Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IPWM Based IBMSC DC-AC Converter Using Solar Power for Wide Voltage Conversion System Convertisseur DC-AC IBMSC basé sur l’IPWM et utilisant l’énergie solaire pour un système de conversion à large tension

This article proposes isolated bidirectional micro dc-ac single phase controlled (IBMSC) converter based on in-phase–voltage pulsewidth modulation (IPWM). This resonant IPWM converter, ratio of voltage conversion can be controlled from 0 to $\infty $ . So, this converter is highly referred for huge range voltage conversion. However, voltage conversion ratio determines power transfer direction and duty ratio. Power flow direction and duty cycle value can be varying smoothly, so it is suitable for dc-ac bidirectional power conversion application. Inverter mode and also rectifier mode are possible from bidirectional operation, which is controlled by a unified current controller. The proposed solution can achieve smooth switching grid operation with high efficiency. Working principle, design procedure, control strategy, and characteristics of the proposed converter are implemented with a prototype model of power rating 500 W with a voltage range of 20–50 V to test the ability of withstanding. Performance, feasibility, and effectiveness of the proposed converter are tested with this hardware test-bench model.
Pair production and gamma-ray luminosities in hot accretion disks

Accretion disk models which involve a 10/sup 12/ K ion gas result in abundant pion production through proton-proton collisions. The pions produce neutrinos, . gamma. -rays, positrons, and electrons. The . gamma. -ray luminosity from this mechanism alone can be large. The distribution of positrons and and electrons is peaked at an energy of 35 MeV, with up to a few percent in a high-energy tail up to 1 GeV. This high-energy tail is due to the Penrose process. These particles contain enough energy to explain the compact nuclear radio source, or perhaps to be the source of matter in the extended lobes of radio galaxies, if Coulomb and annihilation losses in the disk and severe Compton losses can be overcome.
Avian influenza A virus H7N9 in China, a role reversal from reassortment receptor to the donator

Reassortment can introduce one or more gene segments of influenza A viruses (IAVs) into another, resulting in novel subtypes. Since 2013, a new outbreak of human highly pathogenic avian influenza has emerged in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and South‐Central regions of China. In this study, using Anhui province as an example, we discuss the possible impact of H7N9 IAVs on future influenza epidemics through a series of gene reassortment events. Sixty‐one human H7N9 isolates were obtained from five outbreaks in Anhui province from 2013 to 2019. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that all of them were characterized by low pathogenicity and high human or mammalian tropism and had introduced novel avian influenza A virus (AIV) subtypes such as H7N2, H7N6, H9N9, H5N6, H6N6, and H10N6 through gene reassortment. In reassortment events, Anhui isolates may donate one or more segments of HA, NA, and the six internal protein‐coding genes for the novel subtype AIVs. Our study revealed that H7N9, H9N2, and H5N1 can serve as stable and persistent gene pools for AIVs in the YRD and South‐Central regions of China. Novel AIV subtypes might be generated continuously by reassortment. These AIVs may have obtained human‐type receptor‐binding abilities from their donors and prefer binding to them, which can cause human epidemics through accidental spillover infections. Facing the continual threat of emerging avian influenza, constant monitoring of AIVs should be conducted closely for agricultural and public health.
A Non-Cooperative Distributed Model Predictive Control Using Laguerre Functions for Large-Scale Interconnected Systems

This paper deals with a new non-cooperative distributed controller for linear large-scale systems based on designing multiple local Model Predictive Control (MPC) algorithms using Laguerre functions to enhance the global performance of the overall closed-loop system. In this distributed control scheme, that does not require a coordinator, local MPC algorithms might transmit and receive information from other sub-controllers by means of the communication network to perform their control decisions independently on each other. Thanks to the exchanged information, the sub-controllers have in this way the ability to work together in a collaborative manner towards achieving a good overall system performance. To decrease drastically the computational load in the small-size optimization problem with a short prediction horizon, discrete-time Laguerre functions are used to tightly approximate the optimal control sequence. For evaluating the proposed distribution control framework, a simulation example is proposed to show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme and its applicability for large-scale interconnected systems. The obtained simulation results are provided to demonstrate clearly that the proposed Non-Cooperative Distributed MPC (NC-DMPC) outperforms Decentralized MPC (De-MPC) and achieves performance comparable to centralized MPC with a reduced computing time. The system performance of the proposed distributed model predictive control is given.
Iterative Convolutional Encoder-Decoder Network with Multi-Scale Context Learning for Liver Segmentation

ABSTRACT Rapid and accurate extraction of liver tissue from abdominal computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) images has critical importance for diagnosis and treatment of hepatic diseases. Due to adjacent organs with similar intensities and anatomical variations between different subjects, the performance of segmentation approaches based on deep learning still has room for improvement. In this study, a novel convolutional encoder-decoder network incorporating multi-scale context information is proposed. The probabilistic map from previous classifier is iteratively fed into the encoder layers, which fuses high-level shape context with low-level appearance features in a multi-scale manner. The dense connectivity is adopted to aggregate feature maps of varying scales from the encoder and decoder. We evaluated the proposed method with 2D and 3D application on abdominal CT and MR images of three public datasets. The proposed method generated liver segmentation with significantly higher accuracy (p <0.05), in comparison to several competing methods. These promising results suggest that the novel model could offer high potential for clinical workflow.
The Risks of Ranking: Revisiting Graphical Perception to Model Individual Differences in Visualization Performance

Graphical perception studies typically measure visualization encoding effectiveness using the error of an “average observer”, leading to canonical rankings of encodings for numerical attributes: e.g., position <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$>$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mo>></mml:mo></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="ding-ieq1-3226463.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> area <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$>$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mo>></mml:mo></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="ding-ieq2-3226463.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> angle <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$>$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mo>></mml:mo></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="ding-ieq3-3226463.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> volume. Yet different people may vary in their ability to read different visualization types, leading to variance in this ranking across individuals not captured by population-level metrics using “average observer” models. One way we can bridge this gap is by recasting classic visual perception tasks as tools for assessing individual performance, in addition to overall visualization performance. In this article we replicate and extend Cleveland and McGill's graphical comparison experiment using Bayesian multilevel regression, using these models to explore individual differences in visualization skill from multiple perspectives. The results from experiments and modeling indicate that some people show patterns of accuracy that credibly deviate from the canonical rankings of visualization effectiveness. We discuss implications of these findings, such as a need for new ways to communicate visualization effectiveness to designers, how patterns in individuals’ responses may show systematic biases and strategies in visualization judgment, and how recasting classic visual perception tasks as tools for assessing individual performance may offer new ways to quantify aspects of visualization literacy. Experiment data, source code, and analysis scripts are available at the following repository: <uri>https://osf.io/8ub7t/? view_only=9be4798797404a4397be3c6fc2a68cc0</uri>.
Customers' Technology Know-How and Error-Correction Capability in using Self-Service Technologies

Customers' levels of technology knowledge vary significantly, affecting their performance in Self-Service Technologies (SSTs) and their ability to respond to errors in SSTs caused by service or process failures. Despite the fact that this is a highly practical scenario, scholarly research on the subject is rare. Thus, the purpose of this research is to look into customer technology know-how in SSTs, their corrective actions in the event of SST service/process failures, and differences among customers in terms of service performance, technology know-how, and error corrective capabilities in SSTs. A qualitative approach was used to achieve the research objectives, with semi-structured interviews conducted with 25 SST users from various demographic backgrounds. A non-probabilistic purposeful sampling strategy was used to recruit individuals for the study, with the goal of hiring information-rich cases. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The study identified four types of knowledge that SST users need to effectively complete service transactions: computer knowledge, SST device knowledge, Internet knowledge, and language ability. Furthermore, the study identified numerous mechanisms used by customers to correct errors in SSTs and classified them as 'error preventing' or 'error recovering' mechanisms. Additionally, the study discovered customer performance disparities among SSTs based on their level of technological expertise and error-correcting capabilities. The study divided SST users into three performance categories: 'Full performer,' 'Fair performer,' and 'Poor performer. ' The study contributes new knowledge by elucidating the interaction between SST users' technological expertise and error correction capabilities, a phenomenon that is rare in the previous literature, and contributing to the marketing theory by developing a typology to group customers based on customers’ level of technological expertise and error-correcting capabilities. In the practical ground, it informs SST service providers on how to maximize users' level of expertise while improving the service quality. Keywords: Self-service technologies, Technology know-how, Errors in SSTs, SST acceptance
Continuous Particle Aggregation and Separation in Acoustofluidic Microchannels Driven by Standing Lamb Waves

In this study, we realize acoustic aggregation and separation of microparticles in fluid channels driven by standing Lamb waves of a 300-μm-thick double-side polished lithium-niobate (LiNbO3) plate. We demonstrate that the counter-propagating lowest-order antisymmetric and symmetric Lamb modes can be excited by double interdigitated transducers on the LiNbO3 plate to produce interfacial coupling with the fluid in channels. Consequently, the solid–fluid coupling generates radiative acoustic pressure and streaming fields to actuate controlled acoustophoretic motion of particles by means of acoustic radiation and Stokes drag forces. We conducted finite-element simulations based on the acoustic perturbation theory with full-wave modeling to tailor the acoustic and streaming fields in the channels driven by the standing Lamb waves. As a result, the acoustic process and the mechanism of particle aggregation and separation were elucidated. Experiments on acoustic manipulation of particles in channels validate the capability of aggregation and separation by the designed devices. It is observed that strong streaming dominates the particle aggregation while the acoustic radiation force differentially expels particles with different sizes from pressure antinodes to achieve continuous particle separation. This study paves the way for Lamb-wave acoustofluidics and may trigger more innovative acoustofluidic systems driven by Lamb waves and other manipulating approaches incorporated on a thin-plate platform.
Periodic structure analysis using a hybrid finite element method

A numerical solution for the time harmonic electromagnetic fields in a unit cell of an infinite, planar periodic structure has been developed and validated. It uses a variation of the hybrid finite element method that includes periodic radiation conditions at the exterior surfaces and periodicity conditions at the unit cell walls inside the structure. This technique allows the method to deal with structures that include inhomogeneous dielectrics and conductors with arbitrary shape and orientation. This paper presents the formulation of the finite element problem and shows the results of test cases involving an inductive screen, an artificial dielectric, and a layered-dielectric bandgap medium. The results show that the new method is accurate and versatile.
Rapid oscillations in cataclysmic variables. IV. WZ Sagittae.

An extensive study of the rapid coherent oscillations in the light curve of the dwarf nova WZ Sagittae is presented. Data in 1978 show conclusively that the 27.87 s oscillation is a clock of high stability, maintaining a constant period and a nearly constant phase for many months. A period increase of 1 part in 10/sup 5/ occurred between 1977 and 1978, and all oscillation timings during 1976-1978 can be fitted with a linearly increasing period. Random ''phase jitter'' of approx.30/sup 0/ is also found in the timings, superposed on the strictly periodic process. The mean power spectrum show weak signals at frequencies slightly lower than the fundamental frequency.
In Silico Comparative Exploration of Allergens of Periplaneta americana, Blattella germanica and Phoenix dactylifera for the Diagnosis of Patients Suffering from IgE-Mediated Allergic Respiratory Diseases

The burden of allergic illnesses is continuously rising, and patient diagnosis is a significant problem because of how intricately hereditary and environmental variables interact. The past three to four decades have seen an outbreak of allergies in high-income countries. According to reports on the illness, asthma affects around 300 million individuals worldwide. Identifying clinically important allergens for the accurate classification of IgE-mediated allergy respiratory disease diagnosis would be beneficial for implementing standardized allergen-associated therapy. Therefore, the current study includes an in silico analysis to identify potential IgE-mediated allergens in date palms and cockroaches. Such an immunoinformatic approach aids the prioritization of allergens with probable involvement in IgE-mediated allergic respiratory diseases. Immunoglobulin E (IgE) was used for molecular dynamic simulations, antigen–antibody docking analyses, epitope identifications, and characterizations. The potential of these allergens (Per a7, Per a 1.0102, and Bla g 1.0101) in IgE-mediated allergic respiratory diseases was explored through the evaluation of physicochemical characteristics, interaction observations, docking, and molecular dynamics simulations for drug and vaccine development.
An Evidence-Based Retrospective Study for the Management of Acid Peptic Disease With Omeprazole, a Proton Pump Inhibitor, in Indian Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (PRIDE-1)

Background In this study, we aimed to assess the effectiveness of omeprazole therapy in the management of acid peptic disease (APD) among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Methodology In this multicenter retrospective study, electronic medical records (EMRs) of T2DM patients with APD who were prescribed omeprazole between March 2018 and April 2021 at multiple Indian healthcare settings were reviewed. The resolution of APD symptoms was assessed at visit five (120 days after the index visit) and compared to visit one (index visit). Safety was established in terms of reported adverse events during the study period. Results Overall, 174 patients were included. The majority of patients (63.8%) were males with a mean age of 48.6 ± 11.03 years. After receiving omeprazole therapy, a significant number of patients reported improvement in symptoms such as abdominal pain (98.2%), epigastric burning (74.2%), altered bowel movements (62.1%), and nausea (80.5%) (p < 0.001 for each). Complete resolution was observed in all patients who complained about flatulence (100.0%) and loss of appetite (100.0%) (p < 0.001 for each). The drug was found to be well tolerated. Conclusions Omeprazole therapy was well tolerated and highly effective in resolving APD symptoms among T2DM patients receiving fixed oral hypoglycemic agents.
A Recombinant Genotype I Japanese Encephalitis Virus Expressing a Gaussia Luciferase Gene for Antiviral Drug Screening Assay and Neutralizing Antibodies Detection

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is the major cause of viral encephalitis in humans throughout Asia. In the past twenty years, the emergence of the genotype I (GI) JEV as the dominant genotype in Asian countries has raised a significant threat to public health security. However, no clinically approved drug is available for the specific treatment of JEV infection, and the commercial vaccines derived from the genotype III JEV strains merely provided partial protection against the GI JEV. Thus, an easy-to-perform platform in high-throughput is urgently needed for the antiviral drug screening and assessment of neutralizing antibodies specific against the GI JEV. In this study, we established a reverse genetics system for the GI JEV strain (YZ-1) using a homologous recombination strategy. Using this reverse genetic system, a gaussia luciferase (Gluc) expression cassette was inserted into the JEV genome to generate a reporter virus (rGI-Gluc). The reporter virus exhibited similar growth kinetics to the parental virus and remained genetically stable for at least ten passages in vitro. Of note, the bioluminescence signal strength of Gluc in the culture supernatants was well correlated with the viral progenies determined by viral titration. Taking advantage of this reporter virus, we established Gluc readout-based assays for antiviral drug screening and neutralizing antibody detection against the GI JEV. These Gluc readout-based assays exhibited comparable performance to the assays using an actual virus and are less time consuming and are applicable for a high-throughput format. Taken together, we generated a GI JEV reporter virus expressing a Gluc gene that could be a valuable tool for an antiviral drug screening assay and neutralization assay.
Featured Article: Energy‐efficient mmWave cell‐free massive MIMO downlink transmission with low‐resolution DACs and phase shifters

The mmWave cell‐free massive MIMO (CFmMIMO), combining the advantages of wide bandwidth in the mmWave frequency band and the high‐ and uniform‐spectral efficiency of CFmMIMO, has recently emerged as one of the enabling technologies for 6G. In this paper, we propose a novel framework for energy‐efficient mmWave CFmMIMO systems that uses low‐resolution digital–analog converters (DACs) and phase shifters (PSs) to introduce low‐complexity hybrid precoding. Additionally, we propose a heuristic pilot allocation scheme that makes the best effort to slash some interference from copilot users. The simulation results show that the proposed hybrid precoding and pilot allocation scheme outperforms the existing schemes. Furthermore, we reveal the relationship between the energy and spectral efficiencies for the proposed mmWave CFmMIMO system by modeling the whole network power consumption and observe that the introduction of low‐resolution DACs and PSs is effective in increasing the energy efficiency by compromising the spectral efficiency and the network power consumption.
An Experiment with Weighted Indexes of Cyclical Diffusion

Abstract Diffusion indexes measure the extent of common participation of the various sectors of the economy in expansions and contractions of aggregate activity, and are used to study the relationships between the degree of participation and other characteristics of business cycles, such as turning points and amplitudes. The usual index takes account only of the direction of change of the components. An experiment was under-taken to determine if the behavior of a diffusion index of employment would be affected when it was weighted to allow for the size of the component industries, the amplitudes of the individual fluctuations, or the combined influence of size and amplitude. Size weighting made little difference, because the average size of industries in the expanding and contracting groups remained fairly constant despite substantial fluctuations over time in the number of industries contained in the two groups. Amplitude weighting exaggerated the month-to-month movements of the unweighted index, because.
Discontinuous control and simultaneous identification of distributed parameter systems

Presents discontinuous control laws for distributed parameter systems of parabolic and hyperbolic types which yield asymptotic tracking of the output of a reference model. The use of the discontinuity in these control laws permits rejection of input disturbances and ensures robustness with respect to dynamic uncertainties, both with the a priori known norm bounds. It is also demonstrated that unknown plant parameters could be simultaneously identified pointwise through the construction of the auxiliary system. Under the persistently exciting reference input, the time-varying parameters of the auxiliary system converge to plant parameters in L/sub 2/ and the orthogonal expansions of the former obtained by passing them through the integrator block converge to plant parameters pointwise.
Inflammaging and Blood Pressure Profiles in Late Life: The Screening for CKD among Older People across Europe (SCOPE) Study

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a marker for systemic inflammation. Since inflammation plays a relevant role in vascular aging, the aim of this study was to investigate whether NLR is associated with blood pressure profiles in older adults. This study was performed within the framework of the SCOPE study including 2461 outpatients aged 75 years and over. Mean blood pressure values, namely systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and pulse pressure (PP) were investigated across tertiles of NLR. Change in blood pressure levels in 2 years of follow-up were compared across categories of baseline NLR. Data of 2397 individuals were used, of which 1854 individuals had hypertension. Mean values of blood pressure did not differ across categories of baseline NLR in individuals without hypertension. Individuals with hypertension with a high-range NLR had lower SBP and PP when compared to those in low-range NLR (mean difference SBP −2.94 mmHg, p = 0.032 and PP −2.55 mmHg, p = 0.030). Mean change in blood pressure in 2 years did only slightly differ in non-clinically relevant ranges, when compared across tertiles of baseline NLR. NLR as a marker of inflammaging was not associated with unfavorable blood pressure profiles in older individuals with or without hypertension.