Min-energy scheduling for aligned jobs in accelerate model

AbstractA dynamic voltage scaling technique provides the capability for processors to adjust the speed and control the energy consumption. We study the pessimistic accelerate model where the acceleration rate of the processor speed is at most K and jobs cannot be executed during the speed transition period. The objective is to find a min-energy (optimal) schedule that finishes every job within its deadline. The job set we study in this paper is aligned jobs where earlier released jobs have earlier deadlines. We start by investigating a special case where all jobs have a common arrival time and design an O(n2) algorithm to compute the optimal schedule based on some nice properties of the optimal schedule. Then, we study the general aligned jobs and obtain an O(n2) algorithm to compute the optimal schedule by using the algorithm for the common arrival time case as a building block. Because our algorithm relies on the computation of the optimal schedule in the ideal model (K=∞), in order to achieve O(n2) complexity, we improve the complexity of computing the optimal schedule in the ideal model for aligned jobs from the currently best known O(n2logn) to O(n2)

Preliminary analysis of PGRP-LC gene and structure characteristics in bumblebees

PGRP-LC is a significant pattern recognition receptor of the insect innate immune system that can recognize peptidoglycans and activate immune signaling pathways regulating the expression and release of antimicrobial peptides against infection. We for the first time analyzed the phylogenetic tree, purification and structure of bumblebee PGRP-LC. The results showed high conservation of bumblebee PGRP-LC among the 16 bumblebee species, and further phylogenetic analysis showed that the PGRP-LC phylogeny of different subgenera (Subterraneobombus, Megabombus, Melanobombus, Bombus) is consistent with that of the COI gene. Additionally, the phylogeny of PGRP-LCs among Bombus, Apis and the solitary bee Megachile rotundata coincides with the sociality evolution of bees. Moreover, bumblebee PGRP-LC (Bl-PGRP-LC) shares the Drosophila PGRP-LCx and PGRP-LCa topology, retaining conserved disulfide bonds and 80% binding residues involved in the interaction between TCT and PGRP-LCx. Therefore, Bl-PGRP-LC might share some similar binding characteristics with Drosophila PGRP-LCx. In addition, Bl-PGRP-LC has shorter β5 and β1 sheets, longer β2, β3, and β4 sheets and a shallow binding groove. To determine the characteristics of Bl-PGRP-LC, high-purity PGRP-LC inclusion bodies, soluble GST-tag Bl-PGRP-LC fusion protein and soluble pure Bl-PGRP-LC were obtained in vitro. The results will be helpful for further study of the function and structure of Bl-PGRP-LC

Ultrasound-Guided Optical Tomographic Imaging of Malignant and Benign Breast Lesions: Initial Clinical Results of 19 Cases

AbstractThe diagnosis of solid benign and malignant tumors presents a unique challenge to all noninvasive imaging modalities. Ultrasound is used in conjunction with mammography to differentiate simple cysts from solid lesions. However, the overlapping appearances of benign and malignant lesions make ultrasound less useful in differentiating solid lesions, resulting in a large number of benign biopsies. Optical tomography using near-infrared diffused light has great potential for imaging functional parameters of 1) tumor hemoglobin concentration, 2) oxygen saturation, 3) metabolism, as well as other tumor distinguishing characteristics. These parameters can differentiate benign from malignant lesions. However, optical tomography, when used alone, suffers from low spatial resolution and target localization uncertainty due to intensive light scattering. Our aim is to combine diffused light imaging with ultrasound in a novel way for the detection and diagnosis of solid lesions. Initial findings of two earlystage invasive carcinomas, one combined fibroadenoma and fibrocystic change with scattered foci of lobular neoplasia/lobular carcinoma in situ, 16 benign lesions are reported in this paper. The invasive cancer cases reveal about two-fold greater total hemoglobin concentration (mean 119 μmol) than benign cases (mean 67 μmol), suggest that the discrimination of benign and malignant breast lesions might be enhanced by this type of achievable optical quantification with ultrasound localization. Furthermore, the small invasive cancers are well localized and have wavelength-dependent appearance in optical absorption maps, whereas the benign lesions appear diffused and relatively wavelength-independent

Freely adjusted properties in Ge–S based chalcogenide glasses with iodine incorporation

International audienceIn this study, we examined the function of halogen iodine acting as a glass network modifier in green chalcogenide glasses based on the Ge–S system. We obtained a series of Ge–S–I glasses and determined their glass-forming region. We then recorded the physical, thermal, and optical properties and studied the effect of halogen iodine on Ge–S–I glasses. Results show that these glasses have relatively wide optical transmission window for infrared (IR) applications. The softening temperature of Ge–S–I glasses varies from 210.54 °C to 321.63 °C, this temperature fits well with some kinds of high-temperature polymers, such as PES and PEI, the polymers serve as protective layers with high strength and flexibility, thus simplifying the fabrication processes of IR chalcogenide glass fiber. Finally, we performed a purification process to eliminate impurities and to improve optical spectr

Improvements on the optical properties of Ge-Sb-Se chalcogenide glasses with iodine incorporation

International audienceDecreasing glass network defects and improving optical transmittance are essential work for material researchers. We studied the function of halogen iodine (I) acting as a glass network modifier in Ge–Sb–Se–based chalcogenide glass system. A systematic series of Ge20Sb5Se75-xIx (x = 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 at%) infrared (IR) chalcohalide glasses were investigated to decrease the weak absorption tail (WAT) and improve the mid-IR transparency. The mechanisms of the halogen I affecting the physical, thermal, and optical properties of Se-based chalcogenide glasses were reported. The structural evolutions of these glasses were also revealed by Raman spectroscopy and camera imaging. The progressive substitution of I for Se increased the optical bandgap. The WAT and scatting loss significantly decreased corresponding to the progressive decrease in structural defects caused by dangling bands and structure defects in the original Ge20Sb5Se75 glass. The achieved maximum IR transparency of Ge–Sb–Se–I glasses can reach up to 80% with an effective transmission window between 0.94 μm to 17 μm, whereas the absorption coefficient decreased to 0.029 cm-1 at 10.16 μm. Thus, these materials are promising candidates for developing low-loss IR fibers

Portable near-infrared diffusive light imager for breast cancer detection

We present a frequency-domain near-infrared optical tomography system designed for breast cancer detection, in conjunction, with conventional ultrasound. It features fast optical switching, threewavelength excitations, and avalanche photodiode as detectors. Laser diodes at 660, 780, and 830 nm are used as light sources and their outputs are distributed sequentially to one of nine source fibers. An equivalent 130-dB isolation between electrical signals from different source channels is achieved with the optical switches of very low crosstalk. Ten detection channels, each of which includes a silicon avalanche photodiode, detect diffusive photon density waves simultaneously. The dynamic range of an avalanche photodiode is about 20 to 30 dB higher than that of a photomultiplier tube, thus eliminating the need for multistep system gain control. The entire system is compact in size (<0.051 m3) and fast in data acquisition (less than 2 sec for a complete scan). Calibration and the clinical experiment results are presented in the paper.Electrical and Computer Engineerin

Fabrication and characterization of Ge–Sb–Se–I glasses and fibers

International audienceChalcogenide glasses of the Ge20Sb5Se75−x I x (x = 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 at.%) system were prepared. This study was performed to examine some Ge–Sb–Se–I glass physical and optical properties, the structural evolution of the glass network, and the optical properties of the infrared glass fibers based on our previous studies. The variation process of the glass physical properties, such as transition temperature, glass density, and refractive index, was investigated from the glass of Ge20Sb5Se75 to the Ge20Sb5Se75−x I x glass series. The structural evolutions of these glasses were examined by Raman spectroscopy. The Ge20Sb5Se55I20 composition was selected for the preparation of the IR fiber. The Ge20Sb5Se55I20 glass was purified through distillation, and the intensity of the impurity absorption peaks caused by Ge–O, H2O, and Se–H was reduced or eliminated in the purified glasses. Then, Ge20Sb5Se55I20 chalcogenide glass fiber for mid-infrared transmission was fabricated using high-purity materials. The transmission loss of the Ge20Sb5Se55I20 fiber was greatly reduced compared with that of the Ge20Sb5Se75 glass fiber. The lowest losses obtained were 3.5 dB/m at 3.3 μm for Ge20Sb5Se75I20 fiber, which was remarkably improved compared with 48 dB/m of the unpurified Ge20Sb5Se75 fiber

Microstructural alterations of the hypothalamus in Parkinson's disease and probable REM sleep behavior disorder

Whether there is hypothalamic degeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD) and its association with clinical symptoms and pathophysiological changes remains controversial. We aimed to quantify microstructural changes in hypothalamus using a novel deep learning-based tool in patients with PD and those with probable rapid-eye-movement sleep behavior disorder (pRBD). We further assessed whether these microstructural changes associated with clinical symptoms and free thyroxine (FT4) levels. This study included 186 PD, 67 pRBD, and 179 healthy controls. Multi-shell diffusion MRI were scanned and mean kurtosis (MK) in hypothalamic subunits were calculated. Participants were assessed using Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), RBD Questionnaire-Hong Kong (RBDQ-HK), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), and Activity of Daily Living (ADL) Scale. Additionally, a subgroup of PD (n = 31) underwent assessment of FT4. PD showed significant decreases of MK in anterior-superior (a-sHyp), anterior-inferior (a-iHyp), superior tubular (supTub), and inferior tubular hypothalamus when compared with healthy controls. Similarly, pRBD exhibited decreases of MK in a-iHyp and supTub. In PD group, MK in above four subunits were significantly correlated with UPDRS-I, HAMD, and ADL. Moreover, MK in a-iHyp and a-sHyp were significantly correlated with FT4 level. In pRBD group, correlations were observed between MK in a-iHyp and UPDRS-I. Our study reveals that microstructural changes in the hypothalamus are already significant at the early neurodegenerative stage. These changes are associated with emotional alterations, daily activity levels, and thyroid hormone levels. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A State of Health Estimation Method for Lithium-Ion Batteries Based on Improved Particle Filter Considering Capacity Regeneration

Accurately estimating the state of health (SOH) of a lithium-ion battery is significant for electronic devices. To solve the nonlinear degradation problem of lithium-ion batteries (LIB) caused by capacity regeneration, this paper proposes a new LIB degradation model and improved particle filter algorithm for LIB SOH estimation. Firstly, the degradation process of LIB is divided into the normal degradation stage and the capacity regeneration stage. A multi-stage prediction model (MPM) based on the calendar time of the LIB is proposed. Furthermore, the genetic algorithm is embedded into the standard particle filter to increase the diversity of particles and improve prediction accuracy. Finally, the method is verified with the LIB dataset provided by the NASA Ames Prognostics Center of Excellence. The experimental results show that the method proposed in this paper can effectively improve the accuracy of capacity prediction