Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Runtime Support For Maximizing Performance on Multicore Systems

Since multicore systems offer greater performance via parallelism, future computing is progressing towards use of machines with large number of cores. However, due to the complex interaction among characteristics of multithreaded applications, operating system policies, and architectural characteristics of multicore systems, delivering high performance on multicore systems is a challenging task. This dissertation addresses the above challenge by developing runtime techniques to achieve high performance when running a single multithreaded application as well as high system utilization and fairness when running multiple multithreaded applications. The runtime techniques are based on a simple monitoring system that captures important application characteristics and relevant architectural factors with negligible overhead. To develop runtime techniques for achieving high performance when running a single multithreaded program on a multicore system, important performance limiting factors that impact the scalability of performance are identified. These factors include the threads configuration (i.e., the number of threads for a multithreaded program that provide the best speedup) and the thread scheduling and memory allocation polices employed. This dissertation presents two runtime techniques Thread Reinforcer, for dynamically determining appropriate threads configuration and Thread Tranquilizer , for dynamically selecting appropriate scheduling and memory allocation policies. By dynamically determining the appropriate threads configuration, scheduling policy, and memory allocation policy the performance of applications is maximized. Lock contention is an important performance limiting factor for multithreaded programs on a multicore system. The dissertation presents two techniques Thread Shuffling and FaithFul Scheduling to limit the performance impact due to locks. Thread Shuffling reduces high lock acquisition latencies, resulting from the NUMA nature of a multicore system, via inter-CPU thread migrations. FaithFul Scheduling reduces the durations for which threads hold locks by minimizing lock holder thread preemptions through adaptive time-quanta allocations. These techniques significantly enhance the performance of applications in the presence of high lock contention. Finally, this dissertation presents a coscheduling technique called ADAPT for achieving high system utilization and fairness when running multiple multithreaded applications on multicore systems. ADAPT uses supervised learning techniques for predicting the effects of interference between programs on their performance and adaptively schedules together programs that interfere with each other's performance minimally. It achieves high throughput, high system utilization, and fairness when running multiple multithreaded applications.
Convergent validity of executive organization measures on cancellation

Cancellation tests have traditionally been used to measure visuospatial neglect. Recently, such tests have also been viewed as potential measures of executive function. Mark and colleagues (2004; Disorganized search on cancellation is not a consequence of neglect. Neurology, 63, 78–84) developed three objective measures of organization based on reconstructing target-marking pathways from one form of a cancellation test: mean inter-target distance, path intersection rate, and a quantification of overall path uniformity (i.e., predominantly radial versus horizontal cancellation progress) that they termed “best r”. However, the validity of these measures with respect to a subjective judgment of organization was not assessed. In the present study, 50 observers rated the overall organization of 50 reconstructed pathways from stroke patients and non-brain-injured adults to allow evaluating the convergent validity of the three proposed executive organization measures. Inter-target distance (r = .86), intersection rate (r = .87), and best r (r = −.69) were all found to be highly correlated with observer ratings. These results indicate good convergent validity for all three executive organization measures on a form of the cancellation test.
DOES FEAR (VIX INDEX) INCITE VOLATILITY IN FOOD PRICES

Globally, the volatility trend in food prices has continued to increase. Different data give the impression that this volatility may be caused by the international finance markets’ propagation effect. For this reason, the study focused on the VIX (fear) index that is used to measure the movement in Standard & Poor’s 500 index. The main objective of the study is to analyze the degree of volatility between the VIX index and the wheat market. The research is comprised of monthly data obtained from year 2000 to 2015. The study employs the BEKK GARCH method. The findings show that the variance shocks in the fear index damage food prices. The results may be useful to policy makers in researching the causes of changes in the prices of food commodity and taking necessary measures.
The contribution of an arteriovenous access for hemodialysis to left ventricular hypertrophy.

BACKGROUND The long-term isolated contribution of hemodialysis arteriovenous access (AVA) to cardiac hemodynamics has not been previously investigated in a prospective manner. METHODS Twelve predialysis patients were studied before and 1 and 3 months after creation of a primary AVA. Evaluation included relevant clinical parameters, echocardiographic studies, and hemodynamic hormones. RESULTS After creation of an AVA, there was no change in patient weight, blood pressure or hemoglobin level. Cardiac index increased and systemic vascular resistance decreased. Left ventricular mass (LVM) corrected to height increased from 63.8 +/- 5.5 to 68.9 +/- 4.9 g/m(2.7) at 1 month (P = 0.05) and 72.5 +/- 8.9 g/m(2.7) at 3 months (P < 0.05). This increase in LVM was accounted for mostly by an increase in interventricular septal thickness, whereas left ventricular end-diastolic diameter and posterior wall thickness did not change. The incidence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) increased from 67% at baseline to 83% and 90% at 1 and 3 months, respectively. Left atrial area increased from 17.6 +/- 1.0 cm(2) at baseline to 19.7 +/- 1.3 cm(2) at 1 month (P < 0.01) and 20.2 +/- 1.2 cm(2) at 3 months (P < 0.05). Early diastolic transmitral flow increased from 68.0 +/- 4.2 cm/s at baseline to 85.6 +/- 7.3 and 89.2 +/- 6.5 cm/s at 1 and 3 months, respectively (P < 0.01). Inferior vena cava diameter increased at 1 month and did not change at 3 months. Plasma atrial natriuretic polypeptide levels increased from 268 +/- 35 pg/mL (87 +/- 11 pmol/L) at baseline to 461 +/- 63 pg/mL (150 +/- 20 pmol/L) at 1 month (P < 0.01) and 610 +/- 96 pg/mL (198 +/- 31 pmol/L) at 3 months (P < 0.01). Plasma renin activity and serum aldosterone levels decreased. Plasma angiotensin II, angiotensin-converting enzyme, and endothelin levels did not change. CONCLUSION Creation of a hemodialysis AVA is independently associated with further progression of already existing LVH.
Biogenic Synthesis, Purification, and Chemical Characterization of Anti-inflammatory Resolvins Derived from Docosapentaenoic Acid (DPAn-6)

Enzymatically oxygenated derivatives of the ω-3 fatty acids cis-4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and cis-5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid, known as resolvins, have potent inflammation resolution activity (Serhan, C. N., Clish, C. B., Brannon, J., Colgan, S. P., Chiang, N., and Gronert, K. (2000) J. Exp. Med. 192, 1197–1204; Hong, S. , Gronert, K. , Devchand, P. R. , Moussignac, R. , and Serhan, C. N. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 14677–14687). Our objective was to determine whether similar derivatives are enzymatically synthesized from other C-22 fatty acids and whether these molecules possess inflammation resolution properties. The reaction of DHA, DPAn-3, and DPAn-6 with 5-, 12-, and 15-lipoxygenases produced oxylipins, which were identified and characterized by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass-spectrometry. DPAn-6 and DPAn-3 proved to be good substrates for 15-lipoxygenase. 15-Lipoxygenase proved to be the most efficient enzyme of the three tested for conversion of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids to corresponding oxylipins. Since DPAn-6 is a major component of Martek DHA-S™ oil, we focused our attention on reaction products obtained from the DPAn-6 and 15-lipoxygenase reaction. (17S)-hydroxy-DPAn-6 and (10,17S)-dihydroxy-DPAn-6 were the main products of this reaction. These compounds were purified by preparatory high performance liquid chromatography techniques and further characterized by NMR, UV spectrophotometry, and tandem mass spectrometry. We tested both compounds in two animal models of acute inflammation and demonstrated that both compounds are potent anti-inflammatory agents that are active on local intravenous as well as oral administration. These oxygenated DPAn-6 compounds can thus be categorized as a new class of DPAn-6-derived resolvins.
IL28B polymorphism and cytomegalovirus predict response to treatment in Egyptian HCV type 4 patients.

AIM To test whether the status of positive cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA detection adds to the predictive value of IL28B and to further categorize C/T allele carriers. METHODS This study included 166 chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients who received combined interferon and ribavirin therapy for 48 wk, 84 spontaneous hepatitis C virus (HCV) resolvers who were positive for IgG anti-HCV antibody and negative for HCV RNA, and 100 healthy subjects who were negative for both HCV antibodies and RNA as controls. Genomic DNA from peripheral blood was used for IL28B rs.12979860 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and CMV DNA detection. A 139 bp fragment containing IL28B SNP was amplified in all subjects by polymerase chain reaction using a specifically designed primer. Then the IL28B rs.12979860 SNP was detected by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) genotyping. The presence of CMV DNA was tested by amplification of the gB1 gene using nested polymerase chain reaction. The role of CMV and IL28B rs.12979860 SNP genotypes in determining the response rate to combined interferon therapy and clinical status of patients were statistically analyzed. RESULTS Current data showed that 67% of patients carrying the IL28B 12979860 C/C allele had a sustained viral response (SVR) while the genotypes C/T and TT were associated with lower SVR rates, 50% and 48%, respectively. SVR rates for the C/C allele were lower than other HCV genotypes and/or other populations. Genotype CC was associated with the response to interferon (P = 0.025). Genotype C/C was reduced from 48% in controls to 14% in CHC patients suggesting its protective role against progression to chronicity. The majority of spontaneously cleared subjects (86%) were C/C, confirming its protective role. The C/T allele was present in 71% of CHC patients compared with 38% of controls, so the use of IL28B SNP genotyping only in these patients may be of little value as a predictor of response. CMV reactivation occurred in 40% of CHC patients. Co-infection with CMV seriously diminished the response to interferon (IFN) therapy, with SVR rates in C/C genotypes 87.5% in CMV-negative patients and 12.5% in CMV-positive patients (P < 0.0001). SVR rates among C/T carriers were reduced to < 50% in patients with positive CMV DNA while the non-response rate doubled. These data indicate that a supplemental assay for CMV viremia adds to the prognostic value of IL28B genotyping. CONCLUSION The results suggest that both genetic (i.e., spontaneous) and therapeutic (IFN-based therapy) arms are complementary in the battle against HCV. CMV DNA testing may be of value to better predict the response to IFN, particularly in IL28B C/T carriers.
Essays on Productive Efficiency, Trade, and Market Power: Evidence from African Manufacturing Firms

This thesis examines three main themes, firms productive efficiency, internationalisation of African firms, and effect of liberalisation policies on market power and market imperfections. The thesis combines two main strands in economics literature in accessing the three main themes of the papers. The first strand regards methodological approaches to estimate a production function from which productive efficiency can be computed. Consistent estimation of productive efficiency is a necessary condition to analyse firm behaviour and their response to trade policies. The thesis critically examines methodologies to estimate productive efficiency. The second strand, international trade and industrial development, analyse firms behaviour in foreign market as well as firms responses to trade liberalisation policies and their overall impact on structural transformation. The two strands of literature examined in this thesis resulted in three independent papers, each of which addresses specific issues along the spectrum of productive efficiency estimation, internationalisation, and market power.
Acute‐phase response of human hepatocytes: Regulation of acute‐phase protein synthesis by interleukin‐6

Human hepatocytes in primary culture were used as a model system to investigate the mechanism(s) involved in the induction of the acute‐phase response in human liver. Hepatocytes were incubated with increasing amounts of recombinant human interleukin1β;, recombinant interleukin‐6 and tumor necrosis factor‐α. Synthesis of C‐reactive protein was studied at the mRNA and protein levels. Only recombinant interleukin‐6 was capable of inducing C‐reactive protein—mRNA and C‐reactive protein—protein synthesis. Also, fibrinogen and α−1‐antitrypsin synthesis measured by immunoprecipitation with specific antisera increased in a dose‐dependent, time‐dependent manner, whereas albumin synthesis decreased to about 50% of controls. Maximal effects were observed at 100 to 300 units of recombinant interleukin‐6/ml culture medium after 20 hr of incubation. Although the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone slightly modulated the effect of recombinant interleukin‐6, it was not an absolute requirement for the induction of acute‐phase protein synthesis in human hepatocytes. In pulse‐chase experiments it was shown that the time course of the disappearance of the acute‐phase proteins from the cells and their appearance in the medium is not influenced by recombinant interleukin‐6. This finding suggests that recombinant interleukin‐6 exerts its regulatory effect on acute‐phase protein synthesis at the pretranslational level. (HEPATOLOGY 1990;12:1179–1186).
Excellent immunological recovery following CODOX-M/IVAC, an effective intensive chemotherapy for HIV-associated Burkitt's lymphoma

Objective and design:To retrospectively describe the recovery of cellular immunity and the clinical outcome of 30 patients with HIV-associated Burkitt's lymphoma (HIV-BL), who were treated with the intensive chemotherapy CODOX-M/IVAC and HAART as part of their standard care. Patients and methods:Seventy-three percent of the patients had high-risk disease, defined by stage, performance status, extranodal sites and lactate dehydrogenase. The median CD4 cell count at diagnosis of HIV-BL was 171/ml (range: 4–848) and the plasma HIV viral load was undetectable in five of 29 patients. Results:Nine patients died during treatment (disease progression, three; toxicity, five; central nervous system lesion not biopsied, one). Response rate was 70% (complete response/complete response uncertain, 17; partial response, 4). After a median follow-up of 22 months (range: 6–72), 18 patients remain alive without disease progression. The 3-year overall survival and event-free survival were 52 and 75%, respectively. Viral load was undetectable in 88% and CD4 cell count more than 200/ml in 58% of patients assessed 6 months after completing chemotherapy, and in 87 and 80% at 12 months, respectively. Conclusion:The intensive regimen CODOX-M/IVAC, a feasible and effective chemotherapy, is associated with an excellent immunological recovery in patients with HIV-BL on HAART.
Effects of North American Free Trade Agreement on agriculture and the rural economy

U.S. agricultural trade with Canada and Mexico has nearly doubled since the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). While only a portion of this overall increase can be attributed solely to the agreement, NAFTA has allowed competitive market forces to play a more dominant role in determining agricultural trade flows among the three countries. By dismantling numerous trade barriers, the agreement has contributed to an expansion in U.S. agricultural exports and increased the domestic availability of various farm and food products. In addition, NAFTA has established rules and institutions that mitigate potential trade frictions and promote foreign direct investment. Conversely, many of the initial trepidations that were voiced concerning declining agricultural employment and environmental degradation have not materialized. Thus, NAFTA should be judged not just in the context of the trade gains associated with the agreement’s agricultural provisions, but also in terms of the benefits derived from “locking in” key trade, investment, and institutional reforms in an increasingly integrated North American market.
Bacterial biofilm presence in pediatric tracheotomy tubes.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether bacterial biofilms are present on pediatric tracheotomy tubes. DESIGN Prospective observational series. INTERVENTIONS Eleven tracheotomy tubes removed during routine tracheotomy tube changes were analyzed for biofilm and live bacteria presence using confocal microscopy and vital stains. The external and internal surfaces of the tracheotomy tubes were studied in 3 locations: distal tip, midtracheotomy tube, and proximal opening. These data were correlated with tracheotomy site cultures and the reason for tracheotomy dependence. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Microscopic images were analyzed for the presence of a biofilm (its morphological features and the presence of live and dead bacteria within the biofilm). RESULTS Of 11 tracheotomy tubes, 10 had biofilm present on the internal surface of the distal tip. Externally, at the same location, 4 tubes had biofilms. On the internal surface of the midtracheotomy site, 8 had biofilm present, whereas only 1 had a biofilm on the internal surface of the proximal tracheotomy tube site. In the distal internal tracheotomy tube site, the biofilm was confluent in 5 tubes and patchy with evidence of microcolony formation in the remaining 5 tubes. Live bacteria were present in all biofilms. Control tracheotomy tubes did not have biofilms. All tracheotomy site cultures and disease states (chronic aspiration and bronchopulmonary dysplasia) were associated with tracheotomy tube biofilms. CONCLUSION Bacterial biofilms containing live bacteria were demonstrated in most pediatric tracheotomy tubes, being most frequent and extensive on the internal surface of the distal tracheotomy tip.
Assessing Anxiety in Youth with the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children

The present study examined the psychometric properties, including discriminant validity and clinical utility, of the youth self-report and parent-report forms of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) among youth with anxiety disorders. The sample included parents and youth (N = 488, 49.6% male) ages 7 to 17 who participated in the Child/Adolescent Anxiety Multimodal Study. Although the typical low agreement between parent and youth self-reports was found, the MASC evidenced good internal reliability across MASC subscales and informants. The main MASC subscales (i.e., Physical Symptoms, Harm Avoidance, Social Anxiety, and Separation/Panic) were examined. The Social Anxiety and Separation/Panic subscales were found to be significantly predictive of the presence and severity of social phobia and separation anxiety disorder, respectively. Using multiple informants improved the accuracy of prediction. The MASC subscales demonstrated good psychometric properties and clinical utilities in identifying youth with anxiety disorders.
Do corporate governance and ownership structure impact dividend policy in emerging market during financial crisis

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of the ownership structure and board governance on dividend policy in emerging markets. The authors test whether the effects of corporate governance on dividend policy change during crisis periods. Design/methodology/approach - The authors use a panel regression approach on a sample of 362 non-financial listed firms from East Asian and Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Findings - The results provide evidence that dividend payout decision increases with institutional ownership and board activity. The authors find that in emerging countries, dividend policy of firms with CEO duality and without CEO duality does not depend on the same set of factors. It is shown that the ownership concentration and board independency affect significantly the dividend policy of firms with COE duality. Finally, the results show that during the recent financial crisis, dividend decision is inversely related to CEO duality, board size and the frequency of board meetings. Research limitations/implications - Other variables of corporate governance and ownership structure can be studied more in depth. The results can be directly compared to an alternative sample of developed countries. Practical implications - This study is of particular interest for managers and shareholders when adjusting their strategies of dividend payout during financial crisis. Originality/value - The authors employ a specific approach to investigate the impact of CEO duality on dividend policy in East Asian countries. An important aspect of the results is that that for firms with CEO who is also the chairperson, the dividend decision is negatively related to ownership concentration and board independence. This research contributes to the understanding of dividend policy by testing whether the impact of corporate governance on dividend policy changes during crisis periods in emerging countries. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this work is the first to directly address this issue from this perspective.
An analysis of franchisees’ satisfaction with support provided by franchisors in foodservice industry

ABSTRACT This study validated the scale originally developed in Taiwan for measuring satisfaction of foodservice franchisees with support provided by franchisors in mainland China. Data for validation were collected by means of a questionnaire distributed to foodservice franchisees in Shanghai and Xiamen, China respectively, and analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis. The findings showed that the proposed measurement scale is applicable across the two regions with acceptable model fit indices. In addition, this study examined the differences of franchisees’ perception on support provided by franchisors in Taiwan and China. The findings in this research not only advanced scholarly understanding and theory in franchising but also provided useful insight for foodservice stakeholders seeking to expand their market by franchising in these two regions.