Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Load balancing memcached traffic using software defined networking

Memcached is an in-memory key-value distributed caching solution, commonly used by web servers for fast content delivery. Keys with their values are distributed between Mem-cached servers using a consistent hashing technique, resulting in an even distribution (of keys) among the servers. However, as small number of keys are significantly more popular than others (a.k.a., hot keys), even distribution of keys may cause a significantly different request load on the Memcached servers, which, in turn, causes substantial performance degradation. Previous solutions to this problem require complex application level solutions and extra servers. In this paper, we propose MBalancer-a simple L7 load balancing scheme for Memcached that can be seamlessly integrated into Memcached architectures running over Software-Defined Networks (SDN). In a nutshell, MBalancer runs as an SDN application and duplicates the hot keys to many (or all) Memcached servers. The SDN controller updates the SDN switches forwarding tables and uses SDN ready-made load balancing capabilities. Thus, no change is required to Memcached clients or servers. Our analysis shows that with minimal overhead for storing a few extra keys, the number of requests per server is close to balanced (assuming requests for keys follows a Zipf distribution). Moreover, we have implemented MBalancer on a hardware-based OpenFlow switch. As MBalancer offloads requests from bottleneck Memcached servers, our experiments show that it achieves significant throughput boost and latency reduction.
Novel linear megaplasmid from Brevibacterium sp. isolated from extreme environment

Brevibacterium sp. Ap13, isolated from flamingo's feces in Laguna Aparejos, a high‐altitude lake located at approximately 4,200 m in the northwest of Argentina was previously found to be resistant to multiple antibiotics, and was therefore screened for plasmids that may be implicated in antibiotic resistance. Brevibacterium sp. Ap13 was found to contain two plasmids of approximately 87 and 436 kb, designated pAP13 and pAP13c, respectively. Only pAP13 was stably maintained and was extensively characterized by pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis to reveal that this plasmid is linear and likely has covalently linked terminal proteins associated with its 5′ ends. This is the first report of a linear plasmid in the genus Brevibacterium and may provide a new tool for genetic manipulation of this commercially important genus. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A Dynamic Programming Approach to Viability Problems

Viability theory considers the problem of maintaining a system under a set of viability constraints. The main tool for solving viability problems lies in the construction of the viability kernel, defined as the set of initial states from which there exists a trajectory that remains in the set of constraints indefinitely. The theory is very elegant and appears naturally in many applications. Unfortunately, the current numerical approaches suffer from low computational efficiency, which limits the potential range of applications of this domain. In this paper we show that the viability kernel is the zero-level set of a related dynamic programming problem, which opens promising research directions for numerical approximation of the viability kernel using tools from approximate dynamic programming. We illustrate the approach using k-nearest neighbors on a toy problem in two dimensions and on a complex dynamical model for anaerobic digestion process in four dimensions
FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS ON ADAPTIVE OBSERVERS FOR NONLINEAR SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATION IN FAULT DETECTION

Abstract From previous studies of (Besancon, 1999; Besancon, 2000) on adaptive observer design for nonlinear systems, and the contribution of (Zhang, 2001) on exponential adaptive observers for linear time-varying systems, the purpose here is to propose some new observer design for a class of nonlinear systems. This observer can in turn be made adaptive, and in particular can help in detecting changes in some parameters.
Enhanced surface sensitivity in microring resonator biosensor based on subwavelength grating waveguides

Microring resonators on silicon-on-insulator substrate have been demonstrated to be promising in sensing applications. We study a microring resonator biosensor based on a novel subwavelength grating (SWG) waveguide structure, which consists of periodic silicon pillars in the propagation direction with a subwavelength period. In this structure, effective sensing region includes not only the top and side of the waveguide, but also the space in between the silicon pillars which is on the path of the propagation mode. This leads to greatly increased bulk refractive index sensitivity as well as extended surface sensing region with constantly high surface sensitivity.
The Role of Trust in Impact of Leadership on Knowledge Sharing

Knowledge sharing in an organization constitutes an important area of research. Many researchers have argued of the importance of knowledge as a source of sustainable competitive advantage. There has been increasing difficulty in institutionalizing knowledge developed at individual and group level within the organization. Leaders are seen as central to knowledge sharing within an organization. Following the framework of Baron and Kenny’s (1986), which differentiates between moderation and mediation methodologically, use of structural equation modeling is proposed to test the moderation and mediation effects. Structural equation modeling (using LISREL) is used to examine whether trust acts as a moderator or mediator between leadership and knowledge sharing. The objective of this paper is to resolve the debate whether trust acts a moderator or mediator between leadership and knowledge sharing.
Impact of antenatal depression on perinatal outcomes and postpartum depression in Korean women

Background: Maternal prenatal mental health has been shown to be associated with adverse consequences for the mother and the child. However, studies considering the effect of prenatal depressive symptoms are lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of antenatal depressive symptoms on obstetric outcomes and to determine associations between antenatal and postpartum depressions. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective cohort study. The Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS) questionnaire was completed by pregnant women receiving obstetrical care at Seoul St. Mary's hospital in the third trimester of gestation. The electronic medical records were reviewed after delivery and perinatal outcomes were evaluated. The association between antenatal and postpartum depression was analyzed using the EPDS questionnaire, which was completed by the same women within 2 months of delivery. Results: Of the 467 participants, 26.34% (n = 123) had antenatal depressive symptoms, with EPDS scores of ≥10. There were no significant perinatal outcomes associated with antenatal depressive symptoms. During the postpartum period, 192 of the women in the initial study cohort were given the EPDS again as a follow-up. Of the 192 participants, 56 (29.17%) scored >10. Spearman correlation coefficient between the antenatal and postpartum EPDS scores was 0.604, which was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Antenatal depression does not lead to unfavorable perinatal outcomes. However, screening for antenatal depression may be helpful to identify women at risk of postpartum depression.
Galkinius Perreault, 2014 or Darwiniella (Anderson, 1992)? A new coral-associated barnacle sharing characteristics of these two genera in Pacific waters (Crustacea, Cirripedia, Thoracica, Pyrgomatidae)

Abstract A new species of coral associated barnacle (Balanomorpha: Pyrgomatidae) sharing morphological features of Darwiniella (Anderson, 1992) and Galkinius Perreault, 2014 is described. It has a fused shell and opercular plates, characteristic of Darwiniella. However, the morphology of the tergum and somatic body are closer to Galkinius. Sequence divergence of mitochondrial DNA 12S rDNA and COI reveals this new species clusters with the Galkinius clade. Therefore this new form is assigned to the genus Galkinius, as G. maculosus sp. n. Concomitantly the diagnosis of Galkinius is emended to include species with fused or four- plated shells and fused opercular plates. The new species is distinct from all Galkinius species in having a fused shell. It inhabits the corals Lobophyllia spp. and is distributed from the Dongsha Atoll in the South China Sea, Orchid Island of Taiwan in the Pacific Ocean, to Madang in Papua New Guinea waters.
Mediators and Mechanisms of Psychotherapy : Evaluating Criteria for Causality

Although the efficacy of psychotherapy for treating many disorders has been demonstrated in randomized clinical trials (Ekers, Richards, & Gilbody, 2008; Hofman & Smits, 2008; Hoglend, 1999), little is known about the mechanisms through which psychotherapy achieves its effects (Kazdin, 2005). The purpose of this review is to examine the state of research on the mechanisms of psychotherapy. First, a definition of mechanism is presented and the importance of studying mechanisms in psychotherapy is discussed. Then, methods of demonstrating mediation in empirical studies are reviewed along with selected areas of empirical research on mechanisms of cognitive therapy. Finally, suggestions for future directions in studying mechanisms are offered.
A Novel Biosensor Selective for Organoarsenicals

ABSTRACT Organoarsenicals used as herbicides and growth promoters for farm animals are degraded to inorganic arsenic. Available bacterial whole-cell biosensors detect only inorganic arsenic. We report a biosensor selective for the trivalent organoarsenicals methylarsenite and phenylarsenite over inorganic arsenite. This sensor may be useful for detecting degradation of arsenic-containing herbicides and growth promoters.
Experimental results on EKF-based underwater localization algorithm using artificial landmark and imaging sonar

This paper proposes an underwater localization algorithm using artificial landmarks with imaging sonar. It is organized as follows; 1) recognizing artificial objects 2) A look at EKF (Extended Kalman Filter) SLAM for lacalization. Acoustic images from imaging sonar are very unstable, for this reason we developed artificial landmarks that can easily be detected in noisy environments. We also designed a probability-based, recognition framework. In this way, the distance and bearing of the recognized artificial landmarks are acquired, allowing us to perform the localization for our underwater vehicle. And then, EKF-based localization algorithm is carried out the localization which produce a path of underwater robot and a location of landmarks. The proposed localization algorithm is verified by experiments in a basin.
Child Asthma and Change in Elevated Depressive Symptoms Among Mothers of Children of a Birth Cohort from Quebec

The authors examined the association between maternal reports of child asthma attacks since birth and occurrence of elevated maternal depressive symptoms at seventeen months postpartum in the present study. The modifying role of poverty in this association was also examined. Data from n = 1,696 mother–child dyads from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, a birth cohort of children born in 1998, were used. Maternal depressive symptoms were measured with an abridged and validated twelve-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Maternal reports of child asthma attacks since birth in relation to the occurrence of maternal depressive symptoms at 17 months postpartum and the potential modifying role of poverty were tested using multiple logistic regression models. When mothers reported child asthma attacks, those without elevated depressive symptoms at 5 months postpartum had lower odds of elevated depressive symptoms one year later (OR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.1–0.7). Poverty was associated with increased odds of elevated maternal depressive symptoms (OR = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.5–3.9), without interacting with child asthma. Through this study, the authors suggest that in mothers without elevated symptoms at 5 months, reported child asthma attacks since birth did not contribute one year later to new occurrence of depressive symptoms.
Whole-genome sequence of the Tibetan frog Nanorana parkeri and the comparative evolution of tetrapod genomes

Significance We provide a de novo genome of the Tibetan frog, Nanorana parkeri, and conduct a series of comparisons with other vertebrates. Approximately one-half of the genome of Nanorana consists of transposable elements (TEs). The frequencies and distributional patterns of TEs differ considerably between Nanorana and Xenopus, the only other amphibian for which a genome has been sequenced. The genomes of these two frogs exhibit substantial homologous synteny blocks with rare interchromosomal and intrachromosomal rearrangements. We also identify 11 Mb of amphibian-specific conserved elements comprising 217 genes. These highly conserved genes provide a basis for comparative genomic analyses throughout frogs. The development of efficient sequencing techniques has resulted in large numbers of genomes being available for evolutionary studies. However, only one genome is available for all amphibians, that of Xenopus tropicalis, which is distantly related from the majority of frogs. More than 96% of frogs belong to the Neobatrachia, and no genome exists for this group. This dearth of amphibian genomes greatly restricts genomic studies of amphibians and, more generally, our understanding of tetrapod genome evolution. To fill this gap, we provide the de novo genome of a Tibetan Plateau frog, Nanorana parkeri, and compare it to that of X. tropicalis and other vertebrates. This genome encodes more than 20,000 protein-coding genes, a number similar to that of Xenopus. Although the genome size of Nanorana is considerably larger than that of Xenopus (2.3 vs. 1.5 Gb), most of the difference is due to the respective number of transposable elements in the two genomes. The two frogs exhibit considerable conserved whole-genome synteny despite having diverged approximately 266 Ma, indicating a slow rate of DNA structural evolution in anurans. Multigenome synteny blocks further show that amphibians have fewer interchromosomal rearrangements than mammals but have a comparable rate of intrachromosomal rearrangements. Our analysis also identifies 11 Mb of anuran-specific highly conserved elements that will be useful for comparative genomic analyses of frogs. The Nanorana genome offers an improved understanding of evolution of tetrapod genomes and also provides a genomic reference for other evolutionary studies.
P2P cache-and-forward mechanisms for mobile ad hoc networks

We investigate the problem of spreading information contents in a wireless ad hoc network. In our vision, information dissemination should satisfy the following requirements: (i) it should result in a desirable distribution of information replicas in the network and (ii) the information should be evenly and fairly carried by all nodes in their turn. In this paper, we show that these goals can be achieved by simple cache-and-forward mechanisms inspired by well-known node mobility models, provided that a sufficient number of information replicas are injected into the network. The proposed approach works under different network scenarios, is fully distributed and comes at a very low cost in terms of protocol overhead.
Influence maximization in bandit and adaptive settings

The objective of viral marketing is to leverage a social network to spread awareness about a specific product in the market through information propagation via word-of-mouth. A closely related problem is that of influence maximization which aims to identify the ‘best’ set of ‘influential’ users (seeds) to give discounts or free products to, such that awareness about the product is maximized. We study two relatively unexplored variants of influence maximization (IM) in social networks. Conventional IM algorithms assume the structure of the social network and edge weights to be known. Though the structure of the network is usually known, edge weights need to be estimated from past data. In the first part of this thesis, we tackle the real but difficult problems of (i) learning these edge weights online and (ii) maximizing influence in the network when no past data is available as input. We adopt a combinatorial multiarmed bandit (CMAB) paradigm and formulate the above problems respectively as (i) network exploration, i.e. incrementally minimizing the error in learned edge weights and (ii) regret minimization i.e. minimizing the loss in influence from choosing suboptimal seed sets over multiple attempts. Most previous work on influence maximization in social networks is limited to the non-adaptive setting in which the marketer is supposed to select all of the seed users up front. A disadvantage of this setting is that she is forced to select all the seeds based solely on a diffusion model. If the selected seeds do not perform well, there is no opportunity to course-correct. A more practical setting is the adaptive setting in which the marketer initially selects a batch of users and observes how seeding those users leads to a diffusion of product adoptions. Based on this market feedback, she formulates a policy for choosing the remaining seeds. We study adaptive offline strategies for two problems: (a) MAXSPREAD given a budget on number of seeds and a time horizon, maximize the spread of influence and (b) MINTSS given a time horizon and an expected number of target users, minimize the number of required seeds.
Impact of cardiac service availability on case-selection for angiography and survival associated with angiography.

OBJECTIVE To examine whether availability of cardiac services at the admitting hospital affects case-selection for angiography and one-year survival following angiography, within groups of patients who have similar clinical need for angiography according to published criteria. STUDY SETTING Elderly Medicare beneficiaries (37,788) discharged with a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) from hospitals in seven U.S. states between February 1994 and July 1995. We focused on patients who were eligible to receive angiography 12 or more hours after symptom onset. DATA COLLECTION Data were abstracted from patient's medical records, Medicare National Claims Standard Analytic Files, Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) Provider of Service File and Health Insurance Master File. METHODS Admitting hospitals were classified as offering no cardiac services, angiography only, or revascularization. Case-selection differences across these three types of hospitals were examined by comparing relative risk of receiving angiography for various patient and hospital characteristics. Relative differences in one-year survival rate, comparing patients who received angiography to those who did not, were estimated within each hospital type and clinical need category (necessary, appropriate, or uncertain) after matching on propensity to receive angiography. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Compared to patients for whom angiography was deemed necessary, the relative risk of receiving angiography among those for whom it was deemed of uncertain benefit was 0.58, 0.79, and 0.92 (p-value of homogeneity test < 0.001) at hospitals offering no cardiac services, angiography only, and revascularization, respectively. There was no significant difference in survival following angiography across hospital types, overall as well as within clinical need categories. CONCLUSIONS Despite increased case selection at hospitals with on-site cardiac services, there was no evidence of increase in the survival rate associated with angiography use at these hospitals.
Concurrent Validity of a New Instrument for Measuring Nutritive Sucking in Preterm Infants

The purpose of this study was to examine the concurrent validity of the Whitney strain gage for the measurement of nutritive sucking in preterm infants. Ten preterm infants were studied continuously during at least one entire bottle feeding per week, from admission into the study until discharge from the nursery. Sucking was measured simultaneously by an adapted nipple and the Whitney gage. The two instruments were compared on the following measures: number of sucking bursts, number of sucks per burst, and duration of bursts and pauses between bursts. Total percent agreement for the occurrence of a sucking burst was 99.3% (K = .99). Sucks per burst varied from 2 to 113, with 89.3% of the pairs of sucking bursts differing by ≤ 1 suck per burst. The mean absolute difference between the two instruments for the duration of sucking bursts and pauses was . 64 s and . 72 s, respectively. These results demonstrate the concurrent validity of the Whitney gage for measurement of sucking events in preterm infants.
The cell-specific enhancer of the mouse transthyretin (prealbumin) gene binds a common factor at one site and a liver-specific factor(s) at two other sites

We previously defined two distinct cell-specific DNA elements controlling the transient expression of the transthyretin gene in Hep G2 (human hepatoma) cells: a proximal promoter region (-202 base pairs [bp] to the cap site), and a far-upstream cell-specific enhancer located between 1.6 and 2.15 kilobases (kb) 5' of the cap site (R. H. Costa, E. Lai, and J. E. Darnell, Jr., Mol. Cell. Biol. 6:4697-4708, 1986). In this report, we located the effective transthyretin enhancer element within a 100-bp region between 1.96 and 1.86 kb 5' to the mRNA cap site. In Hep G2 nuclear extracts, three protein-binding sites within this minimal enhancer element were identified by gel mobility and methylation protection experiments. Each binding site was required for full enhancer activity in Hep G2 transient expression assays. Competition experiments in protein-binding assays suggested that two of the three sites were recognized by a similar factor and that the protein interaction with the third site was different. The nuclear protein(s) which bound to the two homologous sites was found mainly or only in cells of hepatic origin, suggesting an involvement of this region in the cell-specific function of this enhancer. The nuclear protein(s) recognizing the third enhancer region was also found in HeLa and spleen cells.