Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Specification of grid workflow applications with AGWL: an Abstract Grid Workflow Language

Currently grid application developers often configure available application components into a workflow of tasks that they can submit for executing on the grid. In this paper, we present an abstract grid workflow language (AGWL) for describing grid workflow applications at a high level of abstraction. AGWL has been designed such that the user can concentrate on specifying grid applications without dealing with either the complexity of the grid or any specific implementation technology (e.g. Web service). AGWL is an XML-based language which allows a programmer to define a graph of activities that refer mostly to computational tasks. Activities are connected by control and data flow links. A rich set of constructs (compound activities) is provided to simplify the specification of grid workflow applications which includes compound activities such as if, forEach and while loops as well as advanced compound activities including parallel sections, parallel loops and collection iterators. Moreover, AGWL supports a generic high level access mechanism to data repositories. AGWL is the main interface to the ASKALON grid application development environment and has been applied to numerous real world applications. We describe a material science workflow that has been successfully ported to a grid infrastructure based on an AGWL specification. Only a dozen AGWL activities are needed to describe a workflow with several hundred activity instances.
An MMSE Approach to the Secrecy Capacity of the MIMO Gaussian Wiretap Channel

This paper provides a closed-form expression for the secrecy capacity of the multiple-input multiple output (MIMO) Gaussian wiretap channel, under a power-covariance constraint. Furthermore, the paper specifies the input covariance matrix required in order to attain the capacity. The proof uses the fundamental relationship between information theory and estimation theory in the Gaussian channel, relating the derivative of the mutual information to the minimum mean-square error (MMSE). The proof provides the missing intuition regarding the existence and construction of an enhanced degraded channel that does not increase the secrecy capacity. The concept of enhancement has been used in a previous proof of the problem. Furthermore, the proof presents methods that can be used in proving other MIMO problems, using this fundamental relationship.
A Model of Binocular Rivalry and Cross-orientation Suppression

Binocular rivalry and cross-orientation suppression are well-studied forms of competition in visual cortex, but models of these two types of competition are in tension with one another. Binocular rivalry occurs during the presentation of dichoptic grating stimuli, where two orthogonal gratings presented separately to the two eyes evoke strong alternations in perceptual dominance. Cross-orientation suppression occurs during the presentation of plaid stimuli, where the responses to a component grating presented to both eyes is weakened by the presence of a superimposed orthogonal grating. Conventional models of rivalry that rely on strong competition between orientation-selective neurons incorrectly predict rivalry between the components of plaids. Lowering the inhibitory weights in such models reduces rivalry for plaids, but also reduces it for dichoptic gratings. Using an exhaustive grid search, we show that this problem cannot be solved simply by adjusting the parameters of the model. Instead, we propose a robust class of models that rely on ocular opponency neurons, previously proposed as a mechanism for efficient stereo coding, to yield rivalry only for dichoptic gratings, not for plaids. This class of models reconciles models of binocular rivalry with the divisive normalization framework that has been used to explain cross-orientation. Our model makes novel predictions that we confirmed with psychophysical tests.
Randomized Trial of the Early Start Program of Home Visitation: Parent and Family Outcomes

OBJECTIVE. To examine the extent to which the Early Start program of home visitation had beneficial consequences in the areas of maternal health, family functioning, family economic circumstances, and exposure to stress and adversity. METHODS. The study used a randomized, controlled trial design in which 220 families receiving the Early Start program were contrasted with a control series of 223 families not receiving the program. Families were enrolled in the program after population screening conducted by community health nurses. Families were enrolled in the program for up to 36 months. Outcomes were assessed at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months after trial entry. RESULTS. There was a consistent lack of association between maternal and family outcomes and group membership. There were no significant differences between the Early Start and control series in any comparisons. CONCLUSIONS. This evaluation suggested that the Early Start program failed to lead to parent- and family-related benefits. This absence of benefit for parent/family outcomes is contrasted with the benefits found previously for child-related outcomes, including child health, preschool education, child abuse and neglect, parenting, and behavioral adjustment. This comparison suggests that home visitation programs may provide benefits for child-related outcomes in the absence of parent- or family-related outcomes.
Presentation on websites of possible benefits and harms from screening for breast cancer: cross sectional study

Objective To investigate whether information on mammographic screening presented on websites by interest groups is balanced, is independent of source of funding, and reflects recent findings. Design Cross sectional study using a checklist with 17 information items. Setting 27 websites in Scandinavian and English speaking countries. Results The 13 sites from advocacy groups and the 11 from governmental institutions all recommended mammographic screening, whereas the three from consumer organisations questioned screening (P = 0.0007). All the advocacy groups accepted industry funding, apparently without restrictions. In contrast the three consumer organisations acknowledged the risk of bias related to industry funding, and two of them did not accept such funding at all. Advocacy groups and governmental organisations favoured information items that shed positive light on screening. The major harms of screening, overdiagnosis and overtreatment, were mentioned by only four of these groups, but by all three sites from consumer organisations (P = 0.02). In addition, the chosen information was often misleading or erroneous. The selection of information items for websites did not reflect recent findings, apart from the consumer sites, which were much more balanced and comprehensive than other sites (median of 9 information items v3 items, P = 0.03). Conclusions The information material provided by professional advocacy groups and governmental organisations is information poor and severely biased in favour of screening. Few websites live up to accepted standards for informed consent such as those stated in the General Medical Council's guidelines.
Bulk Growth of InGaSb Alloy Semiconductor under Terrestrial Conditions: A Preliminary Study for Microgravity Experiments at ISS

As a preliminary experiment for the growth of InGaSb alloy crystals under microgravity at International Space Station (ISS), bulk crystal was grown under terrestrial condition using the same gradient heating furnace (GHF). Czochralski grown GaSb <111>B single crystal was used as a seed and feed crystals for the growth of InGaSb bulk crystals. During the growth, heat pulses were intentionally introduced periodically to create the growth striations. From the striations, the growth rate of the grown crystal was estimated. The results show that the growth rate was gradually increased from the beginning of the growth and became stable. On the other hand the In composition of the grown crystal decreased along the growth direction. From the In composition, the temperature gradient in the solution was estimated and it was almost the same of that fixed during the growth.
BAPS prize-1999: Lung growth induced by prenatal tracheal occlusion and its modifying factors: a study in the rat model of congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE Prenatal tracheal occlusion (TO) has been shown to accelerate lung growth in animal models and models of pulmonary hypoplasia. However, these models may not mimic early events in human congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). The authors previously have developed a model of TO in the rat. The purpose of this study was to apply this technique to characterize TO-induced lung growth in the early onset nitrofen-induced model of CDH, and to address the clinically important questions of the effect of timing of TO and maternal infusion of terbutaline on TO-induced lung growth. METHODS Left-sided CDH was induced in the fetuses of time-dated pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats by feeding 100 mg of nitrofen on day 9 of gestation. TO was performed via maternal laparotomy and hysterotomy at 19 days' gestation. At harvest (21.5 days' gestation), lungs from nitrofen-exposed fetuses without CDH (non-CDH), with CDH (CDH), and with CDH and TO (CDH-TO) were compared by analysis of wet and dry weight, DNA and protein content, and stereologic morphometry. A second study was performed to assess relative lung growth achieved by equal intervals of TO after "early" (19 days) versus "late" (20 days) gestational TO. Finally, the effect of maternal infusion of terbutaline, a commonly used tocolytic for fetal surgery, on TO-induced lung growth was analyzed. RESULTS Analysis of lung growth showed consistent and significant lung growth in CDH-TO lungs. Lung growth after TO was proliferative and characterized by an increase in parenchymal volume as manifest by increased total saccular number and surface area and radial saccular count. Although visceral reduction was partially achieved, herniated liver was reduced incompletely. The majority of lung growth occurred during the latter half of the TO period. Early gestational age at TO and maternal terbutaline administration adversely influenced lung growth in CDH-TO fetuses. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal TO induces dramatic lung growth in the early onset, nitrofen-induced rat model of CDH. TO is more effective later in gestation presumably because of the advanced stage of lung development and lung fluid production. This effect could be counterbalanced by the use of beta-mimetic tocolytic, which inhibits fetal lung fluid production late in gestation. Multiple factors including fetal lung fluid production and absorption, pharmacologic agents, space-occupying herniated viscera, and timing and duration of TO may be important clinical variables. The development of the rat model should facilitate further studies into the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for TO-induced lung growth.
Is nestedness in mutualistic networks an evolutionary spandrel

Mutualistic networks have been shown to involve complex patterns of interactions among animal and plant species. The architecture of these webs seems to pervade some of their robust and fragile behaviour. Recent work indicates that there is a strong correlation between the patterning of animal-plant interactions and their phylogenetic organisation. Here we show that such pattern and other reported regularities from mutualistic webs can be properly explained by means of a very simple model of speciation and divergence. This model also predicts a co-extinction dynamics under species loss consistent with the presence of an evolutionary signal. The agreement between observed and model networks suggests that some patterns displayed by real mutualistic webs might actually represent evolutionary spandrels.
Cancer esearch apeutics , Targets , and Chemical Biology ome-wide Analysis of Novel Splice Variants Induced by oisomerase I Poisoning Shows Preferential Occurrence R enes Encoding Splicing Factors

nloaded splicing is required to remove introns from pre-mRNA, and alternative splicing generates protein ity. Topoisomerase I (Top1) has been shown to be coupled with splicing by regulating serine/ e-rich splicing proteins. Prior studies on isolated genes also showed that Top1 poisoning by campto(CPT), which traps Top1 cleavage complexes (Top1cc), can alter RNA splicing. Here, we tested the effect 1 inhibition on splicing at the genome-wide level in human colon carcinoma HCT116 and breast oma MCF7 cells. The RNA of HCT116 cells treated with CPT for various times was analyzed with it Human Splice Array. Unlike other exon array platforms, the ExonHit arrays include junction probes llow the detection of splice variants with high sensitivity and specificity. We report that CPT treatment entially affects the splicing of splicing-related factors, such as RBM8A, and generates transcripts coding ctive proteins lacking key functional domains. The splicing alterations induced by CPT are not observed isplatin or vinblastine and are not simply due to reduced Top1 activity, as Top1 downregulation by short ring RNA did not alter splicing like CPT treatment. Inhibition of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) hyperphosation by 5,6-dichloro-1-β-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB) blocked the splicing alteration induced T, which suggests that the rapid Pol II hyperphosphorylation induced by CPT interferes with normal by CP splicing. The preferential effect of CPT on genes encoding splicing factors may explain the abnormal splicing of a large number of genes in response to Top1cc. Cancer Res; 70(20); 8055–65. ©2010 AACR.
The dynamical Mordell-Lang problem for étale maps

We prove a dynamical version of the Mordell-Lang conjecture for étale endomorphisms of quasiprojective varieties. We use $p$-adic methods inspired by the work of Skolem, Mahler, and Lech, combined with methods from algebraic geometry. As special cases of our result we obtain a new proof of the classical Mordell-Lang conjecture for cyclic subgroups of a semiabelian variety, and we also answer positively a question of Keeler/Rogalski/Stafford for critically dense sequences of closed points of a Noetherian integral scheme.
Information granulation and rough set approximation

Information granulation and concept approximation are some of the fundamental issues of granular computing. Granulation of a universe involves grouping of similar elements into granules to form coarse‐grained views of the universe. Approximation of concepts, represented by subsets of the universe, deals with the descriptions of concepts using granules. In the context of rough set theory, this paper examines the two related issues. The granulation structures used by standard rough set theory and the corresponding approximation structures are reviewed. Hierarchical granulation and approximation structures are studied, which results in stratified rough set approximations. A nested sequence of granulations induced by a set of nested equivalence relations leads to a nested sequence of rough set approximations. A multi‐level granulation, characterized by a special class of equivalence relations, leads to a more general approximation structure. The notion of neighborhood systems is also explored. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Multilevel Correlates of Healthy BMI Maintenance and Return to a Healthy BMI among Children in Massachusetts.

OBJECTIVES To examine predictors of healthy BMI maintenance (HBM) or return to a healthy BMI (RHB) among children. METHODS We studied 33,272 children in Massachusetts between 2008 and 2012. We used multinomial logistic regression to examine associations of individual- and neighborhood-level factors with the odds of: (1) HBM: maintenance of a healthy BMI ≥5th to <85th percentile and (2) RHB: transition to a healthy BMI range from an initial BMI ≥85th percentile between two clinic visits spanning an average of 3.5 years. RESULTS Racial/ethnic minorities had lower odds of HBM and RHB than non-Hispanic white children. Higher neighborhood educational attainment was associated with an increased odds of HBM and RHB. Higher neighborhood median household income, proximity to a supermarket, and access to more open recreational space were associated with a higher odds of HBM. Children of ages 2-5 years at baseline had higher odds of RHB and HBM than children 13 years and older. CONCLUSIONS Early childhood interventions and efforts to create health-promoting neighborhoods including improving access to supermarkets and open recreational space could have important effects on obesity prevention and management.
Virus-Induced Maturation and Activation of Autoreactive Memory B Cells

We have examined B cell populations that participate in distinct phases of the immune response to the influenza virus A/PR/8/34 hemagglutinin (HA) for their susceptibility to negative selection in mice that express the HA as a neo–self-antigen (HA104 mice). We demonstrated previously that specificity for the neo–self-HA causes a population of immunoglobulin G antibody-secreting cells, which dominate the primary response to virus immunization in BALB/c mice, to be negatively selected in HA104 mice. We find here that in contrast to these primary response B cells, HA-specific memory response B cells developed equivalently in HA104 and nontransgenic (BALB/c) mice. Indeed, there was no indication that HA-specific B cells were negatively selected during memory formation in influenza virus–immunized HA104 mice, even though the neo–self-HA can be recognized by memory B cells. Furthermore, HA-specific autoantibodies were induced in the absence of virus immunization by mating HA104 mice with mice transgenic for a CD4+ HA-specific T cell receptor. These findings indicate that specificity for a self-antigen does not prevent the maturation of autoreactive B cells in the germinal center pathway. Rather, the availability of CD4+ T cell help may play a crucial role in regulating autoantibody responses to the HA in HA104 mice.
Epidemiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a descriptive study in the mid-western region of Nepal

Background The purpose of this study was to analyze the distribution of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in terms of time, place, and person among inpatients at the Mid Western Regional Hospital (MWRH) in Nepal. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out by analyzing trends using secondary data for the fiscal years 2006–2009 in the inpatient department of the MWRH. Results The majority of patients admitted for treatment of COPD were women (60%) and from higher ethnic groups (having a comparative advantage in terms of social and economic status), with a greater prevalence among those aged 60–69 years (37% of overall cases). The incidence of COPD increased in consecutive years, with the highest load during the winter months. The cases were most concentrated in places with easiest access to the hospital. Conclusion COPD was found in higher proportions among women, those aged 60–69 years, and upper caste groups, during the cold months, and among residents of areas near the hospital in the mid-western region of Nepal. It is recommended that further detailed research and health education regarding COPD be carried out to reduce its burden and associated losses.
A spatial pyramid approach for texture classification

Texture classification, texture synthesis, or similar tasks are an active topic in computer vision and pattern recognition. This paper aims to present two spatial pyramid representations for texture classification. Most techniques designed for texture classification are based on machine learning. Images are usually represented as feature vectors, which are then used to train a classifier. In the spatial pyramid representation, images are divided into increasingly fine sub-regions (bins) and features are extracted from each bin. This representation is able to capture details about the fractal structure of the texture images. Two experiments are conducted on popular texture classification data sets, namely Brodatz and UIUCTex. In the experiments, several kernel representations and kernel classifiers are combined and evaluated. It seems that the spatial pyramid in combination with intersection kernel and Kernel Discriminant Analysis gives the best results. The proposed pyramid representations can improve the accuracy by as much as 5% over the standard feature representation, showing that the pyramid structure is indeed useful for texture classification.
Direct evidence of lubrication in ceramic-on-ceramic total hip replacements

Abstract A study of surface contact and separation of ceramic-on-ceramic joints was undertaken in 25 per cent bovine serum using a hip simulator. An electrical resistivity technique was used to detect the extent of surface separation throughout a complete walking cycle. The femoral and acetabular components were coated in a thin conducting film of titanium nitride to allow application of the resistivity technique to non-conducting ceramic. Surface separation of the acetabular and femoral components was detected throughout each simulated walking cycle. Fluctuations in the applied voltage across the joint were observed which could not be attributed to elastohydrodynamic or squeeze-film lubrication effects. The probable cause of the voltage fluctuations was brief and occasional contact between the surfaces caused by a combination of asperity contact and subsequent detachment of the conductive coating.
Upregulation of Dorsal Root Ganglion α2δ Calcium Channel Subunit and Its Correlation with Allodynia in Spinal Nerve-Injured Rats

Peripheral nerve injury can lead to a persistent neuropathic pain state in which innocuous tactile stimulation elicits pain behavior (tactile allodynia). Spinal administration of the anticonvulsant gabapentin suppresses allodynia by an unknown mechanism. In vitro studies indicate that gabapentin binds to the α2δ-1 (hereafter referred to as α2δ) subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels. We hypothesized that nerve injury may result in altered α2δ subunit expression in spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) and that this change may play a role in neuropathic pain processing. Using a rat neuropathic pain model in which gabapentin-sensitive tactile allodynia develops after tight ligation of the left fifth and sixth lumbar spinal nerves, we found a >17-fold, time-dependent increase in α2δ subunit expression in DRGs ipsilateral to the nerve injury. Marked α2δ subunit upregulation was also evident in rats with unilateral sciatic nerve crush, but not dorsal rhizotomy, indicating a peripheral origin of the expression regulation. The increased α2δ subunit expression preceded the allodynia onset and diminished in rats recovering from tactile allodynia. RNase protection experiments indicated that the DRG α2δ regulation was at the mRNA level. In contrast, calcium channel α1B and β3 subunit expression was not co-upregulated with the α2δ subunit after nerve injury. These data suggest that DRG α2δ regulation may play an unique role in neuroplasticity after peripheral nerve injury that may contribute to allodynia development.