Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scalable multi-module packet switches with quality of service

The rapid growth in packet-based network traffic has resulted in a growing demand for network switches that can scale in capacity with increasing interface transmission rates and higher port counts. Furthermore, the continuing migration of legacy circuit-switched services to a shared IP/MPLS packet-based network requires such network switches to provide an adequate Quality of Service (QoS) in terms of traffic prioritization, as well as bandwidth and delay guarantees. While technology advances, such as the usage of faster silicon and optical switching components, provide one dimension to address this demand, architectural improvements provide the other. This dissertation addresses the latter topic. Specifically, we address the subject of constructing and analyzing high-capacity QoS-capable packet switches using multiple lower-capacity modules. Switches with the output-queueing (OQ) discipline, in theory, provide the best performance in terms of throughput as well as QoS, but do not scale in capacity with increasing rates and port counts. Input-queued (IQ) switches, on the other hand, scale better but require complex arbitration procedures, sometimes impractical, to achieve the same level of performance. We leverage the state-of-the-art in OQ and IQ switching systems and establish a new taxonomy for a class of three-stage packet switches, which we call Buffered Clos Switches. The taxonomy is created by augmenting existing switching elements with aggregation, pipelining and parallelization techniques. This offers a switch designer several alternatives, each driven by specific design and re-use constraints, to build a high-capacity switch composed of lower-capacity basic elements. We also present a formal framework for optimal packet-switching performance, in order to uniformly characterize the capabilities of the switches in the class. The optimality is based on establishing functional equivalence of a given switch and its associated arbitration algorithms with a well-understood ideal switch. For the items in the above taxonomy, we demonstrate how some existing algorithms perform with respect to the optimality criteria, and then augment the state-of-the-art by presenting algorithms and analytical results for stricter equivalence with an ideal switch.
Physical exercise in overweight to obese individuals induces metabolic- and neurotrophic-related structural brain plasticity

Previous cross-sectional studies on body-weight-related alterations in brain structure revealed profound changes in the gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) that resemble findings obtained from individuals with advancing age. This suggests that obesity may lead to structural brain changes that are comparable with brain aging. Here, we asked whether weight-loss-dependent improved metabolic and neurotrophic functioning parallels the reversal of obesity-related alterations in brain structure. To this end we applied magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) together with voxel-based morphometry and diffusion-tensor imaging in overweight to obese individuals who participated in a fitness course with intensive physical training twice a week over a period of 3 months. After the fitness course, participants presented, with inter-individual heterogeneity, a reduced body mass index (BMI), reduced serum leptin concentrations, elevated high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and alterations of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations suggesting changes of metabolic and neurotrophic function. Exercise-dependent changes in BMI and serum concentration of BDNF, leptin, and HDL-C were related to an increase in GM density in the left hippocampus, the insular cortex, and the left cerebellar lobule. We also observed exercise-dependent changes of diffusivity parameters in surrounding WM structures as well as in the corpus callosum. These findings suggest that weight-loss due to physical exercise in overweight to obese participants induces profound structural brain plasticity, not primarily of sensorimotor brain regions involved in physical exercise, but of regions previously reported to be structurally affected by an increased body weight and functionally implemented in gustation and cognitive processing.
A Novel Na+ Channel Splice Form Contributes to the Regulation of an Androgen-Dependent Social Signal

Na+ channels are often spliced but little is known about the functional consequences of splicing. We have been studying the regulation of Na+ current inactivation in an electric fish model in which systematic variation in the rate of inactivation of the electric organ Na+ current shapes the electric organ discharge (EOD), a sexually dimorphic, androgen-sensitive communication signal. Here, we examine the relationship between an Na+ channel (Nav1.4b), which has two splice forms, and the waveform of the EOD. One splice form (Nav1.4bL) possesses a novel first exon that encodes a 51 aa N-terminal extension. This is the first report of an Na+ channel with alternative splicing in the N terminal. This N terminal is present in zebrafish suggesting its general importance in regulating Na+ currents in teleosts. The extended N terminal significantly speeds fast inactivation, shifts steady-state inactivation, and dramatically enhances recovery from inactivation, essentially fulfilling the functions of a β subunit. Both splice forms are equally expressed in muscle in electric fish and zebrafish but Nav1.4bL is the dominant form in the electric organ implying electric organ-specific transcriptional regulation. Transcript abundance of Nav1.4bL in the electric organ is positively correlated with EOD frequency and lowered by androgens. Thus, shaping of the EOD waveform involves the androgenic regulation of a rapidly inactivating splice form of an Na+ channel. Our results emphasize the role of splicing in the regulation of a vertebrate Na+ channel and its contribution to a known behavior.
THE SLEEP OF HEALTHY PEOPLE—A DIARY STUDY

To provide baseline data for various research studies at the University of Pittsburgh over a 10-year period, 266 healthy subjects (144 male, 122 female, aged 20–50 years) meeting certain criteria each completed a 14-night sleep diary. For each night, the diary allowed the subjective measurement of bedtime, wake time, time in bed (TIB), sleep efficiency, number of minutes of wake after sleep onset (WASO), alertness on awakening, and percentage of mornings needing an alarm (or a person functioning as one). Weeknight versus weekend night differences in TIB (TIBdiff), weekday alertness, and reliance on alarms were examined as possible indicators of sleep debt. In addition, general descriptive data were tabulated. On average, bedtimes were at 23:48 and wake times at 07:23, yielding a mean TIB of 7 hours 35 minutes. As expected, bedtimes and wake times were later on weekend nights than on weeknights. Bedtimes were 26 minutes later, wake times 53 minutes later, yielding a mean weekend TIB increase of 27 minutes. Overall, subjects perceived their sleep latency to be 10.5 minutes, reported an average of one awakening during the night (with an average of 6.4 minutes of WASO), had a diary sleep efficiency of 96.3%, and awoke with an alertness rating of 69.5%. These variables differed little between weeknight and weekend nights. Subjects used an alarm (or a person functioning as an alarm) on 60.9% nights overall, 68.3% on weeknights, 42.5% on weekends. When TIBdiff was used as an estimate of sleep debt (comparing subjects with TIBdiff >75 minutes with those with a TIBdiff < 30 minutes), the group with more “catch-up sleep” on weekends had shorter weeknight TIB durations (by about 24 minutes) and relied more on an alarm for weekday waking (by about 22%), indicating the possible utility of these variables as sleep debt indices. (Chronobiology International, 17(1), 49–60, 2000)
Toxicological Features of Catha edulis (Khat) on Livers and Kidneys of Male and Female Sprague-Dawley Rats: A Subchronic Study

Hepato- and nephrotoxicity of Khat consumption (Catha edulis Forskal) have been evoked. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate such possible hepatorenal toxicity in female and male Sprague-Dawley rats (SD rats) focusing primarily on liver and kidney. In addition, female and male rats were investigated separately. Accordingly, forty-eight SD-rats (100–120 g) were distributed randomly into four groups of males and female (n = 12). Normal controls (NCs) received distilled water, whereas test groups received 500 mg/kg (low dose (LD)), 1000 mg/kg (medium dose (MD)), or 2000 mg/kg (high dose (HD)) of crude extract of Catha edulis orally for 4 weeks. Then, physical, biochemical, hematological, and histological parameters were analyzed. Results in Khat-fed rats showed hepatic enlargement, abnormal findings in serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of male and female SD-rats and serum albumin (A) and serum creatinine (Cr) of female as compared to controls. In addition, histopathological abnormalities confirmed hepatic and renal toxicities of Khat that were related to heavy Khat consumption. In summary, Khat could be associated with hepatic hypertrophy and hepatotoxicity in male and female SD-rats and nephrotoxicity only in female SD-rats.
Viscosity solutions of fully nonlinear functional parabolic PDE

Here, Q = (0,T)×Ω, Γ = (0,T)× ∂Ω (T < +∞ or T = +∞), and Ω is a bounded open subset ofRn,Qτ̄=[−τ̄,0]×Ω,Cm=C[−τ̄,0]×···×C[−τ̄,0] denotes the corresponding continuous function space; u :Qτ̄ ∪Q→R is the unknown function, ut(τ)= (ut(τ1), . , ut(τm))= (u(t+ τ1,x), . ,u(t+ τm,x)) with −τ̄ ≤ τj ≤ 0, j = 1,2, . ,m, f :Q×R×Cm× R×Rn× S(n)→R is a given functional which is locally bounded, S(n) denotes the set of real symmetric n× n matrices equipped with its usual order, that is, X ≤ Y implies that ξtXξ ≤ ξtYξ for every ξ ∈ Rn; Dxu and D2 xu denote the gradient and Hessian matrix of the function u with respect to the argument x; φ(t,x)∈ C(Q̄τ̄) and φ(t,x)|Γ = 0. The functional f is said to be degenerate parabolic if
Characteristics of Brains in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Structure, Function and Connectivity across the Lifespan

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social communication and restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs). Over the past decade, neuroimaging studies have provided considerable insights underlying neurobiological mechanisms of ASD. In this review, we introduce recent findings from brain imaging studies to characterize the brains of ASD across the human lifespan. Results of structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies dealing with total brain volume, regional brain structure and cortical area are summarized. Using task-based functional MRI (fMRI), many studies have shown dysfunctional activation in critical areas of social communication and RRBs. We also describe several data to show abnormal connectivity in the ASD brains. Finally, we suggest the possible strategies to study ASD brains in the future.
Pro12Ala sequence variant of the PPARG gene is associated with postprandial hypertriglyceridemia in non-E3/E3 patients with the metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND Postprandial hypertriglyceridemia, a component of the metabolic syndrome, has varied etiology and involves many genes related to triglyceride metabolism. Variations in these genes may affect postprandial hypertriglyceridemia in the context of the metabolic syndrome. METHODS We orally administered 60 g of fat overload to 74 patients with the metabolic syndrome. We then measured baseline concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein AI, apolipoprotein B, uric acid, and uric acid excretion; we also performed homeostasis model assessments of insulin resistance and insulin sensitivity. At 3 h, we measured triglycerides, cholesterol, apolipoprotein AI, and apolipoprotein B. Patients were considered to have postprandial hypertriglyceridemia if the difference in plasma triglycerides between baseline and 3 h after the test was 1.71 mmol/L or more. We also measured anthropometrical variables and classified the patients according to their peroxisome proliferative activated receptor, gamma (PPARG) gene and apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype. RESULTS Postprandial hypertriglyceridemia occurred in 64.7% of patients with the Ala12 allele vs 19.9% of the Pro12Pro patients, (P = 0.00032; odds ratio, 7.6), and in 87.5% of the patients with both the Ala12 allele and the non-E3/E3 APOE genotype (odds ratio, 23.8). Logistic regression analysis showed that PPARG and APOE sequence variants were associated with the presence of postprandial hypertriglyceridemia. CONCLUSION The Pro12Ala PPARG sequence variant together with a non-E3/E3 APOE genotype is associated with a high risk for postprandial hypertriglyceridemia in patients with the metabolic syndrome, indicating a close association between these genes and the regulation of lipoproteinase clearance.
The utility of the Helicobacter pylori stool antigen test in managing dyspepsia: an experience from a low resource setting.

BACKGROUND Dyspepsia is defined as a chronic or recurrent pain or discomfort centered in the upper abdomen. Endoscopy is the best strategy for confirming the cause of dyspepsia. Non- invasive strategies would be more appropriate in low resource countries where endoscopy is not readily available. However, there is concern that these strategies may miss serious disease like gastric cancer. One test that needs to be assessed in this regard is the Helicobacter pylori stool antigen test (HPSAT). OBJECTIVE To determine the validity of the stool antigen test in predicting H. pylori associated disease among patients with dyspepsia. METHODS In this prospective study patients with dyspepsia attending Mulago Hospital were recruited consecutively. Helicobacter pylori was determined using the Rapid Strip HpSA ®, endoscopy and gastric mucosal biopsy were done. RESULTS 167 patients with dyspepsia were recruited into the study. There were ninety six (57.5%) females and seventy one (42.5%) males with an average age of 48.1(±18.1) years. Patients presenting with dyspepsia in Mulago hospital were more likely to come from the Central 60 (36%) and western tribes 55 (33%). The commonest endoscopic finding was oesophagitis 25 (15%). Peptic ulcer disease was found in 32 (19.2%) and 54 (32.3%) had normal endoscopy findings. H pylori was found in 33.5% and 32.5% using the HPSAT and histology respectively. The validity of the HPSAT in predicting H.pylori associated diseases was generally low with an overall sensitivity of 55.8%, and specificity of 74.2%. However, the validity was higher in predicting the diagnosis of peptic ulcer disease with a sensitivity 59.4% and specificity 72.6%. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS The HPSAT may be used in the test and treat strategy for young patients with dyspepsia without alarm signs and symptoms in low resource settings. However, because of its low validity in predicting H.pylori associated disease, it is important to follow up patients so that if symptoms persist or recur endoscopy is performed.
Are We Better Off if Our Politicians Know How the Economy Works

This paper sheds light on two mechanisms that make some citizens worse off from a political leader’s having access to more information. It also addresses the question who are the losers and who are the winners. Moreover, it is discussed how the results of the analysis can be helpful in understanding some normative and positive issues concerning interest group politics. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG - (Geht es uns besser, wenn unsere Politiker wissen, wie die Wirtschaft funktioniert? ) In diesem Beitrag werden zwei Mechanismen dargestellt, die dazu fuhren, das Burger schlechter gestellt werden, wenn ein Politiker Zugang zu mehr Information hat. Dabei wird auch auf die Frage eingegangen, wer die Verlierer und wer die Gewinner sind. Daruber hinaus wird erortert, wie die Analyseergebnisse dazu beitragen konnen, einige normative und positive Aspekte der Vertretung von Interessengruppenpolitk zu verstehen.
The Problem of the Placebo Response in Clinical Trials for Psychiatric Disorders: Culprits, Possible Remedies, and a Novel Study Design Approach

The placebo response is a major issue in clinical trials for psychiatric disorders. Possible contributing factors to this problem include diagnostic misclassification, issues concerning inclusion/exclusion criteria, outcome measures’ lack of sensitivity to change, measurement errors, poor quality of data entry and verification, waxing and waning of the natural course of illness, regression toward the mean phenomenon, patient and clinician expectations about the trial, study design issues, non-specific therapeutic effects, and high attrition. Over the past few decades, researchers have attempted to reduce the placebo effect in a variety of ways. Unfortunately, approaches with very little or no benefit have included restricting enrollment to selected populations, rater training, requirement of same rater, and placebo lead-in phases. Some benefits, although often marginal, have been derived from standardizing diagnostic procedures, managing clinicians’ overestimation of change, simplification of study visits and assessments, minimizing non-specific, therapeutic effects, extending trial duration, reducing number of sites, increasing the sensitivity of outcome measures, and reducing the number of treatment arms. Thus far, there has been no attempt to develop new study designs aimed at reducing the placebo effect. We are proposing a novel study design, called ‘Sequential Parallel Comparison Design’, suitable for double-blind, placebo-controlled trials in psychiatric disorders. This design is aimed at reducing both the overall placebo response rate and the sample size required for such trials. Its usefulness in clinical research needs to be tested empirically. If this study design were to be found to meet its stated goals, this could markedly facilitate the process of clinical development of new compounds for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.
Cross Language Information Retrieval for Biomedical Literature

This workshop report discusses the collaborative work of UT, EMC and TNO on the TREC Genomics Track 2007. The biomedical information retrieval task is approached using cross language methods, in which biomedical concept detection is combined with eﬀective IR based on unigram language models. Furthermore, a co-occurrence method is used to select and ﬁlter candidate answers. On its own, the cross lingual approach and the ﬁltering do not strongly improve retrieval results. However, the combination of approaches does show a strong improvement over the monolingual baseline.
Glenohumeral Dysplasia Changes After Tendon Transfer Surgery in Children With Birth Brachial Plexus Injuries

Background This study hypothesizes that children with glenohumeral dysplasia secondary to birth brachial plexopathy treated with tendon transfer surgery at a younger age will show greater radiographic improvement than those treated at an older age. Methods Twenty-six children treated with latissimus dorsi and teres major tendon transfer had preoperative and 1 year postoperative computed tomography (CT) scans at an average follow-up of 17 months (10 to 46 mo). Average age at surgery was 44 months (10 to 134 mo). CT scans were measured for glenoid version and percent humeral head anterior to the midscapular line (PHHA). Shoulders were classified as dislocated (PHHA 0%), subluxed (PHHA 1% to 35%), or normal positioning (>35%). Two age groups were compared: 24 months or less at the time of surgery (n=11); and greater than 2 years (n=15). Concomitant surgical techniques were also evaluated. Results For the 11 children treated at 24 months of age or less, PHHA averaged 13% preoperatively (range: 0% to 54%) and postoperatively 42% (range: 25% to 51%); glenoid version averaged −25 degrees preoperatively (range: −36 to −11 degrees) and postoperatively −14 degrees (range: −31 to −2 degrees); and preoperatively 5 shoulders were dislocated, 5 subluxed, and 1 normal; whereas postoperatively 0 shoulders were dislocated, 2 subluxed, and 9 normally positioned. For the 15 children treated at greater than 2 years of age, PHHA averaged 30% preoperatively (range: 0% to 53%) and postoperatively 33% (range: 0% to 57%); glenoid version averaged −17 degrees preoperatively (range: −27 to −4 degrees) and postoperatively −16 degrees (range: −31 to −2 degrees); and preoperatively 2 shoulders were dislocated, 6 subluxed, and 7 normal; whereas postoperatively 2 shoulders were dislocated, 5 subluxed, and 8 normally positioned. Conclusions Eleven children treated at 24 months of age or less had significantly greater improvement in the CT scan radiographic measurements of glenohumeral dysplasia, than the 15 children treated at greater than 2 years of age. The effect of age had greater correlation with improvement than open reduction. For children undergoing tendon transfer for lack of active external rotation due to brachial plexus birth injury, improvement in glenohumeral dysplasia can be achieved if the surgery is performed before 2 years of age. Level of Evidence Level IV, case controlled series.
Characteristics of transient outward currents in single smooth muscle cells from the ureter of the guinea‐pig.

1. Two kinds of transient outward currents were observed upon depolarization of single smooth muscle cells isolated from guinea‐pig ureter. The major transient outward current was through Ca2(+)‐activated K+ channels (IK(Ca) which had a large conductance (130 pS; 126 mM [K+]i/5.9 mM [K+]o). 2. The smaller transient outward current (ITO) was pharmacologically separated from other membrane currents in the presence of 1 mM‐Cd2+ and 2 mM‐tetraethylammonium(TEA+) and was selectively blocked by 3 mM‐4‐aminopyridine. It peaked (approximately 200 pA) within 10 ms upon depolarization from ‐80 to +20 mV and its half‐inactivation time was approximately 50 ms at +20 mV. Half‐maximum voltages (V 1/2) for activation and inactivation were about ‐8 and ‐50 mV, respectively, in the presence of 1 mM‐Cd2+ and 2 mM‐TEA+. The time course of recovery from inactivation of ITO was fitted with a single‐exponential function (tau = 100 ms at ‐80 mV). A tenfold change of [K+]o resulted in a 53 mV change in the reversal potential of the tail of ITO. 3. Cadmium reduced peak ITO and shifted the voltage dependence of activation and inactivation in the positive direction in a concentration‐dependent manner. The V 1/2 for inactivation in the absence of Cd2+ was estimated to be approximately ‐64 mV. 4. Single‐channel outward currents which appeared only in the initial part of a depolarizing pulse from about ‐100 mV were recorded using the cell‐attached patch clamp. The decay of the ensemble average of the current was similar to the macroscopic ITO under whole‐cell clamp. When the holding potential was less negative, the opening probability of the channel greatly decreased. The channel conductance in normal extracellular medium was 14 pS. 5. In ureter cells ITO resembles A‐type current. ITO does not contribute significantly to the repolarization of the action potential but it may regulate membrane excitability by opposing Ca2+ current activated around the threshold of the action potential.