Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simulation Study of Processes in Electric Vehicles under Braking Control Based on Reinforcement Learning

Uncertainty and non-linearity in the braking process of electric vehicles prevent the use of classical control methods. Given the presence of many algorithms, each of which acts differently in various braking conditions, this study proposes an intelligent braking methodology that can adapt to changing modes and environmental characteristics. Once the need in braking is detected, the required parameters of the vehicle and the road are forwarded into the neural network generated its action with the help of deep reinforcement learning. A system presented makes a decision regarding the braking torque strength and its sharing between electrical and friction brakes for every driving situation. The simulation was carried out to test the effectiveness of the proposed approach which results show that the offered method ensures high-quality deceleration with good energy recovery without skidding and, thereby increases the braking efficiency.
A Smooth Grid Transfer Control Strategy Based on Improved Droop Control

Ensuring seamless transfer between grid-connected and stand-alone modes is crucial for maintaining a reliable power supply. This article presents a technique that allows for a smooth transition from current source control used in grid-connected mode to adopting droop control in stand-alone mode. The distributed generation unit makes use of current-source control during normal grid operation, but in the event of a grid failure, the load voltage is regulated, and load power demand is supported through power and voltage control loops. The proposed method enhances the quality of grid current and ensures consistent power output, even when voltage fluctuations occur in both grid-connected and stand-alone modes. Additionally, the technique includes current control strategies that enhance microgrid reliability during the stand-alone mode. The simulation results in various scenarios prove the efficacy of the suggested control approach.
Vetting Privacy Policies in VR: A Data Minimization Principle Perspective

Virtual Reality is thought to be the prototype of the next-generation Internet, consisting of more I/O devices and interactive methods than traditional mobile systems. Hence VR developers need to inform users what data is collected and shared, which is generally conveyed by privacy policies. Existing research has examined the consistency between the VR app's privacy policy and its corresponding actual behaviors. However, few studies paid attention to the data minimization principle, i.e., whether a privacy policy claims to collect no more data than it practically needs to implement the app's functionalities. In this poster, we targeted a mainstream VR platform and analyzed the data minimization principle compliance of privacy policies for all 1,726 VR apps in this platform. Experiment results show that 48.1 % VR apps potentially violate the data minimization principle. Moreover, the comparative experiments reveal significant differences in the distribution of data collection between VR and non-VR apps.
Cross-Linked α-Synuclein as Inhibitor of Amyloid Formation

The aggregation and amyloid formation of α-synuclein is associated with Parkinson’s disease and other synucleinopathies. In its native, monomeric form α-synuclein is an intrinsically disordered protein represented by highly dynamic conformational ensembles. Inhibition of α-synuclein aggregation using small molecules, peptides, or proteins has been at the center of interest in recent years. Our aim was to explore the effects of cross-linking on the structure and aggregation/amyloid formation properties of α-synuclein. Comparative analysis of available high-resolution amyloid structures and representative structural models and MD trajectory of monomeric α-synuclein revealed that potential cross-links in the monomeric protein are mostly incompatible with the amyloid forms and thus might inhibit fibrillation. Monomeric α-synuclein has been intramolecularly chemically cross-linked under various conditions using different cross-linkers. We determined the location of cross-links and their frequency using mass spectrometry and found that most of them cannot be realized in the amyloid structures. The inhibitory potential of cross-linked proteins has been experimentally investigated using various methods, including thioflavin-T fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy. We found that conformational constraints applied by cross-linking fully blocked α-synuclein amyloid formation. Moreover, DTSSP-cross-linked molecules exhibited an inhibitory effect on the aggregation of unmodified α-synuclein as well.
Performance of Energy Harvesting Aided Multi-hop Mobile Relay Networks With and Without Using Cooperative Communication

This paper studies performance of two radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting (EH) aided multi-hop mobile relaying models. In the first one, named MHM2M-DT, a mobile source attempts to send its data to a mobile destination with help of intermediate mobile relays. In MHM2M-DT, the data transmission at each hop is direct transmission. In the second one, named MHM2M-CC, cooperative communication is used at each hop to obtain higher spatial diversity. All the transmitters in our schemes have to harvest the RF energy from a power station, and use this energy to transmit the source data. We evaluate performance of MHM2M-DT and MHM2M-CC over double Rayleigh fading channels, in terms of end-to-end (e2e) outage probability (OP) and throughput (TP). Finally, Monte Carlo simulations are realized to validate the analysis as well as to compare the OP and TP performance of MHM2M-DT and MHM2M-CC.
Practice patterns of ophthalmologists administering intravitreal injections in europe: a longitudinal survey

Purpose: This study was performed to understand the practice patterns of ophthalmologists administering intravitreal (IVT) injections in Europe after the procedure became routine. Methods: As part of a prospective, multinational, non-interventional cohort study in 13 countries in Europe between 2006 and 2012, ophthalmologists completed the Baseline Questionnaire and the Follow-up Questionnaire 1 year after baseline. Results and discussion: Of the 125 ophthalmologists who participated in the study, 113 (90.4%) completed the Baseline Questionnaire. Most of these ophthalmologists were medical retina specialists (43.0%). The median number of IVT injections that the ophthalmologists performed per month during the year prior to completing the Baseline Questionnaire was 20.0. The majority of the ophthalmologists had performed their last IVT injection prior to completing the questionnaire in an operating room or theater (68.4%). When performing IVT injections, a majority of the ophthalmologists reported applying povidone–iodine (90.4%) before IVT injections and topical antibiotics right after IVT injections (89.5%). In addition, 81.6% of the ophthalmologists reported using a sterile adhesive eye drape and 80.7% reported using an eyelid speculum. In all, 95 ophthalmologists (76%) completed the Follow-up Questionnaire. The median number of IVT injections performed per month during the year prior to completing the Follow-up Questionnaire by these ophthalmologists was increased to 35. The results of the Follow-up Questionnaire on administering IVT injections were similar to those of the Baseline Questionnaire. A majority of the ophthalmologists reported applying povidone–iodine (87.4%) before IVT injections, topical antibiotics right after IVT injections (89.5%), and an eyelid speculum (85.3%). Conclusion: The results of this study indicated a good adherence to all aspects of the guidelines on IVT injections. It seemed that ophthalmologists were more experienced in IVT injections after they became a routine treatment procedure. Key topics include: Optometry; Visual science; Pharmacology and drug therapy in eye diseases; Basic Sciences; Primary and Secondary eye care; Patient Safety and Quality of Care Improvements.
Efectos del pastoreo sobre los artrópodos de suelo en brezales cantábricos

La ganadería ha afrontado, además, cambios profundos. El ganado vacuno disminuye lentamente mientras se reorienta hacia una producción más cárnica que lechera, arrastrando consigo la recuperación de sus razas autóctonas (Asturiana de los Valles y Asturiana de la Motaña). Los pequeños rumiantes (ovino y caprino), disminuyen más rápidamente y quedan relegados a zonas muy concretas (como los Picos de Europa para el caprino) aunque sus razas tradicionales se estén recuperando. Efectos del pastoreo sobre los artrópodos de suelo en brezales cantábricos
Oral tolerance

Summary: Multiple mechanisms of tolerance are induced by oral antigen. Low doses favor active suppression, whereas higher doses favor clonal anergy/deletion. Oral antigen induces T‐helper 2 [interleukin (IL)‐4/IL‐10] and Th3 [transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β] T cells plus CD4+CD25+ regulatory cells and latency‐associated peptide+ T cells. Induction of oral tolerance is enhanced by IL‐4, IL‐10, anti‐IL‐12, TGF‐β, cholera toxin B subunit, Flt‐3 ligand, and anti‐CD40 ligand. Oral (and nasal) antigen administration suppresses animal models of autoimmune diseases including experimental autoimmune encephalitis, uveitis, thyroiditis, myasthenia, arthritis, and diabetes in the non‐obese diabetic (NOD) mouse, plus non‐autoimmune diseases such as asthma, atherosclerosis, graft rejection, allergy, colitis, stroke, and models of Alzheimer's disease. Oral tolerance has been tested in human autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS), arthritis, uveitis, and diabetes and in allergy, contact sensitivity to dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), and nickel allergy. Although positive results have been observed in phase II trials, no effect was observed in phase III trials of CII in rheumatoid arthritis or oral myelin and glatiramer acetate (GA) in MS. Large placebo effects were observed, and new trials of oral GA are underway. Oral insulin has recently been shown to delay onset of diabetes in at‐risk populations, and confirmatory trials of oral insulin are being planned. Mucosal tolerance is an attractive approach for treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases because of lack of toxicity, ease of administration over time, and antigen‐specific mechanisms of action. The successful application of oral tolerance for the treatment of human diseases will depend on dose, developing immune markers to assess immunologic effects, route (nasal versus oral), formulation, mucosal adjuvants, combination therapy, and early therapy.
Évolution géomorphologique de la haute montagne alpine dans le contexte actuel de réchauffement climatique

En haute montagne, les processus glaciaires et periglaciaires exercent un tres fort controle sur la morphodynamique des versants. Cet article identifie ces principaux processus geomorphologiques et leurs aleas associes. Dans le cas des glaciers, ces aleas resultent de la formation des lacs et des poches d 'eau glaciaires, des avalanches de glace et glissement de glaciers, de l'evolution des moraines laterales et de la decompression post-glaciaire des versants rocheux. En domaine periglaciaire, les risques proviennent essentiellement de la destabilisation des parois rocheuses et des formations superficielles. Du fait de leur proximite avec les conditions de fusion, les glaciers et le permafrost alpins vont probablement reagir de maniere exacerbee a la poursuite du rechauffement climatique. En modifiant profondement la dynamique des glaciers et en degradant durablement le permafrost present dans les parois rocheuses et les formations superficielles, ce rechauffement, trois fois plus important dans les Alpes qu 'a l'echelle du globe au cours des deux dernieres decennies, pourrait etre a l 'origine de risques accrus.
Response of Prochilodus nigricans to flood pulse variation in the central Amazon

The influence of the flood pulse on fish populations has been posited, but infrequently tested or quantified. Here, we tested the effect of habitat on population size, using Prochilodus nigricans as a case study species. Floodplain habitat was based on the littoral zone area occupied by P. nigricans to feed. The magnitude of this habitat in each hydrological year, the moving littoral (ML), was expressed as the sum of daily littoral areas during the advancing flood pulse, using satellite-based passive microwave data. Annual population size was estimated by age class, using a dynamic age-structured model (MULTIFAN-CL) based on catches, effort and fish length frequencies from the Manaus-based fishery over 12.75 years. The principal null hypothesis was that the ML, using three lag times, had no effect on population size of a single age class of P. nigricans. The population size at 29 months of age was positively related (p = 0.00030) to floodplain habitat (ML) earlier in the same year, when the fish were 21–27 months old. The result implies a density-dependent relationship for the population with respect to its feeding habitat. Potential mechanisms governed by flood pulse variation and habitat quality for this and other species using floodplain habitats are discussed.
Rapid Elimination of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus Mosquitoes from Puerco Island, Palawan, Philippines with Odor-Baited Traps

Simple Summary Traps baited with attractants that mimic the smell of a human being have been shown to be a suitable, pesticide-free, alternative for mosquito control. Here we report the outcome of a trial on an island in the Philippines, where a density of 10 traps per hectare (72 in total) resulted in a surprisingly fast decline in populations of two mosquito species and their subsequent elimination within five months. This is the second time that odor-baited traps have succeeded in eliminating mosquitoes from a small tropical island. High-density trapping is an environmentally-friendly, pesticide-free, cost-effective and mosquito-specific approach to control or eliminate mosquito nuisance biting and disease risk for people living in (small) islands in the tropics. Abstract Globalization and climate change are key drivers for arboviral and parasitic infectious diseases to expand geographically, posing a growing threat to human health and biodiversity. New non-pesticidal approaches are urgently needed because of increasing insecticide resistance and the negative human and environmental health impacts of synthetic pyrethroids used for fogging. Here, we report the complete and rapid removal of two mosquito species (Aedes aegypti L. and Culex quinquefasciatus Say), both arboviral disease vectors, with odor-baited mosquito traps (at a density of 10 traps/hectare) from a 7.2-hectare island in the Philippines in just 5 months. This rapid elimination of mosquitoes from an island is remarkable and provides further proof that high-density mosquito trapping can play a significant role in mosquito- and vector-borne disease elimination in small islands around the world.
Biofilm Formation and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of Staphylococcus aureus Clinical Isolates from Two Healthcare Facilities in Zaria

Background: Antibiotic resistance is a public health challenge worldwide. There is a huge global concern about the increased drug- resistant S. aureus and the development of multiple resistance to several drugs. A well-designed surveillance study has been found to be a fundamental approach in the control of antimicrobial resistance. Objective: This study investigated the biofilm formation and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Staphylococcus aureus from two healthcare facilities in Zaria. Methods: A total of 200 presumptive Staphylococcal isolates from clinical specimens were collected and identified by conventional methods. Staphylococcus aureus isolates were tested against a panel of antibiotics using the modified Kirby- Bauer disk diffusion method, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were tested using cefoxitin disk, and Micro broth dilution method for Vancomycin Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). The biofilmforming ability of the isolates were analyzed quantitatively using the microtitre plate method. Results: Of the 200 presumptive staphylococcal isolates, 22(11%) were Staphylococcus aureus. The antibiotic resistance pattern of the isolates shows high resistance to tigecycline (100%), vancomycin (100%), clindamycin (40.9%), and tetracycline (40.9). The occurrence of MRSA in this study was 18.8% and MDR (was 68.2%). The biofilm-forming ability of the Staphylococcus aureus isolates is; weak biofilm formers 16 (72.7%), moderate biofilm formers 5 (22.7%), and strong biofilm former 1 (4.5%). Conclusion: There is need for more research to ascertain the relationship between biofilm formation and antimicrobial resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. Close monitoring of antimicrobial resistance is necessary as it helps to design tangible actions that will yield the greatest impact to control the spread of resistant organisms.
A U-Band Low-Noise Amplifier MMIC in 100-nm GaN Process

In this paper, we demonstrate a 100-nm GaN low-voltage low noise amplifier (LNA) MMIC operating in the frequency range of 40 to 65 GHz. The suggested LNA achieves a gain flatness of less than 1.5 dB and a small signal gain of 20.5 dB throughout the whole bandwidth. The Sl1 and S22 both fall below -10 dB. Between 50 and 65 GHz, the noise figure (NF) approaches an average value of 2.7 dB. Moreover, a 5 V supply can provide 350mW dc power consumption with an average I-dB compression point output power (OP1dB) of greater than 15 dBm in U-band. As a result, it may not only be crucial for the front-end link of the communication transceiver but also as the driver of the transmitter's power amplifier.
Low-carbohydrate diet and risk of cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Background: Evidence for the long-term health effect of low-carbohydrate diets (LCDs) is inconsistent. Herein, we aimed to examine the associations of LCDs with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and the Web of Science up to 26 July 2023 for eligible publications. Random-effect models were used to pool the summary relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A total of 44 studies (17 articles) were included in the systematic review and 38 in the meta-analysis, including 223 657 all-cause deaths (771 609 participants), 14 046 cardiovascular deaths (274 807 participants), 18 264 CVD cases (405 631 participants), and 3634 coronary heart disease (CHD) cases (151 023 participants). Subsequently, the highest LCD score was compared with the lowest one and the pooled RRs (95% CIs) were 1.05 (0.96, 1.14; I2 = 65.1%; n = 13) for CVD, 1.43 (1.18, 1.72; I2 = 25.4%; n = 3) for CHD, 0.93 (0.81, 1.06; I2 = 0.0%; n = 2) for stroke, 1.03 (0.96, 1.10; I2 = 86.6%; n = 13) for all-cause mortality and 1.09 (0.99, 1.19; I2 = 65.1%; n = 10) for cardiovascular mortality. Conclusion: Our analysis showed positive associations of LCDs with CHD. Thus, vigilance is recommended for long-term adherence to this dietary pattern.
Alteration of Gut microbiota during HIV infection

Gut flora is the community of microbial populations that live in the intestine. Approximately 30% of this population is shared by all humans, but the remaining 70% is unique to each individual, hence gut microbiota serves as an identity card. Gut microbiota play numerous functions in the body's defense against invasion, the synthesis of important vitamins, the regulation of immunological marker production, and others. Researchers observed several data when analyzing bacteria species present in HIV-infected individuals using the 16S rRNA sequencing approach, concluding that HIV-infected people had a high number of Prevotella species, while Lachnospiraceae, Christensenellaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Bacteroidaceae were all less. Those microbiota shifts may help explain how gut-related disorders interact with HIV. Researchers have discovered various methods for altering the composition of the gut microbiota in order to achieve a healthy gut. This review will focus on and highlight recent discoveries in Gut microbiota shifts during HIV infection and emphasize the immune response and treatment options.
Design and Characterization of a Passive Wireless Chipless RFID Humidity Sensor

A novel passive, low-cost chipless RFID tag sensor is proposed. The label sensor provides the relative humidity (RH) of the current label. The label sensor uses microwave backscattering technology. The label uses copper as conductor, and the substrate material is Rogers RT/duroid/5880 flexible substrate. Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA) film sensitive to humidity changes is used as sensitive material. Radar Cross Section (RCS) was used for analysis. The RF sensing performance of different sizes and different permittivity is studied. The simulation results show that the RCS amplitude changes obviously with the change of dielectric constant, which can be used to reflect the current humidity change. The optimal size of the label sensor substrate proposed in this paper is 30mm × 30mm, its operating frequency is 1 GHz-2 GHz, its measured humidity range is 12.3% - 64 %, the RCS amplitude is reduced from −28.4dB to −40.5dB, the deviation is 12.1 dB. The simulation experiment shows the feasibility of sensor label in detecting humidity levels.
Data Transport for the Orbiting Internet

In this paper, we introduce Orbiting TCP (OrbTCP), a multipath data transport protocol for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks. OrbTCP utilises in-network telemetry (INT) to obtain per-hop congestion information for each of its active subflows running on edge-disjoint paths. OrbTCP (1) enables network operation with low buffer capacity and low latency for end-hosts, (2) maximises application throughput and network utilisation, and (3) swiftly reacts to network hotspots due to bursty traffic or path reconfiguration. We present early results showcasing the limitations of state-of-the-art data transport in LEO satellite networks, motivate the need for a novel data transport protocol and offer initial evidence that OrbTCP could overcome the identified limitations.
The role of land use and land cover changes in triggering soil losses in the SE Alentejo, Portugal

This study analyses and interprets the effects of historical and contemporary land use and cover changes (LULC) on soil erosion in the Serra de Mértola region, Portugal, by using the 58 years of measurements in 8 × 22 m erosion plots at the Vale Formoso Erosion Centre and employing methodologies including field observations, aerial image analysis and Landsat NDVI trend assessment. Land cover and management changes, influenced by agricultural policies since the early 20th century, notably during the wheat campaigns of the fascist regime, have exacerbated soil erosion, with the highest rates observed in vertical fallow (964 g m−2 yr−1), wheat (90 g m−2 yr−1) and horizontal fallow (66 g m−2 yr−1). These practices continue to be somewhat relevant today, as cereal production is still being subsidized. However, Quercus, Pines—introduced since agrarian reforms and Portugal's entry into the common agricultural policy (CAP)—and spontaneous vegetation from CAP's set‐aside policies and recent land abandonment trends show lower erosion rates, underlining vegetation's role in erosion protection. Using NDVI trend analysis, we distinguish between natural fluctuations and land cover changes impacts. Understanding these changes and how they relate to slope and valley floor dynamics, such as incision, aggradation or stabilization, is crucial for recognizing human influences on the earth's surface. Our research highlights sustainable land management's role in reducing soil erosion in desertification‐prone areas.