Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multi-fidelity Gaussian Process for Distribution System Voltage Probabilistic Estimation with PVs

The increasing penetration of behind-the-meter PVs causes challenges to maintain voltage security due to the lack of distribution system visibility. This paper proposes a nonlinear autoregressive Gaussian process (NARGP) approach to fuse limited number of SCADA/AMI data together with historical pseudo measurements for distribution node voltage probabilistic estimation. The high-fidelity SCADA data are fused with the low-fidelity AMI and pseudo measurements by the autoregressive algorithm embedded in the Gaussian process. This allows us to use multi-fidelity data to achieve entire distribution system voltage visibility. Numerical results carried out on the IEEE 123node system demonstrate that the NARGP method is able to obtain high accuracy in estimating bus voltage and quantifying estimation uncertainties as compared to other approaches.
Research on Interactive Mode and Strategy of Adjustable Load Demand Response Blockchain

On the traditional demand-supply interaction platforms, the connection between demand response aggregators and users are fixed. aggregators and users are fixed. The load aggregator usually manages data as a communication center and is in charge of creating plans for the allocation of demand response resources for several consumers. If the load aggregator jointly and maliciously tampers with the demand response data, causing the user to lose the incentive benefits, or the user changes the instrument data without authorization to obtain improper incentives, it will cause the DR trust crisis. Therefore, establishing a user interaction mode based on distributed demand response interaction system is essential. In this paper, the adjustable load demand response blockchain interoperability model is firstly established, and then designs and analyzes a blockchain interoperability strategy to improve reputation. As an example, it was found that blockchain interoperability strategies with higher reliability values have higher DR success rates than Blockchain interoperability and conventional demand-response interoperability techniques.
Non compact conformal field theories in statistical mechanics

The critical points of statistical mechanical systems in 2 dimensions or quantum mechanical systems in 1+1 dimensions, as well as some aspects of non interacting systems in 2+1 dimensions, are efficiently tackled by the methods of conformal field theory (CFT) and integrability, which have witnessed spectacular progress during the past 40 years. Difficulties are met in the non unitary case, frequent in statistical mechanics or condensed matter (as for instance in the Integer Quantum Hall Effect plateau transitions), where the CFTs are {\it logarithmic}, therefore very difficult to classify algebraically, and most often {\it non compact}, which has long been considered as an obstacle to their understanding through lattice discretizations. The connection between discrete models and non compact CFTs has indeed never been clear, in particular it was long believed that the latter could not arise as the continuum limit of `usual' spin chains or lattice models built out of a compact set of degrees of freedom. In this thesis, we show that the world of compact discrete models with a non compact continuum limit extends much further than the few examples known to this date and encompasses, in contrast with earlier expectations, cases of great physical relevance. We propose an exact solution of an infinite family of models, the so-called $a_n^{(2)}$ and $b_n^{(1)}$ models, all of which are argued to allow for a non compact regime. Some of these models are related to problems of polymer physics, coupled Potts models and a tentative description of the quantum Hall plateau transition by some compact geometrical truncation. We show that the existence of an unsuspected non compact continuum limit for such models can have dramatic practical effects, for instance in the numerical determination of the critical exponents or in Monte-Carlo simulations. We use our results for a better understanding of the controversial {\it theta transition} describing the collapse of polymers in two dimensions, and draw perspectives on a possible understanding of the quantum Hall plateau transition from exactly solvable lattice models.
Inference of Curvilinear Structure based on Learning a Ranking Function and Graph Theory

To detect curvilinear structures in natural images, we propose a novel ranking learning system and an abstract curvilinear shape inference algorithm based on graph theory. We analyze the curvilinear structures as a set of small line segments. In this work, the rankings of the line segments are exploited to systematize the topological feature of the curvilinear structures. Structured Support Vector Machine is employed to learn the ranking function that predicts the correspondence of the given line segments and the latent curvilinear structures. We first extract curvilinear features using morphological profiles and steerable filtering responses. Also, we propose an orientation-aware feature descriptor and a feature grouping operator to improve the structural integrity during the learning process. To infer the curvilinear structure, we build a graph based on the output rankings of the line segments. We progressively reconstruct the curvilinear structure by looking for paths between remote vertices in the graph. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm faithfully detects the curvilinear structures within various datasets.
Persistent current joints between technological superconductors

Persistent current joints are crucial components of superconducting magnets—enabling the production of the high and ultra-stable magnetic fields required, for instance, for magnetic resonance measurements. At this critical juncture when persistent mode magnets containing commercial high temperature superconductors may soon become a reality, it is of value to take stock and evaluate current challenges faced in the field of jointing. This paper provides a review of progress made to date on the production and characterization of joints between the five major technological superconductors—NbTi, Nb3Sn, MgB2, BiSCCO and REBCO, including the materials that are used to make these joints.
PLACENTA EXTRACT-LOADED NOVASOME SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED HAIR GROWTH IN A RAT IN VIVO MODEL

Objective: This study aims to improve the hair-growing effect of bovine placenta extract (PE) by loading it to a novasome vesicle. Methods: PE-loaded novasome was prepared by thin layer hydration method. A 23 full factorial design was used to obtain the most optimum formula by varying the type of surfactants, the type of free fatty acid (FFA), and the ratio of surfactants and FFA. The resulting PE-loaded novasomes were characterized by entrapment efficiency (%EE), particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential (ZP). Results: PE-loaded novasome composed of Span 60: cholesterol: oleic acid (10:10:3) demonstrated the most optimum characteristics with PS 155.0 nm; PDI 0.139; ZP-63.73 and EE 79.60%. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the most optimum novasome revealed non-aggregating oligo-lamellar nanovesicles. In addition, novasome showed ultra-deformable properties and good stability during 90 d storage at 4 °C. A hair growth study in rats showed that the PE-loaded novasome demonstrated better hair-growing effect compared to PE-loaded liposome and minoxidil 2% solution. Conclusion: Novasome is a potential carrier for bringing such a big molecule as PE. PE-loaded in novasome showed vesicles with good physical characteristics and In vivo assessment demonstrated better hair-growing effect than minoxidil and PE-loaded liposomes.
Efficacy and Safety of Platelet Rich Plasma after Hair Transplantation of Male Androgenetic Alopecia: A Pilot Study

Article information Background: Numerous medications are used to treat androgenetic alopecia [AGA] which is a common dermatological disorder that has a negative psychological impact on those who are affected. However, hair transplantation, particularly using Follicular Unit Extraction [FUE], is still the standard surgical treatment for this condition. Aim of the work: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Platelet Rich Plasma [PRP] after hair transplantation by Follicular Unit Extraction [FUE] of males’ androgenetic alopecia. Patients and Methods: In this prospective study, 15 AGA patients treated with FUE plus PRP injections, Dermoscope was used to confirm the diagnosis and follow up. Results: There is significant increase in follicular hair density and length from baseline to the end of 6 month, no reported scalp redness beyond the first month. Conclusion: PRP after FUE giving faster hair density, reducing the catagen loss of transplanted hair, early recovery of the skin and faster appearance of new anagen hair. Received
Co-occurrence matrix and fractal dimension for image segmentation

One of the most important tasks in image processing problem and machine vision is object recognition, and the success of many proposed methods relies on a suitable choice of algorithm for the segmentation of an image. This paper focuses on how to apply texture operators based on the concept of fractal dimension and cooccurence matrix, to the problem of object recognition and a new method based on fractal dimension is introduced. Several images, in which the result of the segmentation can be shown, are used to illustrate the use of each method and a comparative study of each operator is made.
Prevalence and impact of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among food delivery riders in Eastern Peninsular Malaysia

Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) are currently a matter of concern in the occupational world, where it is the leading cause of disability among workers. Food delivery riders were among the neglected workers even though they were highly exposed to the WMSDs. Thus, this study aims to quantify the magnitude of WMSDs among the riders and the impact on their work. This was a cross-sectional study involving 191 food delivery riders in Eastern Peninsular Malaysia. The Standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (M-SNMQ), which was self-administered and validated for Malay translation, was used to quantify the prevalence of WMSDS based on various specific body regions. WMSD prevalence over a 12-month period was 74.9%. Upper back pain (UBP) (55.6%) and lower back pain (LBP) (73.3%) were the two most common body regions to experience WMSD symptoms. The least-complained body regions were thighs and feet, with a prevalence of 2.6% and 3.1%, respectively. The affected body regions that caused the highest daily life disturbance were the shoulders and knees, while those with shoulders symptom were more likely to be absent from work. Finally, LBP was the highest body region with at least a moderate pain score. In general, the findings should be a matter of concern among health authorities and others to improve the quality of life among the riders. To lower the prevalence of WMSDs among this understudied group, additional interventional research should be built on the findings of this study.
The Krylov Subspace Methods for the Computation of Matrix Exponentials

OF DISSERTATION The Krylov Subspace Methods for the Computation of Matrix Exponentials The problem of computing the matrix exponential e arises in many theoretical and practical problems. Many methods have been developed to accurately and efficiently compute this matrix function or its product with a vector, i.e., ev. In the past few decades, with the increasing need of the computation for large sparse matrices, iterative methods such as the Krylov subspace methods have proved to be a powerful class of methods in dealing with many linear algebra problems. The Krylov subspace methods have been introduced for computing matrix exponentials by Gallopoulos and Saad, and the corresponding error bounds that aim at explaining the convergence properties have been extensively studied. Many of those bounds show that the speed of convergence depends on the norm of the matrix, while some others emphasize the important role played by the spectral distribution. For example, it is shown in a recent work by Ye that the speed of convergence is also determined by the condition number for a symmetric negative definite matrix. Namely the convergence is fast for a well-conditioned matrix no matter how large the norm is. In this dissertation, we derive new error bounds for computing ev for nonsymmetric A, using the spectral information of A. Our result is based on the assumption that A is negative definite, i.e., the field of values of A lies entirely in the left half of the complex plane, such that the underlying dynamic system is stable. The new bounds show that the speed of convergence is related to the size and shape of the rectangle containing the field of values, and they agree with the existing results when A is symmetric. Furthermore, we also derive a simpler error bound for the special case when A is skew-Hermitian. This bound explains an observed convergence behavior where the approximation error initially stagnates for certain number of iterations before it starts to converge. In deriving our new error bounds, we use sharper estimates of the decay property of exponentials of Hessenberg matrices, by constructing Faber polynomial approximating exponential function in the region containing the field of values. The Jacobi elliptic functions are used to construct the conformal mappings and generate the Faber polynomials. We also present numerical tests to demonstrate the behavior of the new error bounds.
Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Rough Sets Based on Inclusion Measures

In this paper, a new computation formula of interval type-2 fuzzy inclusion measure is proposed on the basis of the axiom definition of interval type-2 fuzzy inclusion measures. Furthermore, we define an interval type-2 fuzzy rough set model on the basis of inclusion measure and study its basic properties. In the end, the attribute reduction of continuous domain decision information system is discussed and the method on appropriate reduction is given. Further,we present calculation steps of the reduction approach by an example and experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and efectiveness of the reduction algorithm.
Rheological effects on the levelling dynamics of thin fluid films

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate numerically the effect of rheology on the leveling of thin fluid films on horizontal solid substrates. Design/methodology/approach – A mathematical model based on the lubrication approximation which defines non-Newtonian rheology using a Power-law model is presented. The rheology is described by two parameters: the consistency factor and the flow behavior index. The resulting highly non-linear coupled set of equations is discretized using Finite-Difference and the resulting algebraic system is solved via an efficient Multigrid algorithm. Findings – Importantly, the non-dimensionalization process leads to a pair of Partial Differential Equations which depends on one parameter only, the flow behavior index. The authors show that the consistency factor only affects the time scale of the leveling process, hence stretching or contracting the time line. Results for the leveling of sinusoidal perturbations of the fluid film highlights important differences be.
Rule Selection for Large Data Sets

Genetic fuzzy rule selection is a two-phase classification rule mining method. First a large number of candidate fuzzy rules are generated by an association rule mining technique. Then only a small number of generated rules are selected by a genetic algorithm. We have already proposed an idea of parallel distributed implementation of genetic fuzzy rule selection. In this paper, we examine its computational eciency for large data sets through
Medicinal Mushroom Extracts from Hericium coralloides and Trametes versicolor Exert Differential Immunomodulatory Effects on Immune Cells from Older Adults In Vitro

Medicinal mushroom extracts (MMEs) exert immunomodulatory effects on innate immunity. The present study aimed to examine the effect of medicinal mushroom components on in vitro immune cell responses to inflammatory stimuli by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from older adults, where immune function is altered. PBMCs were treated with extracts from Hericium coralloides (HC) and Trametes versicolor (TV) prior to stimulation with rhinovirus A1 (RVA1), influenza A/H1N1pdm09 (H1N1), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or house dust mite (HDM) for 48 h. In the presence of virus, type I and II IFN significantly (p < 0.05) decreased following treatment with at least one concentration of all extracts compared to the untreated cell controls, along with significant increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8). In the presence of LPS, extracts from TV reduced IL-1β compared to untreated cells. In the presence of HDM, the concentration of IL-5 and/or IL-13 was significantly decreased with at least one dose of all extracts. MMEs exert differential effects on the release of inflammatory and antiviral mediators in vitro. Reduced type 2 cytokine responses to HDM may be beneficial in conditions where allergic inflammation is present, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema. Further research is needed to examine extracts in vivo.
On the Origin and Evolution of the Universe: Chaos or Cosmos?

We consider evolution of the Universe based on the standard Big Bang model, quantum models of creation, and recent theory of nonlinear dynamics, including deterministic chaos and fractals. We show that by looking for an order and harmony in the the complex surrounding real world these modern studies give also new insight into the most important philosophical issues exceeding the classical ontological principles, e.g., providing a deeper understanding of an old philosophical questions: why does something exist instead of nothing? We postulate that the origin of Universe is based on a simple but nonlinear law. Finally, it is worth noting that in mathematical-natural sciences we ought to look for the sense of the world in the mystery of rationality; the sense of every existence is the justification of the Universe. Therefore, we argue that this scientific view provides also sense and hope to a human existence.
High efficiency 4H-SiC betavoltaic power sources using tritium radioisotopes

Realization of an 18.6% efficient 4H-silicon carbide (4H-SiC) large area betavoltaic power source using the radioisotope tritium is reported. A 200 nm 4H-SiC P+N junction is used to collect high-energy electrons. The electron source is a titanium tritide (TiH3x) foil, or an integrated titanium tritide region formed by the diffusion of tritium into titanium. The specific activity of the source is directly measured. Dark current measured under short circuit conditions was less than 6.1 pA/cm2. Samples measured with an external tritium foil produced an open circuit voltage of 2.09 V, short circuit current of 75.47 nA/cm2, fill factor of 0.86, and power efficiency of 18.6%. Samples measured with an integrated source produced power efficiencies of 12%. Simulations were done to determine the beta spectrum (modified by self absorption) exiting the source and the electron hole pair generation function in the 4H-SiC. The electron-hole pair generation function in 4H-SiC was modeled as a Gaussian distribution, and a closed form solution of the continuity equation was used to analyze the cell performance. The effective surface recombination velocity in our samples was found to be 105–106 cm/s. Our analysis demonstrated that the surface recombination dominates the performance of a tritium betavoltaic device but that using a thin P+N junction structure can mitigate some of the negative effects.
Equine Behavioural and Physiological Responses to Auditory Stimuli in the Presence and Absence of Noise-Damping Ear Covers

Simple Summary Auditory perception is a key driver in behavioural and physiological responses and as prey species, horses have evolved to identify these stimuli and respond appropriately to maximise chances of survival. Sport horses are required to perform without distraction by external, irrelevant auditory stimuli and to help achieve this, ‘noise-damping’ ear covers have been developed. This study investigated behavioural and physiological (heart rate) responses of horses to different sounds commonly present in a competition environment and compared these responses in the presence and absence of ear covers. A difference in both physiological and behavioural responses to different auditory stimuli was found, suggesting an ability to discriminate the sounds and alter responses based on the individual stimulus. An overall difference in both physiological and behavioural responses with and without ear covers was also found with a reduction in responsiveness when wearing ear covers, although responses varied between sounds presented. The attenuation of these responses when wearing ear covers implies a reduced perception of sounds with varying levels of effectiveness. We suggest this information can be used to predict responses of sport horses, enhancing management and optimisation of performance while improving horse welfare. Abstract Despite numerous studies investigating responses to visual perception, there is limited research into how horses respond to different auditory stimuli. Although ‘noise-damping’ ear covers are frequently used on sport horses to minimise distraction from external auditory stimuli, the effectiveness of ear covers has not been established. This study aimed to (i) investigate the responses of horses to different sounds commonly present in a competition environment, and (ii) compare these responses in the presence and absence of ear covers. A total of 18 horses were presented with 5 sounds commonly heard in competition or stable environments both with and without ear covers, in a randomised order crossover design. Behavioural and heart rate responses were recorded. Responses were compared between sounds and with/without ear covers. Differences in physiological and behavioural responses to different complex auditory stimuli were shown. An overall difference in physiological and behavioural responses with and without ear covers was detected, although the only difference in heart rate between ear covers and no ear covers that individually achieved significance was the feed sound. These findings suggest that horses can discriminate sounds and alter their responses based on the individual stimulus, and these responses are reduced when wearing ear covers with varying effectiveness for different sounds.
Traumatic brain injury and immunological outcomes: the double-edged killer

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide resulting from falls, car accidents, sports, and blast injuries. TBI is characterized by severe, life-threatening consequences due to neuroinflammation in the brain. Contact and collision sports lead to higher disability and death rates among young adults. Unfortunately, no therapy or drug protocol currently addresses the complex pathophysiology of TBI, leading to the long-term chronic neuroinflammatory assaults. However, the immune response plays a crucial role in tissue-level injury repair. This review aims to provide a better understanding of TBI's immunobiology and management protocols from an immunopathological perspective. It further elaborates on the risk factors, disease outcomes, and preclinical studies to design precisely targeted interventions for enhancing TBI outcomes.