Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of residential electricity tariff switching based on customer response elasticity

Price-based demand response programs have recently become focus of interest due to the increased flexibility and potential to deliver greater demand responsiveness. However, the key to success of such programs highly depends on greater participation of residential customers through defining more effective dynamic tariffs. This paper aims to assess and predict the probability of switching between different tariffs based on the price response elasticity of residential customers. In this regard, different types of dynamic tariffs have been considered in contrast with a fixed price tariff. In order to investigate the variability and flexibility of household energy usage due to temporal and individual characteristics of each household, the following pricing bands are considered: day, peak, night and weekend/weekday. Moreover, the elasticity of demand relating to different pricing bands has been determined for different groups of residential customers.
Don ’ t mix pages with di erent lifetimes in one stream

We present a demonstration about optimizing two database storage engines by leveraging multi-streamed SSDs (MS-SSD in short). By storing data pages with similar lifetime together in the same physical ash blocks, MS-SSD can e ectively reduce the overhead of garbage collection, improving the write performance and prolonging the lifespan. Thus, in order to bene t from MS-SSD, it is very crucial for database storage engines to precisely classify logical data pages according to their update intervals and to e ectively map those logical data streams to physical streams in MS-SSD. Given that numerous new interfaces between host and ash memory SSD for better performance are emerging, this demonstration will provide a model case of physical database tuning on ash memory SSDs. We have successfully multi-streamed two database engines, MySQL/InnoDB and ForestDB, by identifying several logical data streamswith distinct update intervals in each engine and by taking the stream-per-object policy, instead of the naïve streamperle one. By running both vanilla and multi-streamed versions of two storage engines on real MS-SSD, we showcase that multi-streamed versions consistently outperform vanilla ones. In addition, we propose a set of guidelines on how to group logical streams with di erent update intervals into smaller number of physical streams with minimal performance degradation.
Characterization of Transthyretin in the Pacific Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus orientalis

Abstract A cDNA encoding transthyretin was cloned from the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis). This cDNA contains a complete open reading frame encoding 151 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence is 81% and 55% identical to the gilthead seabream and common carp forms, respectively, and 33–39% to mammalian, reptilian, and amphibian forms. A 1.0-kb transcript was found in the the liver and ovary; the liver is the main source of this protein. Analysis of triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) and L-thyroxine (T4) binding demonstrated that both T3 and T4 bind to bluefin transthyretin. The binding activity of T3 for bluefin transthyretin is higher than that of T4. These results indicate that bluefin transthyretin acts as a transporter of thyroid hormones (THs) in the plasma, and plays an important role in the function of THs in target cells.
Practical Ways to Achieve Targets in Diabetes Care 2017

Ann M. Carracher, Payal H. Marathe, and Kelly L. Close are of Close Concerns (http://www.closeconcerns.com), a healthcare information company focused exclusively on diabetes and obesity care. Close Concerns publishes Closer Look, a periodical that brings together news and insights in these areas. Each month, the Journal of Diabetes includes this News feature, in which Carracher, Marathe, and Close review the latest developments relevant to researchers and clinicians.
Instantaneous Frequency in Time-Frequency Analysis : Concept and Estimation

The instantaneous frequency (IF) is very important feature of nonstationary signals in numerous applications. The first overview of the concept and application of the IF estimators is presented in seminal papers by Boashash. Since then, significant knowledge has been gained about the performance of the IF estimators. This knowledge has been used not only for development of various IF estimators but also for introduction of novel time-frequency (TF) representations. The IF estimation in high noise environments has achieved significant benefits from these theoretical developments. In this paper, we review some of the most important developments in the last two decades related to the concept of the IF, performance analysis of IF estimators, and development of IF estimators for high noise environments.
Simple and rapid determination of homozygous transgenic mice via in vivo fluorescence imaging

Setting up breeding programs for transgenic mouse strains require to distinguish homozygous from the heterozygous transgenic animals. The combinational use of the fluorescence reporter transgene and small animal in-vivo imaging system might allow us to rapidly and visually determine the transgenic mice homozygous for transgene(s) by the in vivo fluorescence imaging. RLG, RCLG or Rm17LG transgenic mice ubiquitously express red fluorescent protein (RFP). To identify homozygous RLG transgenic mice, whole-body fluorescence imaging for all of newborn F2-generation littermates produced by mating of RFP-positive heterozygous transgenic mice (F1-generation) derived from the same transgenic founder was performed. Subsequently, the immediate data analysis of the in vivo fluorescence imaging was carried out, which greatly facilitated us to rapidly and readily distinguish RLG transgenic individual(s) with strong fluorescence from the rest of F2-generation littermates, followed by further determining this/these RLG individual(s) showing strong fluorescence to be homozygous, as strongly confirmed by mouse mating. Additionally, homozygous RCLG or Rm17LG transgenic mice were also rapidly and precisely distinguished by the above-mentioned optical approach. This approach allowed us within the shortest time period to obtain 10, 8 and 2 transgenic mice homozygous for RLG, RCLG and Rm17LG transgene, respectively, as verified by mouse mating, indicating the practicality and reliability of this optical method. Taken together, our findings fully demonstrate that the in vivo fluorescence imaging offers a visual, rapid and reliable alternative method to the traditional approaches (i.e., mouse mating and real-time quantitative PCR) in identifying homozygous transgenic mice harboring fluorescence reporter transgene under the control of a ubiquitous promoter in the situation mentioned in this study.
The influence of ‘cognitive busyness’ on causal attributions of challenging behaviour in dementia: A preliminary experimental study

This study investigated the influence of ‘cognitive busyness’ (competing cognitive demands) on residential care staff attributions of challenging behaviour (CB) related to dementia. Following the model of attribution formation proposed by Gilbert, Pelham, and Krull (1988), it was hypothesised that care staff experiencing competing cognitive demands at the time of observing CBs linked with dementia would be more likely to make internal and controllable attributions regarding the causes of such behaviour. This study employed a cross-over experimental design. Thirty formal dementia care-workers viewed two video clips of simulated CB, one under conditions of cognitive ‘busyness’ and another under control conditions of no extra cognitive demands. These conditions occurred a week apart and were counterbalanced, i.e. one group of participants undertook the control condition first and then the experimental condition whilst another undertook the reverse. Self-report measures of attributions were administered after the viewing of each video clip. Competing cognitive demands significantly influenced staff attributions regarding CB, in relation to internality and controllability, and type of CB emerged as a potential moderating factor. No link was found between cognitive busyness and other attributional dimensions (stability and globality). Concurrent cognitive demands seem capable of impairing the ability to use situational information to form some causal attributions regarding CB in dementia but this might depend on the type of CB being witnessed. The results are discussed in relation to key methodological and conceptual issues.
NFκB2/p100 Is a Key Factor for Endotoxin Tolerance in Human Monocytes: A Demonstration Using Primary Human Monocytes from Patients with Sepsis

Endotoxin tolerance (ET) is a state of reduced responsiveness to endotoxin stimulation after a primary bacterial insult. This phenomenon has been described in several pathologies, including sepsis, in which an endotoxin challenge results in reduced cytokine production. In this study, we show that the NFκ L chain enhancer of activated B cells 2 (NFκB2)/p100 was overexpressed and accumulated in a well-established in vitro human monocyte model of ET. The p100 accumulation in these cells inversely correlated with the inflammatory response after LPS stimulation. Knocking down NFκB2/p100 using small interfering RNA in human monocytes further indicated that p100 expression is a crucial factor in the progression of ET. The monocytes derived from patients with sepsis had high levels of p100, and a downregulation of NFκB2/p100 in these septic monocytes reversed their ET status.
Loss of the Cytoskeletal Protein Pdlim7 Predisposes Mice to Heart Defects and Hemostatic Dysfunction

The actin-associated protein Pdlim7 is essential for heart and fin development in zebrafish; however, the expression and function of this PDZ-LIM family member in the mammal has remained unclear. Here, we show that Pdlim7 predominantly localizes to actin-rich structures in mice including the heart, vascular smooth muscle, and platelets. To test the requirement for Pdlim7 in mammalian development and function, we analyzed a mouse strain with global genetic inactivation of Pdlim7. We demonstrate that Pdlim7 loss-of-function leads to significant postnatal mortality. Inactivation of Pdlim7 does not disrupt cardiac development, but causes mild cardiac dysfunction in adult mice. Adult Pdlim7 -/- mice displayed increased mitral and tricuspid valve annulus to body weight ratios. These structural aberrations in Pdlim7 -/- mice were supported by three-dimensional reconstructions of adult cardiac valves, which revealed increased surface area to volume ratios for the mitral and tricuspid valve leaflets. Unexpectedly, we found that loss of Pdlim7 triggers systemic venous and arterial thrombosis, leading to significant mortality shortly after birth in Pdlim7 +/- (11/60) and Pdlim7 -/- (19/35) mice. In line with a prothrombotic phenotype, adult Pdlim7 -/- mice exhibit dramatically decreased tail bleed times compared to controls. These findings reveal a novel and unexpected function for Pdlim7 in maintaining proper hemostasis in neonatal and adult mice.
Endocytosis provides a major alternative pathway for lysosomal biogenesis in kidney proximal tubular cells

Recruitment of acid hydrolases to lysosomes generally occurs by intracellular sorting based on recognition of a common mannose 6-phosphate signal in the transGolgi network and selective transport to late endosomes/lysosomes. Here we provide evidence for an alternative, efficient secretion-recapture pathway mediated by megalin and exemplified by cathepsin B in kidney proximal convoluted tubules (PCT). We found that in mouse kidneys with defective megalin expression [megalin knockout (KO)] or apical PCT trafficking (ClC-5 KO), the (pro)cathepsin B mRNA level was essentially preserved, but the protein content was greatly decreased and the enzyme was excreted in the urine as mannose 6-phosphate-devoid species. In polarized PCT-derived cells, purified cathepsin B was avidly and selectively taken up at the apical membrane, and uptake was abolished by the megalin competitor, receptor-associated protein. Direct interaction of cathepsin B with megalin was demonstrated by surface plasmon resonance. Procathepsin B was detected in normal mouse serum. Purified cathepsin B injected into mice was efficiently taken up by kidneys (≈10% of injection) and targeted to lysosomes where it remained active, as shown by autoradiography and subcellular fractionation. A single cathepsin B injection into cathepsin B KO mice could reconstitute full lysosomal enzyme activity in the kidneys. These findings demonstrate a pathway whereby circulating lysosomal enzymes are continuously filtered in glomeruli, reabsorbed by megalin-mediated endocytosis, and transferred into lysosomes to exert their function, providing a major source of enzymes to PCT. These results also extend the significance of megalin in PCT and have several physiopathological and clinical implications.
Enhanced Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase Expression from a Novel Tn4401 Deletion

ABSTRACT The Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase gene (blaKPC) is typically located within mobile transposon Tn4401. Enhanced KPC expression has been associated with deletions in the putative promoter region upstream of blaKPC. Illumina sequences from blaKPC-positive clinical isolates from a single institution were mapped to a Tn4401b reference sequence, which carries no deletions. The novel isoform Tn4401h (188-bp deletion [between istB and blaKPC]) was present in 14% (39/281) of clinical isolates. MICs showed that Escherichia coli strains containing plasmids with Tn4401a and Tn4401h were more resistant to meropenem (≥16 and ≥16, respectively), ertapenem (≥8 and 4, respectively), and cefepime (≥64 and 4, respectively) than E. coli strains with Tn4401b (0.5, ≤0.5, and ≤1, respectively). Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) demonstrated that Tn4401a had a 16-fold increase and Tn4401h a 4-fold increase in blaKPC mRNA levels compared to the reference Tn4401b. A lacZ reporter plasmid was used to test the activity of the promoter regions from the different variants, and the results showed that the Tn4401a and Tn4401h promoter sequences generated higher β-galactosidase activity than the corresponding Tn4401b sequence. Further dissection of the promoter region demonstrated that putative promoter P1 was not functional. The activity of the isolated P2 promoter was greatly enhanced by inclusion of the P1-P2 intervening sequence. These studies indicated that gene expression could be an important consideration in understanding resistance phenotypes predicted by genetic signatures in the context of sequencing-based rapid diagnostics.
Americas Conference on Information Systems ( AMCIS ) 8-2010 Improving the Trust of Users on Social Networking Sites via Self-Construal Traits

The ability to remove trust concerns for online users is crucial for sustainable online development, especially relating to social networking sites. This study examines independent self-construal and interdependent self-construal as pertinent factors to increase trust on social networking sites. The classification of trust broken down into calculation-, familiarity-, structural assurance-, and situational normality-based trust was adopted in this study. Data was collected from 398 members of the leading social network site: Facebook. Regression analysis was adopted to test the data against the casual relationship among the four trust constructs. Data analysis indicates that the constructs of interdependent self-construal and independent selfconstrual individually, and together, can account for the increase of trust on a social networking site; however interdependent self-construal has the largest explanatory power. These results suggest that social networking sites continuously increase the degree of interdependence of users and develop new applications to engage users to stay longer for each visit. As a result of these measures, social networking sites can sustain the trust of users.
Nonfragile $H_{\infty}$ and $H_{2}$ Filter Designs for Continuous-Time Linear Systems Based on Randomized Algorithms

This paper investigates the problem of nonfragile H∞ and H2 filter designs for continuous-time linear systems. Additive filter gain variations to reflect the imprecision in filter implementation are considered. The nonfragile filter design is first formulated as a robust convex optimization problem. Then, both deterministic and randomized algorithms are employed to solve the obtained robust convex optimization problem. Compared with the deterministic algorithm, the proposed randomized one has two advantages: On one hand, it has acceptable computational complexity for systems with high dimensions; on the other hand, it can alleviate the conservatism of deterministic algorithms. Several examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Identification of programmed cell death in normal human skin tissues by using specific labelling of fragmented DNA

Programmed cell death (PCD) in normal human skin tissues was studied by using in situ specific labelling of fragmented DNA. This labelling method clearly stained the nuclei of Henle's layer in the bulb of the anagen hair follicle in serial sections, and the nuclei of the inner root sheath cuticle cells and Huxley's layer cells showed positive staining in the upper part of the hair follicles. This staining pattern was consistent with the sequence of keratinization in the three layers. The nuclei of differentiated cells located at the centre of the sebaceous glands, and those of the granular keratinocyte layer, were also stained. These findings suggest that PCD might play a key role in the terminal differentiation of the epidermis and epidermal appendages.
Intraspecies Signaling Involving the Diffusible Signal Factor BDSF (cis-2-Dodecenoic Acid) Influences Virulence in Burkholderia cenocepacia

ABSTRACT Burkholderia cenocepacia produces a diffusible fatty acid signal molecule, cis-2-dodecenoic acid (BDSF), that has been implicated in interspecies and interkingdom communication. Here, we show that BDSF also acts as an intraspecies signal in B. cenocepacia to control factors contributing to virulence of this major opportunistic pathogen.
Measurement of the reaction time of muscular relaxation.

The reaction time of muscular relaxation was investigated in the elbow flexors. The time interval from the onset of a light stimulus to the response of the elbow flexors was measured using EMG. The subjects were 20 healthy male adults. There was no difference in the reaction time between muscular relaxation and muscular contraction. In terms of mean values for twenty subjects, there was no significant difference in the electrical response of M.biceps brachii between muscular contraction and relaxation. Significant individual differences were noted.
The use of outpatient mental health services in the United States and Ontario: the impact of mental morbidity and perceived need for care.

OBJECTIVES This study compared the associations of individual mental health disorders, self-rated mental health, disability, and perceived need for care with the use of outpatient mental health services in the United States and the Canadian province of Ontario. METHODS A cross-sectional study design was employed. Data came from the 1990 US National Comorbidity Survey and the 1990 Mental Health Supplement to the Ontario Health Survey. RESULTS The odds of receiving any medical or psychiatric specialty services were as follows: for persons with any affective disorder, 3.1 in the United States vs 11.0 in Ontario; for persons with fair or poor self-rated mental health, 2.7 in the United States vs 5.0 in Ontario; for persons with mental health-related disability. 3.0 in the United States vs 1.5 in Ontario. When perceived need was controlled for, most of the between country differences in use disappeared. CONCLUSIONS The higher use of mental health services in the United States than in Ontario is mostly explained by the combination of a higher prevalence of mental morbidity and a higher prevalence of perceived need for care among persons with low mental morbidity in the United States.
Framework for Enabling Scalable Learning Game AI

The video game industry is a multibillion-dollar industry in which, due to general short deadlines, game visuals as well as gameplay elements are worked in parallel up until the very last minute. This means that even if the AI system has been designed in parallel with the other game elements, once a change has been made in the late stages of the game development, the AI may prove to be inadequate to the given job. Our article covers some of the existing frameworks for game AI and proposes a multi-agent system which serves as a framework for scalable learning game AI through integration of existing machine learning tech-
Dissociative and metacognitive factors in hallucination-proneness when controlling for comorbid symptoms

Introduction. Recent studies have linked hallucination-proneness to dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs, dissociation, and disrupted capacity to discriminate between internal and external cognitive events (reality discrimination). This study addressed a number of methodological limitations of previous research by investigating the relationship between hallucination-proneness and the aforementioned variables while controlling for comorbid symptoms. Method. A large sample of nonclinical participants was screened on measures of hallucination-proneness, cognitive intrusions, paranoid ideation, metacognitive beliefs, and dispositional mindfulness (including measures of dissociation-like experiences). In addition, a signal detection task was used to investigate reality discrimination in four subgroups of participants selected on the basis of their scores on hallucination-proneness and intrusions. Results. Regression analyses for the self-report data were conducted to investigate the predictors of hallucination-proneness and paranoia when controlling for comorbid symptoms. Also, between-group differences on the behavioural data were tested to determine whether perturbed reality discrimination is specifically associated with hallucination-proneness rather than cognitive intrusions. Results revealed that metacognitive beliefs are more strongly associated with intrusions and paranoia than hallucination-proneness, whereas hallucination-proneness is related to perturbed reality discrimination and dissociation. Conclusions. These results clarify previous research on metacognitive dysfunction in hallucination-proneness, and highlight the importance of controlling for the covariation among symptoms when investigating the cognitive processes underlying psychotic experiences.
Asymmetric networks in two-sided markets

This paper investigates pricing decisions and network choices in two-sided markets with network externalities. Consumers are heterogeneous in how much they value the externality. Imposing restrictions on the extent of coordination failure among consumers generates clear qualitative conclusions about equilibrium market configurations. Multiple asymmetric networks can coexist in equilibrium, both in the case of a monopolist network provider and in the case of competing providers. These equilibria have the property that one network is cheaper and larger on one side, while the other network is cheaper and larger on the other side. Product differentiation is endogenized by consumers' network choices.