Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Shadow: Exploiting the Power of Choice for Efficient Shuffling in MapReduce

How to reduce the costly cross-rack data transferring is challenging in improving the performance of MapReduce platforms. Previous schemes mainly exploit the data locality in the Map phase to reduce the cross-rack communications. However, the Map locality based schemes may lead to highly skewed distribution of Map tasks across racks in the platform, resulting in serious load imbalance among different cross-rack links during Shuffling. Recent research results show that the slow Shuffling is the root cause of the MapReduce performance degradation. Very limited work has been done for speeding up the Shuffle phase. A notable scheme leverages the principle of the power of choice to balance the network loads on different cross-rack links during Shuffling for a specific type of sampling applications, where processing a random subset of the large-scale data collection is sufficient to derive the final result. The scheme launches a few additional tasks to offer more choices for task selection during Shuffling. However, such a scheme is designed for sampling applications and not applicable to general applications, where all the input data instead of a random subset is processed. In this work, we observe that with high Map locality, the network is mainly saturated in Shuffling but relatively free in the Map phase. A little sacrifice in Map locality may greatly accelerate Shuffling. Based on this, we propose a novel scheme called Shadow for Shuffle-constrained general applications, which strikes a trade-off between Map locality and Shuffling load balance. Specifically, Shadow iteratively chooses an original Map task from the most heavily loaded rack and creates a duplicated task for it on the most lightly loaded rack. During processing, Shadow makes a choice between an original task and its replica by efficiently pre-estimating the job execution time. We conduct extensive experiments to evaluate our Shadow design. Results show that Shadow greatly reduces the cross-rack skewness by 30.7% and the job execution time by 27.9% compared to existing schemes.
Peer Pressure and Family Smoking Habits Influence Smoking Uptake in Teenage Boys Attending School: Multilevel Modeling of Survey Data

Introduction: Among young teens, about one in five smokes worldwide. Adolescents spend a considerable amount of their time in school, and the school environment is therefore important for child health practices and outcomes. Objectives: We aimed to investigate the impact on smoking behavior of the school environment and the personal characteristics of male teenage students attending schools in Pakistan, taking into account the survey sampling structure. Methods: A two-stage cluster sampling with stratification was employed, and we interviewed 772 male secondary school students. We adopted random effect and generalizing estimating equation models. Results: Peer pressure in particular had a strong influence on adolescents smoking; those whose friends smoked were up to 6 times more likely to smoke. Family smoking was also significantly associated with adolescents smoking, but those students whose mother was educated were 50% less likely to smoke. The fitted random effect model indicated that the between school variability was significant (p-value < 0.01), indicating differences in smoking habits between schools. A random coefficient model showed that variability among schools was not significantly different for public and private schools. Conclusion: Public health campaigns for smoking cessation should target not only the individual but also the families of adolescents attending schools.
Inoculation of maize with phosphate solubilizing bacteria: effect on plant growth and yield

Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB) improve plant growth, yield and phosphorus content of several crops, and may be used as bioinoculant to enhance sustainable production. We evaluated the response of maize (Zea mays L.) to PSB inoculation under controlled and field conditions in Tucuman, Argentina. A pot culture experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of seven previously isolated PSB on early development of plants. Seeds were treated with each bacterial strain, and seedlings were harvested 30 days after inoculation. All strains showed a positive effect on plant growth. A significant increment in plant height (45%), shoot dry weight (40%) was determined in plants treated with Pseudomonas tolaasii IEXb, while Pseudomonas koreensis SP28 has remarkably increased P content compared to the uninoculated control. IEXb strain was selected and evaluated under field conditions in combination with triple superphosphate (TSP) as P fertilizer. The presence of IEXb strain stimulated seedling emergence (8%), shoot length (19%), grain yield (44%), 1000-grain weight (18%), total dry biomass (32%) and P content (56%) of maize plants. In general, P. tolaasii IEXb inoculation was more efficient as bioinoculant without P fertilizer than with TSP. These results provide baseline information for future studies of P. tolaasii IEXb as bioinoculant to promote an eco-friendly and sustainable agriculture.
H-Band spectroscopic classification of OB stars

We present a new spectroscopic classification for OB stars based on H-band (1.5 micron to 1.8 micron) observations of a sample of stars with optical spectral types. Our initial sample of nine stars demonstrates that the combination of He I 1.7002 micron and H Brackett series absorption can be used to determine spectral types for stars between about O4 and B7 (to within about +/- 2 sub-types). We find that the Brackett series exhibits luminosity effects similar to the Balmer series for the B stars. This classification scheme will be useful in studies of optically obscured high mass star forming regions. In addition, we present spectra for the OB stars near 1.1 micron and 1.3 micron which may be of use in analyzing their atmospheres and winds.
Growth of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) Populations in Russian Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies

Abstract The growth rate (r) of Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Acari: Varroidae) populations in Russian and Italian honey bee, Apis mellifera L. , colonies was monitored from 2001 to 2003 in Baton Rouge, LA. Over this period, our results consistently showed lower mite growth in the Russian than in the Italian colonies. In 2001, instantaneous growth rates per week (r7) were r7 = 0.191 ± 0.011 for mites in Italian colonies and r7 = 0.137 ± 0.012 in Russian honey bees for 24.3 wk. These growth rates were equivalent to 159.1- and 61.6-fold increase, respectively. Divergence in r7 values also was observed in 2002 when Russian colonies supported a lower growth rate of r7 = 0.061 ± 0.016 (9.3-fold increase) than the Italian colonies (r7 = 0.122 ± 0.01 or a 31.7-fold increase) did after 26 wk. The lowest rate of r7 = 0.021 ± 0.011 (a 1.4-fold increase) was recorded for Russian honey bees in 2003, whereas the Italian bees in that year supported r7 = 0.145 ± 0.009 (an 18.9-fold increase) after 19 wk. This low growth rate of mite populations in Russian colonies may be attributed to several factors. Notably, as this study showed, Russian bees were less attractive to varroa mites. Furthermore, the Russian stock supported low proportions of brood infested and fewer multiply infested cells in both worker and drone brood, reduced mite reproduction, and extended phoretic period.
Barriers to Pregnancy Spacing in Women Living with HIV: A Series of Informational Interviews

For reproductive-age women living with HIV, birth spacing allows for optimization of maternal health and viral suppression to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. We conducted semi-structured informational interviews to explore use of contraception for birth spacing. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed. Audio files were reviewed to capture non-explicit data. We interviewed 18 multiparous HIV positive women. All described experiences with at least one contraceptive method. Six themes emerged: Burden of contraception, Failure of birth control, Impact of youth and lack of life experience, Community beliefs about birth control, Lack of partner cooperation, and Altruism. Women viewed birth spacing favorably. Young age at first delivery, contraceptive side effects, non-adherence to short-acting methods, lack of partner cooperation, and prior contraceptive failure were identified as barriers to ideal birth spacing. Additional outreach is needed in women living with HIV to overcome barriers to planned pregnancy and birth spacing.
Phytochemical screening in vitro antioxidant activity of psidium guajava

ABSTRACT Free radicals or Reactive oxygen species (ROS), a class of highly reactive molecules derived from the metabolism of oxygen is believed to be involved in many health disorders. ROS including superoxide radicals, hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide molecules are often generated as by products of biological reactions or from exogenous factors. Antioxidant-based drugs and formulations for the prevention and treatment of complex diseases have attracted a great deal of research interest in natural antioxidants. It is necessary to screen medicinal plants for their antioxidant potential. Determination of phytochemical constituents like phenols, flavonoids, tannins, Chlorophyll and carotenoids and various tests like reducing power, ferric reducing antioxidant power, linoleic acid assay, DPPH, nitric oxide, superoxide and hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging assays for evaluation of in vitro antioxidant activity of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Psidium guajava (Guava) leaves were carried out. It was found that the methanolic extracts showed greater amount of phytochemicals and higher antioxidant activity than aqueous extracts. Present results indicate that guava is a good candidate for development of new nutraceuticals for treatment of diseases like diabetes. However, in vivo studies to determine the antioxidant potential of the plant should be conducted before they can be recommended as nutritional substitutes.
Soil Moisture–Atmosphere Interactions during the 2003 European Summer Heat Wave

The role of land surface–related processes and feedbacks during the record-breaking 2003 European summer heat wave is explored with a regional climate model. All simulations are driven by lateral boundary conditions and sea surface temperatures from the ECMWF operational analysis and 40-yr ECMWF ReAnalysis (ERA-40), thereby prescribing the large-scale circulation. In particular, the contribution of soil moisture anomalies and their interactions with the atmosphere through latent and sensible heat fluxes is investigated. Sensitivity experiments are performed by perturbing spring soil moisture in order to determine its influence on the formation of the heat wave. A multiyear regional climate simulation for 1970–2000 using a fixed model setup is used as the reference period. A large precipitation deficit together with early vegetation green-up and strong positive radiative anomalies in the months preceding the extreme summer event contributed to an early and rapid loss of soil moisture, which exceeded the multiyear average by far. The exceptionally high temperature anomalies, most pronounced in June and August 2003, were initiated by persistent anticyclonic circulation anomalies that enabled a dominance of the local heat balance. In this experiment the hottest phase in early August is realistically simulated despite the absence of an anomaly in total surface net radiation. This indicates an important role of the partitioning of net radiation in latent and sensible heat fluxes, which is to a large extent controlled by soil moisture. The lack of soil moisture strongly reduced latent cooling and thereby amplified the surface temperature anomalies. The evaluation of the experiments with perturbed spring soil moisture shows that this quantity is an important parameter for the evolution of European heat waves. Simulations indicate that without soil moisture anomalies the summer heat anomalies could have been reduced by around 40% in some regions. Moreover, drought conditions are revealed to influence the tropospheric circulation by producing a surface heat low and enhanced ridging in the midtroposphere. This suggests a positive feedback mechanism between soil moisture, continental-scale circulation, and temperature.
Ecological speciation in phytophagous insects

Divergent natural selection has been shown to promote speciation in a wide range of taxa. For example, adaptation to different ecological environments, via divergent selection, can result in the evolution of reproductive incompatibility between populations. Phytophagous insects have been at the forefront of these investigations of ‘ecological speciation’ and it is clear that adaptation to different host plants can promote insect speciation. However, much remains unknown. For example, there is abundant variability in the extent to which divergent selection promotes speciation, the sources of divergent selection, the types of reproductive barriers involved, and the genetic basis of divergent adaptation. We review these factors here. Several findings emerge, including the observation that although numerous different sources of divergent selection and reproductive isolation can be involved in insect speciation, their order of evolution and relative importance are poorly understood. Another finding is that the genetic basis of host preference and performance can involve loci of major effect and opposing dominance, factors which might facilitate speciation in the face of gene flow. In addition, we raise a number of other recent issues relating to phytophagous insect speciation, such as alternatives to ecological speciation, the geography of speciation, and the molecular signatures of speciation. Throughout, we aim to both synthesize what is known, as well as highlight areas where future work is especially needed.
Integration of artificial intelligence in an injection molding process for on-line process parameter adjustment

Significant growth in the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) due to the introduction of the Industrial Internet of things (IIoT) and cloud computing is leading to the practical presence of machine learning (ML) on the factory floor. This trend is described as a fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0. To this end, a convenient platform for the practical inclusion of AI at the controller level of the injection molding process is outlined. Special attention is given to the adaptability of the methodology so that it can be considered for the general case. An initial test conducted on an injection molding machine (IMM) shows that data mining and ML methods can be used for industrial big data to improve controller performance.
The Yield of First Spot Double Slide Smears for the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Background: Direct sputum smear microscopy is the cornerstone for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in resource-poor countries. However, the requirement for repeated visits to submit specimens and receive results is associated with considerable diagnostic delay, work load, patients drop-out and high expenses for patients. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has recently changed its policy from spot morning spot (SMS) to spot morning (SM), the SM method still involves two days visits for a patient. Objective: This study evaluated the yield of first spot double slides smears for the diagnosis of PTB in high TB setting. Methods: A total of 362 patients who visited the out-patient department (OPD) of Dilla referral hospital and who were suspected of PTB were involved in the study. In addition SMS sputum samples were collected; double slides smears were prepared, stained by the Ziehl–Neelsen (ZN) method and 100 fields were examined under oil immersion objective for acid fast bacilli (AFB). Results: Of 362, 54(14.92%) were smear-positives. Out of the 54 smear positive subjects, 53 (98.15%) were positives by the first spot specimen. Additionally, 1 of 54 (1.85%) were positives by the morning specimen. Using the 2-day protocol (SMS) among 362 patients, 54(14.92%) were smear positives by double slides and 53(14.64%) by single slide smears. Whereas using the 1-day protocol (first spot); among 362 patients, 53(14.64%) were smear positives both in double slides and single slide smears. Conclusion: The double slides smears from the first spot sputum samples appeared to be as effective as SMS strategy for the diagnosis of PTB though additional studies are required under various settings.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Temporal Bone: Clinical Outcomes From Radical Surgery and Postoperative Radiotherapy

Objective To review the treatment of squamous carcinoma of the temporal bone at a regional skull base unit for the period 1982–2012. Study Design Retrospective case review. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients Sixty patients with primary squamous carcinoma of the temporal bone. Interventions Multidisciplinary team approach including surgical resection, reconstruction, and postoperative radiotherapy. Main Outcome Measures Disease-specific survival, overall survival. Results The 5-year disease-specific survival for the whole cohort was 44% (CI, 37%–51%). Multivariable analysis revealed nodal status, poorly differentiated squamous cell histology, and carotid involvement to be poor prognostic indicators. Conclusion Although the survival figures in this series are comparable with the best outcomes from other units, our experience would suggest improvements can still be achieved by reconsidering the selection of patients for neck dissection and temperomandibular joint excision in early stage disease. We also conclude that postoperative radiotherapy should be delivered to all patients, including surgical salvage cases who may have received previous irradiation. Finally, the minority of patients with poor prognostic features should be offered a more palliative therapeutic approach.
Treatment of Landfill Leachate Using Ganoderma Australe Mycelia Immobilized on Ecomat

Biological processes have been proven to be efficient in treating landfill leachates. In this study, treatment of landfill leachate by Ecomat-immobilized mycelia of Ganoderma australe packed in a column was investigated. Continuous recycling of leachate at a constant flow (20 ml/min) was operated for 10 cycles to facilitate biological reactions. Diluted leachate (50%) and raw leachate (100%) were tested for comparison of efficiency of treatment. The results showed that biological oxygen demand (BOD 5 ) was not removed for diluted leachate and a slight removal of 0.14 and 1.72% for raw leachate after cycles 4 and 10, respectively. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal occurred after each cycle with diluted leachate demonstrating higher removal compared to raw leachate. The highest percentage of COD removal of 51.62% for diluted leachate and 22.79% for raw leachate were achieved after the tenth cycle. Ecomat-immobilized mycelium of Ganoderma australe could also reduce ammoniacal nitrogen (NH 3 -N) exhibiting highest reduction of 45.95% and 30.90% after cycle 8 for diluted and raw leachate, respectively. These findings suggested that a white rot fungus, G. australe has the ability to be considered as potential candidate in landfill leachate treatment.
Actinomycosis in histopathology-Review of literature

Actinomycosis is a chronic, suppurative granulomatous inflammation caused by Actinomyces israelli which is a gram positive organism that is a normal commensal in humans. Multiple clinical features of actinomycosis have been described, as various anatomical sites can be affected. It most commonly affects the head and neck (50%). In any site, actinomycosis frequently mimics malignancy, tuberculosis or nocardiosis. Physicians must be aware of clinical presentations but also that actinomycosis mimicking malignancy. In most cases, diagnosis is often possible after surgical exploration. Following the confirmation of diagnosis, antimicrobial therapy with high doses of Penicillin G or Amoxicillin is required. This article is intended to review the clinical presentations, histopathology and complications of actinomycosis in various sites of the body.
Women's own voice pitch predicts their preferences for masculinity in men's voices

Previous studies have found that indices of women's attractiveness predict variation in their mate preferences. For example, objective measures of women's attractiveness (waist-hip ratio and other-rated facial attractiveness) are positively related to the strength of their preferences for masculinity in men's faces. Here, we examined whether women's preferences for masculine characteristics in men's voices were related to their own vocal characteristics. We found that women's preferences for men's voices with lowered (i.e., masculinized) pitch versus raised (i.e., feminized) pitch were positively associated with women's own average voice pitch. Because voice pitch is positively correlated with many indices of women's attractiveness, our findings suggest that the attractiveness of the perceiver predicts variation in women's preferences for masculinity in men's voices. Such attractiveness-contingent preferences may be adaptive if attractive women are more likely to be able to attract and/or retain masculine mates than relatively unattractive women are. Interestingly, the attractiveness-contingent masculinity preferences observed in our study appeared to be modulated by the semantic content of the judged speech (positively valenced vs. negatively valenced speech), suggesting that attractiveness-contingent individual differences in masculinity preferences do not necessarily reflect variation in responses to simple physical properties of the stimulus. Copyright 2010, Oxford University Press.
Downstream geomorphic variation and local bedrock influence of a steep transitional river: Blue Ridge to Piedmont, South Carolina

Spatial patterns in geomorphic variations are examined in a river transition from the Southern Blue Ridge to the Piedmont physiographic regions. Downstream hydraulic geometry (DHG), fining of bed material, and changes in reach-scale channel-bed morphology (bedforms) were sampled and analyzed. DHG power functions were well developed (r2 > 0.75 for channel area, width, and depth). Bed material showed a general downstream exponential decrease in caliber (from 940 mm to sand). However, variations within the general downstream trends reflect local variations and a rapid transition in hydraulic variables and bedforms at a key zone with substantial tributary inputs, decreases in slope, and a punctuated longitudinal profile. Structurally controlled bedrock knickpoints are associated with anomalous spatial patterns of bedforms and can be distinguished through relationships between dimensionless sediment transport capacity and sediment supply using a sediment regime diagram that is independent of drainage area. Plots of relative grain submergence (R/D84), relative form submergence (R/H), Darcy–Weisbach friction factor (f), and slope vs. area also reveal trends that suggest local factors that are missed by downstream hydraulic progressions. The findings of this study corroborate the utility of scale-independent methods, especially in mountain or transitional environments where fluvial controls may be longitudinally sporadic.
Everybody Needs Good Neighbours: Coalition Formation Influences Floater Fight Choice

In territorial species, it is sometimes less costly to help a neighbour fight off an intruder than to reâestablish territory boundaries with a new, potentially stronger neighbour. In fiddler crabs, a male resident will only help his neighbour if he is larger than the intruder who, in turn, is larger than the challenged neighbour. Does this influence with whom a territoryâseeking male decides to fight? I show that territoryâseeking males appear to choose opponents based partly on the size of the residentâs nearest neighbour. By avoiding challenging resident males with larger neighbours, territoryâseeking males can reduce the likelihood of initiating a fight with a resident who might gain help from his neighbour that decreases the likelihood that the intruder will win the fight.