Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Improved Binary Cuckoo Search Algorithm for Solving Unit Commitment Problems: Methodological Description

The unit commitment problem is a large-scale, nonlinear, and mixed-integer optimization problem in an electric power system. Numerous researchers concentrate on minimizing its total generation cost. Cuckoo search is an efficient metaheuristic swarm-based approach that balances between local and global search strategy. Owing to its easy implementation and rapid convergence, it has been successfully used to solve a wide variety of optimization problems. This paper proposes an improved binary cuckoo search algorithm (IBCS) for solving the unit commitment problem. A new binary updating mechanism is introduced to help the IBCS choose a right search direction, and a heuristic search method based on a novel priority list can prevent it from being trapped into local optima. A 4-unit system is used as an example to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Processing Information During Regressions: An Application of the Reverse Boundary-Change Paradigm

Although 10–15% of eye-movements during reading are regressions, we still know little about the information that is processed during regressive episodes. Here, we report an eye-movement study that uses what we call the reverse boundary change technique to examine the processing of lexical-semantic information during regressions, and to establish the role of this information during recovery from processing difficulty. In the critical condition of the experiment, an initially implausible sentence (e.g., There was an old house that John had ridden when he was a boy) was rendered plausible by changing a context word (house) to a lexical neighbor (horse) using a gaze-contingent display change, at the point where the reader's gaze crossed an invisible boundary further on in the sentence. Due to the initial implausibility of the sentence, readers often launched regressions from the later part of the sentence. However, despite this initial processing difficulty, reading was facilitated, relative to a condition where the display change did not occur (i.e., the word house remained on screen throughout the trial). This result implies that the relevant lexical semantic information was processed during the regression, and was used to aid recovery from the initial processing difficulty.
Tendinous Tissue Adaptation to Explosive- vs. Sustained-Contraction Strength Training

The effect of different strength training regimes, and in particular training utilizing brief explosive contractions, on tendinous tissue properties is poorly understood. This study compared the efficacy of 12 weeks of knee extensor explosive-contraction (ECT; n = 14) vs. sustained-contraction (SCT; n = 15) strength training vs. a non-training control (n = 13) to induce changes in patellar tendon and knee extensor tendon–aponeurosis stiffness and size (patellar tendon, vastus-lateralis aponeurosis, quadriceps femoris muscle) in healthy young men. Training involved 40 isometric knee extension contractions (three times/week): gradually increasing to 75% of maximum voluntary torque (MVT) before holding for 3 s (SCT), or briefly contracting as fast as possible to ∼80% MVT (ECT). Changes in patellar tendon stiffness and Young’s modulus, tendon–aponeurosis complex stiffness, as well as quadriceps femoris muscle volume, vastus-lateralis aponeurosis area and patellar tendon cross-sectional area were quantified with ultrasonography, dynamometry, and magnetic resonance imaging. ECT and SCT similarly increased patellar tendon stiffness (20% vs. 16%, both p < 0.05 vs. control) and Young’s modulus (22% vs. 16%, both p < 0.05 vs. control). Tendon–aponeurosis complex high-force stiffness increased only after SCT (21%; p < 0.02), while ECT resulted in greater overall elongation of the tendon–aponeurosis complex. Quadriceps muscle volume only increased after sustained-contraction training (8%; p = 0.001), with unclear effects of strength training on aponeurosis area. The changes in patellar tendon cross-sectional area after strength training were not appreciably different to control. Our results suggest brief high force muscle contractions can induce increased free tendon stiffness, though SCT is needed to increase tendon–aponeurosis complex stiffness and muscle hypertrophy.
Peroxiredoxin II Regulates Cancer Stem Cells and Stemness-Associated Properties of Cancers

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a sub-population of cancer cells with the ability to regulate stemness-associated properties which are specifically responsible for unlimited growth of cancers, generation of diverse cancer cells in differentiated state and resistance to existing chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Even though, current therapies destroy majority of cancer cells, it is believed to leave CSCs without eradicating which may be the conceptualization for chemoresistance and radio-resistance. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) maintain stem cells and regulate the stemness-associated properties of cancers. Beyond the maximum limit, ROS can damage cellular functions of cancers by subjecting them to oxidative stress. Thus, maintenance of ROS level plays an important role in cancers to regulate stemness-associated properties. Peroxiredoxin II (Prx II) is a member of peroxiredoxin antioxidant enzyme family which considers as a regulator of ROS in cellular environments by modulating redox status to maintain CSC phenotype and stemness properties. Prx II has cell type-dependent expression in various types of cancer cells and overexpression or silenced expression of Prx II in cancers is associated with stem cell phenotype and stemness-associated properties via activation or deactivation of various signaling pathways. In this review, we summarized available studies on Prx II expression in cancers and the mechanisms by which Prx II takes parts to regulate CSCs and stemness-associated properties. We further discussed the potential therapeutic effects of altering Prx II expression in cancers for better anticancer strategies by sensitizing cancer cells and stem cells to oxidative stress and inhibiting stemness-associated properties.
Experimental Considerations for Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Approaches

Single-cell transcriptomic technologies have emerged as powerful tools to explore cellular heterogeneity at the resolution of individual cells. Previous scientific knowledge in cell biology is largely limited to data generated by bulk profiling methods, which only provide averaged read-outs that generally mask cellular heterogeneity. This averaged approach is particularly problematic when the biological effect of interest is limited to only a subpopulation of cells such as stem/progenitor cells within a given tissue, or immune cell subsets infiltrating a tumor. Great advances in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) enabled scientists to overcome this limitation and allow for in depth interrogation of previously unexplored rare cell types. Due to the high sensitivity of scRNAseq, adequate attention must be put into experimental setup and execution. Careful handling and processing of cells for scRNAseq is critical to preserve the native expression profile that will ensure meaningful analysis and conclusions. Here, we delineate the individual steps of a typical single-cell analysis workflow from tissue procurement, cell preparation, to platform selection and data analysis, and we discuss critical challenges in each of these steps, which will serve as a helpful guide to navigate the complex field of single-cell sequencing.
Performance-Based Gas Turbine Health Monitoring, Diagnostics, and Prognostics: A Survey

Health monitoring is an essential part of condition-based maintenance and prognostics and health management for gas turbines. Various health monitoring systems have been developed based on the measurement and observation of the fault symptoms including turbine performance parameters such as heat rate, and nonperformance symptoms such as structural vibration. This paper focuses on surveying state-of-the-art condition monitoring, diagnostic and prognostic techniques using performance parameters acquired from gas-path data that are mostly available from the operating systems of gas turbines. Performance parameters and the corresponding effective factors are presented in the beginning. Structure of performance monitoring and diagnostic systems are systematically laid out next, and the recent developments in each section are surveyed and discussed. Observing the importance of the prognostics in the recent trend of health monitoring research, an emphasis is given on the prognostic frameworks and their implementation for the remaining useful life prediction. A conclusion along with a brief discussion on the current state and potential future directions is provided at the end.
Time Evolution for Dynamic Probabilistic Tensors in Hierarchical Tucker Decomposition Form

Many real world applications of target tracking and state estimation are non-linear filtering problems and can therefore not be solved by closed-form analytical solutions. In the recent past, tensor based approaches have become increasingly popular due to very effective decomposition algorithms, which allow the representation of discretized, high-dimensional data in compressed form. In this paper, a solution of the prediction step for a Bayesian filter is proposed, where the probability density function (pdf) is approximated by a tensor in Hierarchical Tucker Decomposition. It is shown, that the computation of the predicted pdf is about five times faster than the previously proposed Canonical Polyadic Decomposition format.
Association of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif member 13 polymorphisms with severity of coronary stenosis in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: The imbalance of von Willebrand factor (vWF) and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif member 13 (ADAMTS13) has been associated with atherosclerosis progression. A high level of vWF which regulates thrombus formation is associated with diabetes mellitus (DM), and some ADAMTS13 and vWF polymorphisms have effects on their levels. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the associations of ADAMTS13 and vWF polymorphisms and their levels with DM and severity of coronary stenosis. Materials and Methods: Eighty-seven DM and 84 control individuals were recruited. vWF and ADAMTS13 activities as well as vWF antigen were measured by collagen-binding assay (CBA), residual-CBA, and in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. ADAMTS13 and vWF polymorphisms were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results: The E and G alleles and AA genotype of ADAMTS13 Q448E, rs2073932, and rs652600, respectively, were independently associated with DM (odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 2.5 [1.1, 5.6], 2.3 [1.0, 5.2], and 4.7 [1.2, 18.6], respectively). Moreover, E allele and AA genotype of Q448E and rs652600 were also significantly associated with multi-vessel disease (OR [95% CI] = 2.2 [1.0, 4.8] and 3.2 [1.0, 10.0], respectively), while the E and G allele of Q448E and rs2073932 were associated with high Gensini score (OR [95% CI] = 2.3 [1.1, 4.9] and 2.3 [1.1, 5.1], respectively). Conclusion: Association of ADAMTS13 polymorphisms with DM, number of vessel stenosis, and Gensini score may indicate the possible contribution of ADAMTS13 polymorphisms to atherosclerosis progression and severity of coronary stenosis in DM.
Preamble Design With Interference Cancellation for Channel Estimation in MIMO-FBMC/OQAM Systems

Multiple-input multiple-output filter bank multicarrier with offset quadrature amplitude modulation (MIMO-FBMC/OQAM) system utilizes the multiple antennas technology, and it can provide more advantages than conventional FBMC/OQAM system. However, due to the inherent imaginary interference, the convention preamble-based channel estimation (CE) methods in MIMO-FBMC/OQAM systems cannot achieve high CE performance and mostly suffer from high peak to average power ratio (PAPR). Motivated by these problems, in this paper, we focus on the efficient preamble design for CE in MIMO-FBMC/OQAM systems. We propose an extended preamble structure which exploits the symmetry pattern to cancel interference and the interference weights in the symmetric structure is taken into account. Since the preamble length is extended, the additional interference effect from the middle of the preamble structure is also considered. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed preamble method has low PAPR, better bit error ratio (BER), and better mean square error (MSE) performance compared to the conventional preamble methods.
Real-Time Marker-Based Finger Tracking with Neural Networks

Hands in virtual reality applications represent our primary means for interacting with the environment. Although marker-based motion capture with inverse kinematics (IK) works for body tracking, it is less reliable for fingers often occluded when captured with cameras. Many computer vision and virtual reality applications circumvent the problem by using an additional system (e.g. inertial trackers). We explore an alternative solution that tracks hands and fingers using solely a motion capture system based on cameras and active markers with machine learning techniques. Our animation of fingers is performed by a predictive model based on neural networks, which is trained on a movements dataset acquired from several subjects with a complementary capture system (inertial). The system is as efficient as a traditional IK algorithm, provides a natural reconstruction of postures, and handles occlusions.
Circulating Tumor Cells for the Management of Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma is a highly malignant cancer that would benefit from non-invasive innovative markers providing early diagnosis and recurrence detection. Circulating tumor cells are a particularly promising marker of tumor invasion that could be used to improve the management of patients with RCC. However, the extensive genetic and immunophenotypic heterogeneity of cells from RCC and their trend to transition to the mesenchymal phenotype when they circulate in blood constitute a challenge for their sensitive and specific detection. This review analyzes published studies targeting CTC in patients with RCC, in the context of the biological, pathological, and molecular complexity of this particular cancer. Although further analytical and clinical studies are needed to pinpoint the most suitable approach for highly sensitive CTC detection in RCC patients, it is clear that this field can bring a relevant guide to clinicians and help to RCC patients. Furthermore, as described, a particular subtype of RCC—the ccRCC—can be used as a model to study the relationship between cytomorphological and genetic cellular markers of malignancy, an important issue for the study of CTC from any type of solid cancer.
A propensity score matching study between ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation and conventional thyroidectomy for benign thyroid nodules treatment

Abstract Purpose: Our study aims to compare ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous microwave ablation (PMWA) and conventional thyroidectomy in benign thyroid nodules (BTN) treatment. Materials and methods: From December 2015 to December 2017, a total of 280 patients with at least one benign thyroid nodule were studied retrospectively, including 156 patients treated with US-guided PMWA and 124 patients treated with conventional thyroidectomy. Propensity score matching was performed to decrease the confounding bias due to retrospective assignment and to balance the pre-operation data of the two groups. A total of 106 pairs (1:1) was created. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospitalization time, serum levels of interleukin (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) 12 h after operation and postoperative complications incidence rate were compared between the two groups. The volume reduction ratio was calculated in the US-guided PMWA group at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment. Registration number: ChiCTR1800015531. Results: Significant differences were found between the two groups in levels of CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α after the operation； there were significant differences between the two groups in intraoperative blood loss, operation time, postoperative hospitalization time and postoperative complications rate. The volume reduction ratio at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment was 15.2%, 47.6%, 67.2% and 79.6%, respectively. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that US-guided PMWA is characterized by a definite therapeutic success rate, good cosmetic effect, slight injury and rapid recovery. US-guided PMWA is an effective technique for benign thyroid nodules treatment．
3D Mesh Inpainting Using Matrix Completion via Augmented Lagrange Multiplier Method

Recently, 3D objects have started to attract a lot of attention, due to their increased usage in a large variety of different fields (e.g., archeology, gaming, topography, medicine etc.), Despite the technological improvement that has been occurred, there are still limitations that can cause noisy or incomplete data. In this paper, we focus on the problems of partial-deformed or partial-observed 3D meshes, presenting a very fast and efficient method for surface inpainting of dense 3D meshes. In order to achieve this, we use a matrix completion approach taking advantage of the low-rank property attributed to spatial coherence. Two different scenarios are studied and presented: (i) the repairing of partial-observed 3D meshes consisting of incomplete surfaces, (ii) the recovery of 3D objects with holes which are created by the intentional removal of deformed areas. We demonstrate the performance of our approach providing experimental results for both cases highlighting the effectiveness of our method.
A 0.5-V 1.6-mW 2.4-GHz Fractional-N All-Digital PLL for Bluetooth LE With PVT-Insensitive TDC Using Switched-Capacitor Doubler in 28-nm CMOS

This paper proposes an ultra-low-voltage (ULV) fractional-N all-digital PLL (ADPLL) powered from a single 0.5-V supply. While its digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) runs directly at 0.5 V, an internal switched-capacitor dc-dc converter “doubles” the supply voltage to all the digital circuitry and particularly regulates the time-to-digital converter (TDC) supply to stabilize its resolution, thus maintaining fixed in-band phase noise (PN) across process, voltage, and temperature (PVT). The ADPLL supports a two-point modulation and forms a Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) transmitter realized in 28-nm CMOS. It maintains in-band PN of −106 dBc/Hz [figure of merit (FoM) of −239.2 dB] and rms jitter of 0.86 ps while dissipating only 1.6 mW at 40-MHz reference. The power consumption reduces to 0.8 mW during the BLE transmission when the DCO switches to open loop.
SDN-Based Big Data Caching in ISP Networks

Cooperative cache has become a promising technique to optimize the traffic by caching big data in networks. However, controlling distributed cache nodes to update cached contents synergistically is still challenging in designing cooperative cache systems. This paper proposes an SDN-based Cooperative Cache Network (SCCN) for ISP networks, aiming to minimize the content transmission latency while reducing the inter-ISP traffic. Based on the proposed increment recording mechanism, the SCCN Controller can timely capture the change of content popularity, and place the most popular contents on the appropriate SCCN Switches. We formulate the optimal content placement as a specific multi-commodity facility location problem and prove its NP-hardness. We propose a Relaxation Algorithm (RA) based on relaxation-rounding technique to solve the problem, which can achieve an approximation ratio of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1/2$</tex-math><alternatives><inline-graphic xlink:href="cui-ieq1-2651901.gif"/> </alternatives></inline-formula> in the worst case. To solve large scale problems for big data efficiently, we further design a Heuristic Algorithm (HA), which can find a near-optimal solution with three orders of magnitude speedup compared to RA. Specifically, HA can achieve a desirable tradeoff between the transmission delay and the Internet traffic. We implement a prototype based on <monospace>Open vSwitch</monospace> to demonstrate the feasibility of SCCN. Extensive trace-based simulation results show the effectiveness of SCCN under various network conditions.
On Perceptual Audio Equalization for Multiple Users in Presence of Ambient Noise

There are many situations where ambient noise can disturb the listening of music through loudspeakers, the most usual inside cars, trains or airplanes. A common solution is to listen to the music through headphones, but in some cases, as for the car driver, it is not allowed. Even for the rest of the passengers of a car, it would be more comfortable to listen to the music without the need of headphones. In this paper, we have implemented a single-user perceptual equalizer that presents a good behaviour similar to previous solutions, but it is based on a linear additive auditory masking model. Moreover, we propose a new strategy to obtain the gains of the perceptual equalizer that does not depend on external parameters. Our alternative approach (linear additive masking model and robust equalizer design) makes possible to extend the perceptual equalizer to the multi-user case, i.e., when more than one user are considered and their own perceptual curves are interacting in the same enclosure. Objective measurements and informal listening tests have confirmed the good behaviour of the single-user strategy.
The coronary sinus Reducer device for refractory chronic angina: rationale, clinical evidence and future perspectives

In the last decades, the widespread use of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation and the introduction of novel anti-ischemic drugs represented major steps forward for the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, despite these improvements refractory angina remains an important healthy problem [1]. Indeed, it has been estimated that there are >500,000 Canadians and up to 1.8 million Americans living with refractory angina [1]. Moreover, clinical trials and registries clearly demonstrated that 20–30% of patients undergoing percutaneous or surgical revascularization might continue to experience persistence of angina despite a successful revascularization [2]. Thus, each year, as many as 525,000 patients develop refractory angina in continental Europe and in the USA [3], and an additional 500,000 who undergo either PCI or coronary bypass surgery continue to suffer from angina, which means that an additional 1 million patients could benefit annually from new targeted therapies [4]. According to the 2013 ESC Guidelines on Stable coronary artery disease (CAD), refractory angina is defined as a ‘chronic condition caused by clinically established reversible myocardial ischemia in the presence of CAD, which cannot be adequately controlled by a combination of medical therapy, angioplasty and coronary artery bypass graft’ [3]. Refractory angina represents a very disabling condition, which determines a very poor quality of life. It has also an important clinical impact on public health resources determining a large number of hospitalizations and exceeding instrumental examinations. Current guidelines recommend the introduction of an optimized medical therapy with ß-blockers, calcium-channel blockers or nitrates as first-line approach, and ivabradine, ranolazine, nicorandil or trimetazidine as second-line [3]. In addition, in case of failure of medical therapy alone, the use of non-pharmacological approaches, such as enhanced external balloon counterpulsation (EECP), spinal-cord stimulation (SCS) and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) [3] may be considered. However none of these devices has become a standard of care, and despite their initial promise, many trials demonstrated only modest improvements in exercise capacity and in angina relief [5]. Thus, new treatments for refractory angina are needed.