Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using logging and asynchronous checkpointing to implement recoverable distributed shared memory

Distributed shared memory provides a useful paradigm for developing distributed applications. As the number of processors in the system and running time of distributed applications increase, the likelihood of processor failure increases. A method of recovering processes running in a distributed shared memory environment which minimizes lost work and the cost of recovery is desirable so that long-running applications are not adversely affected by processor failure. A technique for achieving recoverable distributed shared memory which utilizes asynchronous process checkpoints and logging of pages accessed via read operations on the shared address space is presented. The scheme supports independent process recovery without forcing rollback of operational processes during recovery. The method is particularly useful in environments where taking process checkpoints is expensive. <<ETX>>
Modern mRNA Proofreading and Repair: Clues that the Last Universal Common Ancestor Possessed an RNA Genome?

Abstract RNA repair has now been demonstrated to be a genuine biological process and appears to be present in all three domains of life. In this article, we consider what this might mean for the transition from an early RNA-dominated world to modern cells possessing genetically encoded proteins and DNA. There are significant gaps in our understanding of how the modern protein-DNA world could have evolved from a simpler system, and it is currently uncertain whether DNA genomes evolved once or twice. Against this backdrop, the discovery of RNA repair in modern cells is timely food for thought and brings us conceptually one step closer to understanding how RNA genomes were replaced by DNA genomes. We have examined the available literature on multisubunit RNA polymerase structure and function and conclude that a strong case can be made that the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA) possessed a repair-competent RNA polymerase, which would have been capable of acting on an RNA genome. However, while this lends credibility to the proposal that the LUCA had an RNA genome, the alternative, that LUCA had a DNA genome, cannot be completely ruled out.
An update on chemotherapy for osteosarcoma

Introduction: In the early seventies chemotherapy significantly improved survival in osteosarcoma. Since then minor innovations have occurred although recent years have offered insights of clinical and scientific relevance.Areas covered: This review focuses on the most recent results of phase 3 and 2 studies. Published data or presentations at International meetings are discussed. A specific section discusses recent insights from studies supporting the hypothesis of a possible personalized chemotherapy approach.Expert opinion: Osteosarcoma is a rare tumor and any effort should be made to improve the level of International collaboration. The MAP (methotrexate, doxorubicin and cisplatin) regimen has become the treatment of choice. Poor pathological response to primary chemotherapy is confirmed as a predictive factor of survival and, presently with the available drugs, it is not recommended to intensify or change post-operative treatment on the basis of pathological response to primary chemotherapy. The genomic complexity and the heterogeneity of osteosarcoma makes active and effective molecularly targeted therapies unlikely to be available in the near future. A relation between pharmacogenetic profile and chemotherapy toxicity and prognosis has been reported. The new frontier for clinical research in osteosarcoma is to optimize the use of the active drugs available by personalizing chemotherapy treatment.
Inhibitory Effects of N‐acetylcysteine on Superoxide Anion Generation in Human Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes

It has been suggested that reactive oxygen species released by activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in man is one mechanism of tissue injury. Therapeutic action aimed at increasing antioxidant defence mechanisms is still a clinical challenge. This study examines the activity of N‐acetylcysteine, a known antioxidant, in the protection of PMN exposed in‐vitro to the chemoattractant peptide fMet‐Leu‐Phe (FMLP), the protein kinase C activator phorbol myristate acetate or the lipid peroxidation promoter t‐butyl hydroperoxide.
The parents' journey: continuing a pregnancy after a diagnosis of Patau's syndrome

Patau's syndrome (trisomy 13) is a rare condition, associated with high mortality, a range of congenital abnormalities, and severe physical and cognitive impairment. Many affected pregnancies will miscarry, and most babies born with the condition will not survive more than a few days or weeks. Less than 10% of babies with the condition will survive their first year of life.1 Parents who discover during pregnancy that their baby has a serious chromosomal condition such as Patau's syndrome suddenly find themselves on an unexpected journey away from their hopes for a healthy baby and a normal family life towards a new and challenging situation. Many parents in this situation will decide to end the pregnancy, but a few will decide to continue. This is the story of one couple who discovered at the 20 week scan that their baby had Patau's syndrome, and decided to go ahead with the pregnancy. Baby Benjamin was born at 35 weeks and lived for three minutes after birth. Much of the story is told in the couple's own words, recorded in an interview three months after the baby's death. This article draws on interview data collected in 2003-4 for a wider research project on experiences of antenatal screening, now part of the DIPEx website collection (personal experiences of health and illness; see www.dipex.org/antenatalscreening for other findings and video clips from the interviews). This research included people who had routine screening experiences as well as parents of babies diagnosed with a variety of conditions, some of whom decided to end the pregnancy and some to continue. The couple had two other children and had been waiting until they had moved to a bigger house to have another baby. Thus they set off on a planned and much anticipated journey of normal pregnancy and birth. They …
Functional contrast based on intermolecular double‐quantum coherences: Influence of the correlation distance

A functional MRI (fMRI) study with visual stimulation of healthy subjects was performed at 3T exploiting intermolecular double‐quantum coherences. The correlation distance, dc, was varied between 60 and 300 μm for different evolution times, τ. Robust activation was obtained in all experiments with average signal changes (ΔS2) = 8.4 ± 0.7% and 9.4 ± 0.8% for τ = 15 and 20 ms, respectively) exceeding those normally associated with conventional blood oxygen level‐dependent (BOLD) fMRI. Relaxation‐rate changes (ΔR2 = 0.33 ± 0.36 s−1 and ΔR2* = 0.77 ± 0.54 s−1) were similar to those commonly obtained for the extravascular BOLD effect. The number of activated voxels increased with increasing dc until a plateau was reached at ≈120 μm. Similar trends were observed for the activation‐induced percent signal change and for the maximal Z‐scores. These effects were quantitatively explained by a reduced sensitivity at short dc due to increasing signal attenuation related to diffusion and an increasing amount of signal fluctuations in the fMRI time series due to imperfect suppression of unwanted coherence pathways. Consistent indications of a preferential selection of susceptibility changes in blood vessels of a particular size were not obtained. Magn Reson Med 58:696–704, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Comparison of Web-Based with Traditional Classroom-Based Training of Lung Ultrasound for the Exclusion of Pneumothorax

BACKGROUND:Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a well-established method that can exclude pneumothorax by demonstration of pleural sliding and the associated ultrasound artifacts. The positive diagnosis of pneumothorax is more difficult to obtain and relies on detection of the edge of a pneumothorax, called the “lung point. ” Yet, anesthesiologists are not widely taught these techniques, even though their patients are susceptible to pneumothorax either through trauma or as a result of central line placement or regional anesthesia techniques performed near the thorax. In anticipation of an increased training demand for LUS, efficient and scalable teaching methods should be developed. In this study, we compared the improvement in LUS skills after either Web-based or classroom-based training. We hypothesized that Web-based training would not be inferior to “traditional” classroom-based training beyond a noninferiority limit of 10% and that both would be superior to no training. Furthermore, we hypothesized that this short training session would lead to LUS skills that are similar to those of ultrasound-trained emergency medicine (EM) physicians. METHODS:After a pretest, anesthesiologists from 4 academic teaching hospitals were randomized to Web-based (group Web), classroom-based (group class), or no training (group control) and then completed a posttest. Groups Web and class returned for a retention test 4 weeks later. All 3 tests were similar, testing both practical and theoretical knowledge. EM physicians (group EM) performed the pretest only. Teaching for group class consisted of a standardized PowerPoint lecture conforming to the Consensus Conference on LUS followed by hands-on training. Group Web received a narrated video of the same PowerPoint presentation, followed by an online demonstration of LUS that also instructs the viewer to perform an LUS on himself using a clinically available ultrasound machine and submit smartphone snapshots of the resulting images as part of a portfolio system. Group Web received no other hands-on training. RESULTS:Groups Web, class, control, and EM contained 59, 59, 20, and 42 subjects. After training, overall test results of groups Web and class improved by a mean of 42.9% (±18.1% SD) and 39.2% (±19.2% SD), whereas the score of group control did not improve significantly. The test improvement of group Web was not inferior to group class. The posttest scores of groups Web and class were not significantly different from group EM. In comparison with the posttests, the retention test scores did not change significantly in either group. CONCLUSIONS:When training anesthesiologists to perform LUS for the exclusion of pneumothorax, we found that Web-based training was not inferior to traditional classroom-based training and was effective, leading to test scores that were similar to a group of clinicians experienced in LUS.
Controlling Abnormal Joint Movement Inhibits Response of Osteophyte Formation

Objective Osteoarthritis (OA) is induced by accumulated mechanical stress to joints; however, little has been reported regarding the cause among detailed mechanical stress on cartilage degeneration. This study investigated the influence of the control of abnormal joint movement induced by anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in the articular cartilage. Design The animals were divided into 3 experimental groups: CAJM group (n = 22: controlling abnormal joint movement), ACL-T group (n = 22: ACL transection or knee anterior instability increased), and INTACT group (n = 12: no surgery). After 2 and 4 weeks, the knees were harvested for digital microscopic observation, soft X-ray analysis, histological analysis, and synovial membrane molecular evaluation. Results The 4-week OARSI scores showed that cartilage degeneration was significantly inhibited in the CAJM group as compared with the ACL-T group (P < 0.001). At 4 weeks, the osteophyte formation had also significantly increased in the ACL-T group (P < 0.001). These results reflected the microscopic scoring and soft X-ray analysis findings at 4 weeks. Real-time synovial membrane polymerase chain reaction analysis for evaluation of the osteophyte formation–associated factors showed that the mRNA expression of BMP-2 and VEGF in the ACL-T group had significantly increased after 2 weeks. Conclusions Typically, abnormal mechanical stress induces osteophyte formation; however, our results demonstrated that CAJM group inhibited osteophyte formation. Therefore, controlling abnormal joint movement may be a beneficial precautionary measure for OA progression in the future.
A QUANTITATIVE STUDY ON BEV AND PHEV ADOPTION IN THE NETHERLANDS

3 Introduction . 7 Hypothesis Development . 10 2.1 Demographic drivers . 10 2.2 Municipal drivers . 11 2.3 Context drivers . 12 2.4 Degree of urbanization . 13 Research Design . 15 3.1 Methodology . 15 3.2 Sample & data . 16 3.2.1 Sample . 16 3.2.2 Dependent variable: percentage battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles . 16 3.2.3 Independent variables: demographic, municipal, context and urban drivers . 18 Results . 21 4.1 Descriptives . 21 4.2 Estimating BEV adoption . 22 4.2.1 Estimating demographic drivers on BEV adoption . 22 4.2.2 Municipal drivers . 24 4.2.3 Context drivers . 25 4.2.4 Degree of urbanization . 27 4.3 Estimating PHEV adoption . 28 4.3.1 Estimating demographic drivers on PHEV adoption . 28 4.3.2 Municipal drivers . 31 4.3. 3 Context drivers . 32 4.3. 4 Degree of urbanization . 33 4.4 Case study: Rotterdam . 35 4.4.1 BEV adoption in Rotterdam . 35 4.4.2 PHEV adoption in Rotterdam . 37 Discussion . 39 5.1 Practical implications . 39 5.2 Future developments . 40 Brenda Janssen – June 16 2016 6 5.3 Theoretical implications . 41 5.4 Limitations and future research . 41 Conclusion . 43 Bibliography . 45 Appendices . 48 A. Overview of all municipalities . 48 B. Initiatives by local governments . 51 C. Estimating (PH)EV adoption . 61 C.1 Estimating demographic, municipal and context drivers on BEV adoption . 61 C.2 Estimating demographic, municipal and context drivers on PHEV adoption . 62 D. Estimating BEV adoption per urban degree . 63 D.1 Highly urban municipalities (code 4 & 5) . 63 D.2 Moderately urban municipalities (code 3) . 64 D.3 Little urban municipalities (code 2) . 65 D.4 Non-urban municipalities (code 1) . 66 D.5 Moderating effect of urbanization for BEV adoption . 67 E. Estimating PHEV adoption per urban degree . 68 E.1 Highly urban municipalities (code 4 & 5) . 68 E.2 Moderately urban municipalities (code 3) . 69 E.3 Little urban municipalities (code 2) . 70 E.4 Non-urban municipalities (code 1) . 71 E.5 Moderating effect of urbanization for BEV adoption . 72 F. Case study: Rotterdam . 73 F.1 Predicted BEV adoption per district of Rotterdam . 73 F.2 Predicted PHEV adoption per district of Rotterdam . 74 Brenda Janssen – June 16 2016
REPLY TO HAFNER AND PETERSEN

the Green River Formation of Wyoming (pelecaniformes: Fregatidae). Smithsonian Contr. Paleobiol. 27:1-33. --. 1981. The generic allocation of Ibis pagana Milne-Edwards, with a review of fossil ibises (Aves: Threskiornithidae). J. Vert. Paleo. 1:165-170. --. 1985. The fossil record of birds, pp. 79238. In D. Farner, J. King, and K. C. Parkes (eds.), Avian Biology, Vol. 8. Academic Press, N.Y. OLSON, S. L. , AND A. FEDUCCIA. 1980. Relationships and evolution of flamingos (Aves: Phoenicopteridae). Smithsonian Contr. Zool. 316: 173. OLSON, S. L. , AND H. F. JAMES. 1982a. Fossil birds from the Hawaiian Islands: Evidence for wholesale extinction by man before western contact. Science 217:633-635. --. 1982b. Prodromus of the fossil avifauna of the Hawaiian Islands. Smithsonian Contr, . Zool. 365:1-59. PATIERSON, B. , ANDJ.L. KRAGLIEVICH. 1960. Sistematica y nomenclatura de las aves fororracoideas del Pliocene Argentino. Publ. Mus. Municipal Cien. Naturales y Tradicional Mar del Plata 1:1-51. STEADMAN,D. W. 1981. Birds of the British Upper Eocene. Birds of the British Lower Eocene. By C. J. O. Harrison and C. A. Walker [Review]. Auk 98:205-207. STEADMAN, D. W. , G. K. PREGILL, AND S. L. OLSON. 1984. Fossil vertebrates from Antigua, Lesser Antilles: Evidence for late Holocene humancaused extinctions in the West Indies. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 81:4448-4451.
Torsion-induced effects in magnetic nanowires

Magnetic helix wire is one of the most simple magnetic systems which manifest properties of both curvature and torsion. There exist two equilibrium states in the helix wire with easy-tangential anisotropy: a quasi-tangential magnetization distribution in case of relatively small curvatures and torsions, and an onion state in opposite case. In the last case the magnetization is close to tangential one, deviations are caused by the torsion and curvature. Possible equilibrium magnetization states in the helix magnet with different anisotropy directions are studied theoretically. The torsion also essentially influences the spin-wave dynamics, acting as an effective magnetic field. Originated from the curvature induced effective Dzyaloshinskii interaction, this magnetic field leads to the coupling between the helix chirality and the magnetochirality, it breaks mirror symmetry in spin-wave spectrum. All analytical predictions on magnetization statics an dynamics are well confirmed by the direct spin lattice simulations.
The psychological impact of cancer and cancer surgery. I. Adaptation to the dry colostomy; preliminary report and summary of findings

r R I m v c ADVANCES in surgical techniques S have increased the number of cancer survivors. The radical surgery necessary for prolongation of life, however, has resulted in severe impairment of function in many instances. The medical management of these patients has made evident the importance of psychological factors in invalidism that exceeds the limitations set by surgery. Despite growing awareness, there has been little systematic study of the impact of cancer and the attending surgical procedures to guide the clinician in the practical problem of managing the cancer survivor in his total situation. The introduction, in 1908, of the abdominoperineal resection of the rectum with the concomitant permanent dry colostomy brought about the problem of management of bowel function without sphincter control. Regimens of diet and irrigating procedures have been considered the key to colostomy management. New regimens and variations are repeatedly introduced inasmuch as patients sti l l have cmisiderable difficulty in managing the colostomy. The invention and continued experimentation with surgical procedures to preserve the sphincter, which many surgeons regard as unsafe, testify to the difficulty of the problem. Regardless of new surgical developments, at least half and perhaps two thirds of all sufferers from
Visual sensitivity to motion

To determine whether motion sensitivity varies with age, we measured motion discrimination in visual normals 25 to 80 years of age and found that motion thresholds increased linearly with age and were approximately two times higher in those 70 to 80 years old than in participants under thirty. This increase was not attributable to pupil size or retinal image distortion, but probably reflects neurodegeneration in the primary visual pathway. We compared the motion sensitivity of patients with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT) with results from a subset of the visual normals of similar age. In SDAT patients, there were significant threshold elevations, which were more pronounced in the patients with more severe dementia. These findings confirm previous reports of visual system involvement in SDAT and indicate motion testing may reveal preclinical visual system involvement in SDAT.
Multi-beam and multi-range antenna array for 24 GHz radar applications

An 8 × 4 microstrip antenna array operating within 24 GHz frequency range has been shown. The presented antenna features two beams: a broadside beam and a dual beam. It allows for detection of targets in two different ranges and at two different angular positions. Additionally, the antenna can be used for the direction finding. The proposed antenna array uses `through-element' series feeding technique for dissipation losses reduction as well as the stacked laminate structure to separate the radiating elements and the feeding network, which allows for achieving satisfactory radiation patterns in a wide frequency range.
Resistance of Spark Channels

A study undertaken to measure the resistance of spark channels in air with two different current waveforms is presented. In one experiment, the spark was created by a Marx generator. In this case, the gap length was maintained at 12.8 cm, and the current flowing through the spark had a peak current lying in the range of 0.2-2.2 kA. The decay time of the current was larger than 100 mus. In the other experiment, the spark was created by a current generator. In that experiment, the gap length was maintained at 1 cm, and the current flowing through the spark had peak-current amplitudes in the range of 35-48 kA. The decay time of the current was larger than 500 mus. The results show that the resistance of spark channels initially decreases, reaches a minimum value, and then recovers as the current in the spark gap decreases. The minimum resistance of the spark channel decreases with an increasing peak current. The results are compared with various theories that attempt to predict the temporal variation of the resistance of spark channels. The comparison shows that further developments in the existing theoretical models are needed in order to reproduce with better accuracy the dynamic behavior of the channel resistance
Utilization of foot care services among homeless adults: Implications for advanced practice nurses

Purpose: To present the findings of a survey that examined the reason(s) for use of foot care services among homeless adults in a mid‐size southeastern city. Data sources: Data were collected using an 18‐item questionnaire. One hundred homeless adults (65 males, 30 females) were asked about their level of foot care use, including under what circumstances foot care services might be used. Conclusion: Foot conditions are an important concern among homeless individuals. To add to the complexity of foot‐related problems, many respondents (N= 56) from this survey reported a history of diabetes, hypertension, and peripheral vascular disease. The majority (N= 92) of those surveyed value healthy feet and education related to foot care. Condition of shoes, socks, and foot odor was identified by participants (n= 62) as a major deterrent to using foot care services. Implication for practice: To increase use of foot care programs among homeless adults, services must be offered during the day time when they are not competing to secure nightly shelter. Foot care programs should be innovative and tailored to their unique needs and address concern for sensitivity to feet, sock, and shoe condition; cost; specific services provided; competing needs; source of care; and how to access these services.