Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
TOFEC: Achieving optimal throughput-delay trade-off of cloud storage using erasure codes

Our paper presents solutions using erasure coding, parallel connections to storage cloud and limited chunking (i.e., dividing the object into a few smaller segments) together to significantly improve the delay performance of uploading and downloading data in and out of cloud storage. TOFEC is a strategy that helps front-end proxy adapt to level of workload by treating scalable cloud storage (e.g. Amazon S3) as a shared resource requiring admission control. Under light workloads, TOFEC creates more smaller chunks and uses more parallel connections per file, minimizing service delay. Under heavy workloads, TOFEC automatically reduces the level of chunking (fewer chunks with increased size) and uses fewer parallel connections to reduce overhead, resulting in higher throughput and preventing queueing delay. Our trace-driven simulation results show that TOFEC's adaptation mechanism converges to an appropriate code that provides the optimal delay-throughput trade-off without reducing system capacity. Compared to a non-adaptive strategy optimized for throughput, TOFEC delivers 2.5× lower latency under light workloads; compared to a non-adaptive strategy optimized for latency, TOFEC can scale to support over 3× as many requests.
Temporal and spatial dynamics of phenology along the North–South Transect of Northeast Asia

ABSTRACT Vegetation phenology is sensitive to climate change and, as such, is often regarded as an indicator of climate change. It is a common practice to extract vegetation phenological indicators based on satellite remote sensing data. In this study, we used the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Study (GIMMS) Third-Generation normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI3G) to investigate temporal and spatial changes in phenology in Northeast Asia. Based on the maximum rate of change in the NDVI and dynamic threshold, we used the Asymmetric Gaussian model, Double Logistic method, and Savitzky-Golay filter to extract the start of the growing season (SOS), the end of the growing season (EOS), and the length of the growing season (LOS), respectively, along the North–South Transect of Northeast Asia (NSTNEA) from 1982 to 2014. We then compared the differences in SOS, EOS, and LOS and considered their spatio-temporal dynamics and relationship with temperature. The results show that the Asymmetric Gaussian model has the highest stability among the three methods. Dynamic thresholds corresponding to the maximum change rate of NDVI were mainly between 0.5 and 0.6. From 1982 to 2014, the SOS in the NSTNEA region occurred approximately 0.19 days earlier each year; the trends in EOS and LOS were not significant. In general, temperature and latitude have a strong linear relationship, both of which significantly impact vegetation phenology in the NSTNEA region. In addition, elevation also significantly impacts on vegetation phenology in the NSTNEA region.
A Novel Gene, ROA, Is Required for Normal Morphogenesis and Discharge of Ascospores in Gibberella zeae

ABSTRACT Head blight, caused by Gibberella zeae, is a significant disease among cereal crops, including wheat, barley, and rice, due to contamination of grain with mycotoxins. G. zeae is spread by ascospores forcibly discharged from sexual fruiting bodies forming on crop residues. In this study, we characterized a novel gene, ROA, which is required for normal sexual development. Deletion of ROA (Δroa) resulted in an abnormal size and shape of asci and ascospores but did not affect vegetative growth. The Δroa mutation triggered round ascospores and insufficient cell division after spore delimitation. The asci of the Δroa strain discharged fewer ascospores from the perithecia but achieved a greater dispersal distance than those of the wild-type strain. Turgor pressure within the asci was calculated through the analysis of osmolytes in the epiplasmic fluid. Deletion of the ROA gene appeared to increase turgor pressure in the mutant asci. The higher turgor pressure of the Δroa mutant asci and the mutant spore shape contributed to the longer distance dispersal. When the Δroa mutant was outcrossed with a Δmat1-2 mutant, a strain that contains a green fluorescence protein (GFP) marker in place of the MAT1-2 gene, unusual phenotypic segregation occurred. The ratio of GFP to non-GFP segregation was 1:1; however, all eight spores had the same shape. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that ROA plays multiple roles in maintaining the proper morphology and discharge of ascospores in G. zeae.
Performance of Balance Scale Tasks of the Challenging Type amongst Singapore Children

Since the pioneering research of Inhelder and Piaget in the 1950, "balance scale tasks" have become synonymous with items used to study cognitive development of young children. This paper reports on the results of two studies about these tasks: study 1 about 137 kindergartners from five kindergartens and study 2 about 122 Primary 2 children from five primary schools in the western part of Singapore. The balance scale tasks were designed by the Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore. Three- quarter of the primary one children tested could compare and identify which was the heaviest object when the information was presented concretely. However, when the weights of the objects were specified relationally as a function of each other rather than in a concrete manner their performance fell dramatically. Primary three children demonstrated similar difficulties. These findings may inform future studies on how to improve children's competencies with such tasks and how to incorporate such tasks into curricular materials.
Title: Examining the Effectiveness and Validity of Glossary and Read- Aloud Accommodations for English Language Learners in a Math Assessment

Summary Glossary and reading aloud test items are often listed as allowed in many states' accommodation policies for ELL students, when taking states' large-scale mathematics assessments. However, little empirical research has been conducted on the effects of these two accommodations on ELL students' test performance. Further, no research is available to examine how students use the provided accommodations. The present study employed a randomized experimental design and a think-aloud procedure to delve into the effects of the two accommodations. A total of 605 ELL and non-ELL students from two states participated in the experimental component and a subset of 68 ELL students participated in the think-aloud component of the study. Results showed no significant effect of glossary, and mixed effects of read aloud on ELL students' performance. Read aloud was found to have a significant effect for the ELL sample in one state, but not the other. Significant interaction effects between students' prior content knowledge and accommodations were found, suggesting the given accommodation was effective for the students who had acquired content knowledge. During the think-aloud analysis, students did not actively utilize the provided glossary, indicating lack of familiarity with the accommodation. Implications for the effective use of accommodations and future research agendas are discussed.
DDoS Attack Detection at Local Area Networks Using Information Theoretical Metrics

DDoS attacks are one of the major threats to Internet services. Sophisticated hackers are mimicking the features of legitimate network events, such as flash crowds, to fly under the radar. This poses great challenges to detect DDoS attacks. In this paper, we propose an attack feature independent DDoS flooding attack detection method at local area networks. We employ flow entropy on local area network routers to supervise the network traffic and raise potential DDoS flooding attack alarms when the flow entropy drops significantly in a short period of time. Furthermore, information distance is employed to differentiate DDoS attacks from flash crowds. In general, the attack traffic of one DDoS flooding attack session is generated by many bots from one botnet, and all of these bots are executing the same attack program. As a result, the similarity among attack traffic should higher than that among flash crowds, which are generated by many random users. Mathematical models have been established for the proposed detection strategies. Analysis based on the models indicates that the proposed methods can raise the alarm for potential DDoS flooding attacks and can differentiate DDoS flooding attacks from flash crowds with conditions. The extensive experiments and simulations confirmed the effectiveness of our proposed detection strategies.
Cepred: Predicting the Co-Expression Patterns of the Human Intronic microRNAs with Their Host Genes

Identifying the tissues in which a microRNA is expressed could enhance the understanding of the functions, the biological processes, and the diseases associated with that microRNA. However, the mechanisms of microRNA biogenesis and expression remain largely unclear and the identification of the tissues in which a microRNA is expressed is limited. Here, we present a machine learning based approach to predict whether an intronic microRNA show high co-expression with its host gene, by doing so, we could infer the tissues in which a microRNA is high expressed through the expression profile of its host gene. Our approach is able to achieve an accuracy of 79% in the leave-one-out cross validation and 95% on an independent testing dataset. We further estimated our method through comparing the predicted tissue specific microRNAs and the tissue specific microRNAs identified by biological experiments. This study presented a valuable tool to predict the co-expression patterns between human intronic microRNAs and their host genes, which would also help to understand the microRNA expression and regulation mechanisms. Finally, this framework can be easily extended to other species.
Domain wall fermion zero modes on classical topological backgrounds

The domain wall approach to lattice fermions employs an additional dimension, in which gauge fields are merely replicated, to separate the chiral components of a Dirac fermion. It is known that, in the limit of infinite separation in this new dimension, domain wall fermions have exact zero modes, even for gauge fields which are not smooth. We explore the effects of finite extent in the fifth dimension on the zero modes for both smooth and nonsmooth topological configurations and find that a fifth dimension of around ten sites is sufficient to clearly show zero mode effects. This small value for the extent of the fifth dimension indicates the practical utility of this technique for numerical simulations of QCD. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
Indoor localisation for complex building designs using passive RFID technology

Amongst various application usages of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology, Indoor localization or positioning has gained much importance and value over the past few years. Different algorithms and hardware have been developed with active research still in place. Research towards localization of objects and personnel specifically using passive RFID technology has immensely reduced the overall solution cost, while effectively increasing positioning accuracy. In this paper, we present a passive RFID-based indoor localization algorithm for the Buildings and Constructions Industry. In complex building designs, such as multi-storey car parks or high-rise hospitals, it is often required to locate a particular car or medical personnel at least at a room level accuracy in case of emergencies. In the methodology presented, passive RFID tags with unknown locations are tracked and identified using a number of similar tags with known positions. This approach offers the advantage to have less number of expensive RFID readers to locate unknown tags. Instead, low cost passive RFID tags collaborate together to find the unknown tags' locations. The distance and positions of the known tags along with mathematical techniques and computations form the basis of our algorithm to compute the final position of unknown tags. The experimental results are acquired by considering a simulated implementation in a 10m×10m room using two UHF RFID readers. A number of simulation results show an average linear error in positioning of 1.32m from reader 1 and that of 3.14m from reader 2.
CLPTM1L gene rs402710 (C > T) and rs401681 (C > T) polymorphisms associate with decreased cancer risk: a meta-analysis

Cleft lip and palate transmembrane 1-like (CLPTM1L) gene rs402710 (C > T) and rs401681 (C > T) polymorphisms have been widely studied for their potential relation to cancer risk, but studies have produced conflicting results. To systematically evaluate the association between these two polymorphisms and overall cancer risk, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis on all relevant articles found in the PubMed and EMBASE databases published prior to May 1, 2017. There were 26 articles with 28 studies, including 30,770 cases and 34,089 controls, for the rs402710 polymorphism and 38 articles with 48 studies, including 67,849 cases and 328,226 controls, for the rs401681 polymorphism. The pooled results indicated that both rs402710 and rs401681 polymorphisms are significantly associated with decreased overall cancer risk. In our stratification analysis, a significant association of the rs402710 polymorphism with lung and bladder cancers was identified among Asian and Caucasian populations in both hospital-based and population-based studies. The rs401681 polymorphism was significantly associated with a decreased risk of lung cancer, bladder cancer, and basal cell carcinoma in Asians and in hospital-based studies. CLPTM1L gene rs402710 and rs401681 polymorphisms thus have a protective association with various types of cancer, especially lung cancer among Asians.
Trust the biometrie mainstream: Multi-biometric fusion and score coherence

Multi-biometrics aims at building more accurate unified biometric decisions based on the information provided by multiple biometric sources. Information fusion is used to optimize the process of creating this unified decision. In previous works dealing with score-level multi-biometric fusion, the scores of different biometric sources belonging to the comparison of interest are used to create the fused score. This is usually achieved by assigning static weights for the different biometric sources with more advanced solutions considering supplementary dynamic information like sample quality and neighbours distance ratio. This work proposes embedding score coherence information in the fusion process. This is based on our assumption that a minority of biometric sources, which points out towards a different decision than the majority, might have faulty conclusions and should be given relatively smaller role in the final decision. The evaluation was performed on the BioSecure multimodal biometric database with different levels of simulated noise. The proposed solution incorporates, and was compared to, three baseline static weighting approaches. The enhanced performance induced by including the coherence information within a dynamic weighting scheme in comparison to the baseline solution was shown by the reduction of the equal error rate by 45% to 85% over the different test scenarios and proved to maintain high performance when dealing with noisy data.
Role of ESCRT-I in Retroviral Budding

ABSTRACT Retroviral late-budding (L) domains are required for the efficient release of nascent virions. The three known types of L domain, designated according to essential tetrapeptide motifs (PTAP, PPXY, or YPDL), each bind distinct cellular cofactors. We and others have demonstrated that recruitment of an ESCRT-I subunit, Tsg101, a component of the class E vacuolar protein sorting (VPS) machinery, is required for the budding of viruses, such as human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and Ebola virus, that encode a PTAP-type L domain, but subsequent events remain undefined. In this study, we demonstrate that VPS28, a second component of ESCRT-I, binds to a sequence close to the Tsg101 C terminus and is therefore recruited to the plasma membrane by HIV-1 Gag. In addition, we show that Tsg101 exhibits a multimerization activity. Using a complementation assay in which Tsg101 is artificially recruited to sites of HIV-1 assembly, we demonstrate that the integrity of the VPS28 binding site within Tsg101 is required for particle budding. In addition, mutation of a putative leucine zipper or residues important for Tsg101 multimerization also impairs the ability of Tsg101 to support HIV-1 budding. A minimal multimerizing Tsg101 domain is a dominant negative inhibitor of PTAP-mediated HIV-1 budding but does not inhibit YPDL-type or PPXY-type L-domain function. Nevertheless, YDPL-type L-domain activity is inhibited by expression of a catalytically inactive mutant of the class E VPS ATPase VPS4. These results indicate that all three classes of retroviral L domains require a functioning class E VPS pathway in order to effect budding. However, the PTAP-type L domain appears to be unique in its requirement for an intact, or nearly intact, ESCRT-I complex.
Multimodality imaging in nanomedicine and nanotheranostics

Accurate diagnosis of tumors needs much detailed information. However, available single imaging modality cannot provide complete or comprehensive data. Nanomedicine is the application of nanotechnology to medicine, and multimodality imaging based on nanoparticles has been receiving extensive attention. This new hybrid imaging technology could provide complementary information from different imaging modalities using only a single injection of contrast agent. In this review, we introduce recent developments in multifunctional nanoparticles and their biomedical applications to multimodal imaging and theragnosis as nanomedicine. Most of the reviewed studies are based on the intrinsic properties of nanoparticles and their application in clinical imaging technology. The imaging techniques include positron emission tomography, single-photon emission computed tomography, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, optical imaging, and ultrasound imaging.
Microvascular Endothelial Dysfunction in Sedentary, Obese Humans Is Mediated by NADPH Oxidase: Influence of Exercise Training

Objective—The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of in vivo reactive oxygen species (ROS) on microvascular endothelial function in obese human subjects and the efficacy of an aerobic exercise intervention on alleviating obesity-associated dysfunctionality. Approach and Results—Young, sedentary men and women were divided into lean (body mass index 18–25; n=14), intermediate (body mass index 28–32.5; n=13), and obese (body mass index 33–40; n=15) groups. A novel microdialysis technique was utilized to detect elevated interstitial hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide levels in the vastus lateralis of obese compared with both lean and intermediate subjects. Nutritive blood flow was monitored in the vastus lateralis via the microdialysis-ethanol technique. A decrement in acetylcholine-stimulated blood flow revealed impaired microvascular endothelial function in the obese subjects. Perfusion of apocynin, an NADPH oxidase inhibitor, lowered (normalized) H2O2 and superoxide levels, and reversed microvascular endothelial dysfunction in obese subjects. After 8 weeks of exercise, H2O2 levels were decreased in the obese subjects and microvascular endothelial function in these subjects was restored to levels similar to lean subjects. Skeletal muscle protein expression of the NADPH oxidase subunits p22phox, p47phox, and p67phox was increased in obese relative to lean subjects, where p22phox and p67phox expression was attenuated by exercise training in obese subjects. Conclusions—This study implicates NADPH oxidase as a source of excessive ROS production in skeletal muscle of obese individuals and links excessive NADPH oxidase–derived ROS to microvascular endothelial dysfunction in obesity. Furthermore, aerobic exercise training proved to be an effective strategy for alleviating these maladies.
Early Start: A Cost–Beneficial Perinatal Substance Abuse Program

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a cost–benefit analysis of Early Start, an integrated prenatal intervention program for stopping substance use in pregnancy. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of 49,261 women who had completed prenatal substance abuse screening questionnaires at obstetric clinics and who had undergone urine toxicology screening tests. Four study groups were compared: women screened and assessed positive and followed by Early Start (screened-assessed-followed, n=2,032), women screened and assessed positive without follow-up (screened-assessed, n=1,181), women screened positive only (screened-positive-only, n=149), women in the control group who screened negative (control, n=45,899). Costs associated with maternal health care (prenatal through 1 year postpartum), neonatal birth hospitalization care, and pediatric health care (through 1 year) were adjusted to 2009 dollars. Mean costs were calculated and adjusted for age, race, education, income, marital status, and amount of prenatal care. RESULTS: Screened-positive-only group adjusted mean maternal total costs ($10,869) were significantly higher than screened-assessed-followed, screened-assessed, and control groups ($9,430; $9,230; $8,282; all P<.001). Screened-positive-only group adjusted mean infant total costs ($16,943) were significantly higher than screened-assessed-followed, screened-assessed, and control groups ($11,214; $11,304; $10,416; all P<.001). Screened-positive-only group adjusted mean overall total costs ($27,812) were significantly higher than screened-assessed-followed, screened-assessed, and control groups ($20,644; $20,534; $18,698; all P<.001). Early Start implementation costs were $670,600 annually. Cost–benefit analysis showed that the net cost benefit averaged $5,946,741 per year. CONCLUSION: Early Start is a cost-beneficial intervention for substance use in pregnancy that improves maternal–infant outcomes and leads to lower overall costs by an amount significantly greater than the costs of the program. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II
Electrical equivalent circuit modeling and parameter estimation for PEM fuel cell

Increase in global warming, ozone depletion processes originated due to extreme use of fossil fuel for energy generation and increasing demand for environmental friendly energy performance needs design and development of clean and renewable energy sources. Fuel cell is a best alternative as it has negligible green house gases effect, both high power and energy performance. Mathematical models are considered to be best tools for design and simulations of fuel cell based power systems. Many mathematical models have been reported to evaluate the performance of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell in the literature. This paper presents the Electrical Equivalent Circuit Model of PEM fuel cell and experimental method to find equivalent circuit parameters. A constant current loading test is conducted on a 100 W, 8 V PEM fuel cell stack to find its terminal voltage behavior. The parameters of the equivalent circuit are evaluated by using a least square polyfit approximation of experimental and simulated data. The validation of the equivalent circuit parameters is conformed by plotting experimental and simulated results.