Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parallel Spatial Splits in Bounding Volume Hierarchies

Bounding volume hierarchies (BVH) are essential for efficient ray tracing. In time-constrained situations such as real-time or large model visualization, fast construction of BVHs usually compromises hierarchy quality, resulting in reduced rendering speed. We propose a parallel framework for the state-of-the-art BVH construction algorithm with spatial splits (SBVH) that provides highest quality hierarchies within a time frame competitive with low-quality builders optimized for construction speed. We leverage both data and task parallelism to employ threading and single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) capabilities of modern CPUs. Our key contribution is a lightweight memory management and load balancing scheme that maximizes parallel efficiency.
Phylogenetic and functional evidence suggests that deep-ocean ecosystems are highly sensitive to environmental change and direct human disturbance

An understanding of the balance of interspecific competition and the physical environment in structuring organismal communities is crucial because those communities structured primarily by their physical environment typically exhibit greater sensitivity to environmental change than those structured predominantly by competitive interactions. Here, using detailed phylogenetic and functional information, we investigate this question in macrofaunal assemblages from Northwest Atlantic Ocean continental slopes, a high seas region projected to experience substantial environmental change through the current century. We demonstrate assemblages to be both phylogenetically and functionally under-dispersed, and thus conclude that the physical environment, not competition, may dominate in structuring deep-ocean communities. Further, we find temperature and bottom trawling intensity to be among the environmental factors significantly related to assemblage diversity. These results hint that deep-ocean communities are highly sensitive to their physical environment and vulnerable to environmental perturbation, including by direct disturbance through fishing, and indirectly through the changes brought about by climate change.
Overgrowth syndromes and pediatric cancers: how many roads lead to IGF2?

In this Perspective, Bharathavikru and Hastie discuss recent studies published by Hunter et al., investigating the molecular mechanisms by which mutations in the gene encoding the RNA degradation component DIS3L2 lead to Perlman syndrome, and Chen et al., who show that microRNA processing gene mutations in Wilms tumor leads to an increase in the levels of transcription factor PLAG1 that in turn activates IGF2 expression.
Kv channel-interacting proteins as neuronal and non-neuronal calcium sensors

ABSTRACT Kv channel-interacting proteins (KChIPs) belong to the neuronal calcium sensor (NCS) family of Ca2+-binding EF-hand proteins. KChIPs constitute a group of specific auxiliary β-subunits for Kv4 channels, the molecular substrate of transient potassium currents in both neuronal and non-neuronal tissues. Moreover, KChIPs can interact with presenilins to control ER calcium signaling and apoptosis, and with DNA to control gene transcription. Ca2+ binding via their EF-hands, with the consequence of conformational changes, is well documented for KChIPs. Moreover, the Ca2+ dependence of the presenilin/KChIP complex may be related to Alzheimer’s disease and the Ca2+ dependence of the DNA/KChIP complex to pain sensing. However, only in few cases could the Ca2+ binding to KChIPs be directly linked to the control of excitability in nerve and muscle cells known to express Kv4/KChIP channel complexes. This review summarizes current knowledge about the Ca2+ binding properties of KChIPs and the Ca2+ dependencies of macromolecular complexes containing KChIPs, including those with presenilins, DNA and especially Kv4 channels. The respective physiological or pathophysiolgical roles of Ca2+ binding to KChIPs are discussed.
Lactate Improves Prediction of Short‐Term Mortality in Critically Ill Patients With Cirrhosis: A Multinational Study

Lactate levels and lactate clearance are known predictors of outcome in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). The prognostic value of lactate is not well established in liver cirrhosis and acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF). The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of lactate levels and clearance in critically ill patients with cirrhosis. Patients with cirrhosis admitted to the ICU were studied at the University Medical Center Hamburg‐Eppendorf (n = 566, derivation cohort) and the Medical University of Vienna and the University Hospitals Leuven (n = 250, validation cohort). Arterial lactate was measured on admission and during the first 24 hours. Patients were followed for 1 year and outcome was assessed. Admission lactate was directly related to the number of organs failing and to 28‐day mortality (area under receiver operating characteristic [AUROC] 0.72; P < 0.001). This also applied to lactate follow‐up measurements after 6, 12, and 24 hours (P < 0.001 for all, AUROC > 0.70 for all). Lactate clearance had significant predictive ability for 28‐day mortality in patients with elevated serum lactate ≥5 mmol/L. Admission lactate and 12‐hour lactate clearance (in patients with admission lactate ≥5 mmol/L), respectively, were identified as significant predictors of 1‐year mortality, independent of Chronic Liver Failure Consortium acute‐on‐chronic liver failure score (CLIF‐C ACLFs). A lactate‐adjusted CLIF‐C ACLFs was developed (CLIF‐C ACLFsLact), which performed significantly better than the original CLIF‐C ACLFs in prediction of 28‐day mortality in the derivation and validation cohort. Conclusion: Lactate levels appropriately reflect severity of disease and organ failure and were independently associated with short‐term mortality in critically ill patients with liver cirrhosis. Lactate is a simple but accurate prognostic marker, and its incorporation improved performance of CLIF‐C ACLFs significantly.
Examination of tourists’ willingness to pay under different conservation scenarios; Evidence from reef manta ray snorkeling in Fiji

Wildlife-focused tourism is often considered as having the potential to play an integral part of threatened species conservation efforts, particularly through financial support. We focused on the direct financing of conservation by investigating tourists’ willingness to pay to snorkel with reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) at Barefoot Manta, an ecotourism resort in the Yasawa group of islands in Fiji. Our results indicate that 82.4% of people surveyed would be willing to pay a mean value of ~ USD $9.2 (SE 0.9) more than the current cost, a 28% increase. Also, 89% of people surveyed would be willing to pay a mean value of ~ USD $10.2 (SE 0.9) more for a hypothetical scenario where they would snorkel with 50% fewer people, a 31% increase. We also investigated tourists’ willingness to make voluntary donations to the local community above an existing payment of ~ USD $10 that is built into the current snorkel payment of ~ USD $32.5. On average, 91.3% of the tourists interviewed were willing to donate additional funds with an average additional donation of ~ USD $8.6 (SE 0.5) to the community to pay for educational and environmental support, an 86% increase. There were few significant relationships between willingness to pay and demographic factors (including age, income, nationality, education, and others), suggesting that willingness to pay was widely held by the tourist population staying at Barefoot Manta Resort. Together, these results indicate that wildlife-based nature tourism could represent a potential, but not unlimited, income source to fund conservation in the Yasawa group, Fiji islands, and that conservation can arise from partnerships between local communities and the tourism sector.
Living in a nursing home: a phenomenological study exploring residents’ loneliness and other feelings

BACKGROUND Loneliness is suggested to be one of the most prominent feelings nursing home residents are struggling with, and is related to various negative health outcomes and impaired quality of life. While there has been some research on social predictors and the impact of depression and loneliness on social relationships in nursing home residents, there has been very little qualitative research in investigating their own perception of such feelings. OBJECTIVE To explore general feelings among nursing home residents, with a specific interest in loneliness in order to develop strategies for support and relief. METHOD This phenomenological study used an interview guide with open-ended questions to ensure focused in-depth data collection. Data were obtained through face-to-face interviews (n = 11). Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used for data analyses. RESULTS Loneliness is more than being alone among others. The residents' unfulfilled need for meaningful relationships plays a crucial role in feelings of loneliness. Losing their self-determination due to institutionalisation was strongly related to loneliness and caused strong emotions, such as grief. CONCLUSION It is vital that healthcare professionals are aware of these feelings and pay much attention to resident preferences while developing (individualised) interventions to prevent loneliness.
Climate stability is more important than water–energy variables in shaping the elevational variation in species richness

Abstract Changes in climate variables have an important impact on the prediction and protection of elevational biodiversity. Gaps exist in our understanding of the elevational distribution patterns in seed plant species richness. Our study examines the importance of climate variables in shaping the elevational variation in species richness. The importance of boundary constraint was also taken into account. Model selection based on Akaike's information criterion was used to select the best explaining climate models. Variation partitioning was used to assess the independent and joint effects of water–energy, physiological tolerance, and environmental stability variables on species richness. Our results revealed that: (a) Both raw (boundary constraint unreduced) and estimated (boundary constraint reduced) species richness showed large elevational variation, with the peak species richness seen at midelevations. The environmental variables were better at explaining the distribution pattern of species richness along the elevation, when the effect of boundary constraint was reduced; (b) the physiological tolerance and environmental stability variables explained more variation in raw and estimated species richness compared with the water–energy variables. Estimated species richness was better explained (98.6%) by the environmental variables than raw species richness (94%); (c) the water‐related variables generally had the highest independent effect on raw and estimated species richness and were dominant in shaping the elevational variation in species richness. Our findings quantify the influence of boundary constraint on the distribution pattern of species along an altitudinal gradient and compare the relative contributions of environmental stability and water–energy in explaining the altitude gradient distribution pattern of plant seed species.
Looking beyond the standard version of the Morris water task in the assessment of mouse models of cognitive deficits

Most studies investigating hippocampal‐dependent learning and memory in mouse models of disease use the standard version of the Morris water task (MWT), in which a place is learned over several days. While useful in determining if there are learning and memory deficits, often it is not clear if memory acquisition, consolidation, or retrieval is affected. For rats, we developed a variant of the task in which we added a single‐massed training session to a new location after the standard distributed version of the MWT. Using this version of the task, competition between these two spatial representations can then be assessed in a probe trial. We have found in rat models of Alzheimer's disease that this paradigm can detect subtle impairments that are often missed in the standard version of the MWT. To the best of our knowledge, MWT paradigm with a single‐massed training session have never been used for mice. We sought to validate this paradigm for the use of assessing mouse models of disease. In the first two experiments, control mice did not have a preference for the new platform location, but instead with extensive training in the massed session displayed a preference for both the old and new locations. In the third experiment, a novel mouse model of Alzheimer's disease was impaired in the standard version of the MWT, but not in the massed training phase of this paradigm. Importantly, these data demonstrate that our paradigm is more informative in characterizing spatial learning and memory in mouse models of disease.
Metronomic Chemotherapy for First-Line Treatment of Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A Phase II Trial

Background: Few data are available on the benefit of metronomic cyclophosphamide, capecitabine, and vinorelbine as first-line therapy in patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Methods: This phase II study assessed the safety and efficacy of metronomic oral chemotherapy with vinorelbine 40 mg orally 3 times a week, cyclophosphamide 50 mg daily, and capecitabine 500 mg 3 times a day (VEX regimen) in untreated metastatic triple-negative breast cancer patients. The biopsy of the metastatic site had to be triple-negative, independent of the hormone receptor expression of the primary tumor. The primary endpoint was time to progression (TTP). Secondary endpoints included assessment of safety and clinical benefit (objective response rate plus stable disease rate at ≥24 weeks). Results: 25 patients were included, and 22 were evaluable for both efficacy and toxicities (median age, 66 years). Median TTP was 6.4 months (95% confidence interval 3.6-12.6). The most common grade 1-2 toxicities were nausea, diarrhea, leuko-/neutropenia, and reversible liver enzyme alteration. Grade 3 events included hand and foot syndrome (9%). Conclusion: The VEX regimen demonstrated activity and was relatively well tolerated when given as first-line therapy in selected metastatic breast cancer patients with triple-negative disease.
Quantifying potentially infectious sharing patterns among people who inject drugs in Baltimore, USA

Abstract Mixing matrices quantify how people with similar or different characteristics make contact with each other, creating potential for disease transmission. Little empirical data on mixing patterns among persons who inject drugs (PWID) are available to inform models of blood-borne disease such as HIV and hepatitis C virus. Egocentric drug network data provided by PWID in Baltimore, Maryland between 2005 and 2007 were used to characterise drug equipment-sharing patterns according to age, race and gender. Black PWID and PWID who were single (i.e. no stable sexual partner) self-reported larger equipment-sharing networks than their white and non-single counterparts. We also found evidence of assortative mixing according to age, gender and race, though to a slightly lesser degree in the case of gender. Highly assortative mixing according to race and gender highlights the existence of demographically isolated clusters, for whom generalised treatment interventions may have limited benefits unless targeted directly. These findings provide novel insights into mixing patterns of PWID for which little empirical data are available. The age-specific assortativity we observed is also significant in light of its role as a key driver of transmission for other pathogens such as influenza and tuberculosis.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Active TB among Adult HIV Patients Receiving ART in Northwestern Tanzania: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Introduction Although ART has improved the outcome of people living with HIV/AIDS, still some patients develop TB while receiving ART. The literature on the magnitude of this problem is still scarce in our setting especially northwestern Tanzania. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of active TB among HIV patients on ART and assess its potential risk factors. Methods A retrospective cohort study was done among adult HIV-positive patients initiated on ART at Bugando Medical Centre. Patients who were TB positive before ART initiation were excluded. Data regarding demographic, clinical, and laboratory information, TB status on receipt of ART, and time on ART were collected and analyzed using STATA 11 to determine the prevalence of TB and its associated factors. Results In total, 391 patients were enrolled in this study. The median age was 39 (32–46) years, and a total of 129 (32.99%) participants had CD4 counts <200 cells/µl and 179 (45.78%) had WHO stage 3 and 4 illnesses. A total of 43 (11.0%) participants developed TB while receiving ART which was independently associated with male gender (OR = 2.9; p=0.007), WHO clinical stage 3 and 4 (OR = 1.4; p=0.029), baseline CD4 count <200 cells/µl (OR = 9.1; p < 0.001), and having not used IPT (OR = 3.1; p=0.05). Conclusions Active TB is prevalent among HIV patients while receiving ART in northwestern Tanzania which is independently associated with male gender, advanced HIV disease, and nonuse of IPT. Universal HIV testing could reduce late HIV diagnosis and hence reduce the risk of developing TB while receiving ART in our setting. Also IPT should be widely used for those who are negative for TB on screening.
Building professionals’ intention to use smart and sustainable building technologies – An empirical study

Smart and sustainable buildings save energy and material resources and provide a comfortable environment that enhances their occupants’ well-being and productivity. It is therefore crucial to understand how building professionals, including designers, engineers, and contractors, view smart and sustainable buildings and what drives them towards smart and sustainable building technologies. This study identifies salient smart and sustainable building features from building professionals’ perspective and explores what determines building professionals’ intention to use such building technologies. Responses from 543 Hong Kong’s building professionals identify that intelligent security, intelligent and responsive fresh air supply, and intelligent and responsive thermal control are among the most important features of smart and sustainable buildings. Results of structural equation modeling grounded on an extended technology acceptance model indicate that facilitating condition and job relevance are related to perceived ease of use while subjective norm pertaining to image and perceived ease of use are predictors of perceived usefulness. Facilitating condition, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness jointly influence building professionals’ intention to use smart and sustainable building technologies.
A novel model for dissecting roles of IL-17 in lung transplantation.

Background The long-term success of lung transplantation is limited by the development of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) in which IL-17 plays an important role. Direct evidence of IL-17-mediated allograft rejection has been observed when T-bet is absent. However, lack of T-bet also leads to failure in production of IFN-γ which is required for tolerance induction and allograft acceptance, as T-bet deficiency results in IL-17-expressing CD8+ T cells mediated costimulation blockade-resistant allograft rejection. Our previous research demonstrated that additional STAT6 deficiency to T-bet deficiency resulted in Th17-dominant immune responses, and importantly, restored IFN-γ production. Here we investigated whether T-bet/STAT6 double knout-out (DKO) mice as allograft recipients could provide a useful model to study IL-17 and Th17 in lung transplantation. Methods Murine orthotopic allogeneic lung transplants were performed in C57BL/6 wild type (WT) or T-bet/STAT6 DKO (C57BL/6 background) mice using MHC fully mismatched BALB/c donors. Syngeneic transplants were also performed in WT C57BL/6 mice using C57BL/6 donors. At day 10, histopathologic characteristics and rejection status of transplanted grafts were assessed; graft-infiltrating cells were isolated and real-time RT-PCR was performed for IL-17, IFN-γ and IL-4 expressions. Results Isografts showed no apparent rejection as anticipated. Allografts of both WT and DKO recipients displayed vigorous acute rejection and expressed comparable levels of IFN-γ; while T-bet/STAT6 double deficiency resulted in much more IL-17 and less IL-4 production. Histopathologic examination demonstrated that allografts of both WT and DKO recipients have marked inflammatory cell infiltration and pulmonary parenchyma lesion. In contrast to lymphocyte-predominant inflammation observed in WT recipients, allografts of DKO recipients displayed obvious polymorphonuclear cell infiltration and severer obliterative airway inflammation. Compared to WT recipients, the ratio of graft-infiltrating CD8+ versus CD4+ T cells increased significantly with much higher numbers of neutrophils in allografts of DKO recipients. Conclusions T-bet/STAT6 DKO recipients of lung allografts result in IL-17-dominant transplant immunity, retain IFN-γ responses, and develop neutrophilia, obliterative airway inflammation and acute transplant rejection. Our results indicate that T-bet/STAT6 DKO mice serving as allograft recipient could be utilized as a new viable model to study the roles of IL-17 in lung transplantation.
The Measure and Mismeasure of Fairness: A Critical Review of Fair Machine Learning

The nascent field of fair machine learning aims to ensure that decisions guided by algorithms are equitable. Over the last several years, three formal definitions of fairness have gained prominence: (1) anti-classification, meaning that protected attributes---like race, gender, and their proxies---are not explicitly used to make decisions; (2) classification parity, meaning that common measures of predictive performance (e.g., false positive and false negative rates) are equal across groups defined by the protected attributes; and (3) calibration, meaning that conditional on risk estimates, outcomes are independent of protected attributes. Here we show that all three of these fairness definitions suffer from significant statistical limitations. Requiring anti-classification or classification parity can, perversely, harm the very groups they were designed to protect; and calibration, though generally desirable, provides little guarantee that decisions are equitable. In contrast to these formal fairness criteria, we argue that it is often preferable to treat similarly risky people similarly, based on the most statistically accurate estimates of risk that one can produce. Such a strategy, while not universally applicable, often aligns well with policy objectives; notably, this strategy will typically violate both anti-classification and classification parity. In practice, it requires significant effort to construct suitable risk estimates. One must carefully define and measure the targets of prediction to avoid retrenching biases in the data. But, importantly, one cannot generally address these difficulties by requiring that algorithms satisfy popular mathematical formalizations of fairness. By highlighting these challenges in the foundation of fair machine learning, we hope to help researchers and practitioners productively advance the area.