Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Aggregated Modeling and Control of Air Conditioning Loads for Demand Response

Demand response is playing an increasingly important role in the efficient and reliable operation of the electric grid. Modeling the dynamic behavior of a large population of responsive loads is especially important to evaluate the effectiveness of various demand response strategies. In this paper, a highly accurate aggregated model is developed for a population of air conditioning loads. The model effectively includes statistical information of the load population, systematically deals with load heterogeneity, and accounts for second-order dynamics necessary to accurately capture the transient dynamics in the collective response. Based on the model, a novel aggregated control strategy is designed for the load population under realistic conditions. The proposed controller is fully responsive and achieves the control objective without sacrificing end-use performance. The proposed aggregated modeling and control strategy is validated through realistic simulations using GridLAB-D. Extensive simulation results indicate that the proposed approach can effectively manage a large number of air conditioning systems to provide various demand response services, such as frequency regulation and peak load reduction.
Parsing a Cognitive Task: A Characterization of the Mind's Bottleneck

Parsing a mental operation into components, characterizing the parallel or serial nature of this flow, and understanding what each process ultimately contributes to response time are fundamental questions in cognitive neuroscience. Here we show how a simple theoretical model leads to an extended set of predictions concerning the distribution of response time and its alteration by simultaneous performance of another task. The model provides a synthesis of psychological refractory period and random-walk models of response time. It merely assumes that a task consists of three consecutive stages—perception, decision based on noisy integration of evidence, and response—and that the perceptual and motor stages can operate simultaneously with stages of another task, while the central decision process constitutes a bottleneck. We designed a number-comparison task that provided a thorough test of the model by allowing independent variations in number notation, numerical distance, response complexity, and temporal asynchrony relative to an interfering probe task of tone discrimination. The results revealed a parsing of the comparison task in which each variable affects only one stage. Numerical distance affects the integration process, which is the only step that cannot proceed in parallel and has a major contribution to response time variability. The other stages, mapping the numeral to an internal quantity and executing the motor response, can be carried out in parallel with another task. Changing the duration of these processes has no significant effect on the variance.
PIR array codes with optimal PIR rates

There has been much recent interest in Private information Retrieval (PIR) in models where a database is stored across several servers using coding techniques from distributed storage, rather than being simply replicated. In particular, a recent breakthrough result of Fazelli, Vardy and Yaakobi introduces the notion of a PIR code and a PIR array code, and uses this notion to produce efficient protocols. In this paper we are interested in designing PIR array codes. We consider the case when we have m servers, with each server storing a fraction (1/s) of the bits of the database; here s is a fixed rational number with s > 1. We study the maximum PIR rate of a PIR array code with the k-PIR property (which enables a k-server PIR protocol to be emulated on the m servers), where the PIR rate is defined to be k/m. We present upper bounds on the achievable rate, some constructions, and ideas how to obtain PIR array codes with the highest possible PIR rate. In particular, we present constructions that asymptotically meet our upper bounds, and the exact largest PIR rate is obtained when 1 < s ≤ 2.
Identifying Unreliable and Adversarial Workers in Crowdsourced Labeling Tasks

We study the problem of identifying unreliable and adversarial workers in crowdsourcing systems where workers (or users) provide labels for tasks (or items). Most existing studies assume that worker responses follow specific probabilistic models; however, recent evidence shows the presence of workers adopting non-random or even malicious strategies. To account for such workers, we suppose that workers comprise a mixture of honest and adversarial workers. Honest workers may be reliable or unreliable, and they provide labels according to an unknown but explicit probabilistic model. Adversaries adopt labeling strategies different from those of honest workers, whether probabilistic or not. We propose two reputation algorithms to identify unreliable honest workers and adversarial workers from only their responses. Our algorithms assume that honest workers are in the majority, and they classify workers with outlier label patterns as adversaries. Theoretically, we show that our algorithms successfully identify unreliable honest workers, workers adopting deterministic strategies, and worst-case sophisticated adversaries who can adopt arbitrary labeling strategies to degrade the accuracy of the inferred task labels. Empirically, we show that filtering out outliers using our algorithms can significantly improve the accuracy of several state-of-the-art label aggregation algorithms in real-world crowdsourcing datasets.
DYE‐MEMBRANE INTERACTION AND ITS CHANGES DURING NERVE EXCITATION

Abstract— With a view toward elucidating the physiocochemical properties of the nerve membrane, the behavior of various dye molecules incorporated into the membrane was investigated. By measuring the difference between the absorption spectra of dyes in the membrane at rest and those during nerve excitation, the nature of the conformation changes of the membrane macromolecules were examined. Mathematical expressions were developed describing the absorbance changes of dye molecules during nerve excitation. Experimental evidence was presented indicating that there is, during nerve excitation, rotation of dye molecules in the membrane. The physicochemical bases of the process of production of fluorescence changes during nerve excitation are discussed. Based on the results of measurements of the polarization of the fluorescent light, the existence of a highly ordered macromolecular structure at or near the inner surface of the membrane was inferred.
Calcium fluxes in juvenile tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, exposed to sublethal waterborne Cd, Cu or mixtures of these metals

In juvenile tilapia the effects of waterborne Cu, Cd, and combinations of these metals on whole-body Ca fluxes were studied, using {sup 45}Ca as tracer. The maintenance of Ca homeostasis in fish is crucial throughout life but is especially important in young fish; Ca is also critical for growth. Single metal exposure had no effect on Ca fluxes after 6 d of exposure. In fish coexposed to 200 {micro}g Cu L{sup {minus}1} + 70 {micro}g Cd L{sup {minus}1} however, Ca influx was significantly decreased, whereas Ca efflux was not affected. As a result, the net flux was decreased. Because the effect on Ca fluxes observed in Cu/Cd-coexposed fish could not have been predicted from the effects of single metal exposures, this study underscores the impact of interactions between toxicants. Because natural freshwaters are commonly polluted by mixtures of metals, interactions between toxicants are important in risk assessment of heavy metals.
Three-dimensional microstructure of human alveolar trabecular bone: a micro-computed tomography study

Purpose The microstructural characteristics of trabecular bone were identified using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), in order to develop a potential strategy for implant surface improvement to facilitate osseointegration. Methods Alveolar bone specimens from the cadavers of 30 humans were scanned by high-resolution micro-CT and reconstructed. Volumes of interest chosen within the jaw were classified according to Hounsfield units into 4 bone quality categories. Several structural parameters were measured and statistically analyzed. Results Alveolar bone specimens with D1 bone quality had significantly higher values for all structural parameters than the other bone quality categories, except for trabecular thickness (Tb.Th). The percentage of bone volume, trabecular separation (Tb.Sp), and trabecular number (Tb.N) varied significantly among bone quality categories. Tb.Sp varied markedly across the bone quality categories (D1: 0.59±0.22 mm, D4: 1.20±0.48 mm), whereas Tb.Th had similar values (D1: 0.30±0.08 mm, D4: 0.22±0.05 mm). Conclusions Bone quality depended on Tb.Sp and number—that is, endosteal space architecture—rather than bone surface and Tb.Th. Regardless of bone quality, Tb.Th showed little variation. These factors should be taken into account when developing individualized implant surface topographies.
Older Age, Comorbid Illnesses, and Injury Severity Affect Immediate Outcome in Elderly Trauma Patients

Introduction: Trauma in elderly population is frequent and is associated with significant mortality, not only due to age but also due to complicated factors such as the severity of injury, preexisting comorbidity, and incomplete general assessment. Our primary aim was to determine whether age, Injury Severity Score (ISS), and preexisting comorbidities had an adverse effect on the outcome in patients aged 65 years and above following blunt trauma. Methods: We included 1027 patients aged ≥65 years who were admitted to our Level I Trauma Center following blunt trauma. Patients' charts were reviewed for demographics, ISS, mechanism of injury, preexisting comorbidities, Intensive Care Unit and hospital length of stay, complications, and in-hospital mortality. Results: The mean age of injured patients was 78.8 ± 8.3 years (range 65–109). The majority of patients had mild injury severity (ISS 9–14, 66.8%). Multiple comorbidities (≥3) were found in 233 patients (22.7%). Mortality during the hospitalization stay (n = 35, 3.4%) was associated with coronary artery disease, renal failure, dementia, and warfarin use (P < 0.05). Chronic anticoagulation treatment was recorded in 13% of patients. The addition of a single comorbidity increased the odds of wound infection to 1.29 and sepsis to 1.25. Both age and ISS increased the odds of death as −1.08 and −2.47, respectively. Conclusions: Our analysis shows that age alone in elderly trauma population is not a robust measure of outcome, and more valuable predictors such as injury severity, preexisting comorbidities, and medications are accounted for adverse outcome. Trauma care in this population with special considerations should be tailored to meet their specific needs.
From Words to Senses: A Case Study of Subjectivity Recognition

We determine the subjectivity of word senses. To avoid costly annotation, we evaluate how useful existing resources established in opinion mining are for this task. We show that results achieved with existing resources that are not tailored towards word sense subjectivity classification can rival results achieved with supervision on a manually annotated training set. However, results with different resources vary substantially and are dependent on the different definitions of subjectivity used in the establishment of the resources.
Physical Biology of Cancer Comparative mechanisms of cancer cell migration through 3 D matrix and physiological microtracks

Carey SP, Rahman A, Kraning-Rush CM, Romero B, Somasegar S, Torre OM, Williams RM, Reinhart-King CA. Comparative mechanisms of cancer cell migration through 3D matrix and physiological microtracks. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 308: C436–C447, 2015. First published December 10, 2014; doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00225. 2014. —Tumor cell invasion through the stromal extracellular matrix (ECM) is a key feature of cancer metastasis, and understanding the cellular mechanisms of invasive migration is critical to the development of effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Since cancer cell migration is highly adaptable to physiochemical properties of the ECM, it is critical to define these migration mechanisms in a context-specific manner. Although extensive work has characterized cancer cell migration in twoand three-dimensional (3D) matrix environments, the migration program employed by cells to move through native and cell-derived microtracks within the stromal ECM remains unclear. We previously reported the development of an in vitro model of patterned type I collagen microtracks that enable matrix metalloproteinaseindependent microtrack migration. Here we show that collagen microtracks closely resemble channel-like gaps in native mammary stroma ECM and examine the extracellular and intracellular mechanisms underlying microtrack migration. Cell-matrix mechanocoupling, while critical for migration through 3D matrix, is not necessary for microtrack migration. Instead, cytoskeletal dynamics, including actin polymerization, cortical tension, and microtubule turnover, enable persistent, polarized migration through physiological microtracks. These results indicate that tumor cells employ context-specific mechanisms to migrate and suggest that selective targeting of cytoskeletal dynamics, but not adhesion, proteolysis, or cell traction forces, may effectively inhibit cancer cell migration through preformed matrix microtracks within the tumor stroma.
The stress-buffering effects of control on task satisfaction and perceived goal attainment : an experimental study of the moderating influence of desire for control

The purpose of the present study was to examine the extent to which Desire for Control (DFC) interacts with experimental manipulations of demand and control, and the consequences of these interactions on task satisfaction and perceived goal attainment (i.e. task performance and task mastery). It was expected that the proposed stress-buffering effects of control would be evident only for individuals high in DFC. Moreover, it was anticipated that control may have a stress-exacerbating effect for those low in DFC. These hypotheses were tested on a sample of 137 first year psychology students who participated in an in-basket activity under low and high conditions of demand and control. Results revealed that the proposed stress-buffering effect of control was found only for those high in DFC and a stress-exacerbating effect of increased control was evident for those low in DFC on task performance and task mastery perceptions. Future research directions and the implications of these findings to applied settings are discussed.
Phytochromes from Agrobacterium fabrum

Agrobacterium fabrum is a widely used model bacterium for gene transfer from pro‐ to eukaryote, for genetics and metabolism. The phytochrome system of Agrobacterium, encompassing the two phytochromes Agp1 and Agp2, has provided deep insight into phytochrome action in a bacterial organism. This review summarizes recent results on phytochrome evolution, phytochrome regulation of conjugation and plant infection and biochemical studies including the crystal structure of Agp1‐PCM, the photosensory core module of Agp1.
Curriculum-Based Measurement of Oral Reading: Standard Errors Associated With Progress Monitoring Outcomes From DIBELS, AIMSweb, and an Experimental Passage Set

There are relatively few studies that evaluate the quality of progress monitoring estimates derived from curriculum-based measurement of reading. Those studies that are published provide initial evidence for relatively large magnitudes of standard error relative to the expected magnitude of weekly growth. A major contributor to the observed magnitudes of standard error is the inconsistency of passage difficulty within progress monitoring passage sets. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate and estimate the magnitudes of standard error across an experimental passage set referred to as the Formative Assessment Instrumentation and Procedures for Reading (FAIP-R) and two commercially available passage sets (AIMSweb and Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills [DIBELS]). Each passage set was administered twice weekly to 68 students. Results indicated significant differences in intercept, weekly growth, and standard error. Estimates of standard error were smallest in magnitude for the FAIP-R passage set followed by the AIMSweb and then DIBELS passage sets. Implications for choosing a progress monitoring passage set and estimating individual student growth are discussed.
Contamination levels of metals (Cu, Cr, Cd and Pb) in Patella rustica from the Moroccan Atlantic coast

This study was carried out to determine the levels of some metal including copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in tissues of the mollusca gastropoda limpet (Patella rustica), using the standard atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) technique after mineralization method. These samples were collected from three different locations (Yacoub Al Mansour, Harhoura and Guy ville) of Moroccan Atlantic coast during four seasons (winter, spring, summer and autumn). The average ranges of elements concentrations measured in samples were: Yacoub Al Mansour coast (Cu: 0.462.19 μg/g; Cr: 0,60-2,21 μg/g; Cd: 0,32-1,06 μg/g and Pb: 0,47-1,30 μg/g), Harhoura coast: (Cu: 0.813.17 μg/g; Cr: 0,94-2,5 μg/g; Cd: 0,47-0,95 μg/g and Pb: 0,76-1,42 μg/g) and Guy ville coast (Cu: 1.24-4.14 μg/g; Cr: 0,87-3,98 μg/g; Cd: 0,56-1,18 μg/g and Pb: 1,08-2,13 μg/g). During all seasons and from different sampling sites, the results obtained indicate that metals concentration in Patella rustica tissues were distributed differently .
Hierarchy of protein assembly at the vertex ring domain for yeast vacuole docking and fusion

Vacuole tethering, docking, and fusion proteins assemble into a “vertex ring” around the apposed membranes of tethered vacuoles before catalyzing fusion. Inhibitors of the fusion reaction selectively interrupt protein assembly into the vertex ring, establishing a causal assembly hierarchy: (a) The Rab GTPase Ypt7p mediates vacuole tethering and forms the initial vertex ring, independent of t-SNAREs or actin; (b) F-actin disassembly and GTP-bound Ypt7p direct the localization of other fusion factors; (c) The t-SNAREs Vam3p and Vam7p regulate each other's vertex enrichment, but do not affect Ypt7p localization. The v-SNARE Vti1p is enriched at vertices by a distinct pathway that is independent of the t-SNAREs, whereas both t-SNAREs will localize to vertices when trans-pairing of SNAREs is blocked. Thus, trans-SNARE pairing is not required for SNARE vertex enrichment; and (d) The t-SNAREs regulate the vertex enrichment of both G-actin and the Ypt7p effector complex for homotypic fusion and vacuole protein sorting (HOPS). In accord with this hierarchy concept, the HOPS complex, at the end of the vertex assembly hierarchy, is most enriched at those vertices with abundant Ypt7p, which is at the start of the hierarchy. Our findings provide a unique view of the functional relationships between GTPases, SNAREs, and actin in membrane fusion.
Linkage disequilibrium between DNA markers at the low‐density lipoprotein receptor gene

We determined pairwise linkage disequilibria between 12 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers at or near the low‐density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) locus on chromosome 19p13.2‐13.1 in 92 unrelated individuals. Of these 12 RFLPs, two were newly identified under a cosmid‐based strategy designed to screen for RFLPs. We estimated linkage disequilibrium by determining three different measurements: D (the maximum likelihood estimate of linkage disequilibrium), D' (Lewontin's normalized estimate of D), and r (an index of gametic correlation). When r was used as the estimate of linkage disequilibrium, five of the 66 comparisons were significant according to a level of significance adjusted by the Bonferroni‐Holm correction. Only four pairs of RFLPs within a 100 kb region that included the LDLR gene itself were in significant linkage disequilibrium. Although we were able to detect strong linkage disequilibrium between some pairs of RFLPs in this sample, most RFLPs at the LDLR locus were not in strong linkage disequilibrium despite their physical proximity.
CXCR7 prevents excessive CXCL12-mediated downregulation of CXCR4 in migrating cortical interneurons

The CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling pathway is involved in the development of numerous neuronal and non-neuronal structures. Recent work established that the atypical second CXCL12 receptor, CXCR7, is essential for the proper migration of interneuron precursors in the developing cerebral cortex. Two CXCR7-mediated functions were proposed in this process: direct modulation of β-arrestin-mediated signaling cascades and CXCL12 scavenging to regulate local chemokine availability and ensure responsiveness of the CXCL12/CXCR4 pathway in interneurons. Neither of these functions has been proven in the embryonic brain. Here, we demonstrate that migrating interneurons efficiently sequester CXCL12 through CXCR7. CXCR7 ablation causes excessive phosphorylation and downregulation of CXCR4 throughout the cortex in mice expressing CXCL12, but not in CXCL12-deficient animals. Cxcl12−/− mice lack activated CXCR4 in embryonic brain lysates and display a similar interneuron positioning defect as Cxcr4−/−, Cxcr7−/− and Cxcl12−/−;Cxcr7−/− animals. Thus, CXCL12 is the only CXCR4-activating ligand in the embryonic brain and deletion of one of the CXCL12 receptors is sufficient to generate a migration phenotype that corresponds to the CXCL12-deficient pathway. Our findings imply that interfering with the CXCL12-scavenging activity of CXCR7 causes loss of CXCR4 function as a consequence of excessive CXCL12-mediated CXCR4 activation and degradation.
Combined effects of TNF‐α, IL‐1β, and HIF‐1α on MMP‐2 production in ACL fibroblasts under mechanical stretch: An in vitro study

The dynamics between inflammatory factors, mechanical stress, and healing factors, in an intra‐articular joint, are very complex after injury. Injury to intra‐articular tissue [anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), synovium] results in hypoxia, accumulation of various pro‐inflammatory factors, cytokines, and metalloproteases. Although the presence of increased amounts of matrix‐metalloproteinases (MMP) in the joint fluid after knee injury is considered the key factor for ACL poor healing ability; however, the exact role of collective participants of the joint fluid on MMP‐2 activity and production has not been fully studied yet. To investigate the combined effects of mechanical injury, inflammation and hypoxia induced factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) on induction of MMP‐2; we mimicked the microenvironment of joint cavity after ACL injury. The results show that TNF‐α and IL‐1β elevate the activity of MMP‐2 in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. In addition, mechanical stretch further enhances the MMP‐2 protein levels with TNF‐α, IL‐1β, and their mixture. CoCl2‐induced HIF‐1α (100 and 500 µM) also increases the levels and activity of MMP‐2. Mechanical stretch has a strong additional effect on MMP‐2 production with HIF‐1α. Our results conclude that mechanical injury, HIF‐1α and inflammatory factors collectively induce increased MMP‐2 production in ACL fibroblasts, which was inhibited by NF‐κB pathway inhibitor (Bay‐11‐7082). © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 29: 1008–1014, 2011