Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ICT Architecture Impact on Wide Area Monitoring and Control Systems' Reliability

Timely and accurate data with high resolutions holds great promise for more responsible and advanced power grid operations. The research has been focusing on design of monitoring and control scheme given the assumptions that the supporting information and communication technology (ICT) systems are capable of providing data and perform control with sufficient quality. A relatively less addressed aspect is the dependency of wide-area monitoring and control (WAMC) systems on their supporting ICT architecture which is usually a compromise between various concerns, such as data quality, interoperability, or security. Without an appropriate ICT architecture design, the projected WAMC system functionalities run the risk of being jeopardized. This paper begins with a presentation about possible delays brought by complex data-transfer and processing processes. Analytical experiments are conducted with purposes to quantify the maximum delay and input signal's sensitivity toward delay on a typical WAMC application where the control of static var compensation (SVC) is coordinated with generator excitations using phasor measurements. Given the characteristics of this particular control scheme, two possible ICT architectures that provide data with different qualities are compared concerning the reliability of this WAMC application. This paper concludes by proposing a generic ICT architecture, enabling efficient WAMC systems implementation in terms of data quality.
Does Speed in Completing an Online Questionnaire Have an Influence on Its Reliability?

A common way to attract Internet users to complete an online questionnaire is to offer the opportunity to win money in a lottery. If participants hurry through the questionnaire to head for a reward, Cronbach's alpha, an indicator for internal consistency and therefore reliability of a questionnaire, could be affected, because these participants probably do not read the items carefully but instead click randomly through the questionnaire. We developed a system to measure the total time needed to complete the questionnaire in order to identify different groups of participants according to differences in fill-in time (speed). Five hundred seventy-five respondents participated in an online study testing the reliability of the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales (ANPS). Results showed that speed has no influence on Cronbach's alpha with the exception of a lie scale, which consisted in contrast to the personality scales (12-14 items) only of five items. Only 2% of all participants were suspected to be cheaters with respect to the time spent on answering 110 items of the ANPS. Interestingly, Cronbach's alpha remained stable in this extremely fast group, which spent less than 2 SD below mean-completion time on the questionnaire.
Experimental Study of the Resilience of a Graph-based Watermarking System under Edge Modifications

Over the last 25 years, a wide range of software watermarking techniques has been proposed encoding watermark numbers as graphs whose structure resembles that of real program graphs. In this domain, we have recently proposed several watermarking codec systems for encoding integer numbers w as reducible permutation flow-graphs F[π*] through the use of self-inverting permutations π*. Following up on our codec systems, we experimentally study the oldest one in order to investigate and attest its resilience to edge-modification attacks on its flow-graph F[π*]. In particular, we construct the flow-graphs F[πi*] which encode the watermarks wi in the range R4 = [8,15], we attack the graph F[πi*] by modifying k edges, perform a series of experiments for each attack case, and determine the percentage of the cases maintaining four properties, namely, Odd-One, Bitonic, Block and Range. Whenever a flow-graph F[πi*] is attacked having k edges modified, if all the four properties are satisfied during the decoding process then the decoding algorithm returns a true-incorrect watermark wj, that is, wj ≠ wi. The experimental study reveals those watermarks wi ∈ R4 which are more resilient in the sense that the decoding algorithm has low probability to return a true-incorrect watermark wj after an edge-modification attack to graph F[πi*] encoding a watermark wi.
Cloning and characterization of a potato StAN11 gene involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis regulation.

Anthocyanins are a class of products of plant secondary metabolism and are responsible for tubers color in potato. The biosynthesis of anthocyanins is a complex biological process, in which multiple genes are involved including structural genes and regulatory genes. In this study, StAN11, a WD40-repeat gene, was cloned from potato cultivar Chieftain (Solanum tuberosum L.). StAN11 (HQ599506) contained no intron and its open reading frame (ORF) was 1,029 bp long, encoding a putative protein of 342 amino acids. In order to verify its role in anthocyanin biosynthesis, StAN11 was inserted behind the CaMV-35S promoter of pCMBIA1304 and the recombination vector was introduced into the potato cultivar Désirée plants by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The color of transgenic tuber skin was significantly deepened, compared to the wild-type control, which was highly consistent with the accumulation of anthocyanin and expression of StAN11 in transgenic lines tuber skin. Further analysis on the expression of Flavonone-3-hydroxylase (F3H), Dihydroflavonol reductase (DFR), Anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), and Flavonoid 3-O-glucosyl transferase (3GT) in transgenic plants revealed that only DFR was upregulated. This result suggested that StAN11 regulated anthocyanin biosynthesis in potato by controlling DFR expression and accumulation of anthocyanin could be increased through overexpression of StAN11 in the tubers with the genetic background of anthocyanin biosynthesis.
Practical and Theoretical Considerations in Designing Rehabilitation Trials: The DVBIC Cognitive‐Didactic versus Functional‐Experiential Treatment Study Experience

This is a descriptive article outlining issues in the development and implementation of a multisite randomized rehabilitation trial for brain injury treatment. The goal of this article is to present practical and theoretical considerations in designing and conducting multicenter rehabilitation trials. Practical issues discussed include (a) treatment setting, (b) patient accessibility in determining the research question of interest, as well as inclusion and exclusion criteria, (c) research protocol development in the context of rehabilitation standard of care, and (d) protocol treatments in the context of realistic cost-benefits analysis. Rehabilitation theory is discussed as playing an important role designing the specifics of the protocol interventions. The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center Veterans Health Administration cognitive-didactic versus functional-experiential study methodology is used for illustrative purposes. This study evaluated 2 alternative approaches to treatment: one focusing on underlying cognitive processes and the second on errorless learning in everyday functional situations. Lessons learned over the course of completing the treatment trial are discussed.
Endoscopic Ligation of Gastric Varices using a Detachable Snare

A new technique of endoscopic treatment for gastric varices is presented here, which was applied in 10 patients, either electively (n = 9) or as emergency therapy for bleeding (n = 9) or as emergency therapy for bleeding (n = 1). A detachable snare is placed endoscopically, tightened around the varix, and then detached using a similar principle to that of band ligation. Following one or two treatment sessions (one snare applied in seven cases, two snares applied in three cases), eradication of gastric varices was observed in all patients. No significant complications were encountered, and nine of 13 snares passed spontaneously, the remaining ones being removed when found during follow-up endoscopy. Short-term follow-up (4-12 months, mean: 7.2 months) did not show either reappearance of varices or rebleeding in any of the patients. Angiography and endoscopic ultrasonography performed in four patients before and after treatment showed regression or disappearance of intramural vessels. Further studies will show the relative value of this new technique compared to other treatment modalities such as banding or cyanoacrylate injection.
Ca2+ influx through voltage‐gated Ca2+ channels regulates 5‐HT3 receptor channel desensitization in rat glioma × mouse neuroblastoma hybrid NG108–15 cells

1 The kinetics of desensitization of the 5‐HT3 receptor (5‐HT3R)‐gated ion channel were investigated using whole‐cell and perforated‐patch recording techniques in NG108–15 cells. 2 Rapid application of 5‐HT (50 μM) elicited a 5‐HT3R‐mediated inward current response that desensitized completely in the continued presence of agonist. In the whole‐cell recording configuration (holding potential of −70 mV) while buffering internal calcium (Ca2+i) with 5 mM EGTA (0.5 mM added Ca2+; with an estimated free [Ca2+] of 30 nM), the rate of desensitization was initially rapid (with a half‐time of ≈230 ms), but dramatically slowed with time by 1120 ± 160 %. 3 This slowing in the rate of desensitization was reduced by stronger Ca2+ buffering (20 mM BAPTA, without added Ca2+), or by the bath application of cadmium (100 μM) to block voltage‐gated Ca2+ channels. The rate of desensitization was also dependent on membrane potential. 4 In perforated‐patch recordings, the rate of desensitization remained constant. However, a slowing in the desensitization rate could be induced by depolarizing cells immediately prior to the application of 5‐HT. 5 The depolarization‐induced slowing was blocked by incubating cells with BAPTA‐AM (a membrane‐permeant analogue of BAPTA) or by the bath application of cadmium. 6 These data suggest that Ca2+ influx through a cadmium‐sensitive voltage‐gated Ca2+ channel increases the cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and induces a dramatic slowing in the kinetics of desensitization of the 5‐HT3R channel. These data provide evidence for cross‐talk between voltage‐gated Ca2+ channels and 5‐HT3Rs in NG108–15 cells.
A multicentre randomised controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane (EpiFix®) allograft for the treatment of venous leg ulcers

A randomised, controlled, multicentre clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane (EpiFix) allograft as an adjunct to multilayer compression therapy for the treatment of non‐healing full‐thickness venous leg ulcers. We randomly assigned 109 subjects to receive EpiFix and multilayer compression (n = 52) or dressings and multilayer compression therapy alone (n = 57). Patients were recruited from 15 centres around the USA and were followed up for 16 weeks. The primary end point of the study was defined as time to complete ulcer healing. Participants receiving weekly application of EpiFix and compression were significantly more likely to experience complete wound healing than those receiving standard wound care and compression (60% versus 35% at 12 weeks, P = 0·0128, and 71% versus 44% at 16 weeks, P = 0·0065). A Kaplan–Meier analysis was performed to compare the time‐to‐healing performance with or without EpiFix, showing a significantly improved time to healing using the allograft (log‐rank P = 0·0110). Cox regression analysis showed that subjects treated with EpiFix had a significantly higher probability of complete healing within 12 weeks (HR: 2·26, 95% confidence interval 1·25–4·10, P = 0·01) versus without EpiFix. These results confirm the advantage of EpiFix allograft as an adjunct to multilayer compression therapy for the treatment of non‐healing, full‐thickness venous leg ulcers.
Information Privacy Concern About Peer Disclosure in Online Social Networks

In online social networks, because one's private information can be co-owned and disclosed by peers, a new type of privacy concern, i.e., information privacy concern about peer disclosure (IPCPD), looms large. Should a member of an online social network be offered decision control to veto ex-ante the disclosure of his/her information by peers? There has been no theoretical research on the effectiveness of decisional control to alleviate such a privacy concern. Drawing on the communication privacy management perspective and the impression management theory, this study proposes a three-way interaction effect among three important antecedents of IPCPD: 1) decisional control; 2) image discrepancy (i.e., the degree to which the disclosed information portrays an unfavorable image of the disclosed person); and 3) social network overlap between the disclosed person and the discloser. Our experimental study reveals significant findings. When image discrepancy is low, decisional control is helpful only when the social network overlap between the disclosed one and the discloser is low. When image discrepancy is high, decisional control is helpful only when the social network overlap between the disclosed one and the discloser is high. This study contributes to a theory of privacy concern about peer disclosure in the context of online social networks.
Nucleolar Organizer Regions in Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors

Proliferative activity of carcinomas arising from salivary glands was analyzed by enumeration of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs). The mean numbers of AgNORs in the various tumors were as follows: muco‐epidermoid carcinoma, 2.20; acinic cell carcinoma, 2.51; adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), 2.57; carcinoma in pleomorphic adenoma, 1.00 (benign component) and 3.99 (cancer‐bearing area); salivary duct carcinoma, 4.49; polymorphous low‐grade adenocarcinoma, 3.37; sebaceous carcinoma, 2.57; oncocytic carcinoma, 4.63; adenocarcinoma, 4.53. Cells of most tumors showed heterogeneous activity within the same tumor. In mucoepidermoid carcinoma, the mucous cells had suppressed activity in comparison with the epidermoid cells and intermediate cells. In ACC, the activity of the tumor cells increased according to growth pattern in the order tubular, glandular and solid. In carcinoma in pleomorphic adenoma, vigorous proliferative activity was observed in the malignant component, whereas less active cells were seen in the myxoid or chondroid matrix. AgNOR staining was useful for distinguishing benign from malignant regions in carcinoma in pleomorphic adenoma. Our results suggest that mucoep‐idermoid carcinoma, acinic cell carcinoma and ACC, except for that with a solid growth pattern, may be considered as low‐grade malignancies, whereas solid‐type ACC, the cancer component in carcinoma in pleomorphic adenoma and some of the other carcinomas have high‐grade malignant behavior. Acta Pathol Jpn 42: 727–733, 1992.
Optimization of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) acquisition parameters for human observers: effect of reconstruction algorithms

We showed in our earlier work that the choice of reconstruction methods does not affect the optimization of DBT acquisition parameters (angular span and number of views) using simulated breast phantom images in detecting lesions with a channelized Hotelling observer (CHO). In this work we investigate whether the model-observer based conclusion is valid when using humans to interpret images. We used previously generated DBT breast phantom images and recruited human readers to find the optimal geometry settings associated with two reconstruction algorithms, filtered back projection (FBP) and simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique (SART). The human reader results show that image quality trends as a function of the acquisition parameters are consistent between FBP and SART reconstructions. The consistent trends confirm that the optimization of DBT system geometry is insensitive to the choice of reconstruction algorithm. The results also show that humans perform better in SART reconstructed images than in FBP reconstructed images. In addition, we applied CHOs with three commonly used channel models, Laguerre–Gauss (LG) channels, square (SQR) channels and sparse difference-of-Gaussian (sDOG) channels. We found that LG channels predict human performance trends better than SQR and sDOG channel models for the task of detecting lesions in tomosynthesis backgrounds. Overall, this work confirms that the choice of reconstruction algorithm is not critical for optimizing DBT system acquisition parameters.
Probing the binding mechanism and affinity of tanezumab, a recombinant humanized anti‐NGF monoclonal antibody, using a repertoire of biosensors

We describe the use of four complementary biosensors (Biacore 3000, Octet QK, ProteOn XPR36, and KinExA 3000) in characterizing the kinetics of human nerve growth factor (NGF) binding to a humanized NGF‐neutralizing monoclonal antibody (tanezumab, formerly known as RN624). Tanezumab is a clinical candidate as a therapy for chronic pain. Our measurements were consistent with the NGF/tanezumab binding affinity being tighter than 10 pM due to the formation of an extremely stable complex that had an estimated half‐life exceeding 100 h, which was beyond the resolution of any of our methods. The system was particularly challenging to study because NGF is an obligate homodimer, and we describe various assay orientations and immobilization methods that were used to minimize avidity in our experiments while keeping NGF in as native a state as possible. We also explored the interactions of NGF with its natural receptors, TrkA and P75, and how tanezumab blocks them. The Biacore blocking assay that we designed was used to quantify the potency of tanezumab and is more precise and reproducible than the currently available cell‐based functional assays.
Code Defenders: Crowdsourcing Effective Tests and Subtle Mutants with a Mutation Testing Game

Writing good software tests is difficult and not every developer's favorite occupation. Mutation testing aims to help by seeding artificial faults (mutants) that good tests should identify, and test generation tools help by providing automatically generated tests. However, mutation tools tend to produce huge numbers of mutants, many of which are trivial, redundant, or semantically equivalent to the original program, automated test generation tools tend to produce tests that achieve good code coverage, but are otherwise weak and have no clear purpose. In this paper, we present an approach based on gamification and crowdsourcing to produce better software tests and mutants: The Code Defenders web-based game lets teams of players compete over a program, where attackers try to create subtle mutants, which the defenders try to counter by writing strong tests. Experiments in controlled and crowdsourced scenarios reveal that writing tests as part of the game is more enjoyable, and that playing Code Defenders results in stronger test suites and mutants than those produced by automated tools.
Spontaneous mutation at the hypervariable mouse minisatellite locus Ms6-hm: flanking DNA sequence and analysis of germline and early somatic mutation events

Hypervariability at minisatellite loci is maintained by spontaneous mutation to new-length alleles. At the most variable loci, mutation rate is directly measurable by pedigree analysis. The mouse minisatellite locus Ms6-hm has a germline mutation rate of 2.5% per gamete and is therefore one of the most unstable loci yet identified in the mouse genome. Mutation events at this locus also occur during early mouse development, resulting in mice mosaic for cells carrying a common non-parental allele in different somatic tissues and the germline. The DNA sequence flanking Ms6-hm is rich in dispersed repetitive elements; the minisatellite array has expanded from within a member of the Mouse Transcript family which is flanked by two additional Mouse Transcript elements, and a B2 element lies further 3' to the minisatellite. To define the characteristics of mutation events at Ms6-hm we have analysed 19 germline and 13 somatic length-change events. Germline mutation events at Ms6-hm are not accompanied by the exchange of flanking markers in three informative mutant alleles analysed.
A computationally efficient mixed-integer linear formulation for the thermal unit commitment problem

This paper presents a new mixed-integer linear formulation for the unit commitment problem of thermal units. The formulation proposed requires fewer binary variables and constraints than previously reported models, yielding a significant computational saving. Furthermore, the modeling framework provided by the new formulation allows including a precise description of time-dependent startup costs and intertemporal constraints such as ramping limits and minimum up and down times. A commercially available mixed-integer linear programming algorithm has been applied to efficiently solve the unit commitment problem for practical large-scale cases. Simulation results back these conclusions
[Characteristics of TCM syndrome and appraisal with echocardiography in heart failure rats after myocardial infarction].

OBJECTIVE To study the characteristics of the TCM syndrome and the changes of ventricular structure and function in heart failure (HF) rats after- myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS Rats were randomly divided in to the model group and the sham-operative group. The HF rat with MI model was induced by ligation of the left coronary artery. Eight weeks after operation, appraisal on TCM syndrome revealed in the model was made from the aspects of general status, breathing frequency, heart rate, exhausting swimming time and electrocardiogram, and left ventricular structure and function were observed with echocardiography. RESULTS Eight weeks after operation, as compared with those in the sham group, in the model group, the heart rate and breathing frequency were accelerated, the exhausting swimming time shortened, the echocardiogram parameters such as interventricular septum end-diastole thickness (IVSTd), posterior wall end-diastole thickness (PWTd), posterior wall end-systolic thickness (PWTs), ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) of the left ventricular reduced (P < 0.01), while left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVDd) and end-systolic dimension (LVDs) obviously increased (P < 0.01). In 12 leads electrocardiogram, the leads of ST segment elevated and abnormal Q wave increased. Additionally, the ratio of whole heart weight/body weight increased (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The HF rats after MI manifests Xin-qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome, and shows the pathological changes of left ventricular remodeling and function impairment.
Operation of a quasioptical multi-mode generator for 105–150 GHz

For low power measurements on the quasioptical mode converter system of the existing multi frequency gyrotron at Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (FZK) a mode generator was developed and taken into operation. The gyrotron's mode converter system was optimized for 9 different modes in the frequency range from 105 to 143 GHz. At present a second generation mode converter is installed in the gyrotron for high power tests and an improved third generation is foreseen. The detailed setup of the multi-mode generator will be described and an excerpt of the many measured mode patterns at the output flange will be shown.