Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing the energy content of system frequency and electric vehicle charging efficiency for ancillary service provision

The purpose of this paper is to quantify the effect of biased system frequency deviations and charger losses in order for an aggregation of electric vehicles (EVs) to provide reliable primary frequency control (PFC). A data set consisting of one year of frequency measurements of the Nordic synchronous zone is used for the analysis. The average system frequency can be biased over the hour, which can lead storage units, performing PFC, to become fully charged or depleted. This paper presents statistical bounds on how variable the average system frequency can be on different time scales. Additionally, a method for calculating the expected energy loss caused by continuous charging and discharging is presented together with efficiency measurements of a commercial bidirectional EV charger. It is found that during a year, the energy balance of the service provider, relative to the grid, is within the calculated bounds. The efficiency losses are calculated and validated to have a linear relationship with the reserve capacity and the provision time.
Effect of Physical Training on Insulin Action in Obesity

We evaluated insulin secretion and insulin action with the hyperglycemic (125 mg/dl above basal) and euglycemic insulin (40 mU · m2 · min−1) clamps in seven moderately obese subjects before and after a 6-wk exercise training program. Thirty-nine normalweight, age-matched subjects served as controls. Both fasting plasma insulin concentration and glucosestimulated (hyperglycemic clamp) insulin secretion were significantly (P < .001) increased in the obese subjects. After the training program fasting insulin levels decreased by 26% (P < .01). Insulin secretion in response to hyperglycemia decreased by a similar percentage (P < .01). Nonetheless, total-body glucose metabolism increased significantly (P < .05) during the hyperglycemic clamp. With the euglycemic insulin clamp, obese subjects were shown to be significantly (P < .001) insulin resistant compared with controls. The decrease in total-body glucose uptake resulted from defects in both peripheral glucose disposal and suppression of hepatic glucose production. After the 6-wk training program, insulin-mediated total-body glucose metabolism increased due to significant improvements in peripheral glucose uptake (P < .01) and more effective suppression of hepatic glucose production (P < .05). These results indicate that a moderate-intensity physical conditioning program is capable of ameliorating the insulin resistance and reducing glucose-stimulated hyperinsulinemia observed in obese subjects with normal glucose tolerance.
eLearning standards and automatic assessment in a distributed eclipse based environment for learning computer programming

Computer Programming competence is a good research field in which students of Computer Science can be assisted by an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS). An ITS can guide the students in their learning process proposing the corresponding learning activities for each particular student. In this article, we will outline a proposal about how to use eLearning standard and automatic assessment techniques to build an ITS for learning to program. In addition, we will show the implemented system to test our proposal and how we have evaluated it with students in our university. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 22:774–787, 2014; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.21569
Entre los tiempos escolares y los tiempos de ocio: aproximación a su análisis en la vida cotidiana del alumnado de educación primaria en España.

El articulo que presentamos tiene como soporte teorico y empirico los resultados derivados de un proyecto de investigacion orientado a conocer e interpretar como inciden los tiempos escolares en los procesos de socializacion infantil, analizando de que forma y en que grado afectan a la vida cotidiana de la infancia escolarizada en la Educacion Primaria, asi como a los modos de configurar su tiempo libre en la sociedad espanola actual. Complementariamente, desde una perspectiva pedagogico-social, se proponen alternativas que seria deseable adoptar para que los calendarios y horarios escolares -en convergencia con otros tiempos sociales- posibiliten nuevas opciones para un desarrollo mas integral e integrador de la infancia, en congruencia con los objetivos y criterios de actuacion que, en las ultimas decadas, sugieren la Pedagogia y la Educacion del Ocio.
Salivary Melatonin Rhythm as a Marker of the Circadian System in Healthy Children and Those With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood. Problems with sleep structure, efficiency, and timing have been reported in some, but not all, studies on ADHD children. As the sleep-wake cycle belongs to circadian rhythms, the timekeeping circadian system might be involved in ADHD. To assess whether the circadian system of ADHD children differs from that of controls, the rhythm of the pineal hormone melatonin was used as a reliable marker of the system. Saliva from 34 ADHD and 43 control 6- to 12-yr-old children was sampled at 2-h intervals throughout the entire 24-h cycle, and the melatonin profiles of the ADHD and control children were compared. The nocturnal melatonin peaks of the ADHD and control group did not differ significantly. The high nocturnal interindividual variability of the peaks seen in adulthood was present already in the studied children. The 24-h melatonin profiles of all the ADHD subjects did not differ significantly from those of the control subjects. Categorization of subjects according to age, into groups of 6- to 7-yr-old (9 ADHD, 5 control), 8- to 9-yr-old (16 ADHD, 26 control), and 10- to 12-yr-old (9 ADHD, 12 control) children, revealed significant differences between the ADHD and control group in the melatonin rhythm waveform, but not in nocturnal melatonin peaks; the peaks were about the same in both groups and did not change significantly with increasing age. In the oldest, but not in the younger, children, the melatonin signal duration in the ADHD group was shorter than in the control group. The difference might be due to the fact that whereas in the control group both the evening melatonin onset and the morning offset phase delayed in the oldest children relative to those in the youngest children, in the ADHD group only the onset, but not the offset, phase delayed with increasing age. The data may indicate subtle differences between the circadian system of ADHD and control children during development. (Author correspondence: sumova@biomed.cas.cz)
Vav modulation of the Ras / MEK / ERK signaling pathway plays a role in NFAT activation and CD69 up‐regulation

Vav is expressed exclusively in hematopoietic cells and becomes phosphorylated on tyrosine in response to antigen receptor ligation. Although Vav can act as a Rac‐specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor in vitro and as a c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) activator in ectopic expression systems, its physiological functions in lymphocytes remain unclear. Indirect evidence suggests that Vav interacts with the Ras / ERK pathway in T cells. Here, we analyzed the effects of Vav on three known downstream targets of Ras, i. e. activation of ERK and NFAT, and up‐regulation of the activation antigen CD69. The MEK inhibitor PD90859 inhibited Vav‐induced activation of ERK, and Vav‐ or anti‐CD3‐induced activation of NFAT, suggesting that MEK and ERK are involved in Vav‐mediated NFAT activation. Similarly to Ras, Vav cooperated with constitutively active calcineurin and with ERK to activate NFAT, and was capable of up‐regulating CD69 expression in T cells. Moreover, these Vav‐mediated functions were all inhibited by a dominant negative Ras mutant. Conversely, however, dominant negative Vav did not inhibit NFAT and ERK activation or CD69 expression induced by an active Ras mutant. These findings indicate that Ras functions as an important downstream target of Vav in signaling pathways that lead to NFAT and ERK activation, and to CD69 expression. Moreover, the finding that Vav‐ (or Ras‐) induced CD69 expression was not inhibited by a dominant negative Rac mutant indicates that Vav mediates some Ras‐dependent, but Rac‐independent, functions in T cells.
Owning, Using and Renting: Some Simple Economics of the Sharing Economy

New Internet-based markets enable consumer/owners to rent out their durable goods when not using them. Such markets are modeled to determine ownership, rental rates, quantities, and surplus generated. Both the short run, before consumers can revise their ownership decisions, and the long run, in which they can, are examined to assess how these markets change ownership and consumption. The analysis examines bringing-to-market costs, such as labor costs and transaction costs, and considers the operating platform's pricing problem. A survey of consumers broadly supports the modeling assumptions employed. For example, ownership is determined by individuals' forward-looking assessments of planned usage.
Mapping and localization of susceptible genes in asthma.

OBJECTIVE To elucidate the development of mapping and localization of susceptible genes on chromosomes to asthma related phenotypes. DATA SOURCES Published articles about susceptibility genes for asthma related phenotypes were selected using PubMed. STUDY SELECTION Using methods of candidate gene positional clone and genome-wide scan with linkage and association analysis to determine the location in the genome of susceptibility genes to asthma and asthma related phenotypes. RESULTS There are multiple regions in the genome harboring susceptibility genes to asthma and asthma related phenotypes, including chromosomes 5, 11, 12, 6, 2, 3, 13, 7, 14, 9, 19 and 17. Many of these regions contain candidate genes involved in asthma development and progression. Some susceptible genes may affect the phenotype expression or response to therapy. In addition, the interaction of multiple genes with the environment may contribute to the susceptibility to asthma. CONCLUSIONS As an essential step toward cloning the susceptible genes to asthma, fine mapping and localization on chromosomes are definitely needed. Novel powerful tools for gene discovery and the integration of genetics, biology and bioinformatics should be pursued.
A Novel Role for Autophagy in Neurodevelopment

We recently showed that Ambra1, a WD40-containing ~130 KDa protein, is a novel activating molecule in Beclin 1-regulated autophagy and plays a role in the development of the nervous system. Ambra1 binds to Beclin 1 and favors Beclin 1/Vps34 interaction. At variance with these factors, Ambra1 is highly conserved among vertebrates only, and its expression is mostly confined to the neuroepithelium during early neurogenesis. Ambra1 functional inactivation in mouse led to lethality in utero (starting from embryonic day 14.5), characterized by severe neural tube defects associated with autophagy impairment, unbalanced cell proliferation, accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, and excessive apoptosis. We also demonstrated that hyperproliferation was the earliest detectable abnormality in the developing neuroepithelium, followed by a wave of caspase-dependent cell death. These findings provided in vivo evidence supporting the existence of a complex interplay between autophagy, cell proliferation and cell death during neural development in mammals. In this Addendum, we review our findings in the contexts of autophagy and neurodevelopment and consider some of the issues raised. Addendum to: Ambra1 Regulates Autophagy and the Development of the Nervous System G.M. Fimia, A. Stoykova, A. Romagnoli, L. Giunta, S. Di Bartolomeo, R. Nardacci, M. Corazzari, C. Fuoco, A. Ucar, P. Schwartz, P. Gruss, M. Piacentini, K. Chowdhury and F. Cecconi Nature 2007; In press
Adrenal participation in the timing of mating and LH release in the cyclic rat.

The purpose of these experiments was to study some of the factors controlling the timing of mating behavior on the day of proestrus of the rat estrous cycle. In unoperated rats exhibiting 4-day cycles, the first appearance of the lordosis response to a male came after the onset (1400 hr) of the critical period for LH release; the average time was at 1641 hr. In unoperated 5-day rats half had shown the first lordosis by 1400; not only was the mean time of onset significantly earlier but the variance was significantly greater in the 5-day rat. Sham ovariectomy advanced the time of lordosis if performed early enough in the day of proestrus in both types of cyclers; ovariectomy also advanced lordosis except when performed at 0600 hr in 4-day rats, when the procedure blocked or delayed mating. Adrenalectomy delayed lordosis in both types of cyclers until after 1800 hr; combined ovariectomy and adrenalectomy blocked lordosis from appearing at all in significant numbers of animals of both cycle lengths. The comb.
Design of an X-band symmetrical window bandpass filter based on Substrate Integrated Waveguide

Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) is a new kind of microwave transmission structure appeared in recent years. The SIW technique makes it possible that a complete circuit including planar circuitry, transition, and rectangular waveguide are fabricated in a planar form using a standard printed circuit board (PCB). From analysis of the susceptance of symmetrical window and designing process of Chebyshev bandpass filter in rectangular waveguide, an X-band filter based on SIW is designed and fabricated in this article. The simulated results show that the bandwidth of the filter is 5%. The insertion loss is about 1.4 dB, and return loss is about 25 dB at 10 GHz. The measured insertion and return losses are about 2.9 dB and about 13 dB, respectively at mid-band frequency. The filter has a small insert loss and good frequency selective performances from 9.82GHz to 10.20GHz. It is suitable for designing millimeter-wave circuits, and can be produced with batches to be widely used in the microwave systems with the simple structure.
TRPS1 Targeting by miR-221/222 Promotes the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer

The microRNAs miR-221 and miR-222 promote a phenotype associated with metastasis and are found in a clinically aggressive form of breast cancer. Parsing Breast Cancer Subtype with MicroRNAs MicroRNAs (miRNAs), short noncoding RNAs that bind to and silence target mRNAs, have emerged as playing crucial regulatory roles not only in normal cellular processes but also in pathological conditions, such as cancer. Stinson et al. analyzed miRNA expression in different types of human breast cancer and found that miR-221 and miR-222 (miR-221/222) abundance was increased in the clinically aggressive basal-like subtype compared to the less aggressive luminal subtype. They determined that signaling through the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)–RAS–extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) pathway increased miR-221/222 transcription, and they defined a transcriptional regulatory pathway through which miR-221/222 promoted a phenotype associated with cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Their data suggest that combining inhibition of the EGFR-RAS-ERK pathway with standard chemotherapy could, by limiting miR-221/222 production, provide a strategy to combat metastasis in the basal-like subtype of breast cancer. The basal-like subtype of breast cancer has an aggressive clinical behavior compared to that of the luminal subtype. We identified the microRNAs (miRNAs) miR-221 and miR-222 (miR-221/222) as basal-like subtype–specific miRNAs and showed that expression of miR-221/222 decreased expression of epithelial-specific genes and increased expression of mesenchymal-specific genes, and increased cell migration and invasion in a manner characteristic of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The transcription factor FOSL1 (also known as Fra-1), which is found in basal-like breast cancers but not in the luminal subtype, stimulated the transcription of miR-221/222, and the abundance of these miRNAs decreased with inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or MEK (mitogen-activated or extracellular signal–regulated protein kinase kinase), placing miR-221/222 downstream of the RAS pathway. Furthermore, miR-221/222–mediated reduction in E-cadherin abundance depended on their targeting the 3′ untranslated region of the GATA family transcriptional repressor TRPS1 (tricho-rhino-phalangeal syndrome type 1), which inhibited EMT by decreasing ZEB2 (zinc finger E-box–binding homeobox2) expression. We conclude that by promoting EMT, miR-221/222 may contribute to the more aggressive clinical behavior of basal-like breast cancers.
Metabolism of isomalto‐oligosaccharides by Lactobacillus reuteri and bifidobacteria

Commercial isomalto‐oligosaccharides (IMO) are functional food ingredients. They are composed of α(1→6)‐ and α(1→4)‐linked oligosaccharides. IMO are partially indigestible, and dietary IMO stimulate beneficial members of intestinal microbiota, including lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. However, data on IMO metabolism by lactobacilli are not available. It was the aim of this study to identify metabolic pathways of IMO metabolism in lactobacilli. This study focused on the host‐adapted species Lactobacillus reuteri. Metabolism of bifidobacteria was analysed for comparison. Commercial IMO contained IMO with a degree of polymerization (DP) of up to four and panose‐series oligosaccharides (POS) with a DP of up to 5. Lactobacilli metabolized isomaltose preferentially over oligosaccharides with higher DP. Bifidobacteria preferentially metabolized oligosaccharides with higher DP and accumulated glucose. Metabolism of IMO and POS by L. reuteri was attributed to α(1→6)‐specific glucanase DexB and maltose phosphorylase. Contribution of maltose phosphorylase was verified by quantification of IMO and POS phosphorolysis in crude cellular extracts of L. reuteri 100‐23. In conclusion, metabolism of IMO by lactobacilli is limited to short‐chain oligosaccharides, while bifidobacteria preferentially metabolize oligosaccharides with higher DP. The functionality of commercial IMO can thus be modified by degree of polymerization.
The role of Mycoplasma genitalium and Ureaplasma urealyticum biovar 2 in postgonococcal urethritis.

BACKGROUND There are few studies on coinfection with genital mycoplasmas and ureaplasmas in men with gonococcal urethritis (GU). The role of these species in postgonococcal urethritis (PGU) is poorly understood. Thus, we conducted a study to determine the prevalence of coinfection with genital mycoplasmas and ureaplasmas among men with GU and to assess the role of these pathogens in PGU. METHODS Three hundred ninety men infected with culture-confirmed Neisseria gonorrhoeae participated in the study. Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma parvum biovar 1, and Ureaplasma urealyticum biovar 2 in first-voided urine samples were detected by polymerase chain reaction-based assay at the patients' initial visits. PGU was judged to be present if the urethral smear was positive for polymorphonuclear leucocytes 7-14 days after treatment for gonorrhea. The association between each microorganism and PGU, measured by the odds ratio, was estimated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS C. trachomatis, M. genitalium, M. hominis, U. parvum biovar 1, and U. urealyticum biovar 2 were detected in 85 (21.8%), 16 (4.1%), 8 (2.1%), and 33 men (8.5%), respectively. In patients with chlamydia-negative GU, coinfection with M. genitalium was associated with a 14.54-fold greater risk of PGU (95% confidence interval, 2.91-72.74), and coinfection with U. urealyticum biovar 2 was associated with a 3.64-fold greater risk of PGU (95% confidence interval, 1.24-10.63). CONCLUSIONS Coinfection with M. genitalium or U. ureaplasma biovar 2 in men with GU was significantly associated with PGU, independent of C. trachomatis. Men with GU should be treated presumptively with antibiotics that are active against C. trachomatis, M. genitalium, and U. urealyticum biovar 2.
Low-Noise Isolated Digital Shunt for Precision Class-D Power Amplifiers

Power electronic converters regularly employ isolated analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) for the acquisition of voltage/current signals that are required for their digital control systems. In precision power converters, such as those required in nanometer-accuracy positioning systems for integrated circuit manufacturing, the noise content of the measured signals is critical since it leads to undesired noise in the power converter output signals due to the feedback system's high sensor noise sensitivity. This letter illustrates how sampling jitter, i.e., stochastic deviations of the ADC's sampling instants from their ideal occurrences, which is mainly caused by the digital signal isolators used to isolate the ADC control signals, introduces a measurement error and critically influences the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of an isolated current measurement at the output of a half-bridge. Jitter figures of commonly used digital signal isolators are measured, as these values are rarely available in the literature. It is revealed that RMS jitter varies significantly between the analyzed devices, from 13 ps up to 250 ps, even among those that utilize similar isolation techniques. Thus, in a second step, it is analytically derived how the half-bridge inductor, and the related half-bridge current ripple, directly influences the SNR of the current measurement. Using the resulting simple design equations, which are also verified with numeric simulations, the half-bridge inductor can be designed to significantly reduce the half-bridge current measurement noise, by a factor of up to $\approx$ 0.6 in common measurement configurations.
New Arbitrated Quantum Signature Scheme without Entangled state

Arbitrated quantum signature (AQS) schemes use quantum cryptography to ensure their security, and the schemes provide that the signature receiver verifies the signature with the arbitrator’s assistance. Very recently, Gao and Choi found in some previous AQS schemes, the receiver, Bob can counterfeit the signer’s signature under known message. Additionally, the paper gives the security analysis of the AQS scheme, and results show that not only the receiver, but also the attacker can forge the signature in the AQS scheme. Furthermore, the signer can successfully disavow any message she ever signed. To conquer these shortcomings, this paper gives a new AQS scheme without quantum entangled state; it uses special quantum logic gate and new quantum one-time pads to ensure its security. Compares with other previous AQS schemes, the new scheme has following advantages: (1) the new scheme guarantees the receiver and the attacker cannot forge the signature; (2) Because the new scheme does not use quantum entangled states, so it can reduce the complexity of implementation and provides a higher efficiency in transmission; (3) The receiver, Bob has verified the signature’s integrity, so Alice cannot disavow her having signed message.
Current status and critical reflections on implantable hearing aids.

OBJECTIVE To present the technical background of implantable hearing aids and to consider biomechanical problems and selective criteria for candidates. DATA SOURCES Publications and evidence on biomechanical aspects of middle ear function. CONCLUSIONS Implantable hearing aids represent a technically attractive and clinically promising challenge. Yet, the mechanical complexity of biotechnical interfaces in the middle ear and technical problems are immense and perhaps not even fully understood. Currently available devices still leave many biomechanical questions unanswered. Therefore candidates should be carefully selected to avoid unsuccessful implantations, in order to prevent a premature discredit of this fascinating technique.