Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Parallel Priority Queue with Constant Time Operations

We present a parallel priority queue that supports the following operations in constant time:parallel insertionof a sequence of elements ordered according to key,parallel decrease keyfor a sequence of elements ordered according to key,deletion of the minimum key element, anddeletion of an arbitrary element. Our data structure is the first to support multi-insertion and multi-decrease key in constant time. The priority queue can be implemented on the EREW PRAM and can perform any sequence ofnoperations inO(n) time andO(mlogn) work,mbeing the total number of keyes inserted and/or updated. A main application is a parallel implementation of Dijkstra's algorithm for the single-source shortest path problem, which runs inO(n) time andO(mlogn) work on a CREW PRAM on graphs withnvertices andmedges. This is a logarithmic factor improvement in the running time compared with previous approaches.
Advanced Plant of Hot Metal Out-of-Furnace Desulfurization in Large-Capacity Ladles

Process and layout solutions for new advanced automated plant of hot metal ultra-deep desulfurization by injection of granulated magnesium without impoverishing additives are considered. Plant output is 6.5 mln. tons of hot metal per year. Magnesium injection intensity is up to 26 kg/min. Sulfur content reduces to ≤0.005 % and ≤0.002 % at initial sulfur content in hot metal 0.02-0.05 %.
Energy requirement of feed-restricted broiler breeder pullets.

The energy requirements for growth and maintenance of broiler pullets were studied during a 17-wk growing period. Four flocks of commercial broiler replacement pullets, housed in conventional poultry houses, received a restricted amount of feed on 4 or 5 days a week, and pullet growth was recorded. The energy needs for maintenance and body weight gain under a feed restriction regimen was calculated using a model based on metabolic body weight and weight gain described by Hurwitz and coworkers. Average daily body weight gain for the entire experimental period was 13.7 g; the daily energy intake increased with age from 114 kcal/day at 3 wk of age to approximately 270 kcal/day at 20 wk. The estimated daily metabolizable energy requirement for maintenance was 1.57 kcal/g of body weight67 and for growth, . 71 kcal/g of body weight. It was concluded that the energy requirement for birds under a feed restriction regimen is considerably lower than those under ad libitum feeding.
Suitability of Partial Replacement of Pulverized Plastic as Fine Aggegate in Cement Concrete

Objectives: Disposal of plastic was a major problem in the present era, as the usage of plastics was growing day by day and it takes hundreds of year for plastic material to degrade. The effective ways to recycle and reuse of plastics are being formulated. Methods: Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Bags was taken into consideration as it was easily available and had low density than other type. The used plastic bags were collected, ground in to smaller components. Melted and pulverized in order to get granules of plastic of about 1 mm size. The density of the pulverized was found to be 920 Kg/m³ and its specific gravity was 0.89. Seive analysis were carried out and about 95% of the plastic bags were found to be in the range of 1-1.15 mm. 45 Nos of 100 × 100 × 100 mm cement concrete cubes of M20 mix were cast for 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% fine aggregate being replaced with pulverized plastic material. Volumetric proportioning was adopted instead of design mix since the low density of plastic bags material was too low. Workability test, mechanical properties were determined. Findings: The test results revealed that the compression strength of concrete at 28th days of conventional concrete is 23.56 N/mm². By partial replacement of 5% of Burned LDPE bags in concrete the 28th days increased by about 0.36 N/mm² when compared to conventional concrete. By partial replacement of 10% of burned LDPE bags in concrete the 28th days increased by about 1.02 N/mm² when compared to conventional concrete. By partial replacement of 15% of burned LDPE bags in concrete at 28th day increased by about 2.27 N/mm² for when compared to conventional concrete. By partial replacement of 20% of Burned LDPE bags in concrete the 28th days increased by about 1.16 N/mm² when compared to conventional concrete. Thus it is inferred that partial replacement of Burned LDPE bags up to 15% can be adopted. Novelty/Improvement: It is thereby suggested that utilization of this Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) bags in concrete will reduce the requirement for convectional fine aggregate thereby resulting in conservation of natural resources.
Genetic variation among chicken lines and mammalian species in specific genes.

Thirteen gene-specific primer sets provided by the U.S. Poultry Genome Coordinators were used to investigate DNA polymorphisms between two highly inbred chicken lines of Leghorn and Fayoumi origin. Nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequences were then compared among these chicken lines and the Genbank sequences of chicken, mouse, and human. The following genes were selected as candidates for immune response or transcription activation: B2M, DAD1, IAP1, IL2, IREB1, LAP18, MAFL, POU1F1, RREB1, TAD, TBP1, TCRG, and ZOV3. Total cDNA was obtained from the spleens of Leghorn and Fayoumi lines by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and was used as a template to PCR-amplify gene-specific products. All primers except POU1F1 and TCRG generated single PCR products of the predicted 325- to 667-bp size, confirming the efficacy of these gene-specific primers in the chicken. Three and seven of the 11 amplified gene fragments yielded line-specific nucleotide polymorphisms between the Leghorn and Fayoumi sequences and between the Leghorn and Genbank chicken sequences respectively. Similarities between inbred Leghorn and mammalian species were 36 to 86% for nucleotides and 25 to 96% for predicted amino acid sequence. The polymorphisms of some gene fragments between the Leghorn and Fayoumi lines will allow for investigation of associations of these genes with immune response and other biological traits.
Chromatin configuration affects the dynamics and distribution of a transiently interacting protein

We present a theoretical study of the interaction between a protein (diffusing particle) with chromatin (polymer chain). Each monomer is a trap where a particle can transiently bind. We derive novel formulas for the transition rate between monomer sites, given a specific polymer configuration, and find that a particle is likely to rapidly rebind many times to its release site, before moving to another. The reattachment probability is larger when the local density around the release site is smaller. Interestingly, for an equilibrated polymer, the transition probability decays as a power-law for close monomer-to-monomer distances and reaches an asymptotic value for faraway ones. By computing the transition rate between monomers, we show that the problem of facilitated search by a protein can be mapped to a continuous time Markov chain, which we solve. Our findings suggest that proteins may be locally trapped for a time much longer than their dissociation time, while their overall motion is ergodic. Our results are corroborated by Brownian simulations.
FHL2 promotes tubular epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition through modulating β‐catenin signalling

β‐Catenin signalling plays an important role in regulating tubular epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), an indispensable programme for driving renal fibrosis. As an adapter protein, four and a half LIM domain protein 2 (FHL2) acts as a coregulator of β‐catenin in several other cell types. To determine whether FHL2 affects β‐catenin signalling and thus is involved in tubular EMT, we examined its expression and function in the process of TGF‐β1‐induced EMT. FHL2 mRNA and protein were induced by TGF‐β1 in rat tubular epithelial cells (NRK‐52E), an effect that intracellular Smad signalling was required. Ectopic expression of FHL2 inhibited E‐cadherin and enhanced α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) and fibronectin expression, whereas knockdown of FHL2 partially restored E‐cadherin and reduced α‐SMA and fibronectin induction stimulated by TGF‐β1. Overexpression of FHL2 increased β‐catenin dephosphorylation (Ser37/Thr41), nuclear translocation and β‐catenin‐mediated transcription and up‐regulated expression of β‐catenin target, EMT‐related genes, such as Snail, Twist, vimentin, plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 and matrix metalloproteinase‐7. Conversely, knockdown of FHL2 increased β‐catenin phosphorylation (Ser33/37/Thr41), decreased its nuclear translocation and inhibited β‐catenin‐mediated transcription and target genes expression. TGF‐β1 induced a FHL2/β‐catenin interaction in NRK‐52E cells, especially in the nuclei. In a mouse model of obstructive nephropathy, FHL2 mRNA and protein were induced in a time‐dependent fashion, and the extent and pattern of renal β‐catenin activation were positively correlated with FHL2 induction. Collectively, this study suggests that FHL2, via modulating β‐catenin signalling, may implicate in regulation of TGF‐β1‐mediated tubular EMT and could be a potential therapeutic target for fibrotic kidney disease.
A practical trajectory planning framework for autonomous ground vehicles driving in urban environments

This paper presents a practical trajectory planning framework towards fully autonomous driving in urban environments. Firstly, based on the behavioral decision commands, a reference path is extracted from the digital map using the LIDAR-based localization information. The reference path is refined and interpolated via a nonlinear optimization algorithm and a parametric algorithm, respectively. Secondly, the trajectory planning task is decomposed into spatial path planning and velocity profile planning. A closed-form algorithm is employed to generate a rich set of kinematically-feasible spatial path candidates within the curvilinear coordinate framework. At the same time, the velocity planning algorithm is performed with considering safety and smoothness constraints. The trajectory candidates are evaluated by a carefully developed objective function. Subsequently, the best collision-free and dynamically-feasible trajectory is selected and executed by the trajectory tracking controller. We implemented the proposed trajectory planning strategy on our test autonomous vehicle in the realistic urban traffic scenarios. Experimental results demonstrated its capability and efficiency to handle a variety of driving situations, such as lane keeping, lane changing, vehicle following, and static and dynamic obstacles avoiding, while respecting traffic regulations.
Ocular Pentastomiasis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ocular pentastomiasis is a rare infection caused by the larval stage of pentastomids, an unusual group of crustacean-related parasites. Zoonotic pentastomids have a distinct geographical distribution and utilize reptiles or canids as final hosts. Recently, an increasing number of human abdominal infections have been reported in Africa, where pentastomiasis is an emerging, though severely neglected, tropical disease. Here we describe four ocular infections caused by pentastomids from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Two cases underwent surgery and an Armillifer grandis infection was detected by morphological and molecular approaches. Thus far, 15 other cases of ocular pentastomiasis have been reported worldwide. Twelve cases were caused by Armillifer sp. , recorded almost exclusively in Africa, where such infections occur as a consequence of hunting and consuming snakes, their final hosts. Seven further cases were caused by Linguatula serrata, a cosmopolitan pentastomid whose final hosts are usually canids. Intraocular infections caused permanent visual damage in 69% and a total loss of vision in 31% of reported cases. In contrast, ocular adnexal cases had a benign clinical course. Further research is required to estimate the burden, therapeutic options and pathogenesis of this neglected disease.
Type of dietary fat intakes in relation to all-cause and cause-specific mortality in US adults: an iso-energetic substitution analysis from the American National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey linked to the US mortality registry

Abstract Accumulating evidence indicates that saturated fat intake is related to mortality risk increase, whereas unsaturated fat intake is associated with reduced mortality risk. The aim of the present study was to estimate the mortality risk reduction related to a dietary change from saturated fat to mono- or polyunsaturated fat intake. The American National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys conducted between 1999 and 2010 were linked to the 2011 national US death registry resulting in an observational prospective mortality study. Proportional hazards Cox models were used to evaluate the association between saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Substitution analysis was conducted to estimate an iso-energetic substitution of 10 % of the energy from dietary fat intake applied to the substitution of saturated fat with an equal amount of energy from monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat. The highest tertile intakes of saturated fat resulted in an increased risk (12 %) of all-cause and specific-cause mortality, whereas the highest tertile intakes of polyunsaturated fat resulted in a reduced risk (7 %) of all-cause and specific-cause mortality when compared with the corresponding lowest tertile. Iso-energetic substitution revealed that a substitution of 10 % of energy (from total fat) from saturated fat to an equal amount of energy from monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat resulted in a significant reduction of the mortality risk ranging from 4 to 8 %. Iso-energetic substitution of saturated fat with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat reduced all-cause and specific-cause mortality in US adults.
The relationship of wearing a wetsuit in long-distance open-water swimming with sex, age, calendar year, performance, and nationality – crossing the “Strait of Gibraltar”

Aim The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship of wearing a wetsuit with sex, age group, nationality, calendar year, and performance in crossing the “Strait of Gibraltar”(14.3 km). Materials and methods A sample of 1,130 open-water (females, n=180, age 35.9±11.9 years; males, n=950, age 40.0±10.2 years) ultra-distance swimmers crossing the “Strait of Gibraltar” since 1950 was analyzed. Results Male, older, and Spanish swimmers used wetsuits more often than female, younger, and athletes of other nationalities, respectively, and the use of the wetsuit has increased during the past three decades. Swimmers with wetsuits were faster than those without. Male athletes aged 30–34 years were faster than athletes >60 years. Female athletes were younger than male athletes, and swimmers with wetsuits were older than those without. The Spanish were faster than the American swimmers and athletes from other nationalities, and the American swimmers were the oldest. Conclusion In summary, swimmers were faster when using a wetsuit, and local Spanish swimmers were the fastest and also used wetsuits most frequently. Male and older swimmers used wetsuits more often than other swimmers, and the use of wetsuits has increased in the last three decades.
Streptococcus pneumoniae IgA1 protease: A metalloprotease that can catalyze in a split manner in vitro

IgA1 proteases (IgA1P) from diverse pathogenic bacteria specifically cleave human immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1) at the hinge region, thereby thwarting protective host immune responses. Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) IgA1P shares no sequence conservation with serine or cysteine types of IgA1Ps or other known proteins, other than a conserved HExxH Zn‐binding motif (1604‐1608) found in metalloproteases. We have developed a novel expression system to produce the mature S. pneumoniae IgA1P and we have discovered that this form is both attached to the bacterial cell surface and released in its full form. Our data demonstrate that the S. pneumoniae IgA1P comprises two distinct regions that associate to form an active metalloprotease, the first such example of a metalloprotease that can be split in vitro and recombined to form an active enzyme. By capitalizing on this novel domain architecture, we show that the N‐terminal region of S. pneumoniae IgA1P comprises the primary binding region for IgA1, although the C‐terminal region of S. pneumoniae IgA1P is necessary for cleavage of IgA1. Our findings lend insight into the protein domain architecture of the S. pneumoniae IgA1P and function of this important virulence factor for S. pneumoniae infection.
Do individual and situational factors explain the link between predrinking and heavier alcohol consumption? An event-level study of types of beverage consumed and social context.

AIM Predrinking (drinking in private settings before going to licensed premises) has been shown to be positively associated with amount of alcohol consumed. The present study assesses whether this association is explained by general drinking patterns or situational factors, including drinking duration, beverage type and drinking companions. METHODS In a sample of 183 young adults from French-speaking Switzerland, data on alcohol consumption, whereabouts and drinking companions were collected using questionnaires sent to participants' cell phones at five time points from 5 p.m. to midnight every Thursday, Friday and Saturday over five consecutive weeks. Means and proportion tests and multilevel models were conducted based on 6650 assessments recorded on 1441 evenings. RESULTS Over the study period, predrinkers drank more frequently than did non-predrinkers and, among males, predrinkers drank more heavily. Predrinking was related to increased drinking duration and thus total consumption in the evenings. Larger groups of people were reported for predrinking compared with off-premise only drinking situations. Among women, the consumption of straight spirits (i.e. not mixed with soft drinks) while predrinking was associated with higher total evening alcohol consumption. Among men, drinking with exclusively male friends or female friends while predrinking was associated with higher consumption. CONCLUSION Heavier drinking on predrinking evenings mainly results from longer drinking duration, with individual and situational factors playing a smaller role. Prevention efforts on reducing the time that young adults spend drinking and harm reduction measures such as restriction of access to on-premise establishments once intoxicated are recommended.
Age-dependent changes in oviposition pattern and egg production traits in the domestic hen.

Effects of aging on oviposition pattern and egg production traits were studied based on records made between age at first egg and 130 wk of age in 479 hens from three selection lines. During the 1st laying yr (age at first egg to 71 wk of age), all three lines produced equal amounts of egg mass. A significant (P < or = .05) difference in total egg mass production (age at first egg to 130 wk of age) was found between a White Leghorn line selected for egg mass and a Rhode Island Red line selected for egg mass and feed consumption. The mean intrasequence oviposition interval increased significantly (P < or = .001) with age. The early mean intrasequence oviposition interval was not considered to be a good predictor of egg production traits later in life. Three explanations for decreased production with increasing age were found: 1) Oviposition intervals within sequences increased, resulting in shorter sequences and more frequent pause days; 2) the frequency of missing eggs within sequences increased; and 3) more than 1 pause day occurred between sequences.
Study of the dielectric properties of flame retardant insulation during thermal ageing

Abstract. The complex permittivity of the flame retarding cables with combined insulation has been investigated during a long-term thermal ageing. The both parts of epsilon* were measured in the very low frequency range by using a special instrument made for this purpose. They were also measured with help of the time domain dielectric spectroscopy. The frequency dependences of epsilon* were compared with those calculated by the Cole - Cole dispersion formula. The dc electrical conductivity sigma0 was derived by means of numerical fitting.
Elements of Effective Deep Reinforcement Learning towards Tactical Driving Decision Making

Tactical driving decision making is crucial for autonomous driving systems and has attracted considerable interest in recent years. In this paper, we propose several practical components that can speed up deep reinforcement learning algorithms towards tactical decision making tasks: 1) non-uniform action skipping as a more stable alternative to action-repetition frame skipping, 2) a counter-based penalty for lanes on which ego vehicle has less right-of-road, and 3) heuristic inference-time action masking for apparently undesirable actions. We evaluate the proposed components in a realistic driving simulator and compare them with several baselines. Results show that the proposed scheme provides superior performance in terms of safety, efficiency, and comfort.
Randomness and isometries in echo state networks and compressed sensing

Although largely different concepts, echo state networks and compressed sensing models both rely on collections of random weights; as the reservoir dynamics for echo state networks, and the sensing coefficients in compressed sensing. Several methods for generating the random matrices and metrics to indicate desirable performance are well-studied in compressed sensing, but less so for echo state networks. This work explores any overlap in these compressed sensing methods and metrics for application to echo state networks. Several methods for generating the random reservoir weights are considered, and a new metric, inspired by the restricted isometry property for compressed sensing, is proposed for echo state networks. The methods and metrics are investigated theoretically and experimentally, with results suggesting that the same types of random matrices work well for both echo state network and compressed sensing scenarios, and that echo state network classification accuracy is improved when the proposed restricted isometry-like constants are close to 1.
Optical Properties and Activation Energy of A Novel System of Cdte Nanoparticles Embedded in Phosphate Glass Matrix

We report growth and optical properties of a novel system of CdTe nanoparticls doped P2O5–Na2O–ZnO– Li2O glass matrix. We have investigated the effect of concentration, annealing time and temperature on the band gap and size of the CdTe semiconductor nanoparticles. In addition the effect of adding ZnO to the glass matrix on the growing of the nanoparticles has been investigated. We found that the addition of ZnO to the glass composition is strongly affecting the growth of the nanoparticles. On the other hand, we have calcu-lated the size polydispersity index which showed narrow size distribution for the prepared nanoparticles. Furthermore, we have estimated the activation energy of diffusion for the prepared CdTe nanoparticles which gave the activation energy with low value~ 44 kJ mol-1.