Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimization of decentralized energy storage flexibility for frequency reserves

This paper presents a cost optimization scheme for an electricity aggregator. The aggregator schedules the charging of the energy storages of its aggregated group of consumers to minimize the hourly spot market costs, while simultaneously maximizing its potential for participation in the reserve market. The optimization is formulated as a distributed iterative algorithm and its performance on the day-ahead and regulating power markets are evaluated based on simulations using actual market data. It was shown that increasing the consumption flexibility increased the overall profits markedly, while increasing their variance, up to a point.
Cognitive‐Behavioral Group Treatment for Social Phobia in Adolescents A Preliminary Study

The present study is a preliminary evaluation of the effectiveness of a new cognitive-behavioral group treatment protocol for social phobia in adolescents. Five adolescents with social phobia were treated in a 16-session group treatment program, with parental involvement in selected sessions. Treatment involved skills training (social skills, problem solving, assertiveness), cognitive restructuring, behavioral exposure, and homework. Self-report measures of anxiety and depression, taken throughout treatment, indicated significant improvements over a 1-year follow-up period. Behavior test measures also indicated a decrease in subjective anxiety ratings after treatment which was maintained at follow-up. Structured diagnostic interviews 1 year after treatment confirmed full remission of social phobia for four subjects, with one subject's phobia in partial remission. Overall, the present findings support the continued evaluation of this protocol for social phobic adolescents.
Suporte a Múltiplas Visões de Software com Módulos Virtuais

A decomposicao dominante que ocorre em importantes paradigmas de programacao tais como a orientacao a objetos tem sido considerada uma caracteristica indesejavel. Novos paradigmas de modularizacao foram desenvolvidos para evitar esse problema, tais como aspectos e features. O artigo descreve o paradigma da Modularizacao Virtual que e independente da linguagem de programacao e evita a decomposicao dominante. Esse paradigma define modulos como especificacoes de meta-informacao que podem ser formados a partir de quaisquer agrupamentos relevantes do programa. Como estudo de caso e apresentada uma implementacao em Java. A contribuicao desse paradigma esta na sua proposta de oferecer uma generalidade suficiente para produzir modulos virtuais para diferentes propositos, tais como requisitos transversais e features de linha de producao. Palavras-Chave: Metamodelagem, programacao reflexiva, engenharia de documentos.
Highly sensitive microwave resonant near-field sensor for precise aqueous glucose detection in microfluidic medical applications

This paper presents a highly sensitive resonant near-field sensor to detect small variations of glucose concentrations in water. The sensor structure is based on a planar half-wavelength (lambda/2) microstrip line (MSL) resonator with a microfluidic container placed on top. The interaction between the electric field and the milliliter range water-glucose solutions under test can be observed measuring the magnitude shift of the S-parameter from 1.96 to 2.04 GHz. Combining the microwave detection and the microfluidic network, a time efficient and low cost architecture is presented. With this technique, a very sensitive water-glucose concentration of less than 50 mg/dl can be separated.
Identification of critical eWOM dimensions for music albums

Word-of-Mouth (WOM) is a popular communication mechanism. Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, user driven audio-video sharing platforms, and social media sites have provided a multitude of feedback channels. In the current study we explored the impact of electronic-word-of-mouth, eWOM, on music albums in the American market. We analyzed the impact of different eWOM dimensions on the sales over a period of 12 weeks. The results indicate that a combination of these dimensions impacts the sales more than the individual dimensions do.
An Empirical Test of Models of Salespersons’ Job Expectancy and Instrumentality Perceptions

The author reports the results of a study of the motivational implications of the industrial salesperson's personal characteristics and his or her perceptions of the job, the company's organization, and selling constraints. Predictor equations for the salesperson's expectancy and instrumentality estimates are tested empirically. The results indicate the salesperson's personal characteristics and his or her perceptions of supervisory style, organizational communication, job significance and autonomy, job variety and completeness, job complexity, and selling constraints are potentially important predictors of salesforce motivation.
The effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields on blood vessel growth in the rabbit ear chamber

A double‐blind, controlled trial of the effects of pulsed electromagnetic field on capillary growth in the rabbit ear chamber in adult New Zealand white rabbits has been performed. Three waveforms have been investigated. The first, a pulse burst waveform, produced a significant increase in the rate of growth of the vascular tissue within the chamber, but had no effect on macroscopic tissue maturation. The second and third, two different single pulse waveforms, had, in contrast, no significant effect on the rate of vascular growth and only an effect on vessel characteristics, with increased maturation of vessels using the second waveform. It is concluded that some of the observed effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields on tissue healing may be mediated through a primary effect on vascular growth.
Reduction of interconnect delay by exploiting cross-talk

Usually it is thought that cross-talk is deleterious for signal integrity. However, by propagating the same signal over aggressor and victim wires, the victim wire delay is minimised because its lateral capacitance to the aggressors is virtually reduced at the spatial position of the travelling waves. We exploit this cross-talk property to build a 3-wire scheme for interconnect delay reduction, which we also refer to as the booster approach. This approach was experimentally verified on a test-chip, fabricated in a 0. 18µm CMOS technology. We observed a 5x-delay reduction over the nominal wire delay. Based on simulations, we further provide a comparison of this novel approach to other well-known approaches like repeater insertion and the fat-wire approach.
Phosphoramidon abolishes the increases in endothelin-1 release induced by ischemia-hypoxia in isolated perfused guinea pig lungs.

Endothelin (ET)-1 is a potent vasoactive peptide elaborated by the vascular endothelial cells. In the present study we examined the effects of ischemia-hypoxia (I/H) on ET-1 release from isolated perfused guinea pig lungs and heart. Guinea pig lungs subjected to 15 min I/H followed by reperfusion and reventilation significantly (P less than .05) augmented ET-1 release from 14.1 +/- 2.7 to 30.4 +/- 5.6, 27.3 +/- 4.0 and 28.0 +/- 5.0 pg/g of dry weight of lung at 15, 30 and 45 min after I/H, respectively. Pretreatment of guinea pigs with phosphoramidon (10 mg/kg i.v.), an ET converting enzyme inhibitor, 10 min before the removal of lungs abrogated the I/H-induced increases in ET-1 release without affecting the base-line values of ET-1. Phosphoramidon also attenuated the elevations in pulmonary insufflation pressure (PIP) produced by I/H. Moreover, infusion of big ET-1 (BET-1; 30 micrograms/over 15 min) into isolated perfused guinea pig lungs enhanced PIP that was abolished by phosphoramidon. Isolated guinea pig hearts subjected to 15 or 30 min of global ischemia exhibited no disturbances in ET-1 release or mechanical activity. In addition, the increases in perfusion pressure elicited by BET-1 infusion (12 micrograms/over 30 min) into isolated guinea pig hearts was unaffected by phosphoramidon. In a separate study in anesthetized guinea pigs, phosphoramidon significantly attenuated the increases in blood pressure and PIP elicited by BET-1 (10 micrograms/kg i.v.); the pressor and PIP responses to ET-1 (4 micrograms/kg i.v.) were not affected. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Insulin is a potent survival factor in mesangial cells: role of the PI3-kinase/Akt pathway.

BACKGROUND Elucidating the mechanisms of apoptosis is important for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying glomerular disease. The phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3-kinase)/Akt pathway is essential for survival signaling in non-renal cells. However, little is known about the anti-apoptotic effect of insulin and the role of the PI3-kinase/Akt pathway in mesangial cells (MC) apoptosis. METHODS Apoptosis was induced in wild type, p27Kip1 (p27) -/- and p21Cip1/Waf1 (p21) -/- mouse MC by survival factor withdrawal, actinomycin D, ultraviolet (UV)-B irradiation and cycloheximide in the presence or absence of insulin (1 micromol/L) or insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I; 100 ng/mL). The activation and levels of Akt, extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) and specific cell cycle proteins were determined by Western blot analysis. RESULTS Insulin and IGF-I inhibited wild-type MC apoptosis induced by survival factor withdrawal, actinomycin D, ultraviolet-B irradiation and cycloheximide and in p27 -/- MC when apoptosis was induced by survival factor withdrawal. Akt was activated by insulin and IGF-I during apoptosis. Blocking PI3-kinase with LY294002 reduced Akt activation and abrogated the anti-apoptotic effect of insulin. ERK was activated during apoptosis and blocking ERK activation with U0126 or PD98059 partially rescued MC from apoptosis. Moreover, insulin also suppressed ERK activation during apoptosis. Our results also showed that the CDK-inhibitor p21 was increased by insulin and that p21 up-regulation was PI3-kinase/Akt pathway dependent. Furthermore, p21 -/- MC apoptosis induced by survival factor withdrawal was not rescued by insulin in contrast to the wild-type and p27 -/- MC. These data suggest that p21 may have a critical role in the anti-apoptotic effect of insulin. CONCLUSIONS Insulin is a potent survival factor for MC in response to a number of different apoptotic triggers, and this effect is mediated through the PI3-kinase/Akt pathway. Moreover, ERK and p21 may be involved in anti-apoptotic effect of insulin in MC.
HIV‐1 Tat potentiates TNF‐induced NF‐kappa B activation and cytotoxicity by altering the cellular redox state.

This study demonstrates that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) Tat protein amplifies the activity of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a cytokine that stimulates HIV‐1 replication through activation of NF‐kappa B. In HeLa cells stably transfected with the HIV‐1 tat gene (HeLa‐tat cells), expression of the Tat protein enhanced both TNF‐induced activation of NF‐kappa B and TNF‐mediated cytotoxicity. A similar potentiation of TNF effects was observed in Jurkat T cells and HeLa cells treated with soluble Tat protein. TNF‐mediated activation of NF‐kappa B and cytotoxicity involves the intracellular formation of reactive oxygen intermediates. Therefore, Tat‐mediated effects on the cellular redox state were analyzed. In both T cells and HeLa cells HIV‐1 Tat suppressed the expression of Mn‐dependent superoxide dismutase (Mn‐SOD), a mitochondrial enzyme that is part of the cellular defense system against oxidative stress. Thus, Mn‐SOD RNA protein levels and activity were markedly reduced in the presence of Tat. Decreased Mn‐SOD expression was associated with decreased levels of glutathione and a lower ratio of reduced:oxidized glutathione. A truncated Tat protein (Tat1‐72), known to transactivate the HIV‐1 long terminal repeat (LTR), no longer affected Mn‐SOD expression, the cellular redox state or TNF‐mediated cytotoxicity. Thus, our experiments demonstrate that the C‐terminal region of HIV‐1 Tat is required to suppress Mn‐SOD expression and to induce pro‐oxidative conditions reflected by a drop in reduced glutathione (GSH) and the GSH:oxidized GSH (GSSG) ratio. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Targeted gene deletion in Zygosaccharomyces bailii

Yeasts of the genus Zygosaccharomyces are notable agents of large‐scale food spoilage. Despite the economic importance of these organisms, little is known about the stress adaptations whereby they adapt to many of the more severe conditions of food preservation. In this study it was shown that genes of Z. bailii, a yeast notable for its high resistances to food preservatives and ethanol, can be isolated by complementation of the corresponding mutant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It was also discovered that the acquisition by S. cerevisiae of a single small Z. bailii gene (ZbYME2) was sufficient for the former yeast to acquire the ability to degrade two major food preservatives, benzoic acid and sorbic acid. Using DNA cassettes containing dominant selectable markers and methods originally developed for performing gene deletions in S. cerevisiae, the two copies of ZbYME2 in the Z. bailii genome were sequentially deleted. The resulting Zbyme2/Zbyme2 homozygous deletant strain had lost any ability to utilize benzoate as sole carbon source and was more sensitive to weak acid preservatives during growth on glucose. Thus, ZbYME2, probably the nuclear gene for a mitochondrial mono‐oxygenase function, is essential for Z. bailii to degrade food preservatives. This ability to catabolize weak acid preservatives is a significant factor contributing to the preservative resistance of Z. bailii under aerobic conditions. This study is the first to demonstrate that it is possible to delete in Z. bailii genes that are suspected as being important for growth of this organism in preserved foods and beverages. With the construction of further mutant of Z. bailii strains, a clearer picture should emerge of how this yeast adapts to the conditions of food preservation. This information will, in turn, allow the design of new preservation strategies. GenBank Accession Nos: ZbURA3 (AF279259), ZbTIM9 (AF279260), ZbYME2 (AF279261), ZbTRP1 (AF279262), ZbHHT1(AF296170). Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Site of origin of and sex differences in the vasopressin innervation of the mouse (Mus musculus) brain

Defining how arginine vasopressin (AVP) acts centrally to regulate homeostasis and behavior is problematic, as AVP is made in multiple nuclei in the hypothalamus (i.e., paraventricular [PVN], supraoptic [SON], and suprachiasmatic [SCN]) and extended amygdala (i.e., bed nucleus of the stria terminalis [BNST] and medial amygdala [MeA]), and these groups of neurons have extensive projections throughout the brain. To understand the function of AVP, it is essential to know the site of origin of various projections. In mice, we used gonadectomy to eliminate gonadal steroid hormone–dependent expression of AVP in the BNST and MeA and electrolytic lesions to eliminate the SCN, effectively eliminating those AVP‐immunoreactive projections; we also quantified AVP‐immunoreactive fiber density in gonadectomized and sham‐operated male and female mice to examine sex differences in AVP innervation. Our results suggest that the BNST/MeA AVP system innervates regions containing major modulatory neurotransmitters (e.g., serotonin and dopamine) and thus may be involved in regulating behavioral state. Furthermore, this system may be biased toward the regulation of male behavior, given the numerous regions in which males have a denser AVP‐immunoreactive innervation than females. AVP from the SCN is found in regions important for the regulation of hormone output and behavior. Innervation from the PVN and SON is found in brain regions that likely work in concert with the well‐known peripheral AVP actions of controlling homeostasis and stress response; female‐biased sex differences in this system may be related to the heightened stress response observed in females. J. Comp. Neurol. 521:2321–2358, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reliability Indices of Electric Distribution Network System Assessment

The electric utility industry is moving towards a deregulated, competitive environment where utilities must have accurate information about system performance to ensure that maintenance money are spent wisely and that customer expectation are met. To measure system performance, the electric utility industry has developed several performance measure of reliability. These reliability indices include measures of outage duration, frequency of outages, system availability, and response time. The continuous power outages and interruptions in the electrical parts distribution network always affect the health, safety and economic activity and low level of production in the industrial sector. The paper discusses the reliability of electric distribution network through the study of indicators of reliability analysis known as SAIDI, SAIFI, CAIDI , CAIFI, MAIFI, ASAI and CEMI5.
Scanning near-field optical microscopy with a tetrahedral tip at a resolution of 6 nm.

Using a tetrahedral tip as a probe, it is possible to combine the techniques of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) in the same probe tip so that the probing of the respective near-field interactions occurs virtually at the same spot of the tip. Atomic resolution on pyrolytic graphite and stable images on rough samples are routinely obtained in the STM mode. In the combined SNOM/STM mode, an absorption contrast in the optical image is obtained with images of evaporated silver films on glass as well as of silver deposited on an indium tin oxide substrate. We obtained a point-to-point resolution of 6 nm, whereas the edge resolution is about 1 nm.
Radioimmunotherapy of solid tumors: the promise of pretargeting strategies using bispecific antibodies and radiolabeled haptens.

Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) of malignancies has been studied for more than 2 decades (1). The basic premise of RIT—that monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against a tumor-associated antigen can be used to target radionuclides to cancer cells for in situ radiation therapy—has been proven in tumor-xenografted mouse models and clinically in cancer patients (2). Furthermore, the potential for successful treatment of cancer using this approach has been shown for patients with non-Hodgkin’s B-cell lymphoma (NHL) using anti–cluster
Characterization and Modeling of K-Band Coplanar Waveguides Digitally Manufactured Using Pulsed Picosecond Laser Machining of Thick-Film Conductive Paste

Microdispensing of thick-film conductive paste has been demonstrated as a viable approach for manufacturing microwave planar transmission lines. However, the performance and upper frequency range of these lines is limited by the cross-sectional shape and electrical conductivity of the printed paste, as well as the achievable minimum feature size which is typically around <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$100~\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. In this paper, a picosecond Nd:YAG laser is used to machine slots in a 20–25-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-thick layer of silver paste (Dupont CB028) that is microdispensed on a Rogers RT5870 substrate, producing coplanar waveguide (CPW) transmission lines with 16–<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$20~\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-wide slots. It is shown that the laser solidifies an about 2-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-wide region of the edges of the slots, thus significantly increasing the effective conductivity of the film and improving the attenuation constant of the lines. The extracted attenuation constant at 20 GHz for laser machined CB028 is 0.74 dB/cm. CPW resonators and filters show that the effective conductivity is in the range from 10 to 30 MS/m, which represents a <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$100\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> improvement when compared to the values obtained with the exclusive use of microdispensing. This paper demonstrates that a hybrid approach of additive manufacturing and laser machining enables the fabrication of higher frequency circuits (up to at least 40 GHz) with improved performance.
Geometry calibration for multi-projector display automatically based on the feedback of camera algorithm

An algorithm is proposed for automatic geometric correction based on feedback of camera for multi-projector display system to address the problems exist in interactive manual geometric correction. The method is implemented in two steps. The first step performs an approximate correction which does not involve manual interaction. This step establishes geometric relations involving the screen space, camera space, projector buffer space, the original image and the sub-image by using pre-defined correction parameters. A pre-distortion is conducted on the original image with respect to the three relations to ensure the geometric continuity of the output image. To ensure the accuracy and robustness of the geometrical correction process, we proposed the second step to perform a further, accurate correction. The experimental results show that the proposed method is able to perform geometric correction quickly and accurately and fulfill the requirements for application.
Solution of Dense Systems of Linear Equations in the Discrete-Dipole Approximation

The discrete-dipole approximation (DDA) is a method for calculating the scattering of light by an irregular particle. The DDA has been used, for example, in calculations of optical properties of cosmic dust. In this method the particle is approximated by interacting electromagnetic dipoles. Computationally the DDA method includes the solution of large dense systems of linear equations where the coefficient matrix is complex symmetric. In this work, the linear systems of equations are solved by various iterative methods. QMR was found to be the best iterative method in this application. It converged in only a few more iterations than the full generalized minimal residual (GMRES) method. When the discretization of the particle was refined, the number of iterations remained constant even without preconditioning. The matrix–vector product in the iterative methods can be computed with the fast Fourier transform or the fast multipole algorithm. These algorithms make it feasible to solve dense linear systems of .