Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scaling Distributed Machine Learning with the Parameter Server

We propose a parameter server framework for distributed machine learning problems. Both data and workloads are distributed over worker nodes, while the server nodes maintain globally shared parameters, represented as dense or sparse vectors and matrices. The framework manages asynchronous data communication between nodes, and supports flexible consistency models, elastic scalability, and continuous fault tolerance. To demonstrate the scalability of the proposed framework, we show experimental results on petabytes of real data with billions of examples and parameters on problems ranging from Sparse Logistic Regression to Latent Dirichlet Allocation and Distributed Sketching.
Analysis of Competing HIV-1 Splice Donor Sites Uncovers a Tight Cluster of Splicing Regulatory Elements within Exon 2/2b

ABSTRACT The HIV-1 accessory protein Vif is essential for viral replication by counteracting the host restriction factor APOBEC3G (A3G), and balanced levels of both proteins are required for efficient viral replication. Noncoding exons 2/2b contain the Vif start codon between their alternatively used splice donors 2 and 2b (D2 and D2b). For vif mRNA, intron 1 must be removed while intron 2 must be retained. Thus, splice acceptor 1 (A1) must be activated by U1 snRNP binding to either D2 or D2b, while splicing at D2 or D2b must be prevented. Here, we unravel the complex interactions between previously known and novel components of the splicing regulatory network regulating HIV-1 exon 2/2b inclusion in viral mRNAs. In particular, using RNA pulldown experiments and mass spectrometry analysis, we found members of the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoparticle (hnRNP) A/B family binding to a novel splicing regulatory element (SRE), the exonic splicing silencer ESS2b, and the splicing regulatory proteins Tra2/SRSF10 binding to the nearby exonic splicing enhancer ESE2b. Using a minigene reporter, we performed bioinformatics HEXplorer-guided mutational analysis to narrow down SRE motifs affecting splice site selection between D2 and D2b. Eventually, the impacts of these SREs on the viral splicing pattern and protein expression were exhaustively analyzed in viral particle production and replication experiments. Masking of these protein binding sites by use of locked nucleic acids (LNAs) impaired Vif expression and viral replication. IMPORTANCE Based on our results, we propose a model in which a dense network of SREs regulates vif mRNA and protein expression, crucial to maintain viral replication within host cells with varying A3G levels and at different stages of infection. This regulation is maintained by several serine/arginine-rich splicing factors (SRSF) and hnRNPs binding to those elements. Targeting this cluster of SREs with LNAs may lead to the development of novel effective therapeutic strategies.
Application of 3D printing in the surgical planning of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and physician-patient communication: a preliminary study.

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 3-dimensional (3D) printing in treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) and its roles in doctor-patient communication. Methods 3D-printed models were constructed preoperatively and postoperatively in seven HOCM patients received surgical treatment. Based on multi-slice computed tomography (CT) images, regions of disorder were segmented using the Mimics 19.0 software (Materialise, Leuven, Belgium). After generating an STL-file (StereoLithography file) with patients' data, the 3D printer (Objet350 Connex3, Stratasys Ltd., USA) created a 3D model. The pre- and post-operative 3D-printed models were used to make the surgical plan preoperatively and evaluate the outcome postoperatively. Meanwhile, a questionnaire was designed for patients and their relatives to learn the effectiveness of the 3D-printed prototypes in the preoperative conversations. Results The heart anatomies were accurately printed with 3D technology. The 3D-printed prototypes were useful for preoperative evaluation, surgical planning, and practice. Preoperative and postoperative echocardiographic evaluation showed left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction was adequately relieved (82.71±31.63 to 14.91±6.89 mmHg, P<0.001), the septal thickness was reduced from 21.57±4.65 to 17.42±5.88 mm (P<0.001), and the SAM disappeared completely after the operation. Patients highly appreciated the role of 3D model in preoperative conversations and the communication score was 9.11±0.38 points. Conclusions A 3D-printed model is a useful tool in individualized planning for myectomies and represent a useful tool for physician-patient communication.
Multiple regression and inverse moments improve the characterization of the spatial scaling behavior of daily streamflows in the Southeast United States

Understanding the spatial structure of daily streamflow is essential for managing freshwater resources, especially in poorly gaged regions. Spatial scaling assumptions are common in flood frequency prediction (e.g., index‐flood method) and the prediction of continuous streamflow at ungaged sites (e.g. drainage‐area ratio), with simple scaling by drainage area being the most common assumption. In this study, scaling analyses of daily streamflow from 173 streamgages in the southeastern United States resulted in three important findings. First, the use of only positive integer moment orders, as has been done in most previous studies, captures only the probabilistic and spatial scaling behavior of flows above an exceedance probability near the median; negative moment orders (inverse moments) are needed for lower streamflows. Second, assessing scaling by using drainage area alone is shown to result in a high degree of omitted‐variable bias, masking the true spatial scaling behavior. Multiple regression is shown to mitigate this bias, controlling for regional heterogeneity of basin attributes, especially those correlated with drainage area. Previous univariate scaling analyses have neglected the scaling of low‐flow events and may have produced biased estimates of the spatial scaling exponent. Third, the multiple regression results show that mean flows scale with an exponent of one, low flows scale with spatial scaling exponents greater than one, and high flows scale with exponents less than one. The relationship between scaling exponents and exceedance probabilities may be a fundamental signature of regional streamflow. This signature may improve our understanding of the physical processes generating streamflow at different exceedance probabilities.
Orbital T-cell lymphoma versus lupus panniculitits: a T-cell-mediated spectrum of orbital lymphoproliferative disease

ABSTRACT This is a case description of a single male patient found to have T-cell-mediated inflammation and lymphoproliferation of the orbit. Chronic T-cell-mediated inflammatory disease can pose a diagnostic challenge particularly in its differentiation from a neoplastic process. The histopathology in this case demonstrated features of both lupus erythematosus panniculitis and features of orbital T-cell lymphoma. While both are rare, lupus erythematosus panniculitis of the orbit is even more exceptional; this patient’s indolent, chronic relapsing course distinguished itself from the typical aggression of orbital T-cell lymphoma. We believe this rare case may actually represent an example of a newly described disease spectrum that incorporates lupus erythematosus panniculitis as well as subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma.
The Pathological Spectrum of Systemic Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL)

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) represents a group of malignant T-cell lymphoproliferations that share morphological and immunophenotypical features, namely strong CD30 expression and variable loss of T-cell markers, but differ in clinical presentation and prognosis. The recognition of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion proteins as a result of chromosomal translocations or inversions was the starting point for the distinction of different subgroups of ALCL. According to their distinct clinical settings and molecular findings, the 2016 revised World Health Organization (WHO) classification recognizes four different entities: systemic ALK-positive ALCL (ALK+ ALCL), systemic ALK-negative ALCL (ALK− ALCL), primary cutaneous ALCL (pC-ALCL), and breast implant-associated ALCL (BI-ALCL), the latter included as a provisional entity. ALK is rearranged in approximately 80% of systemic ALCL cases with one of its partner genes, most commonly NPM1, and is associated with favorable prognosis, whereas systemic ALK− ALCL shows heterogeneous clinical, phenotypical, and genetic features, underlining the different oncogenesis between these two entities. Recognition of the pathological spectrum of ALCL is crucial to understand its pathogenesis and its boundaries with other entities. In this review, we will focus on the morphological, immunophenotypical, and molecular features of systemic ALK+ and ALK− ALCL. In addition, BI-ALCL will be discussed.
Shape memory hybrids : mechanism and design for tailored properties

II Based on the working principle of SMHs, electrically conductive SMHs which are suitable for joule heating and with over-heating protection function, SMHs with a narrow transition temperature range (within 4.5C), impact-responsive SMHs, high temperature SMHs, and heating/cooling-responsive SMHs are developed. This project presents a systematic study in design, fabrication and characterization of SMHs with tailored properties and features.
Ixeris dentata Extract Increases Salivary Secretion through the Regulation of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in a Diabetes-Induced Xerostomia Rat Model

This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of diabetes mellitus (DM)-induced dry mouth and an application of natural products from Ixeris dentata (IXD), a recently suggested regulator of amylase secretion in salivary cells. Vehicle-treated or diabetic rats were orally treated with either water or an IXD extract for 10 days to observe the effect on salivary flow. We found that the IXD extract increased aquaporin 5 (AQP5) and alpha-amylase protein expression in the submandibular gland along with salivary flow rate. Similarly, the IXD extract and its purified compound increased amylase secretion in high glucose-exposed human salivary gland cells. Furthermore, increased endoplasmic reticulum stress response in the submandibular gland of diabetic rats was inhibited by treatment with the IXD extract, suggesting that IXD extract treatment improves the ER environment by increasing the protein folding capacity. Thus, pharmacological treatment with the IXD extract is suggested to relieve DM-induced dry mouth symptoms.
Single-Layer Frequency Selective Surface With Angular Stability Property

In this letter, a single-layer frequency selective surface (FSS) with high angular stability is proposed. By combining two modified cross loops, the proposed combined FSS (CFSS) element is obtained. Due to the rotationally symmetrical structure, the CFSS is insensitive to the TE or TM polarizations incidence. By the combination, the angular stability property is achieved that the maximum resonant frequency deviation is 0.08 GHz when the incident angle ranges from 0° to 85°. The mechanism of the CFSS is studied by both the equivalent circuit model and numerical analysis. A prototype is manufactured and measured in an anechoic chamber to verify the theoretical analysis. The simulated and measured results have good agreements, and all the performances are proved.
Representations of attachment relationships, the self, and significant others in middle childhood.

INTRODUCTION This research examines the interrelations of attachment security, feelings towards the self, and attributions about others in middle childhood. METHODS Five-to nine-year-old children (n=176) completed the Separation Anxiety Test, which provided a measure of attachment security and a puppet interview was used to assess feelings towards the self. A subset of 89 participants received vignettes of social situations with ambiguous outcomes to assess the emotional valence of children's attributions. RESULTS Secure children saw themselves more positively than insecure children. Children who were secure made more positive attributions about the intentions of others, regardless of whether the protagonist was a peer, parent, or teacher. CONCLUSION The results suggest that attachment style is related to feelings about the self and attributions about the social behavior of others, and thus may provide a foundation for generalized social expectations that underlie working models of social behavior of significant others.
Maternal depression symptoms, unhealthy diet and child emotional–behavioural dysregulation

Background Maternal depression and unhealthy diet are well-known risk factors for adverse child emotional–behavioural outcomes, but their developmental relationships during the prenatal and postnatal periods are largely uncharted. This study sought to examine the inter-relationships between maternal depression symptoms and unhealthy diet (assessed during pregnancy and postnatal periods) in relation to child emotional–behavioural dysregulation (assessed at the ages of 2, 4 and 7 years). Method In a large prospective birth cohort of 7814 mother–child pairs, path analysis was used to examine the independent and inter-related associations of maternal depression symptoms and unhealthy diet with child dysregulation. Results Higher prenatal maternal depression symptoms were prospectively associated with higher unhealthy diet, both during pregnancy and the postnatal period, which, in turn, was associated with higher child dysregulation up to the age of 7 years. In addition, during pregnancy, higher maternal depression symptoms and unhealthy diet were each independently associated with higher child dysregulation up to the age of 7 years. These results were robust to other prenatal, perinatal and postnatal confounders (such as parity and birth complications, poverty, maternal education, etc.). Conclusions Maternal depression symptoms and unhealthy diet show important developmental associations, but are also independent risk factors for abnormal child development.
Risk Assessment and Implication of Human Exposure to Road Dust Heavy Metals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Data dealing with the assessment of heavy metal pollution in road dusts in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and its implication to human health risk of human exposure to heavy metals, are scarce. Road dusts were collected from five different functional areas (traffic areas (TA), parking areas (PA), residential areas (RA), mixed residential commercial areas (MCRA) and suburban areas (SA)) in Jeddah and one in a rural area (RUA) in Hada Al Sham. We aimed to measure the pollution levels of heavy metals and estimate their health risk of human exposure applying risk assessment models described by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Using geo-accumulation index (Igeo), the pollution level of heavy metals in urban road dusts was in the following order Cd > As > Pb > Zn > Cu > Ni > Cr > V > Mn > Co > Fe. Urban road dust was found to be moderately to heavily contaminated with As, Pb and Zn, and heavily to extremely contaminated with Cd. Calculation of enrichment factor (EF) revealed that heavy metals in TA had the highest values compared to that of the other functional areas. Cd, As, Pb, Zn and Cu were severely enriched, while Mn, V, Co, Ni and Cr were moderately enriched. Fe was considered as a natural element and consequently excluded. The concentrations of heavy metals in road dusts of functional areas were in the following order: TA > PA > MCRA > SA > RA > RUA. The study revealed that both children and adults in all studied areas having health quotient (HQ) < 1 are at negligible non-carcinogenic risk. The only exception was for children exposed to As in TA. They had an ingestion health quotient (HQing) 1.18 and a health index (HI) 1.19. The most prominent exposure route was ingestion. The cancer risk for children and adults from exposure to Pb, Cd, Co, Ni, and Cr was found to be negligible (≤1 × 10−6).
Computer modeling of irrigated-tip electrodes during RF cardiac ablation: Comparative analysis between including and excluding the problem of fluid dynamics

Accurate modeling of the thermal performance of irrigated-tip electrodes in endocardial radiofrequency ablation requires solving a triple coupled problem involving simultaneous electrical conduction, heat transfer, and fluid dynamics. We propose an approximate method that avoids the fluid dynamics problem by setting a constant value of temperature in a specific zone of the electrode tip. Our objective was to assess the capacity of the approximate method by comparing its results with those obtained from the accurate method. The results showed that the approximate method failed to predict the lesion surface width, overestimating it by 5 mm for any insertion depth and blood flow rate. Likewise, it drastically overestimated the maximum temperature reached in the blood. However, the approximate method is able to predict lesion depth reasonably well (differences lower than 0.1 mm between both methods) and the maximum temperature reached in the tissue (differences always less than 3°C) throughout the entire ablation time regardless of blood flow rate and electrode insertion depth. In conclusion, the accurate method is the only capable of simulating the real performance of an irrigated electrode-tip surrounded by blood.
Stability of conduction patterns in persistent atrial fibrillation

There is a growing interest and practice of guidance of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) by specific conduction patterns (rotors, point sources, regions of conduction slowing). Temporal stability of conduction patterns in AF has not been studied in detail. Saventeen patients were enrolled for de novo mapping and ablation of persistent AF. Prior to pulmonary vein isolation, left atrial (LA) high density maps were collected using a 20 polar circular catheter. Conduction pattern stability was assessed using Mean Phase Coherence (MPC) of atrial electrograms. Stability was defined as the presence of several consecutive conduction patterns correlated with MPC>0.85 tolerance which constituted an individual stable pattern (SP). LA surface coverage by SP and percentage of the time SP were present strongly depends on SP definition. For SP defined as a train of at least 3 consecutive activations, SP were found on 82% of mapped LA surface and were present 26% of the mapping time. However, if SP is defined as a train of at least 20 similar activations, the coverage drops to 15% and time SP was present to 6.5%. In conclusion, conduction patterns during AF are short lasting. Long recordings should be analyzed before deciding on the ablation target based on specific conduction pattern.
Near-Earth object 2012XJ112 as a source of bright bolides of achondritic nature

We acknowledge support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (projects AYA2009-13227, AYA2011-26522 and AYA2009-06330-E) and Junta de Andalucia (project P09-FQM-4555). The authors are also grateful to Paul Warren (IGPP/UCLA), Rick Binzel (MIT), Hap McSween (Univ. Tennessee) and Larry Nittler (Carnegie Inst.) for providing useful comments and the bulk chemistry data of achondrite groups.
NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF WATER ENTRY OF DIFFERENT ARBITRARY BOW SECTIONS

Water impact phenomenon of general bow section is a critical event for planning hulls. In this paper, the water entry of several arbitrary bow sections is investigated. For this purpose, arbitrary bow shapes which are introduced by Lewis form approximation are considered. In order to obtain pressure distribution and free surface profile, volume of fluid (VOF) method coupled with finite volume method (FVM) are utilized in Ansys-CFX solver. The main feature of present study is consideration of some new arbitrary bow sections which have not been previously studied. Another motivation of the current work is investigation of water entry of arbitrary bow sections using a coupled numerical solution of FVM/VOF. Pressure distribution, free surface, and evolution of intersection point on bow sections are presented, while secondary water impact is demonstrated. Comparison of selected current findings against the results of previous studies indicates favorable agreement. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3329/jname.v11i2. 18724
SPECIAL REVIEW: UTILITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF MICROFLUIDIC PLATFORMS FOR PLATELET RESEARCH Use of microfluidics to assess the platelet-based control of coagulation

This paper provides an overview of the various types of microfluidic devices that are employed to study the complex processes of platelet activation and blood coagulation in whole blood under flow conditions. We elaborate on how these devices are used to detect impaired platelet-dependent fibrin formation in blood frommice or patients with specific bleeding disorders. We provide a practical guide on how to assess formation of a platelet–fibrin thrombus under flow, using equipment that is present in most laboratories. In addition, we describe current insights on how blood flow and shear rate alter the location of platelet populations, von Willebrand factor, coagulation factors, and fibrin in a growing thrombus. Finally, we discuss possibilities and limitations for the clinical use of microfluidic devices to evaluate a hemostatic or prothrombotic tendency in patient blood samples.
STRENGTH & TOUGHNESS OF REINFORCED CONCRETE WITH COATED STEEL FIBERS

The effect of zinc phosphate (ZP) and zinc calcium phosphate (ZCP) coatings on the reinforcing mechanisms of smooth steel fiber in cementitious matrix have been studied. The results of pull out tests illustrated that by coating smooth steel fiber the pull-out load may be increased up to 100%. The effect of zinc phosphate coating on interface bonding was more than zinc-calcium phosphate coating. This could be due to formation of large crystals in zinc phosphate coating and its tendency to react in alkaline environment of cementitious matrix. This behavior was also confirmed by SEM analysis. The obtained results from a mathematical model for pull-out energy were in good agreement with the experimental results. The results indicated that coating of fibers with zinc based ceramics could improve the composite's mechanical properties as well as its chemical stability.
Imaging the Surface of Altair

Spatially resolving the surfaces of nearby stars promises to advance our knowledge of stellar physics. Using optical long-baseline interferometry, we constructed a near-infrared image of the rapidly rotating hot star Altair with a resolution of <1 milliarcsecond. The image clearly reveals the strong effect of gravity darkening on the highly distorted stellar photosphere. Standard models for a uniformly rotating star cannot explain our findings, which appear to result from differential rotation, alternative gravity-darkening laws, or both.
A Combined Source Integral Equation With Weak Form Combined Source Condition

A combined source integral equation (CSIE) is constructed on the basis of the electric field IE (EFIE) to solve electromagnetic radiation and scattering problems containing perfect electrically conducting bodies. It is discretized with Rao–Wilton–Glisson basis functions only, for both electric and magnetic surface current densities. The combined source condition, which ensures the uniqueness of the solution and circumvents the interior resonance problem, is implemented as a weak form side condition. Compared with the common combined field IE, the proposed CSIE shows superior accuracy for sharp edges as well as structures with the interior resonance problem. Furthermore, the iterative solver convergence of the CSIE is faster than for the EFIE, which shows about the same accuracy as the CSIE. Results of numerical scattering simulations are presented to demonstrate the accuracy of the presented CSIE.