Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Payment cost minimization for simultaneous auctions in energy and spinning reserve markets

Deregulated electricity markets currently use an auction mechanism that minimizes the total offer cost to select offers and their power levels. Previous studies have shown that for a given set of offers, using an auction that minimizes the total payment cost would lead to a reduced cost that consumers have to pay, consistent with FERC's goals on standard market design. Building on our recent work on payment cost minimization for an energy market, in this paper, we study simultaneous auctions of both energy and spinning reserve markets. In this problem, whether a unit can be selected for spinning reserve is conditioned on its selection in the energy market; and for a generator, the sum of selected energy and reserve levels cannot exceed its capacity. The problem is solved by extending the augmented Lagrangian relaxation and surrogate optimization framework, where system demand on energy and reserve as well as unit capacity constraints are relaxed. In view of the dependency of reserve on energy, individual unit subproblems as opposed to individual energy or reserve offer subproblems are formed, and are solved by using dynamic programming (DP). Within DP, the energy and reserve levels for a particular "on" state are individually optimized in view that coupling constraints have been relaxed. The relaxation of capacity constraints also simplifies the previous procedure that compares "on state cost" vs. "off state cost" within DP. Numerical testing results demonstrate that the method is effective to provide near-optimal solutions, and provides valuable economic insights
Nurse Residency Program Implementation: The Utah Experience

Recently, nurse residency programs have been shown to improve satisfaction and enhance the retention of new graduate nurses, offering one solution for hospital executives, administrators, and managers searching for innovative ways to address nursing staff shortages. This article identifies crucial lessons that will assist leaders in designing and implementing a nurse residency program in their own institutions. The lessons are drawn from the experience of the successful University of Utah program. Four important practical components of such programs are described: an adaptive curriculum, promotion of autonomy, mentoring, and meeting the needs of participants with associate degrees. Although the lessons are based on the perspective of one nurse residency program, they hold import for the design of nurse residency programs in diverse settings.
Slack Space Recycling: Delaying On-Demand Cleaning in LFS for Performance and Endurance

The Log-structured File System (LFS) transforms random writes to a huge sequential one to provide superior write performance on storage devices. However, LFS inherently suffers from overhead incurred by cleaning segments. Specifically, when file system utilization is high and the system is busy, write performance of LFS degenerates significantly due to high cleaning cost. Also, in the newer flash memory based SSD storage devices, cleaning leads to reduced SSD lifetime as it incurs more writes. In this paper, we propose an enhancement to the original LFS to alleviate the performance degeneration due to cleaning when the system is busy. The new scheme, which we call Slack Space Recycling (SSR), allows LFS to delay on-demand cleaning during busy hours such that cleaning may be done when the load is much lighter. Specifically, it writes modified data directly to invalid areas (slack space) of used segments instead of cleaning on-demand, pushing back cleaning for later. SSR also has the added benefit of increasing the lifetime of the now popular SSD storage devices. We implement the new SSR-LFS file system in Linux and perform a large set of experiments. The results of these experiments show that the SSR scheme significantly improves performance of LFS for a wide range of storage utilization settings and that the lifetime of SSDs is extended considerably.
SCR device fabricated with dummy-gate structure to improve turn-on speed for effective ESD protection in CMOS technology

Turn-on speed is the main concern for an on-chip electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device, especially in the nanoscale CMOS processes with ultrathin gate oxide. A novel dummy-gate-blocking silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) device employing a substrate-triggered technique is proposed to improve the turn-on speed of an SCR device for using in an on-chip ESD protection circuit to effectively protect the much thinner gate oxide. The fabrication of the proposed SCR device with dummy-gate structure is fully process-compatible with general CMOS process, without using an extra mask layer or adding process steps. From the experimental results in a 0.25-/spl mu/m CMOS process with a gate-oxide thickness of /spl sim/50 /spl Aring/, the switching voltage, turn-on speed, turn-on resistance, and charged-device-model ESD levels of the SCR device with dummy-gate structure have been greatly improved, as compared to the normal SCR with shallow trench isolation structure.
A 14:1 dynamic MUX FF with select activity detection

A 14:1 dynamic MUX FF is discussed. The design uses 2 cascaded dynamic stages to investigate the 14:1 MUX with a dynamic FF. In addition, replication is used to maintain latch state when all selects are inactive. The timing of the MUX FF is evaluated with a proposed slew detector. Fabricated in a 90nm CMOS process, the chip has a 2times speed increase and 70% area reduction compared to conventional methods
Topographic classification, clinical characteristics, and diagnostic delay of cancer of the larynx/hypopharynx in Torino, Italy

The case series of a population‐based case‐control study of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers in Torino, Italy, included 281 men with clinical and anamnestic data. Two hundred fifteen, 28, and 38 cancers originated from the endolarynx, epilarynx, and hypopharynx, respectively. Regions invaded by the tumor were divided into 26 subsites. A classification based on the number of invaded subsites was proposed, which agreed well with the T classification of the TNM system. Cancers originating from the hypopharynx invaded more subsites than cancers from the endolarynx, and among the latter, supraglottic were more invasive than glottic lesions. The number of invaded subsites was strongly associated with nodal involvement. Among symptoms at onset of disease and at diagnosis, patients with endolaryngeal lesions reported dysphonia and dyspnea more frequently, and patients with lesions from other regions had a higher prevalence of dysphagia, odynophagia, otalgia, and adenopathia. Clinical and epidemiologic results of this study suggest considering the endolarynx, epilarynx, and hypopharynx as separate anatomic entities. Diagnostic delay was not associated with tumor size and showed a negative trend with involvement of cervical lymph nodes, suggesting that stage at diagnosis is due to intrinsic differences in tumor aggressiveness.
Block-Based CS in a CMOS Image Sensor

An implementation of the compressive sensing (CS) method with a CMOS image sensor is presented. The conventional three-transistor active pixel sensor (APS) structure and switched capacitor circuits are exploited to develop an analog implementation of the CS encoding in a CMOS sensor. With the analog implementation, the sensing and encoding are performed in the same time interval and making a real-time encoding process to optimize the frame rate of the imager. A block readout strategy is proposed to capture the required CS measurements for different blocks of the image, rather than the common column-row readout method. All measurement circuits are placed outside the array by this readout strategy, and the imager becomes scalable for larger array sizes. Because there is no extra in-pixel element for the CS measurement process, the fill factor of the imager is the same as its corresponding APS imager without CS. The proposed structure is designed and fabricated in 0.13-μm CMOS technology for a 2 × 2 array. The experimental results confirm the validity of the design in making monotonic and appropriate CS measurements. The functionality of the block readout method and the scalability of the imager are confirmed by fabrication of a 4×4 block and a 16×16 array.
Abortive mitoses and nuclear DNA fragmentation in CD30+ large cells of Hodgkin's disease.

This study was undertaken to better comprehend the reasons for the scarcity of Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (H-RS) cells in Hodgkin's disease (HD) despite their expression of "proliferation-associated antigens". To this end, we assessed the relative frequency of mitotic phases and nuclear damage (detected by in situ end-labeling of DNA strand breaks) in CD30+ large cells of nodular sclerosis and mixed cellularity HD. Our results show that a) most CD30+ cells in HD exhibit abortive mitoses, with a highly significant arrest at the metaphase-ana/telophase transition, and b) many of these elements, i.e. mainly H-RS cells, show fragmentation of nuclear DNA, suggesting imminent or actual death. Percentages of CD30+ cells that entered mitosis and those with DNA strand breaks were of a similar order of magnitude and correlated significantly in a linear fashion. These findings are consistent with the concept that cell deletion is the major cause of the paucity of H-RS cells in HD.
Meta-Analysis of Prognostic Role of Ki-67 Labeling Index in Gastric Carcinoma

Background This meta-analysis aimed to elucidate the prognostic role of the Ki-67 labeling index (LI) in gastric cancer (GC). Methods The current study included 3,615 GC patients in 20 eligible studies, and evaluated the prognostic role of Ki-67 LI in GC. Subgroup analysis was conducted based on depth of invasion and cutoff value for high Ki-67 LI. Results A high Ki-67 LI correlated significantly with worse survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.214, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.004-1.468). However, there was no significant correlation between high Ki-67 LI and worse survival in advanced GC (HR = 1.252, 95% CI, 0.801-1.956). The subgroup with cutoff value ≤25% showed a significant correlation with worse survival, but this was not seen in the subgroup with cutoff >25% (HR = 1.433, 95% CI, 1.094-1.876 vs. HR = 1.005, 95% CI, 0.801-1.262). In addition, in the 10% < Ki-67 LI ≤ 20% range, there was a significant correlation between high Ki-67 LI and worse overall survival (HR = 1.931, 95% CI, 1.013-3.310). Conclusions A high Ki-67 LI correlated significantly with a worse prognosis in GC patients. Further cumulative studies for the optimal cutoff value for high Ki-67 LI are needed before application in clinical practice.
MATHia X: The Next Generation Cognitive Tutor

MATHia X is the next generation implementation of Carnegie Learning’s Cognitive Tutor (CT), a widely deployed, research-based mathematics curriculum that has provided data for many educational data mining studies. While many researchers are familiar with the basic operation of the system, there are several features that may affect analysis and interpretation of data that are less well known. We describe features of MATHia X and CT, as well as aspects of its practical implementation in real-world classrooms, that may be important for researchers using MATHia X and CT datasets.
Adaptive dynamic walking of a quadruped robot using a neural system model

We are trying to induce a quadruped robot to walk dynamically on irregular terrain by using a neural system model. In this paper, we integrate several reflexes, such as a stretch reflex, a vestibulospinal reflex and extensor/flexor reflexes, into a central pattern generator (CPG). We try to realize adaptive walking up and down a slope of 12°, walking over an obstacle 3 cm in height, and walking on terrain undulation consisting of bumps 3 cm in height with fixed parameters of CPGs and reflexes. The success in walking on such irregular terrain in spite of stumbling and landing on obstacles shows that the control method using a neural system model proposed in this study has the ability for autonomous adaptation to unknown irregular terrain. In order to clarify the role of a CPG, we investigate the relation between parameters of a CPG and the mechanical system by simulations and experiments. CPGs can generate stable walking suitable for the mechanical system by receiving inhibitory input as sensory feedback and generate adaptive walking on irregular terrain by receiving excitatory input as sensory feedback. MPEG footage of these experiments can be seen at: http://www.kimura. is.uec. ac.jp.
Replicative Senescence and Cell Immortality: The Role of Telomeres and Telomerase

Abstract Telomere shortening is correlated with cell senescence in vitro and cell aging in vivo. The telomere hypothesis suggests that telomere length serves as a mitotic clock for timing cellular replicative life span. Expression of telomerase stabilizes telomere length and allows for continual replication, or cell immortality. This article reviews recent evidences for the role of telomere length and telomerase in the regulation of cellular replicative life span. The therapeutic potential of manipulating telomerase expression and telomere length is also discussed.
Efficacy and safety of intralesional corticosteroid application for hemangiomas.

BACKGROUND/AIM There are different modalities for management of infantile hemangiomas (IHs). In this report, our aim is to evaluate whether intralesional corticosteroid treatment is associated with systemic side effects and whether this is an effective treatment modality for IH. MATERIALS AND METHODS Six children treated with intralesional corticosteroids for problematic hemangiomas were included in the study. Clinical characteristics, response to treatment, weight, height, blood pressure, morning serum cortisol, and adrenocorticotropic hormone levels were recorded. RESULTS Each child received intralesional triamcinolone at a dose of 2 mg/kg for 2-5 injections at monthly intervals. Subjects were followed for 1 year. All patients had adrenal suppression following the second or third triamcinolone injections. Five patients demonstrated partial response and one demonstrated no response. CONCLUSION Intralesional steroid injection may effectively induce the resolution of hemangiomas, but all the patients in our group had adrenal suppression after treatment. The use of intralesional steroid therapy is not a superior treatment option for hemangiomas. It also has side effects comparable to systemic steroids.
Reliability of ultrasound texture measures of Biceps Brachialis and Gastrocnemius Lateralis muscles' images

Ultrasound (US) is an important tool for diagnosing of many musculoskeletal tissue conditions. Image texture analysis can be used to characterize this tissue. The complexity curve (CC) is a technique commonly used to characterize the number of grey‐level transitions in an image. Variability and reliability of US texture measures in the muscle tissue are unavailable in the literature. The aim of this study was to determine the variability and reliability of five CC texture parameters from US images of healthy Biceps Brachialis and Gastrocnemius Lateralis (GL) muscles, with longitudinal and transversal orientations of the probe. Eight images per subject were obtained for 30 men in 2 days. Mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation and intraclass correlation coefficient for the five parameters were calculated for regions of interest. Results showed that the variability was similar for both muscles and most of the parameters showed satisfactory reliability (r > 0·7) for the Biceps Brachialis with the transverse scan and for the GL with the longitudinal scan.
New techniques for Arabic document classification

Text classi cation (TC) concerns automatically assigning a class (category) label to a text document, and has increasingly many applications, particularly in the domain of organizing, for browsing in large document collections. It is typically achieved via machine learning, where a model is built on the basis of a typically large collection of document features. Feature selection is critical in this process, since there are typically several thousand potential features (distinct words or terms). In text classi cation, feature selection aims to improve the computational e ciency and classi cation accuracy by removing irrelevant and redundant terms (features), while retaining features (words) that contain su cient information that help with the classi cation task. This thesis proposes binary particle swarm optimization (BPSO) hybridized with either K Nearest Neighbour (KNN) or Support Vector Machines (SVM) for feature selection in Arabic text classi cation tasks. Comparison between feature selection approaches is done on the basis of using the selected features in conjunction with SVM, Decision Trees (C4.5), and Naive Bayes (NB), to classify a hold out test set. Using publically available Arabic datasets, results show that BPSO/KNN and BPSO/SVM techniques are promising in this domain. The sets of selected features (words) are also analyzed to consider the di erences between the types of features that BPSO/KNN and BPSO/SVM tend to choose. This leads to speculation concerning the appropriate feature selection strategy, based on the relationship between the classes in the document categorization task at hand. The thesis also investigates the use of statistically extracted phrases of length two as terms in Arabic text classi cation. In comparison with Bag of Words text representation, results show that using phrases alone as terms in Arabic TC task decreases the classi cation accuracy of Arabic TC classi ers signi cantly while combining bag of words and phrase based representations may increase the classi cation accuracy of the SVM classi er slightly.
A wideband MMIC-compatible balun using offset broadside air-gap coupling

A compact ultra-broadband MMIC-compatible uniplanar balun has been developed using offset air-gap coupler. The offset air-gap coupler presents tight coupling and low conductor loss, and thus allows the balun to show low loss at mm-wave frequencies. The measured insertion loss was less than 2 dB from 26 to 55 GHz, and amplitude and phase imbalance was less than /spl plusmn/1dB and 5/spl deg/, respectively over a wide frequency range from 27 to 69 GHz.
Randomized Vehicle-Controlled Study of Short Drug Incubation Aminolevulinic Acid Photodynamic Therapy for Actinic Keratoses of the Face or Scalp

BACKGROUND Aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) can be effective and well tolerated when applied over a broad area and for short drug incubation times. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of short-incubation time and application method on the safety and efficacy of ALA-PDT versus vehicle (VEH-PDT) in the treatment of actinic keratoses (AKs) of the face or scalp. METHODS Aminolevulinic acid or VEH was applied to face or scalp as a broad area application for 1, 2, or 3 hours or as a spot application for 2 hours before blue light activation. An identical treatment was repeated at Week 8 if any AK lesions remained. RESULTS Median AK clearance rate for ALA-treated subjects ranged from 68% to 79% at Week 12, compared with 7% of the VEH-treated group (p < .0001). Complete clearance rate for ALA-treated subjects ranged from 17% (8/46) to 30% (14/47) at Week 12, compared with 2% (1/46) of the VEH-treated group (p = .0041). The safety profile seen in this study is consistent with previously reported side effects of the therapy. CONCLUSION Short-incubation ALA-PDT was found to be superior to VEH-PDT for AK lesion clearance. A second treatment improves efficacy.
Mechanisms and applications of hypertonic saline

Hypertonic saline is a strong sterile solution of salt water that can be inhaled as a nebulized medication for people with cystic fibrosis (CF). To examine how it should be applied clinically, it is worth considering the mechanisms by which it affects the disease process, and which signs, symptoms and other clinical outcomes it influences. Finally, it is worth considering how the effect is influenced by the dose received, and whether this should influence how it is applied in clinical practice. This paper will review this information and relate it to the clinical application of hypertonic saline.
An Efficient Methodology to Limit Path Length Guaranteeing Anonymity in Overlay Networks

A system and method in a radio telecommunications network of storing calling line identification (CLI) information when a called mobile terminal is not available to receive the CLI information, and forwarding the CLI information to the called mobile terminal when the terminal becomes available. When an incoming call for the mobile terminal is received in a gateway mobile switching center (G-MSC), the Home Location Register (HLR) or the visited MSC (V-MSC) where the mobile terminal is operating determines whether the mobile terminal is available. If not, the G-MSC sends a short message service (SMS) point-to-point (PTP) message to a message center (MC) and includes the CLI information. The MC is notified when the mobile terminal becomes available. The MC then forwards the CLI information to the V-MSC in a SMS PTP message. The V-MSC sends the CLI information to the mobile terminal in a IS-136 R-DATA message or other appropriate data message.
A Measurement Study of the Structured Overlay Network in P2P File-Sharing Systems

The architecture of P2P file-sharing applications has been developing to meet the needs of large scale demands. The structured overlay network, also known as DHT, has been used in these applications to improve the scalability, and robustness of the system, and to make it free from single-point failure. We believe that the measurement study of the overlay network used in the real filesharing P2P systems can provide guidance for the designing of such systems, and improve the performance of the system. In this paper, we perform the measurement in two different aspects. First, a modified client is designed to provide view to the overlay network from a single-user vision. Second, the instances of crawler programs deployed in many nodes managed to crawl the user information of the overlay network as much as possible. We also find a vulnerability in the overlay network, combined with the character of the DNS service, a more serious DDoS attack can be launched.
Protein refolding at high concentration using size‐exclusion chromatography

A new method to improve refolding yields and to increase the concentration of refolded proteins in a single operation has been developed. The method uses size‐exclusion chromatography matrices to perform buffer exchange, aggregate removal, and the folding reaction. The reduced diffusion of proteins in gel‐filtration media has been shown to suppress the nonspecific interactions of partially folded molecules, thus reducing aggregation. Hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) and bovine carbonic anhydrase (CAB) were successfully refolded from initial protein concentrations of up to 80 mg/mL using Sephacryl S‐100 (HR). The aggregation reaction for lysozyme was reduced and was only detected at the highest protein concentration used. The average recovery of lysozyme was 63%, with an average specific activity of 104%. Carbonic anhydrase experiments also showed that aggregation was suppressed and the average protein recovery from the column was 56%, with a specific activity of 81%. This process enables refolding and the purification of active species to be achieved in a single step. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.