Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Residential Energy Management Using a Two-Horizon Algorithm

The increasing demand for electricity and the emergence of smart grids have presented new opportunities for residential energy management systems (REMS) in demand response market. Several techniques are available for optimizing the operation schedules and decisions of REMS. However, it can be challenging for REMS to capture sufficient resolution and horizon to make good short-term and long-term decisions, respectively, under limited computing resources. We propose a two-horizon algorithm, which can achieve high resolution schedules with reasonable value of energy services while limiting computation time. Simulation results are provided to confirm the validity of the proposed approach.
Stability and interactions of nanocolloids at fluid interfaces: effects of capillary waves and line tensions

We analyze the effective potential for nanoparticles trapped at a fluid interface within a simple model which incorporates surface and line tensions as well as a thermal average over interface fluctuations (capillary waves). For a single colloid, a reduced steepness of the potential well hindering movements out of the interface plane compared to rigid interface models is observed, and an instability of the capillary wave partition sum in the case of negative line tensions is pointed out. For two colloids, averaging over the capillary waves leads to an effective Casimir-type interaction which is long ranged, power-like in the inverse distance, but whose power sensitively depends on possible restrictions of the colloid degrees of freedom. A nonzero line tension leads to changes in the magnitude but not in the functional form of the effective potential asymptotics.
Human-Robot Teaming

There is sustained and growing interest in human-robot teaming across academia and industry. Many critical questions still remain as to how to foster flexible, effective, teaming that allow humans and robots to work closely together. This panel will bring together experts on human-robot interaction (HRI) across academia and industry to discuss and debate those critical challenges. Panelists will engage the audience in a structured discussion of where current research meets industry demands and the philosophical-to-technical challenges facing the successful integration of human-robot teaming.
Towards a Multisensory Augmented Reality Map for Blind and Low Vision People: a Participatory Design Approach

Current low-tech Orientation & Mobility (O&M) tools for visually impaired people, e.g. tactile maps, possess limitations. Interactive accessible maps have been developed to overcome these. However, most of them are limited to exploration of existing maps, and have remained in laboratories. Using a participatory design approach, we have worked closely with 15 visually impaired students and 3 O&M instructors over 6 months. We iteratively designed and developed an augmented reality map destined at use in O&M classes in special education centers. This prototype combines projection, audio output and use of tactile tokens, and thus allows both map exploration and construction by low vision and blind people. Our user study demonstrated that all students were able to successfully use the prototype, and showed a high user satisfaction. A second phase with 22 international special education teachers allowed us to gain more qualitative insights. This work shows that augmented reality has potential for improving the access to education for visually impaired people.
Regulation of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptor Type 2β Messenger Ribonucleic Acid in the Rat Cardiovascular System by Urocortin, Glucocorticoids, and Cytokines.

CRF receptor type 2 (CRF R2) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in the rodent heart is modulated by exposure to both the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and glucocorticoids. In this study we examined the roles of glucocorticoids, cytokines, and CRF R2β ligands in the regulation of CRF R2β expression in the cardiovascular system both in vivo and in vitro. Using ribonuclease protection assays, we found that, in addition to the injection of LPS or corticosterone, physical restraint caused a decrease in CRF R2β mRNA levels in the rat heart and aorta. Adrenalectomy with corticosterone replacement at constant levels partially blocked LPS-induced decreases in CRF R2β mRNA expression in the heart. Thus, elevations of endogenous circulating corticosterone could contribute to the down-regulation of CRF R2β mRNA expression in heart. To identify other putative modulating factors, we examined CRF R2β expression in the aorta- derived A7R5 cell line. Incubation with CRF R2 ligands or dexamethasone reduced CRF .
Patient Satisfaction with Physician Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, and Physician Care: A National Survey of Medicare Beneficiaries

• Objective: To assess the extent to which the experiences of older patients vary according to type of primary care provider (ie, physician assistant [PA], nurse practitioner [NP], or physician). • Design: National, cross-sectional survey. • Participants: Medicare beneficiaries completing the 2000 and 2001 Medicare fee-for-service Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey who identified a primary care provider. • Measurements: Satisfaction data, patient sociodemographic characteristics, health care experience, types of care, types of insurance. • Results: 146,880 completed surveys from 321,407 randomly sampled Medicare beneficiaries nationwide (45.7% of total surveyed) were analyzed. 3770 respondents (2.8%) identified a PA or an NP as their personal provider. For questions on satisfaction with their personal care clinician, results were similar across the 3 providers. Patients who reported an NP as their primary care provider were significantly more likely to be Medicaid recipients as compared with patients who reported receiving care from a PA or physician. Patients who reported a physician as their primary care provider were more likely to have supplemental insurance as compared with patients who reported receiving care from a PA or NP. • Conclusion: Medicare beneficiaries are generally satisfied with their medical care and do not distinguish preferences based on type of provider. Nonphysician clinicians and physicians in primary care seemed to be viewed similarly regardless of patient characteristics. PAs and NPs may be a workforce that could be expanded to care for the rising needs of the elderly.
Logic Programs with Refutation Rules

First-order probabilistic models are recognized as efficient frameworks to represent several realworld problems: they combine the expressive power of first-order logic, which serves as a knowledge representation language, and the capability to model uncertainty with probabilities. Among existing models, it is usual to distinguish the domain-frequency approach from the possible-worlds approach. Bayesian logic programs (BLPs, which conveniently encode possible-worlds semantics) and stochastic logic programs (SLPs, often referred to as a domain-frequency approach) are promising probabilistic logic models in their categories. This paper is aimed at comparing the respective expressive power of these frameworks. We demonstrate relations between SLPs’ and BLPs’ semantics, and argue that SLPs can encode the same knowledge as a subclass of BLPs. We introduce extended SLPs which lift the latter result to any BLP. Converse properties are reviewed, and we show how BLPs can define the same semantics as complete, range-restricted, non-recursive SLPs. Algorithms that translate BLPs into SLPs (and vice versa) are provided, as well as worked examples of the intertranslations of SLPs and BLPs.
CAMP: Accurate modeling of core and memory locality for proxy generation of big-data applications

Fast and accurate design-space exploration is a critical requirement for enabling future hardware designs. However, big-data applications are often complex targets to evaluate on early performance models (e.g., simulators or RTL models) owing to their complex software-stacks, significantly long run times, system dependencies and the limited speed of performance models. To overcome the challenges in benchmarking complex big-data applications, in this paper, we propose a proxy generation methodology, CAMP that can generate miniature proxy benchmarks, which are representative of the performance of bigdata applications and yet converge to results quickly without needing any complex software stack support. Prior system-level proxy generation techniques model core locality features in detail, but abstract out memory locality modeling using simple stridebased models, which results in poor cloning accuracy for most applications. CAMP accurately models both core-performance and memory locality, along with modeling the feedback loop between the two. CAMP replicates core performance by modeling the dependencies between instructions, instruction types, control-flow behavior, etc. CAMP also adds a memory locality profiling approach that captures spatial and temporal locality of applications. Finally, we propose a novel proxy replay methodology that integrates the core and memory locality models to create accurate system-level proxy benchmarks. We demonstrate that CAMP proxies can mimic the original application's performance behavior and that they can capture the performance feedback loop well. For a variety of real-world big-data applications, we show that CAMP achieves an average cloning accuracy of 89%. We believe this is a new capability that can facilitate for overall system (core and memory subsystem) design exploration.
Idiomarina xiamenensis sp. nov., isolated from surface seawater, and proposal to transfer Pseudidiomarina aestuarii to the genus Idiomarina as Idiomarina aestuarii comb. nov.

A taxonomic study was carried out on strain 10-D-4(T), which was isolated from a crude oil-degrading consortium enriched from surface seawater collected around Xiamen Island, PR China. Strain 10-D-4(T) grew optimally at pH 7.0-8.0 and at 25 °C. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain 10-D-4(T) showed the highest similarity to those of Idiomarina salinarum ISL-52(T) (94.6 %), Idiomarina tainanensis PIN1(T) (94.2 %) and Idiomarina seosinensis CL-SP19(T) (94.1 %), and showed lower similarity (92.3-94.0 %) to other members of the genus Idiomarina. The major isoprenoid quinone was ubiquinone 8 (Q-8). The major fatty acids were iso-C(13 : 0) (5.2 %), iso-C(15 : 0) (15.3 %), C(16 : 0) (14.3 %), summed feature 3 (C(16 : 1)ω6c and/or C(16 : 1)ω7c) (6.6 %), iso-C(17 : 0) (15.4 %) and C(18 : 1)ω7c (13.5 %). The G+C content of the chromosomal DNA was 50.4 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, together with data from phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characterization, revealed that strain 10-D-4(T) represents a novel species of the genus Idiomarina, for which the name Idiomarina xiamenensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 10-D-4(T) ( = CCTCC AB 209061(T) = LMG 25227(T) = MCCC 1A01370(T)). We also propose the transfer of Pseudidiomarina aestuarii, described recently, to the genus Idiomarina as Idiomarina aestuarii comb. nov. (type strain KYW314(T) = KCTC 22740(T) = JCM 16344(T)).
Two Inexpensive and Non-destructive Techniques to Correct for Smaller-Than-Gasket Leaf Area in Gas Exchange Measurements

The development of technology, like the widely-used off-the-shelf portable photosynthesis systems, for the quantification of leaf gas exchange rates and chlorophyll fluorescence offered photosynthesis research a massive boost. Gas exchange parameters in such photosynthesis systems are calculated as gas exchange rates per unit leaf area. In small chambers (<10 cm2), the leaf area used by the system for these calculations is actually the internal gasket area (AG), provided that the leaf covers the entire AG. In this study, we present two inexpensive and non-destructive techniques that can be used to easily quantify the enclosed leaf area (AL) of plant species with leaves of surface area much smaller than the AG, such as that of cereal crops. The AL of the cereal crop species studied has been measured using a standard image-based approach (iAL) and estimated using a leaf width-based approach (wAL). iAL and wAL did not show any significant differences between them in maize, barley, hard and soft wheat. Similar results were obtained when the wAL was tested in comparison with iAL in different positions along the leaf in all species studied. The quantification of AL and the subsequent correction of leaf gas exchange parameters for AL provided a precise quantification of net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance especially with decreasing AL. This study provides two practical, inexpensive and non-destructive solutions to researchers dealing with photosynthesis measurements on small-leaf plant species. The image-based technique can be widely used for quantifying AL in many plant species despite their leaf shape. The leaf width-based technique can be securely used for quantifying AL in cereal crop species such as maize, wheat and barley along the leaf. Both techniques can be used for a wide range of gasket shapes and sizes with minor technique-specific adjustments.
Symptomatic Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis

Besides immunomodulation and immunosuppression, the specific treatment of symptoms is an essential component of the overall management of multiple sclerosis (MS). Symptomatic treatment is aimed at the elimination or reduction of symptoms impairing the functional abilities and quality of life of the affected patients. Moreover, with symptomatic treatment the development of a secondary physical impairment due to an existing one may be avoided. Many therapeutic techniques as well as different drugs are used for the treatment of MS symptoms, but only a few of them have been investigated, especially in MS patients, and are approved by the national health authorities. Despite an overwhelming number of publications, only a few evidence-based studies exist and consensus reports are very rare, too. Therefore, it seemed necessary to develop a consensus statement on symptomatic treatment of MS comprising existing evidence-based literature as well as therapeutic experience of neurologists who have dealt with these problems over a long time. This consensus paper contains proposals for the treatment of the most common MS symptoms: disorders of motor function and coordination, of cranial nerve function, of autonomic, cognitive, and psychological functions as well as MS-related pain syndromes and epileptic seizures.
Recognition of Road Markings from In-Vehicle Camera Images by a Generative Learning Method

In this paper, we propose a method for recognition of road markings from in-vehicle camera images. A road marking in in-vehicle camera images has a variety of appearance due to the change of position and distance between the camera and the road marking, blur effect, and so on. Therefore, accurate recognition of road markings becomes difficult in real environment. Our method generates numerous learning images with the appearance variation in order to recognize road mark- ings in real environment accurately. The effectiveness of the proposed method was confirmed through a recog- nition experiment using actual in-vehicle camera im- ages.
Time-Optimal Parallel Sorting Algorithm on a Completely Overlapping Network

Several parallel sorting algorithms exist in computer science literature depending on the kinds of network architectures they use. This paper presents yet another kind of sorting algorithms on a new theoretical network named completely overlapping network (CON). This new network model has an applicable potential in real-life applications since it is an extension of LANs that are widely used at present. This paper shows one such application on CON, namely a sorting algorithm, and a proof that this algorithm is optimal.
Classification and analysis of security attacks in WSNs and IEEE 802.15.4 standards : A survey

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are an emerging technology due to its huge number of applications such as military investigations and civilian scenarios. Once deployed, these networks are unprotected and unattended thereby making them prone to several security attacks. These sensor nodes cannot use conventional solutions for providing security because of limited battery and memory supply. Also WSNs are vulnerable to attacks because of broadcast nature of medium, resource constrained SNs, dynamic network topology and large network scales. The paper provides survey of various attacks in sensor networks such as wormhole attack, sinkhole attack, selective forwarding attack, man-in-the-middle attack and Sybil attacks. IEEE 802.15. 4 standard is a dominating technology for WSNs. The article focuses on unified survey of IEEE 802.15. 4 standard attacks. In this article, we discuss all these attacks and countermeasures to defend these attacks.
Nanoscale dual-gate InAlAs/InGaAs HEMT with improved characteristics

ABSTRACT This paper deals with the DC and Radio Frequency (RF) characteristics of InAlAs/InGaAs-based dual-gate high-electron-mobility transistor (DG-HEMT) for a 50 nm gate length. In single-gate HEMT (SG-HEMT), the gate length having less than 100 nm shows poor transconductance (g m ) which reduces the voltage gain (A v ) and maximum oscillation frequency (f max). To overcome this problem, a dual-gate structure is designed keeping the device dimensions unchanged and a numerical model is developed to study the effect of the dual gate. A comparative study of SG-HEMT and DG-HEMT is presented. For a DG-HEMT, a maximum drain current (Ids ) of 310 mA/mm at Vds = 0.1 V, a peak transconductance (g m_max) of 2294 mS/mm, a cut-off frequency (fT ) of 100 GHz and a maximum oscillation frequency (f max) of 270 GHz have been achieved. For reduced gate length, the DG-HEMT performs better due to the presence of dual gate and double heterojunction.
Long-Term Climate Trends and Extreme Events in Northern Fennoscandia (1914–2013)

We studied climate trends and the occurrence of rare and extreme temperature and precipitation events in northern Fennoscandia in 1914–2013. Weather data were derived from nine observation stations located in Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia. The results showed that spring and autumn temperatures and to a lesser extent summer temperatures increased significantly in the study region, the observed changes being the greatest for daily minimum temperatures. The number of frost days declined both in spring and autumn. Rarely cold winter, spring, summer and autumn seasons had a low occurrence and rarely warm spring and autumn seasons a high occurrence during the last 20-year interval (1994–2013), compared to the other 20-year intervals. That period was also characterized by a low number of days with extremely low temperature in all seasons (4–9% of all extremely cold days) and a high number of April and October days with extremely high temperature (36–42% of all extremely warm days). A tendency of exceptionally high daily precipitation sums to grow even higher towards the end of the study period was also observed. To summarize, the results indicate a shortening of the cold season in northern Fennoscandia. Furthermore, the results suggest significant declines in extremely cold climate events in all seasons and increases in extremely warm climate events particularly in spring and autumn seasons.
Blood-Based Biomarkers of Aggressive Prostate Cancer

Purpose Prostate cancer is a bimodal disease with aggressive and indolent forms. Current prostate-specific-antigen testing and digital rectal examination screening provide ambiguous results leading to both under-and over-treatment. Accurate, consistent diagnosis is crucial to risk-stratify patients and facilitate clinical decision making as to treatment versus active surveillance. Diagnosis is currently achieved by needle biopsy, a painful procedure. Thus, there is a clinical need for a minimally-invasive test to determine prostate cancer aggressiveness. A blood sample to predict Gleason score, which is known to reflect aggressiveness of the cancer, could serve as such a test. Materials and Methods Blood mRNA was isolated from North American and Malaysian prostate cancer patients/controls. Microarray analysis was conducted utilizing the Affymetrix U133 plus 2·0 platform. Expression profiles from 255 patients/controls generated 85 candidate biomarkers. Following quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis, ten disease-associated biomarkers remained for paired statistical analysis and normalization. Results Microarray analysis was conducted to identify 85 genes differentially expressed between aggressive prostate cancer (Gleason score ≥8) and controls. Expression of these genes was qRT-PCR verified. Statistical analysis yielded a final seven-gene panel evaluated as six gene-ratio duplexes. This molecular signature predicted as aggressive (ie, Gleason score ≥8) 55% of G6 samples, 49% of G7(3+4), 79% of G7(4+3) and 83% of G8-10, while rejecting 98% of controls. Conclusion In this study, we have developed a novel, blood-based biomarker panel which can be used as the basis of a simple blood test to identify men with aggressive prostate cancer and thereby reduce the overdiagnosis and overtreatment that currently results from diagnosis using PSA alone. We discuss possible clinical uses of the panel to identify men more likely to benefit from biopsy and immediate therapy versus those more suited to an “active surveillance” strategy.
Role of Hematopoietic Cells in the Maintenance of Chronic Human Torquetenovirus Plasma Viremia

ABSTRACT Many aspects of the life cycle of torquetenoviruses (TTVs) are essentially unexplored. In particular, it is still a matter of speculation which cell type(s) replicates the viruses and maintains the generally high viral loads found in the blood of infected hosts. In this study, we sequentially measured the TTV loads in the plasma of four TTV-positive leukemia patients who were strongly myelosuppressed and then transplanted with haploidentical hematopoietic stem cells. The findings provide clear quantitative evidence for an extremely important role of hematopoietic cells in the maintenance of TTV viremia.
The solution to the problem of load unbalance of paralled-Sphgen program

DOCK program is a fairly successful molecular-docking software. It has been developed by Kunta research group. The Sphgen program which generates the spheres is a very important step in DOCK, but the calculation process is very time-consuming, seriously delaying the entire molecular docking process. Therefore, the Kunta research team developed a parallel Sphgen program based on Pthreads to accelerate the computation of the Sphgen program. Due to the load unbalance, the speedup ratio of this paralleled Spghen program is very low. So, this paper proposed two ways to solve the load unbalance: removing zero-atoms and non-uniform division method. One way deleted zero-atoms in computational data, which solve load unbalance in some way. Second, Based on the time complexity of the Sphgen program, the paper proposed a novel method of unequally partitioning computational data, which guaranteed that the time complexity of computational task of each CPU is equal in theory. After using the proposed methods, the speedup ratio of paralleled Sphgen program improves 3.51.
A 12.5-Gb/s self-calibrating linear phase detector-based CDR using 0.18μm SiGe BiCMOS

A 12.5 Gb/s half-rate clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit is described. The CDR uses a half-rate linear phase detector (LPD) which minimizes the number of latches required. To correct for static phase offsets (SPO) that inevitably result from variations in analog circuit parameters, a calibration scheme is used on startup. Measured high-frequency jitter tolerance is improved by up to 0.2 UIpp through this calibration. Power for the CDR, excluding the PLL and I/O circuits, is 82 mW at 12 Gb/s.