Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Privacy-cost Trade-off in a Smart Meter System with a Renewable Energy Source and a Rechargeable Battery

We study the privacy-cost trade-off in a smart meter (SM) system with a renewable energy source (RES) and a finite-capacity rechargeable battery (RB). Privacy is measured by the mutual information rate between the energy demand and the energy received from the grid, where the latter also determines the cost, and hence, reported by the SM to the utility provider (UP). We consider a renewable energy generation process that fully charges the RB at random time instants, and its realization is assumed to be known also by the UP. We reformulate the problem as a Markov decision process (MDP), and solve it by dynamic programming (DP) to design battery charging and discharging policies that minimize a linear combination of the privacy leakage and energy cost. We also propose a lower bound and two alternative low-complexity energy management policies, one of which is shown numerically to perform close to the MDP solution.
Orbit Image Analysis: An open-source whole slide image analysis tool

We describe the open-source whole slide image analysis tool Orbit Image Analysis. It is a generic tile-processing engine which allows the execution of various image analysis algorithms provided by either Orbit itself or other open-source solutions using a tile-based map-reduce execution framework. We show its sophisticated machine-learning approach for WSI quantification, and its flexibility by integrating a deep learning segmentation method for complex object detection. It can run locally standalone or connect to the open-source image server OMERO, and provides scale-out functionality to use the Spark framework for distributed computing. We demonstrate the application of Orbit in three real-world use-cases: Idiopathic lung fibrosis, nerve fibre density quantification, and glomeruli detection in kidney. Author summary Whole slide images (WSI) are digital scans of samples, e.g. tissue sections. It is very convenient to view samples in this digital form, and with the increasing computation power it can also be used for quantification. These images are often too large to be analysed with standard tools. To overcome this issue, we created on open-source tool called Orbit Image Analysis which divides the images into smaller parts and allows the analysis of it with either embedded algorithms or the integration of existing tools. It also provides mechanisms to process huge amounts of images in distributed computing environments such as clusters or cloud infrastructures. In this paper we describe the Orbit system and demonstrate its application based on three real-word use-cases.
Effect of glycyrrhizin on nicotine-induced behavioral disturbance of planarian, Dugesia japonica

Nicotine is a component of tobacco products and is one of the most commonly abused substances that leads to addiction. Therefore, the present study was performed to investigate the behavioral pattern and toxicity by nicotine exposure in planarians. Basically, planarians were exposed to different concentration of nicotine for 5 min. To investigate detoxification effect, planarians were exposed to nicotine for 5 min, and treated glycyrrhizin for 5 min, then motility and seizure-like behavior were observed for 5 min. As a result, the motility of nicotine-exposed planarians decreased approximately more than 50% compared to freshwater control. However, the motility of glycyrrhizin-exposed planarians recovered than nicotineexposed planarians. In the assessment of seizure-like behavioral pattern, planarians exposed to nicotine showed head-bop or c-like type rather than screw-like or snake-like patterns. However, planarians exposed to glycyrrhizin showed no seizure-like behavior. To examine the oxidative stress response, planarians were cultured in fresh water containing 1 mM nicotine for 1 day. Planarians were homogenized and extracted to assay the contents of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid hydroperoxides (LH), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The result showed that a significantly higher level of ROS, LH indicated in planarians exposed to nicotine, on the other hand, glycyrrhizin-exposed planarians were significantly decreased ROS, LH levels. In conclusion, the motility decreased when planarians were exposed to nicotine, in a dose-dependent manner, whereas seizurelike behavior increased. Nicotine induced behavioral disturbances and cell toxicity in planarians were recovered by glycyrrhizin, suggesting a candidate substance for nicotine addiction treatment.
Investigation of Genetic Diversity in Fusarium Wilt of Egg Plant Caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.Sp. melangene (Schlecht) Mutuo and Ishigami in Marathwada Region of Maharastra, India

Vegetables play an important role in human nutrition and health by providing minerals, micronutrients, vitamins, antioxidants and dietary fiber. Vegetables cultivation is significant part of the national agriculture economy, especially in developing world. Brinjal (Solonum melongenae) also known as eggplant is a common and popular vegetables crop grown in the subtropics and tropics. Its belong to family „Solanacae’ it is one of the widely used vegetables crops by most of the people and is popular in many countries viz. central south and south east Asia, some parts of Africa and central America (Harish et al., 2011) It is grown in 691,000 hectares with production of eight production of eight to nine International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 8 Number 07 (2019) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas. com
Adaptive Impedance Control of Robot Manipulators with Parametric Uncertainty for Constrained Path–Tracking

Abstract The main impedance control schemes in the task space require accurate knowledge of the kinematics and dynamics of the robotic system to be controlled. In order to eliminate this dependence and preserve the structure of this kind of algorithms, this paper presents an adaptive impedance control approach to robot manipulators with kinematic and dynamic parametric uncertainty. The proposed scheme is an inverse dynamics control law that leads to the closed-loop system having a PD structure whose equilibrium point converges asymptotically to zero according to the formal stability analysis in the Lyapunov sense. In addition, the general structure of the scheme is composed of continuous functions and includes the modeling of most of the physical phenomena present in the dynamics of the robotic system. The main feature of this control scheme is that it allows precise path tracking in both free and constrained spaces (if the robot is in contact with the environment). The proper behavior of the closed-loop system is validated using a two degree-of-freedom robotic arm. For this benchmark good results were obtained and the control objective was achieved despite neglecting non modeled dynamics, such as viscous and Coulomb friction.
Proteome-wide characterization and biomarker identification of intracranial aneurysm

The scientific basis of intracranial aneurysm (IA) formation, its rupture and further development of cerebral vasospasm remains incompletely understood. Deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying these events will lead to identification of early detection biomarkers and in turn, improved treatment outcomes. Aberrant protein expression may drive structural alterations of vasculature found in IA. To unravel these aberrations, we performed untargeted, global, quantitative proteomic analysis of aneurysm tissue and serum from patients with IA. Samples were derived from patients of three clinical sub groups– 1) unruptured aneurysm 2) ruptured aneurysm without vasospasm 3) ruptured aneurysm who developed vasospasm. A total of 937 and 294 proteins were identified in aneurysm tissue and serum samples respectively. Several proteins that are known to maintain the structural integrity of vasculature were found to be dysregulated. ORM1, a glycoprotein, was significantly upregulated in both the aneurysm tissue and serum samples of unruptured IA patients. We employed a larger cohort of patients and validated ORM1 as a potential biomarker for screening of unruptured aneurysm using ELISA. Samples from ruptured aneurysm with vasospasm showed significant upregulation of MMP9 as compared to ruptured aneurysm without vasospasm. Using a cohort of ruptured aneurysm patients with and without vasospasm, we validated MMP9 as a potential biomarker for vasospasm. This study reveals pathophysiology underlying different clinical sub groups of IA and also suggests potential biomarkers.
Understanding the role of the intestine in the molecular hypotriglyceridemic actions of a grape seed procyanidin extract

Hypertriglyceridemia is a prevalent condition that is associated with cardiovascular disease. Grape seed procyanidin extract (GSPE), a natural compound rich in procyanidins, has recently been shown to reduce serum triglyceride (TG) levels in vivo in normolipidemic animals. This effect was shown to be mediated via farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a member of the nuclear hormone receptor (NHR) superfamily. NHRs are ligand-inducible, and in some cases ligand-independent, transcription factors that interact with DNA to regulate gene expression. Activation of FXR by its endogenous ligand, bile acids (BA), modulates TG and BA homeostasis via regulation of hepatic and intestinal gene expression. Activation of FXR in the liver by BAs increases the expression of small heterodimer partner (SHP), which then acts as a repressor to decrease hepatic expression of sterol response element binding protein 1c (SREBP1c), a key transcription factor regulating lipogenic gene expression, thereby lowering serum TG levels. Studies have shown that in the liver, GSPE acts as a co-agonist ligand for FXR resulting in enhancement of BA-bound FXR activation in vitro, and that the TG-lowering ability of GSPE is lost in vivo in both, FXR and SHP knockout mouse models. Recently, utilizing a FXRE-luciferase reporter mouse model, it was shown that the intestine has the highest bile acid-induced FXR signaling under physiological conditions. FXR activation in the intestine induces the expression of several FXR target-genes including intestinal bile acid-binding protein (IBABP), organic solute transporters (OST) α/β, and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 15/19, while repressing the expression of the apical sodium dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT), which contributes to bile acid enterohepatic recirculation and bile acid homeostasis. The overall aim of this research was to further investigate the effects of GSPE to aid in the understanding of its molecular hypotriglyceridemic mode of action. Based on the fact that FXR is a bridge between the liver and the intestine to control bile acid levels and to regulate bile acid synthesis and enterohepatic flow, the first aim was to discern whether or not GSPE exerts any effects on intestinal FXR which could then contribute to the TG-lowering effect of GSPE. Therefore, the effects of GSPE on the regulation of known
Ethylene Signaling Is Required for Fully Functional Tension Wood in Hybrid Aspen

Tension wood (TW) in hybrid aspen trees forms on the upper side of displaced stems to generate a strain that leads to uplifting of the stem. TW is characterized by increased cambial growth, reduced vessel frequency and diameter, and the presence of gelatinous, cellulose-rich (G-)fibers with its microfibrils oriented parallel to the fiber cell axis. Knowledge remains limited about the molecular regulators required for the development of this special xylem tissue with its characteristic morphological, anatomical, and chemical features. In this study, we use transgenic, ethylene-insensitive (ETI) hybrid aspen trees together with time-lapse imaging to show that functional ethylene signaling is required for full uplifting of inclined stems. X-ray diffraction and Raman microspectroscopy of TW in ETI trees indicate that, although G-fibers form, the cellulose microfibril angle in the G-fiber S-layer is decreased, and the chemical composition of S- and G-layers is altered than in wild-type TW. The characteristic asymmetric growth and reduction of vessel density is suppressed during TW formation in ETI trees. A genome-wide transcriptome profiling reveals ethylene-dependent genes in TW, related to cell division, cell wall composition, vessel differentiation, microtubule orientation, and hormone crosstalk. Our results demonstrate that ethylene regulates transcriptional responses related to the amount of G-fiber formation and their properties (chemistry and cellulose microfibril angle) during TW formation. The quantitative and qualitative changes in G-fibers are likely to contribute to uplifting of stems that are displaced from their original position.
Developing Needs-based Funding Formulae Using Individual-level Linked Survey and Utilization Data: An Application to Home Care Services in Ontario, Canada

A common goal of health policy is to allocate public health care resources according to need. This paper presents a method for developing needs-based funding formulae using individual-level linked health survey and utilization data. Needs-based funding shares are developed in three basic stages: (1) estimate the full utilization model, including both need-related and non-need-related adjustors; (2) predict individual-level needs-based home care utilization holding all non-need factors constant; use individual-level estimates and sample weights to develop regional needs-based allocations. The results suggest that methods based on such data offer considerable potential; however, they all raise several new challenges.
Isolate-specific resistance to the algicidal bacterium Kordia algicida in the diatom Chaetoceros genus

Abstract Algicidal bacteria can lyse phytoplankton cells, thereby contributing to algal bloom dynamics in the oceans. The target specificity of these bacteria determines their ecological impact. While species specificity of algicidal bacteria is documented, little is known about intra-species variability of their activity against phytoplankton. We describe variability in the Chaetoceros genus (Bacillariophyceae) to resist the lytic activity of the algicidal Flavobacterium Kordia algicida. This variability is evident between different Chaetoceros species, but even intra-specific variability of resistance is observed within one phytoplankton sample. This proves an ecological role of the individuality of diatom cells within a bloom.
Frequency-domain channel equalisation for LTE-based uplink narrowband Internet of Things systems

An emerging narrowband radio technology named narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) based on cellular communications has been standardised by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project in release-13. It is specifically designed to provide low-power wide-area connectivity for the IoT. In this study, the authors derive an analytical signal model for Long Term Evolution (LTE)-based uplink NB-IoT systems. The problem of channel equalisation for the uplink NB-IoT systems having mismatched baseband processing and sampling rate between transmitter and receiver is addressed. A relation between the channel impulse response and the channel frequency-domain equalisation coefficients is derived under imbalanced baseband processing and sampling rate environment. Accordingly, a novel one-tap frequency-domain channel equalisation algorithm specific to NB-IoT uplink systems is proposed based on the resultant channel coefficients. Comprehensive link-level simulations are carried out to validate the potentiality of the proposed equalisation method, compared with other conventional techniques like zero forcing and minimum mean square error equalisers in terms of symbol error rate and throughput against signal-to-noise ratio. Simulation results indicate that the proposed equaliser outperforms the existing linear equalisers for all cases of evaluation.
Predictive Modelling of Training Loads and Injury in Australian Football

Abstract To investigate whether training load monitoring data could be used to predict injuries in elite Australian football players, data were collected from athletes over 3 seasons at an Australian football club. Loads were quantified using GPS devices, accelerometers and player perceived exertion ratings. Absolute and relative training load metrics were calculated for each player each day. Injury prediction models (regularised logistic regression, generalised estimating equations, random forests and support vector machines) were built for non-contact, non-contact time-loss and hamstring specific injuries using the first two seasons of data. Injury predictions were then generated for the third season and evaluated using the area under the receiver operator characteristic (AUC). Predictive performance was only marginally better than chance for models of non-contact and non-contact time-loss injuries (AUC<0.65). The best performing model was a multivariate logistic regression for hamstring injuries (best AUC=0.76). Injury prediction models built using training load data from a single club showed poor ability to predict injuries when tested on previously unseen data, suggesting limited application as a daily decision tool for practitioners. Focusing the modelling approach on specific injury types and increasing the amount of training observations may improve predictive models for injury prevention
Shuttling of Dorsal by Cactus: mechanism and implications

In a developing animal, morphogen gradients act to pattern tissues into distinct domains of cell types. However, despite their prevalence in development, morphogen gradient formation is a matter of debate. In our recent publication, we showed that the Dorsal/NF-κB morphogen gradient, which patterns the DV axis of the early Drosophila embryo, is partially established by a mechanism of facilitated diffusion. This mechanism, also known as “shuttling,” occurs when a binding partner of the morphogen facilitates the diffusion of the morphogen, allowing it to accumulate at a given site. In this case, the inhibitor Cactus/IκB facilitates the diffusion of Dorsal/NF-κB. In the fly embryo, we used computation and experiment to not only show that shuttling occurs in the embryo, but also that it enables the viability of embryos that inherit only one copy of dorsal maternally. Here we further discuss our evidence behind the shuttling mechanism, the previous literature data explained by the mechanism, and how it may also be critical for robustness of development. Finally, we describe an interaction between Dorsal and BMP signaling that is likely affected by shuttling.
Molecular characterization of the netrin-1 UNC-5 receptor in Lucilia sericata larvae

Abstract Larval therapy with Lucilia sericata is a promising strategy in wound healing. Axon guidance molecules play vital roles during the development of the nervous system and also regulate the capacity of neuronal restoration in wound healing. Netrin-1, one of the proteins that larvae secrete, plays a useful role in cell migration and nerve tissue regeneration. The UNC-5 receptor combines with a netrin-1 signal and transmits the signal from one side of the membrane to the other side, initiating a change in cell activity. In the current study, we identified the full length of the UNC-5 receptor mRNA in L. sericata using different sets of primers, including exon junction and specific region primers. The coding sequence (CDS) of the UNC-5 receptor was sequenced and identified to include 633 base-pair nucleic acids, and BLAST analysis on its nucleotide sequence revealed 96% identity with the Lucilia cuprina netrin-1 UNC-5 receptor. The protein residue included 210 amino acids (aa) and coded for a protein with 24 kD weight. This gene lacked the signal peptide. Furthermore, the UPA domain is conserved in UNC-5. It lied at the interval of 26–131 aa. We identified the CDS of netrin-1 UNC-5 receptor in L. sericata. It could be applied to research activities implementing a new essential component design in wound healing.
Phytoplankton Blooms, Red Tides and Mucilaginous Aggregates in the Urban Thessaloniki Bay, Eastern Mediterranean

We investigated the plankton community composition and abundance in the urban marine environment of Thessaloniki Bay. We collected water samples weekly from March 2017 to February 2018 at the coastal front of Thessaloniki city center and monthly samples from three other inshore sites along the urban front of the bay. During the study period, conspicuous and successive phytoplankton blooms, dominated by known mucilage-producing diatoms alternated with red tide events formed by the dinoflagellates Noctiluca scintillans and Spatulodinium pseudonoctiluca, and an extensive mucilage aggregate phenomenon, which appeared in late June 2017. At least 11 known harmful algae were identified throughout the study, with the increase in the abundance of the known harmful dinoflagellate Dinophysis cf. acuminata occurring in October and November 2017. Finally, a red tide caused by the photosynthetic ciliate Mesodinium rubrum on December 2017 was conspicuous throughout the sampling sites. The above-mentioned harmful blooms and red tides were linked to high nutrient concentrations and eutrophication. This paper provides an overview of eutrophication impacts on the response of the unicellular eukaryotic plankton organisms and their impact on water quality and ecosystem services.
An Analytical Model of Interlaminar Fracture of Polymer Composite Reinforced by Carbon Fibres Grafted with Carbon Nanotubes

An analytical model was developed to study the interlaminar fracture behaviour of polymer composite reinforced by carbon fibres grafted with carbon nanotubes. Delamination properties, such as load with displacement or crack (R-curve) and toughness with crack (GR-curve), can be obtained from this model. The bridging laws presented, based on the CNT pullout mechanism (CNT pullout from polymer matrix) and the CNT sword-in-sheath mechanism (CNT breakage), were incorporated into the proposed analytical model to investigate the influence of the structure of CNT growth onto CFs (CNT@CFs) on delamination properties. The numerical results showed that different toughening mechanisms led to different features of GR-curves, R-curves, and load with displacement curves. Parametric study demonstrated that strengthening the CNT@CF interface resulted in significant improvement in toughness. Further, it was found that elastic deformation of CNTs played an important role in the toughness improvement in the CNT sword-in-sheath mechanism, but no such role was evident in the CNT pullout mechanism.