Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simulation of real-time multi-objective optimization for a photovoltaic system with grid connection

Photovoltaic panels represent an intermittent way of providing electricity without altering natural resources. Due to its intermittent nature and to meet consumers demand, this energy needs to be stored, for example by using a battery. In this work, an energy model for buildings with battery is developed, based on electrical consumption and production data. This model takes into account the depth of discharge, state of charge and efficiency over a cycle of a lithium type battery. Three rule-based strategies are then described. This leads to our optimization problem and proposed algorithm. The optimization is applied on two cases, one concerning a day, the other a concerning one week. While the optimization for one day gives quite good results, on one week, the number of variable leads to a much harder problem. To overpass this problem, a simulation of a real-time system is made. Optimization is conducted over one day and repeated at each step.
A Genome-Wide Search for Gene-Environment Effects in Isolated Cleft Lip with or without Cleft Palate Triads Points to an Interaction between Maternal Periconceptional Vitamin Use and Variants in ESRRG

Background: It is widely accepted that cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) results from the complex interplay between multiple genetic and environmental factors. However, a robust investigation of these gene-environment (GxE) interactions at a genome-wide level is still lacking for isolated CL/P. Materials and Methods: We used our R-package Haplin to perform a genome-wide search for GxE effects in isolated CL/P. From a previously published GWAS, genotypes and information on maternal periconceptional cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, and vitamin use were available on 1908 isolated CL/P triads of predominantly European or Asian ancestry. A GxE effect is present if the relative risk estimates for gene-effects in the offspring are different across exposure strata. We tested this using the relative risk ratio (RRR). Besides analyzing all ethnicities combined (“pooled analysis”), separate analyses were conducted on Europeans and Asians to investigate ethnicity-specific effects. To control for multiple testing, q-values were calculated from the p-values. Results: We identified significant GxVitamin interactions with three SNPs in “Estrogen-related receptor gamma” (ESRRG) in the pooled analysis. The RRRs (95% confidence intervals) were 0.56 (0.45–0.69) with rs1339221 (q = 0.011), 0.57 (0.46–0.70) with rs11117745 (q = 0.011), and 0.62 (0.50–0.76) with rs2099557 (q = 0.037). The associations were stronger when these SNPs were analyzed as haplotypes composed of two-SNP and three-SNP combinations. The strongest effect was with the “t-t-t” haplotype of the rs1339221-rs11117745-rs2099557 combination [RRR = 0.50 (0.40–0.64)], suggesting that the effects observed with the other SNP combinations, including those in the single-SNP analyses, were mainly driven by this haplotype. Although there were potential GxVitamin effects with rs17734557 and rs1316471 and GxAlcohol effects with rs9653456 and rs921876 in the European sample, respectively, none of the SNPs was located in or near genes with strong links to orofacial clefts. GxAlcohol and GxSmoke effects were not assessed in the Asian sample because of a lack of observations for these exposures. Discussion/Conclusion: We identified significant interactions between vitamin use and variants in ESRRG in the pooled analysis. These GxE effects are novel and warrant further investigations to elucidate their roles in orofacial clefting. If validated, they could provide prospects for exploring the impact of estrogens and vitamins on clefting, with potential translational applications.
Evaluation of the Effect of Fluvoxamine in Patients With Schizophrenia Under Risperidone Treatment: A Clinical Trial

Purpose/Background The effectiveness of selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors in the improvement of schizophrenia is a controversial issue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of fluvoxamine on the symptoms of schizophrenia including positive and negative symptoms, cognitive impairment, and quality of life. Methods/Procedures This clinical trial was performed on 68 patients with chronic schizophrenia, treated with risperidone at 22 Bahman Hospital of Qazvin, Iran during 2015 to 2016. The patients were randomly divided into control and intervention groups (34 patients per group). The control group was treated with risperidone and biperiden, whereas the intervention group received fluvoxamine, besides risperidone, and biperiden. The participants completed the Wechsler Memory Scale, Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale, and the findings were statistically analyzed at baseline and postintervention (8 and 10 weeks). Findings/Results The mean ± SD Wechsler Memory Scale scores in the evaluated intervals (baseline, week 8, and week 10), respectively, were 70.58 ± 11.51, 70.76 ± 11.36, and 70.88 ± 11.40 in the control group and 74.76 ± 10.56, 77.76 ± 10.56, and 77.76 ± 10.73 in the intervention group (F = 126.73, P ⩽ 0.001). The difference between the groups in terms of SANS and quality of life scores was significant in the specified intervals, SANS (F = 6.36, P = 0.004), and quality of life (F = 15.13, P ⩽ 0.001). Nevertheless, no difference was observed in terms of Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms scores (P > 0.05). Implications/Conclusions The results indicated that risperidone augmentation with fluvoxamine could significantly improve cognitive impairments and negative symptoms among patients with schizophrenia. Moreover, this augmentation led to higher quality of life among these patients.
Repeated Exposure to the “Spice” Cannabinoid JWH-018 Induces Tolerance and Enhances Responsiveness to 5-HT1A Receptor Stimulation in Male Rats

Naphthalen-1-yl-(1-pentylindol-3-yl)methanone (JWH-018) is a synthetic compound found in psychoactive “spice” products that activates cannabinoid receptors. Preclinical evidence suggests that exposure to synthetic cannabinoids increases 5-HT2A/2C receptor function in the brain, an effect which might contribute to psychotic symptoms. Here, we hypothesized that repeated exposures to JWH-018 would enhance behavioral responsiveness to the 5-HT2A/2C receptor agonist DOI. Male Sprague-Dawley rats fitted with subcutaneously (sc) temperature transponders received daily injections of JWH-018 (1.0 mg/kg, sc) or its vehicle for seven consecutive days. Body temperature and catalepsy scores were determined at 1, 2, and 4 h post-injection each day. At 1 and 7 days after the final repeated treatment, rats received a challenge injection of either DOI (0.1 mg/kg, sc) or the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT (0.3 mg/kg, sc), then temperature and behavioral responses were assessed. Behaviors induced by DOI included wet dog shakes and back muscle contractions (i.e., skin jerks), while behaviors induced by 8-OH-DPAT included ambulation, forepaw treading, and flat body posture. On the first day of repeated treatment, JWH-018 produced robust hypothermia and catalepsy which lasted up to 4 h, and these effects were significantly blunted by day 7 of treatment. Repeated exposure to JWH-018 did not affect behaviors induced by DOI, but behavioral and hypothermic responses induced by 8-OH-DPAT were significantly augmented 1 day after cessation of JWH-018 treatment. Collectively, our findings show that repeated treatment with JWH-018 produces tolerance to its hypothermic and cataleptic effects, which is accompanied by transient enhancement of 5-HT1A receptor sensitivity in vivo.
Direct Code Execution: Realistic Protocol Simulation with Running Code

We propose the demonstration of Direct Code Execution (DCE), a framework of network simulation running with both existing Linux kernel space protocol stack and POSIX socket based protocol implementations, to achieve a set of requirements for reproducible network experiment: 1) experimentation realism, 2) topology flexibility, 3) easy and low cost replication, 4) experimentation scalability, and 5) easy debugging. Our demonstration showcases the typical use cases of DCE: content centric networking over mobile ad hoc network with CCNx, and seamless hando experiment with Linux the Multipath TCP implementation.
Independent Learning, Friendships, and Fate in Intercultural Adaptation Among International Chinese Graduate Students in the United States

It is estimated that by 2025, 7.2 million students will study in a country other than their own (Gu, 2009). The Asian student population, in particular, has grown, with Chinese students leading the way. Through the 2016–2017 academic year, Chinese students represented 33.6% of the total international student population in the US, up from 31% just 3 years earlier (Institute of International Education, 2018).
A Novel Low-Power-Consumption All-Fiber-Optic Anemometer with Simple System Design

A compact and low-power consuming fiber-optic anemometer based on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) coated tilted fiber Bragg grating (TFBG) is presented. TFBG as a near infrared in-fiber sensing element is able to excite a number of cladding modes and radiation modes in the fiber and effectively couple light in the core to interact with the fiber surrounding mediums. It is an ideal in-fiber device used in a fiber hot-wire anemometer (HWA) as both coupling and sensing elements to simplify the sensing head structure. The fabricated TFBG was immobilized with an SWCNT film on the fiber surface. SWCNTs, a kind of innovative nanomaterial, were utilized as light-heat conversion medium instead of traditional metallic materials, due to its excellent infrared light absorption ability and competitive thermal conductivity. When the SWCNT film strongly absorbs the light in the fiber, the sensor head can be heated and form a “hot wire”. As the sensor is put into wind field, the wind will take away the heat on the sensor resulting in a temperature variation that is then accurately measured by the TFBG. Benefited from the high coupling and absorption efficiency, the heating and sensing light source was shared with only one broadband light source (BBS) without any extra pumping laser complicating the system. This not only significantly reduces power consumption, but also simplifies the whole sensing system with lower cost. In experiments, the key parameters of the sensor, such as the film thickness and the inherent angle of the TFBG, were fully investigated. It was demonstrated that, under a very low BBS input power of 9.87 mW, a 0.100 nm wavelength response can still be detected as the wind speed changed from 0 to 2 m/s. In addition, the sensitivity was found to be −0.0346 nm/(m/s) under the wind speed of 1 m/s. The proposed simple and low-power-consumption wind speed sensing system exhibits promising potential for future long-term remote monitoring and on-chip sensing in practical applications.
Splicing factors act as genetic modulators of TDP-43 production in a new autoregulatory TDP-43 Drosophila model

TDP-43 is a critical RNA-binding factor associated with RNA metabolism. In the physiological state, maintaining normal TDP-43 protein levels is critical for proper physiological functions of the cells. As such, TDP-43 expression is tightly regulated through an autoregulatory negative feedback loop. TDP-43 is a major disease-causing protein in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD). Several studies argue for a pathogenic role of elevated TDP-43 levels in these disorders. Modulating the cycle of TDP-43 production might therefore provide a new therapeutic strategy. In this study, we developed a new transgenic Drosophila model mimicking the TDP-43 autoregulatory feedback loop in order to identify genetic modulators of TDP-43 protein steady-state levels in vivo. First, we showed that our TDP-43_TDPBR Drosophila model recapitulates key features of the TDP-43 autoregulatory processes previously described in mammalian and cellular models, namely alternative splicing events, differential usage of polyadenylation sites, nuclear retention of the transcript and a decrease in steady-state mRNA levels. Using this new Drosophila model, we identified several splicing factors, including SF2, Rbp1 and Sf3b1, as genetic modulators of TDP-43 production. Interestingly, our data indicate that these three RNA-binding proteins regulate TDP-43 protein production, at least in part, by controlling mRNA steady-state levels.
Cognitive Status, Gray Matter Atrophy, and Lower Orthostatic Blood Pressure in Older Adults.

BACKGROUND Associations between orthostatic blood pressure and cognitive status (CS) have been described with conflicting results. OBJECTIVE We hypothesize that long-term exposure to lower orthostatic blood pressure is related to having worse CS later in life and that atrophy of regions involved in central regulation of autonomic function mediate these associations. METHODS Three-to-four measures of orthostatic blood pressure were obtained from 1997-2003 in a longitudinal cohort of aging, and average systolic orthostatic blood pressure response (ASOBPR) was computed as % change in systolic blood pressure from sit-to-stand measured at one minute post stand. CS was determined in 2010-2012 by clinician-adjudication (n = 240; age = 87.1±2.6; 59% women; 37% black) with a subsample also undergoing concurrent structural neuroimaging (n = 129). Gray matter volume of regions related to autonomic function was measured. Multinomial regression was used to compare ASOBPR in those who were cognitively intact versus those with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or dementia, controlling for demographics, trajectories of seated blood pressure, incident cardiovascular risk/events and medications measured from 1997 to 2012. Models were repeated in the subsample with neuroimaging, before and after adjustment for regional gray matter volume. RESULTS There was an inverse association between ASOBPR and probability of dementia diagnosis (9% lower probability for each % point higher ASOBPR: OR 0.91, CI95% = 0.85-0.98; p = 0.01). Associations were similar in the subgroup with neuroimaging before and after adjustment for regional gray matter volume. CONCLUSION ASOBPR may be an early marker of risk of dementia in older adults living in the community.
Characterization of Novel Antimalarial Compound ACT-451840: Preclinical Assessment of Activity and Dose–Efficacy Modeling

Background Artemisinin resistance observed in Southeast Asia threatens the continued use of artemisinin-based combination therapy in endemic countries. Additionally, the diversity of chemical mode of action in the global portfolio of marketed antimalarials is extremely limited. Addressing the urgent need for the development of new antimalarials, a chemical class of potent antimalarial compounds with a novel mode of action was recently identified. Herein, the preclinical characterization of one of these compounds, ACT-451840, conducted in partnership with academic and industrial groups is presented. Method and Findings The properties of ACT-451840 are described, including its spectrum of activities against multiple life cycle stages of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum (asexual and sexual) and Plasmodium vivax (asexual) as well as oral in vivo efficacies in two murine malaria models that permit infection with the human and the rodent parasites P. falciparum and Plasmodium berghei, respectively. In vitro, ACT-451840 showed a 50% inhibition concentration of 0.4 nM (standard deviation [SD]: ± 0.0 nM) against the drug-sensitive P. falciparum NF54 strain. The 90% effective doses in the in vivo efficacy models were 3.7 mg/kg against P. falciparum (95% confidence interval: 3.3–4.9 mg/kg) and 13 mg/kg against P. berghei (95% confidence interval: 11–16 mg/kg). ACT-451840 potently prevented male gamete formation from the gametocyte stage with a 50% inhibition concentration of 5.89 nM (SD: ± 1.80 nM) and dose-dependently blocked oocyst development in the mosquito with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 30 nM (range: 23–39). The compound’s preclinical safety profile is presented and is in line with the published results of the first-in-man study in healthy male participants, in whom ACT-451840 was well tolerated. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modeling was applied using efficacy in the murine models (defined either as antimalarial activity or as survival) in relation to area under the concentration versus time curve (AUC), maximum observed plasma concentration (Cmax), and time above a threshold concentration. The determination of the dose–efficacy relationship of ACT-451840 under curative conditions in rodent malaria models allowed prediction of the human efficacious exposure. Conclusion The dual activity of ACT-451840 against asexual and sexual stages of P. falciparum and the activity on P. vivax have the potential to meet the specific profile of a target compound that could replace the fast-acting artemisinin component and harbor additional gametocytocidal activity and, thereby, transmission-blocking properties. The fast parasite reduction ratio (PRR) and gametocytocidal effect of ACT-451840 were recently also confirmed in a clinical proof-of-concept (POC) study.
Lazy Ctrl: Scalable Network Control for Cloud Data Centers

The advent of software defined networking enables flexible, reliable and feature-rich control planes for data center networks. However, the tight coupling of centralized control and complete visibility leads to a wide range of issues among which scalability has risen to prominence. We observe that data center traffic is usually highly skewed and thus edge switches can be grouped according to traffic locality. As a result, the workload of the central controller could be highly reduced if we carry out distributed control inside those groups. Based on the above observation, we present LazyCtrl, a novel hybrid control plane design for data center networks. LazyCtrl aims at bringing laziness to the central controller by dynamically devolving most of the control tasks to independent switch groups to process frequent intra-group events using distributed control mechanisms, while handling rare inter-group or other specified events by the controller. We implement LazyCtrl and build a prototype based on Open vSwich and Floodlight. Trace-driven experiments on our prototype show that an effective switch grouping is easy to maintain in multi-tenant clouds and the central controller can be significantly shielded by staying lazy, with its workload reduced by up to 82%.
Diverse Exploration for Fast and Safe Policy Improvement

We study an important yet under-addressed problem of quickly and safely improving policies in online reinforcement learning domains. As its solution, we propose a novel exploration strategy - diverse exploration (DE), which learns and deploys a diverse set of safe policies to explore the environment. We provide DE theory explaining why diversity in behavior policies enables effective exploration without sacrificing exploitation. Our empirical study shows that an online policy improvement algorithm framework implementing the DE strategy can achieve both fast policy improvement and safe online performance.
Mid-infrared silicon pillar waveguides

In this work silicon pillar waveguides have been proposed to exploit the entire transparent window of silicon. These geometries posses a broad and at dispersion (from 2 to 6 μm) with four zero dispersion wavelengths. We calculate supercontinuum generation spanning over two octaves (2 to >8 μm) with long wavelengths interacting weakly with the lossy substrate. These structures have higher mode confinement in the silicon - away from the substrate, which makes them substrate independent and are promising for exploring new nonlinear phenomena and highly sensitive molecular sensing over the entire silicon's transparency range
Genome-wide association study identifies SNPs in the MHC class II loci that are associated with self-reported history of whooping cough

Whooping cough is currently seeing resurgence in countries despite high vaccine coverage. There is considerable variation in subject-specific response to infection and vaccine efficacy, but little is known about the role of human genetics. We carried out a case–control genome-wide association study of adult or parent-reported history of whooping cough in two cohorts from the UK: the ALSPAC cohort and the 1958 British Birth Cohort (815/758 cases and 6341/4308 controls, respectively). We also imputed HLA alleles using dense SNP data in the MHC region and carried out gene-based and gene-set tests of association and estimated the amount of additive genetic variation explained by common SNPs. We observed a novel association at SNPs in the MHC class II region in both cohorts [lead SNP rs9271768 after meta-analysis, odds ratio [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] 1.47 (1.35, 1.6), P-value 1.21E − 18]. Multiple strong associations were also observed at alleles at the HLA class II loci. The majority of these associations were explained by the lead SNP rs9271768. Gene-based and gene-set tests and estimates of explainable common genetic variation could not establish the presence of additional associations in our sample. Genetic variation at the MHC class II region plays a role in susceptibility to whooping cough. These findings provide additional perspective on mechanisms of whooping cough infection and vaccine efficacy.
Communication Avoiding Rank Revealing QR Factorization with Column Pivoting

In this paper we introduce CARRQR, a communication avoiding rank revealing QR factorization with tournament pivoting. We show that CARRQR reveals the numerical rank of a matrix in an analogous way to QR factorization with column pivoting (QRCP). Although the upper bound of a quantity involved in the characterization of a rank revealing factorization is worse for CARRQR than for QRCP, our numerical experiments on a set of challenging matrices show that this upper bound is very pessimistic, and CARRQR is an effective tool in revealing the rank in practical problems. Our main motivation for introducing CARRQR is that it minimizes data transfer, modulo polylogarithmic factors, on both sequential and parallel machines, while previous factorizations as QRCP are communication suboptimal and require asymptotically more communication than CARRQR. Hence CARRQR is expected to have a better performance on current and future computers, where communication is a major bottleneck that highly impacts the performance of an.