse problems are non-unique. To pin down a solution, we must exploit the underlying structure of the desired solution set. In this thesis, we formulate novel solutions to three image processing inverse problems: deconvolution, inverse halftoning, and JPEG compression history estimation for color images. Deconvolution aims to extract crisp images from blurry observations. We propose an efficient, hybrid Fourier-Wavelet Regularized Deconvolution (ForWaRD) algorithm that comprises blurring operator inversion followed by noise attenuation via scalar shrinkage in both the Fourier and wavelet domains. The Fourier shrinkage exploits the structure of the colored noise inherent in deconvolution, while the wavelet shrinkage exploits the piecewise smooth structure of real-world signals and images. ForWaRD yields state-of-the-art mean-squared-error (MSE) performance in practice. Further, for certain problems, ForWaRD guarantees an optimal rate of MSE decay with increasing resolution. Halftoning is a technique used to render gray-scale images using only black or white dots. Inverse halftoning aims to recover the shades of gray from the binary image and is vital to process scanned images. Using a linear approximation model for halftoning, we propose the Wavelet-based Inverse Halftoning via Deconvolution (WInHD) algorithm. WInHD exploits the piecewise smooth structure of real-world images via wavelets to achieve good inverse halftoning performance. Further, WInHD also guarantees a fast rate of MSE decay with increasing resolution. We routinely encounter digital color images that were previously JPEG-compressed. We aim to retrieve the various settings—termed JPEG compression history—employed during previous JPEG operations. This information is often discarded en-route to the image's current representation. We discover that the previous JPEG compression's quantization step introduces lattice structures into the image. Our study leads to a fundamentally new result in lattice theory—nearly orthogonal sets of lattice basis vectors contain the lattice's shortest non-zero vector. We exploit this insight along with other known, novel lattice-based algorithms to effectively uncover the image's compression history. The estimated compression history significantly improves JPEG recompression.
What Are the Users’ Needs? Design of a User-Centered Explainable Artificial Intelligence Diagnostic System

Abstract The application of artificial intelligence (AI) systems has surged in the high-risk area of medicine, and these systems must explain their decisions to different users. However, existing explainable AI (XAI) design practices in the medical domain are mostly focused on domain experts, such as physicians, and there is a lack of XAI design practices for consumer users. Therefore, we developed a library of XAI user needs in the medical domain, which can be used as an auxiliary tool for the development of user-centered XAI design solutions in this domain. Moreover, through empirical research, based on our XAI user Needs Library, we designed an XAI-based electrocardiogram diagnostic system prototype for consumer users and conducted a user evaluation. The results provide the empirical experience of the design space of XAI and promote consumer user-centered XAI practices.
Effects of opium inhalation on physical and biochemical parameters of stray dogs in Kabul city, Afghanistan

Abstract Background: Afghanistan is one of the biggest opium producing country in the world. There are more than a million drug addicts in the country, which most of them are living in public places. Stray dogs who lives with drug addicts are at highest risk of inhaling drugs Aim: Aim of this study is to evaluate changes in physical and biochemical parameters of stray dogs inhaling drugs. Methods: Total of 12 dogs were assigned into two groups of healthy and infected (stray dogs who inhale drugs) dogs. Physical and biochemical parameters of both groups were evaluated. Results: Subjective evaluation showed clinical changes such as congestion of conjunctiva in infected group. Biochemical examination showed significantly higher level of glucose (P<0.05) and total protein (P<0.01) in infected group compared to healthy group. The ratio of other biochemical parameters was slightly decreased as compare to healthy dogs. Conclusion: Drug inhalation can alter biochemical parameters like glucose and total protein in dogs. Keywords: Addicts, Biochemical parameters, Opium, Physical parameters, Stray dogs
Underwater Surface Flow Velocity Sensor Based on Single Side Stray Field of Permanent Magnet

Flow perception, as unique for the underwater creature, is also the key component for underwater robots. However, due to strict limitations on power consumption, flow resistance, volume, and weight, achieving flow perception ability artificially is not easy in underwater robots. Different from the existing sensors, by using the stray field of the permanent magnet, a novel surface flow velocity sensor is proposed with zero excitation power consumption, nearly zero flow resistance, and considerable signal output. In this article, based on the derived formula of electromagnetic induction with the stray field, the relationship between the electrode output voltage, the permanent magnet stray field, the surface flow field boundary layer, and the electrode position is established, and the spatial sensitivity distribution of the sensor unit to surface flow field with optimal electrode position is studied. By using a flexible surface printed electrode, when the fluid flows through the magnetic field area on the electrode surface, induced voltage proportional to the velocity is generated. Finally, the flow velocity perception ability of the sensor is verified by finite element simulation and experiments, and the sensitivity coefficients of the sensor under different electrode positions are compared. The proposed sensor can be used for any underwater vehicle to realize the perception of the surface flow field without damaging the streamline shape. The intrinsic sensitivity of the sensor unit is $1.6 \mathrm {mV}/(\mathrm {m}\cdot \mathrm {s}^{-1}) $ with the weight of 7.8 g.
Testing for normality using the cumulant generating function

The normal distribution has the unique property that the cumulant generating function has only two terms, namely those involving the mean and the variance. This property is used to construct a simple by using the log of the modulus of the empirical characteristic function to what would be expected under normality. The test statistic is easy to calculate. Using a simulation study the proposed test is shown to have excellent power, especially in large samples.
Good and Real: Demystifying Paradoxes from Physics to Ethics

In Good and Real, Gary Drescher examines a series of provocative paradoxes about consciousness, choice, ethics, quantum mechanics, and other topics, in an effort to reconcile a purely mechanical view of the universe with key aspects of our subjective impressions of our own existence.Many scientists suspect that the universe can ultimately be described by a simple (perhaps even deterministic) formalism; all that is real unfolds mechanically according to that formalism. But how, then, is it possible for us to be conscious, or to make genuine choices? And how can there be an ethical dimension to such choices? Drescher sketches computational models of consciousness, choice, and subjunctive reasoning--what would happen if this or that were to occur? --to show how such phenomena are compatible with a mechanical, even deterministic universe. Analyses of Newcomb's Problem (a paradox about choice) and the Prisoner's Dilemma (a paradox about self-interest vs. altruism, arguably reducible to Newcomb's Problem) help bring the problems and proposed solutions into focus. Regarding quantum mechanics, Drescher builds on Everett's relative-state formulation--but presenting a simplified formalism, accessible to laypersons--to argue that, contrary to some popular impressions, quantum mechanics is compatible with an objective, deterministic physical reality, and that there is no special connection between quantum phenomena and consciousness.In each of several disparate but intertwined topics ranging from physics to ethics, Drescher argues that a missing technical linchpin can make the quest for objectivity seem impossible, until the elusive technical fix is at hand.
Annihilation explosions in macroscopic polyelectrons. Photon detonation

Annihilation of the electron-positron pairs in macroscopic polyelectrons is considered. It is shown that very fast collapse of the spatial area occupied by macroscopic polyelectron (or dense electron-positron plasma) produces an instant annihilation of a very large number of electron-positron pairs. This phenomenon corresponds to the so-called annihilation explosion. Annihilation of each electron-positron pair is a highly exothermic process. Therefore, in dense electron-positron plasma one can observe a very interesting phenomenon of photon detonation, i.e. a self-organized formation and propagation of the detonation wave which coincides with the annihilation wave. The photon detonation can be used in many applications, including many military and astrophysical problems.
Stationarity of extremum entropy fluid bodies in general relativity

We consider perfect fluid bodies (‘stars’) in general relativity that are axisymmetric, asymptotically flat, and that admit a maximal hypersurface. We show that configurations that extremize the total entropy at fixed ADM mass, ADM angular momentum, and total particle number are stationary with circular flow. For such stars, this establishes that thermodynamic equilibrium implies dynamic equilibrium.
Optimal planning of a virtual power plant hosting an EV parking lot

With the increasing penetration of electric vehicles (EV) in the future, VPPs can take some actions for meeting their demand. This way, VPPs can increase their income by selling electric power to EVs and utilizing the battery of EVs as energy storage to facilitate the deployment of renewable energy resources. However, investing too much in charging stations may not have an acceptable return on investment. In this paper, we study the optimal operation and planning of a VPP which is located to certain part of the network and is composed of wind turbines, PV units, as well as unidirectional and bidirectional EV charging stations. In our proposed approach, optimal planning is done considering that the system will be operated optimally. According to the simulation results, EV owners' behavior could have a significant impact on the optimal planning decision of the VPP. In addition, optimal number of the unidirectional and bidirectional EV charging stations depend on the share of the PV and wind generation and the capacity of the line between the VPP and upstream grid.
Abundances of elements of the Fe-group in metal-poor stars

The results of a careful analysis of the abundances of elements of the Fe group (20 ≤ Z ≤ 28) and Si in 19 field stars with −2.7 < [Fe/H] < −0.2 are presented. Whenever possible, transitions of both neutral and singly ionized atoms were used. Full consideration of the hyperfine structure was made for lines of the odd elements.
Pheromone-Based Approach for Scalable Task Allocation

The application and evolution of multi-agent algorithms to the domain of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones will enable swarms of heterogeneous agents with emergent behaviour that dynamically and optimally respond to changes in the environment and resources to complete heterogeneous tasks in multi-objective missions. A key enabler of this capability is task allocation, but the state of the art generally focus on optimality and do not scale well. We propose a general, bio-inspired pheromone-based approach that can be applied to existing task allocation algorithms to enable scalable, emergent behaviour and swarm intelligence.
BLUR KERNEL’S EFFECT ON PERFORMANCE OF SINGLE-FRAME SUPER-RESOLUTION ALGORITHMS FOR SPATIALLY ENHANCING HYPERION AND PRISMA DATA

Abstract. Single-frame super-resolution (SFSR) achieves the goal of generating a high-resolution image from a single low-resolution input in a three-step process, namely, noise removal, up-sampling and deblurring. Scale factor and blur kernel are essential parameters of the up-sampling and deblurring steps. Few studies document the impact of these parameters on the performance of SFSR algorithms for improving the spatial resolution of real-world remotely-sensed datasets. Here, the effect of changing blur kernel has been studied on the behaviour of two classic SFSR algorithms: iterative back projection (IBP) and gaussian process regression (GPR), which are applied to two spaceborne hyperspectral datasets for scale factors 2, 3 and 4. Eight full-reference image quality metrics and algorithm processing time are deployed for this purpose. A literature-based re-interpretation of Wald’s reduced resolution protocol has also been used in this work for choosing the reference image. Intensive intra-algorithm comparisons of various simulation scenarios reveal each algorithm’s best performing Gaussian blur kernel parameters. Inter-algorithm comparison shows the better performing algorithm out of the two, thereby paving the way for further research in SFSR of remotely-sensed images.
Radiometric modelling of a space optical instrument: an example of application to PHEBUS

Probing of Hermean Exosphere By Ultraviolet Spectroscopy (PHEBUS) is a dual channels spectrometer working in the Extreme UltraViolet (EUV) and Far UltraViolet (FUV) range. It will be on board of ESA BepiColombo cornerstone mission and it will be devoted to investigate the composition, the dynamic, the formation and the feeding mechanisms of Mercury’s exosphere system. A consistent interpretation of the observational data collected by PHEBUS requires a deeply knowledge of its radiometric behavior. The Mueller’s matrix formalism can be adopted to derive an accurate radiometric model able to takes into account also the polarization state of the source observed by PHEBUS. Moreover, this theoretical model can be further verified and refined during an experimental ground calibration campaign. In this work we present the radiometric model derived for PHEBUS spectrometer together with some results obtained during the Flight Model (FM) ground calibration which is still ongoing. In particular, the obtained results employing this approach show that this is a complete and versatile method to perform the radiometric calibration of a generic space instrument.
Controllable Flux Coupling for the Integration of Flux Qubits

We show a novel method for controlling the coupling of flux-based qubits by means of a superconducting transformer with variable flux transfer function. The device is realized by inserting a small hysteretic dc SQUID with unshunted junctions, working as a Josephson junction with flux controlled critical current, in parallel to a superconducting transformer; by varying the magnetic flux coupled to the dc-SQUID, the transfer function for the flux coupled to the transformer can be varied. Measurements carried out on a prototype at 4.2 K show a reduction factor of about 30 between the 'on' and the 'off' states. We discuss the system characteristics and the experimental results.
Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activities of water
lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) leave extracts

Free radicals such as reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species are involved in the development of various chronic diseases. Under oxidative stress conditions, the human body needs more antioxidants that can be externally obtained from foods or supplements. This study aimed to investigate the total polyphenol content and flavonoid compounds and antioxidant activities of 70% ethanol and water extracts of water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes). The dried water lettuce was extracted by maceration. The yield of total polyphenol content of 70% ethanol extract (238.36±28.51 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g of dry sample) was higher than water extract (70.66±29.43 mg GEA/g of dry sample). The 70% ethanol extract (209.65±7.71 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/g of dry sample) also possesses a higher level of flavonoid content compared to water extract (140.98±1.68 mg QE/g of dry sample). As analyzed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) methods, 70% ethanol extract exhibited more powerful antioxidant activities compared to water extract. The half-maximum inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 70% ethanol and water extracts were about 459.08±25.38 µg/mL and 1086.44±186.53 µg/mL, respectively and the ferric reduction power was about 118.43±2.17 mM Fe2+ equivalent/g of dry sample and 71.76±0.45 mM Fe2+ equivalent/g of dry sample, respectively. Based on these results, it is understood that 70% ethanol extract is the potential source of an antioxidant agent.