Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Robust bounded-error subset selection

We show that the bounded-error subset selection problem can be interpreted as a worst-case robust optimization problem, where the solution vector is robust under worst-case signal perturbations. In particular, the solution to the subset selection problem is robust when the signal under consideration is allowed to take arbitrary values within a fixed-interval uncertainty set. We also show that the robust behavior of the bounded-error subset selection is superior to the well-known methods for solving the subset selection problem (e.g., Basis Pursuit, Orthogonal Matching Pursuit, and the LASSO algorithms).
Behavioral Footprinting: A New Dimension to Characterize Self-Propagating Worms

With increasing speed, virulence, and sophistication, self-propagating worms continue to pose a serious threat to the safety of the Internet. To effectively identify and defend against self-propagating worms, a critical task is to characterize a worm along multiple dimensions. Content-based fingerprinting is a well-established dimension for worm characterization by deriving the most representative content sequence as a worm’s signature. However, this dimension alone does not capture all aspects of a worm and may therefore lead to incomplete or inaccurate worm characterization. To expand the space of worm characterization, this paper proposes and justifies a new dimension, behavioral footprinting. Orthogonal and complementary to content-based fingerprinting, behavioral footprinting characterizes a worm’s unique behavior during each infection session, which covers the probing, exploitation, and replication phases of the infection session. By modeling each infection step as a behavior phenotype and the entire infection session as a sequential behavioral footprint, we show that behavioral footprinting captures worm-specific behavior which is inherently different from a normal access to the vulnerable service. We present advanced sequence analysis techniques to extract a worm’s behavioral footprint from its infection traces. Our evaluation with a number of realworld worms clearly demonstrates its feasibility and effectiveness in successfully extracting worm-characterizing behavioral footprints for all experimented worms. Furthermore, by comparing with content-based fingerprinting, our experiments demonstrate the uniqueness and robustness of behavioral footprinting in worm recognition and identification.
Does hunger and satiety drive eating anymore? Increasing eating occasions and decreasing time between eating occasions in the United States.

BACKGROUND The design of dietary, metabolic, and intervention studies should reflect the meal patterning of free-living individuals, but this design has not been systematically reviewed recently. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to examine meal-patterning trends [meals and snacks, termed eating occasions (EOs)] in a sample of US children and adults. DESIGN This was a nationally representative cross-sectional study of US data sets from 1977 to 1978, 1994 to 1998, and 2003 to 2006 in 28,404 children (2-18 y of age) and 36,846 adults (> or = 19 y of age). The main outcomes of interest included the number and size (energy/d) of meal and snack EOs, the composition (food or beverage) of each EO, and the time interval between each EO. RESULTS The number of EOs increased over the previous 30 y among all ages. For adults and children, the change in the number of EOs from 1977 to 2006 was greatest for those in the 75th and 90th percentiles, although the mean number increased across all percentiles. Energy intake, particularly from snacking, increased for both groups in all percentiles of the distribution. The time between EOs decreased by 1 h for adults and children (to 3.0 and 3.5 h in 2003-2006, respectively). Overwhelmingly, meals consisted of both food and beverages, but the percentage of snacking occasions that consisted of beverages only increased considerably among children. CONCLUSIONS US children and adults are consuming foods more frequently throughout the day than they did 30 y ago. Researchers undertaking future clinical, preload, and related food studies need to consider these marked shifts as they attempt to design their research to fit the reality of the eating patterns of free-living individuals.
Transforming Energy Networks via Peer to Peer Energy Trading: Potential of Game Theoretic Approaches

Peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading has emerged as a next-generation energy-management mechanism for the smart grid that enables each prosumer (i.e., an energy consumer who also produces electricity) of the network to participate in energy trading with other prosumers and the grid. This poses a significant challenge in terms of modeling the decisionmaking process of the participants' conflicting interests and motivating prosumers to participate in energy trading and cooperate, if necessary, in achieving different energy-management goals. Therefore, such a decisionmaking process needs to be built on solid mathematical and signal processing principles that can ensure an efficient operation of the electric power grid. This article provides an overview of the use of game-theoretic approaches for P2P energy trading as a feasible and effective means of energy management. Various game- and auction-theoretic approaches are discussed by following a systematic classification to provide information on the importance of game theory for smart energy research. This article also focuses on the key features of P2P energy trading and gives an introduction to an existing P2P testbed. Furthermore, the article gives specific game- and auction-theoretic models that have recently been used in P2P energy trading and discusses important findings arising from these approaches.
The Long Non-Coding RNA XIST Controls Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Proliferation and Invasion by Modulating miR-186-5p

Background/Aims: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are key players in the development and progression of human cancers. The lncRNA XIST (X-inactive specific transcript) has been shown to be upregulated in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, its role and molecular mechanisms in NSCLC cell progression remain unclear. Methods: qRT-PCR was conducted to assess the expression of XIST and miR-186. Cell proliferation was detected using MTT assay. Cell invasion and migration were evaluated using transwell assay. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis rates were analyzed by flow cytometry. Luciferase reporter assay was used to identify the direct regulation of XIST and miR-186. A RNA immunoprecipitation was used to analyze whether XIST was associated with the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). Results: We confirmed that XIST was upregulated in NSCLC cell lines and tissues. Functionally, XIST knockdown inhibited cancer cell proliferation and invasion, and induced apoptosis in vitro, and suppressed subcutaneous tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistic investigations revealed a reciprocal repressive interaction between XIST and miR-186-5p. Furthermore, we showed that miR-186-5p has a binding site for XIST. Our data also indicated that XIST and miR-186-5p are likely in the same RNA induced silencing complex. Conclusion: Together, our data revealed that XIST knockdown confers suppressive function in NSCLC and XIST may be a novel therapeutic marker in this disease.
Regularized ICI Cancellation in V2V Communications

In this work, we consider a V2V commnunication system operating over high relative speeds. In this scenario, the wireless channel is characterized by double selectivity, which results into intercarrier interference (ICI) at the receiver. To mitigate this effect, several equalization schemes have been proposed, which usually adopt a banded approximation of the frequency domain matrix, in order to reduce the complexity cost. However, these approximations also decrease significantly the performance of the equalizer. To recover this performance loss, we propose a regularized estimation framework for ICI cancellation. The performance superiority of the proposed method against existing ones is verified through extensive simulations which were performed in accordance with the IEEE 802.11p standard. It must be stressed that this improved performance is achieved without increasing the required computational complexity.
Constructive Interference for Generic Constellations

In this letter, we investigate optimal and relaxed constructive interference regions (CIR) for the symbol-level precoding (SLP) problem in the downlink of a multiuser multiple-input single-output (MISO) channel. We define two types of CIRs, namely, distance preserving CIR (DPCIR) and union bound CIR (UBCIR) for any given constellation shape and size. We then provide a systematic way to describe these regions as convex sets. Using the definitions of DPCIR and UBCIR, we show that the SLP power minimization problem, minimizing either sum or peak (per-antenna) transmit power, can always be formulated as a convex optimization problem. Our results indicate that these regions allow further reduction of the transmit power compared to the current state of the art without increasing the computational complexity at the transmitter or receiver.
The flux of iron through ferritin in erythrocyte development

Purpose of review Terminal differentiation of erythropoietic progenitors requires the rapid accumulation of large amounts of iron, which is transported to the mitochondria, where it is incorporated into heme. Ferritin is the sole site of iron storage present in the cytosol. Yet the role of iron accumulation into ferritin in the context of red cell development had not been clearly defined. Early studies indicated that at the onset of terminal differentiation, iron initially accumulates in ferritin and precedes heme synthesis. Whether this accumulation is physiologically important for red cell development was unclear until recent studies defined an obligatory pathway of iron flux through ferritin. Recent findings The iron chaperone functions of poly rC-binding protein 1 (PCBP1) and the autophagic cargo receptor for ferritin, nuclear co-activator 4 (NCOA4) are required for the flux of iron through ferritin in developing red cells. In the absence of these functions, iron delivery to mitochondria for heme synthesis is impaired. Summary The regulated trafficking of iron through ferritin is important for maintaining a consistent flow of iron to mitochondria without releasing potentially damaging redox-active species in the cell. Other components of the iron trafficking machinery are likely to be important in red cell development.
Large-scale MU-MIMO uplink channel estimation using sounding reference signal

This paper proposes a practical channel estimation method for the uplink channel of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) Large-Scale Multi-User (MU) Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems by using user specific Sounding Reference Signal. The method is convenient for hardware implementation since it only utilizes Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), Inverse-FFT and multiplication. Given the OFDM parameters of the Long Term Evolution (LTE), this method is able to support the uplink channel estimation of up to 8 users simultaneously under the multipath channel. Additionally, we applied the raised-cosine windows for separating channel impulse responses of each user individually. The raised-cosine window reduces the Bit Error Rate (BER) for a long delay channel such as the ITU Pedestrian B compared with the rectangular windows. Experiments with 16 antennas at Base Station side, 4 users and 256QAM are conducted to validate the proposed channel estimation.
An objective assessment to investigate the impact of turning angle on freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease

Freezing of gait (FoG) is often described in subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD) as a sudden inability to continue the forward walking progression. FoG occurs most often during turning, especially at sharp angles. Here, we investigated 180 and 360 degrees turns in two groups: PD subjects reporting FoG (FoG+), and PD subjects without FoG (FoG-). Forty-three subjects (25 FoG+, 18 FoG-) wore an inertial sensor on their back while walking back and forth continuously for 2 min (reversing direction with a 180° turn), and while turning in place for 1 min (alternating 360° turning in opposite directions). Objective measures (turn duration, peak velocity, jerkiness and range of acceleration) were computed during the turns and compared across FoG+ and FoG-groups. Results showed that FoG+ compared to FoG-took significantly a longer time to complete 360° turns than 180° turns. A significant lower turn peak velocity, higher jerkiness and an increased range of medio-lateral acceleration was also found in FoG+. Significant differences between the two groups across the two turning tasks validated the hypothesis that sharper turns might cause higher instability in FoG+ compared to FoG-.
Performance comparison of compressive sparse channel estimation and feedback in 5G for hyper MIMO system

Substantial MIMO (large-scale antenna systems, massive or hyper MIMO) differed from the current 4G technology because of preference in utilization of greater number of tune antennas over active terminals, Time-Division and Frequency-Division based Duplexing procedures. Generally Antennas are dependent on estimation accuracy of the channel matrix coefficients. In this work the Frequency division duplexing is compared with the Time division duplexing (TDD) type with feedback. Message passing methods convey multiple measurements is adopted to study the Sparsity of the hyper MIMO channels under frequency selective conditions. Initially the identification of active non-zero taps is done, followed by the channel coefficients estimation at these taps using M-AMP proposed technique. The output in FDD domain clearly manifests that the efficiency of the system is improved in terms of normalized error reduction for the parameters of SNR number of pilots and level of Sparsity.
GaPP2, a multicentre randomised controlled trial of the efficacy of gabapentin for the management of chronic pelvic pain in women: study protocol

Introduction Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) affects more than 1 million UK women with associated healthcare costs of £158 million annually. Current evidence supporting interventions when no underlying pathology is identified is very limited and treatment is frequently inadequate. Gabapentin (a GABA analogue) is efficacious and often well tolerated in other chronic pain conditions. We have completed a successful pilot randomised controlled trial Gabapentin for Pelvic Pain 1 (GaPP1) and here describe the protocol for our definitive multicentre trial to assess the efficacy of gabapentin in the management of CPP in women Gabapentin for Pelvic Pain 2 (GaPP2). Methods and analysis We plan to perform a double-blind placebo-controlled randomised multicentre clinical trial, recruiting 300 women with CPP from up to 40 National Health Service hospitals within the UK. After randomisation, women will titrate their medication (gabapentin or placebo) over a 4-week period to a maximum of 2700 mg or placebo equivalent and will then maintain a stable dose for a 12-week period. Response to treatment will be monitored with validated questionnaires and coprimary outcome measures of average and worst pain scores will be employed. The primary objective is to test the hypothesis that treatment with gabapentin has the potential to provide an effective oral treatment to alleviate pain in women with CPP in the absence of any obvious pelvic pathology. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been obtained from the Coventry and Warwick Research Ethics Committee (REC 15/WM/0036). Data will be presented at international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. We will make the information obtained from the study available to the public through national bodies and charities. Trial registration number ISRCTN77451762; Pre-results.
Radio-Efficient Adaptive Modulation and Coding: Green Communication Perspective

To lessen the environmental impact of the communication industry, Green Communications has achieved increasing attention from government, academia, and industry. However, how to define a green communication system has been an open topic. In this paper, we carry out a comprehensive analysis of the b/s/Hz bandwidth efficiency, the b/s/Hz/m2 area spectral efficiency, the b/TENU power efficiency, the b/s/Hz/W power efficiency, and the (b•m)/s/Hz/W green efficiency of a wireless link. After comparing the performance of the green efficiency with the other efficiencies, we present an adaptive modulation and coding scheme to approach the maximum green efficiency, which provides an effective way to Green Communications.
The identity of the protagonist in brain-computer interfaces: A user-centered design approach

The Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) community is slowly moving towards users' involvement at the development phases of their research. However, dimensions regarding end-user approach and interaction design are still overlooked in the community. In this paper we are proposing a way to look deeper in to the user for extracting the aspects from the context that could be vital for an efficient design. A total of 211 students of a higher education institution in Mexico were asked information about their social and technological context, activities and preferences on concepts related to BCIs. Departing from the given information, we sketched a virtual environment which could be used to replace classic interaction paradigms in order to appeal to a better contextualization of the task required for motor imagery (MI) control. Later, the approach was validated with opinions of 62 students. Results point towards a favorable reception of the VE approach in contrast to the classic arrow paradigm. It is noticed that skepticism towards BCI technology was noticeably present in the results of surveys which were applied at early stages.
Characterizing and Mitigating Output Reporting Bottlenecks in Spatial Automata Processing Architectures

Automata processing has seen a resurgence in importance due to its usefulness for pattern matching and pattern mining of "big data. " While large-scale automata processing is known to bottleneck von Neumann processors due to unpredictable memory accesses, spatial architectures excel at automata processing. Spatial architectures can implement automata graphs by wiring together automata states in reconfigurable arrays, allowing parallel automata state computation, and point-to-point state transitions on-chip. However, spatial automata processing architectures can suffer from output constraints (up to 255x in commercial systems! ) due to the physical placement of states, output processing architecture design, I/O resources, and the massively parallel nature of the architecture. To understand this bottleneck, we conduct the first known characterization of output requirements of a realistic set of automata processing benchmarks. We find that most benchmarks report fairly frequently, but that few states report at any one time. This observation motivates new output compression schemes and reporting architectures. We evaluate the benefit of one purely software automata transformation and show that output reporting costs can be greatly reduced (improving performance by up to 40% without hardware modification. We then explore bottlenecks in the reporting architecture of a commercial spatial automata processor and propose a new architecture that improves performance by up to 5.1x.
Antiplatelet and antithrombotic treatment for secondary prevention in ischaemic heart disease

Platelets play a key role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes and this is why antiplatelet drugs are essential, both in the acute phase and in the long-term follow-up in preventing recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke and cardiovascular death. Aspirin is the most used agent and still remains the first choice drug for lifelong administration in secondary prevention after myocardial infarction. Dual antiplatelet therapy, targeting more than one pathway of platelet activation, has significantly improved the outcome of patients with acute coronary syndromes despite an increased risk of bleeding complications. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the evidence from randomized clinical trials with a focus on the best association between aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor such as clopidogrel, prasugrel or ticagrelor, on the selection of the appropriate agent based on the revascularization strategy and on the optimal duration of such an intensive treatment. We will also provide the latest evidence regarding new antithrombotic agents, such as vorapaxar or low dose rivaroxaban, that could be associated with dual antiplatelet therapy in high risk patients with the aim of further reducing the rate of major ischaemic complications. Finally we will address the issue of patients presenting with atrial fibrillation and a concomitant acute coronary syndrome who frequently need a percutaneous coronary intervention, with a specific focus on the combination therapy of antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents and on the current recommendations of the guidelines.
A rare contemporary record of the Critically Endangered Ganges shark Glyphis gangeticus.

The first record of the Ganges shark Glyphis gangeticus from anywhere in its range in over a decade is reported from the Arabian Sea. One female specimen was recorded at Sassoon Docks in Mumbai, India in February 2016, measuring 266 cm total length. In light of the Critically Endangered status of this species and its rarity, urgent management actions are needed to determine population size and trends in abundance in combination with fisher education and awareness campaigns.
On the Reduction of Biases in Big Data Sets for the Detection of Irregular Power Usage

In machine learning, a bias occurs whenever training sets are not representative for the test data, which results in unreliable models. The most common biases in data are arguably class imbalance and covariate shift. In this work, we aim to shed light on this topic in order to increase the overall attention to this issue in the field of machine learning. We propose a scalable novel framework for reducing multiple biases in high-dimensional data sets in order to train more reliable predictors. We apply our methodology to the detection of irregular power usage from real, noisy industrial data. In emerging markets, irregular power usage, and electricity theft in particular, may range up to 40% of the total electricity distributed. Biased data sets are of particular issue in this domain. We show that reducing these biases increases the accuracy of the trained predictors. Our models have the potential to generate significant economic value in a real world application, as they are being deployed in a commercial software for the detection of irregular power usage.
A ground radiating antenna for on-body communication

In this paper, a compact textile antenna has been designed for ON body applications. The antenna has an overall size of 60×55×3.75 mm3. Characteristic modal analysis has been performed with the ground. The ground plane has been optimized in such a way so that it radiates field parallel to the body at the second mode. The position of the patch has been adjusted to obtain strong electric field coupling with the designed ground plane. The ground has been excited in order to realize a small antenna size at 2.45GHz ISM band.