Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Service Overlay Forest Embedding for Software-Defined Cloud Networks

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) on Software-Defined Networks (SDN) can effectively optimize the allocation of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) and the routing of network flows simultaneously. Nevertheless, most previous studies on NFV focus on unicast service chains and thereby are not scalable to support a large number of destinations in multicast. On the other hand, the allocation of VNFs has not been supported in the current SDN multicast routing algorithms. In this paper, therefore, we make the first attempt to tackle a new challenging problem for finding a service forest with multiple service trees, where each tree contains multiple VNFs required by each destination. Specifically, we formulate a new optimization, named Service Overlay Forest (SOF), to minimize the total cost of all allocated VNFs and all multicast trees in the forest. We design a new 3ρST-approximation algorithm to solve the problem, where ρST denotes the best approximation ratio of the Steiner Tree problem, and the distributed implementation of the algorithm is also presented. Simulation results on real networks for data centers manifest that the proposed algorithm outperforms the existing ones by over 25%. Moreover, the implementation of an experimental SDN with HP OpenFlow switches indicates that SOF can significantly improve the QoE of the Youtube service.
Laboratory Evolution to Alternating Substrate Environments Yields Distinct Phenotypic and Genetic Adaptive Strategies

ABSTRACT Adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) experiments are often designed to maintain a static culturing environment to minimize confounding variables that could influence the adaptive process, but dynamic nutrient conditions occur frequently in natural and bioprocessing settings. To study the nature of carbon substrate fitness tradeoffs, we evolved batch cultures of Escherichia coli via serial propagation into tubes alternating between glucose and either xylose, glycerol, or acetate. Genome sequencing of evolved cultures revealed several genetic changes preferentially selected for under dynamic conditions and different adaptation strategies depending on the substrates being switched between; in some environments, a persistent “generalist” strain developed, while in another, two “specialist” subpopulations arose that alternated dominance. Diauxic lag phenotype varied across the generalists and specialists, in one case being completely abolished, while gene expression data distinguished the transcriptional strategies implemented by strains in pursuit of growth optimality. Genome-scale metabolic modeling techniques were then used to help explain the inherent substrate differences giving rise to the observed distinct adaptive strategies. This study gives insight into the population dynamics of adaptation in an alternating environment and into the underlying metabolic and genetic mechanisms. Furthermore, ALE-generated optimized strains have phenotypes with potential industrial bioprocessing applications. IMPORTANCE Evolution and natural selection inexorably lead to an organism's improved fitness in a given environment, whether in a laboratory or natural setting. However, despite the frequent natural occurrence of complex and dynamic growth environments, laboratory evolution experiments typically maintain simple, static culturing environments so as to reduce selection pressure complexity. In this study, we investigated the adaptive strategies underlying evolution to fluctuating environments by evolving Escherichia coli to conditions of frequently switching growth substrate. Characterization of evolved strains via a number of different data types revealed the various genetic and phenotypic changes implemented in pursuit of growth optimality and how these differed across the different growth substrates and switching protocols. This work not only helps to establish general principles of adaptation to complex environments but also suggests strategies for experimental design to achieve desired evolutionary outcomes.
Elder Abuse and Mortality: The Role of Psychological and Social Wellbeing

Background: Elder abuse is a pervasive human right and public health issue. Objectives: We aimed to examine the mortality associated with elder abuse across levels of psychological and social factors. Methods: The Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP) is a prospective population-based cohort study that began in 1993. A subset of these participants enrolled between 1993 and 2005 had elder abuse reported to social services agencies (n = 113). Mortality was ascertained during follow-up and with the National Death Index. Psychosocial factors (depression, social network and social engagement) were assessed during the CHAP interview. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the mortality of elder abuse across levels of psychosocial factors using time-varying covariate analyses. Results: The median follow-up time for the cohort (n = 7,841) was 7.6 years (interquartile range 3.8–12.4 years). In multivariate analyses, those with highest (hazard ratio (HR) 2.60, 95% CI 1.58–4.28) and middle levels (HR 2.18, 95% CI 1.19–3.99) of depressive symptoms had an increased mortality risk associated with elder abuse. For social network, those with lowest (HR 2.50, 95% CI 1.62–3.87) and middle levels (HR 2.65, 95% CI 1.52–4.60) of social network had increased mortality risk associated with elder abuse. For social engagement, those with lowest (HR 2.32, 95% CI 1.47–3.68) and middle levels (HR 2.59, 95% CI 1.65–5.45) of social engagement had increased mortality risk associated with elder abuse. Among those with lowest levels of depressive symptoms, highest levels of social network and social engagement, there was no significant effect of reported or confirmed elder abuse on mortality risk. Conclusion: Mortality risk associated with elder abuse was most prominent among those with higher levels of depressive symptoms and lower levels of social network and social engagement.
Conversion of a TXML schema to temporal object-relational database using bitemporal data

In this paper, we present the results of a research study concerning the conversion of an existing XML schema including bitemporal data features, into Object Relational Database based on management time-varying data. Our approach allows us to manage XML schema by modeling and implementing temporal data in XML document, for the purpose of tracking historical information and exchange data over the web with an efficient manner. Therefore, this study introduces methods that can extract various functions from an XML schema which based on management varying time data. To do that, we will enhance a representation of XML document structure in order to make hidden semantic explicit. We are going to take an existing XML schema with bitemporal period features as input, enrich its metadata representation in order to provide Temporal XML schema data Model (TXSDM) which conserve all type of relationships such as association, composition, aggregation and inheritance. In the last, we will generate a temporal ORDB Model which captures essential characteristics of temporal databases for migration. A prototype algorithm has been developed which proves the effectiveness of this solution.
Bladder cancer-associated cancer-testis antigen-derived long peptides encompassing both CTL and promiscuous HLA class II-restricted Th cell epitopes induced CD4+ T cells expressing converged T-cell receptor genes in vitro

ABSTRACT DEP domain containing 1 (DEPDC1) and M-phase phosphoprotein 1 (MPHOSPH1) are human cancer testis antigens that are frequently overexpressed in urinary bladder cancer. In a phase I/II clinical trial, a DEPDC1- and MPHOSPH1-derived short peptide vaccine demonstrated promising efficacy in preventing bladder cancer recurrence. Here, we aimed to identify long peptides (LPs) derived from DEPDC1 and MPHOSPH1 that induced both T-helper (Th) cells and tumor-reactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors with the synthetic DEPDC1- and MPHOSPH1-LPs predicted to bind to promiscuous human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II molecules by a computer algorithm induced specific CD4+ T cells as revealed by interferon-γ enzyme-linked immunospot assays. Three of six LPs encompassed HLA-A2- or -A24-restricted CTL epitopes or both, and all six LPs stimulated DEPDC1- or MPHOSPH1-specific Th cells restricted by promiscuous and frequently observed HLA class II molecules in the Japanese population. Some LPs are naturally processed from the proteins in DCs, and the capacity of these LPs to cross-prime CTLs was confirmed in vivo using HLA-A2 or -A24 transgenic mice. The LP-specific and HLA class II-restricted T-cell responses were also observed in PBMCs from patients with bladder cancer. Repeated stimulation of PBMCs with DEPDC1-LPs and MPHOSPH1-LPs yielded clonal Th cells expressing specific T-cell receptor (TCR)-α and β genes. These DEPDC1- or MPHOSPH1-derived LPs may have applications in immunotherapy in patients with bladder cancer, and the TCR genes identified may be useful for monitoring of Th cells specific to LPs in vivo.
Object Extraction in Cluttered Environments via a P300-Based IFCE

One of the fundamental issues for robot navigation is to extract an object of interest from an image. The biggest challenges for extracting objects of interest are how to use a machine to model the objects in which a human is interested and extract them quickly and reliably under varying illumination conditions. This article develops a novel method for segmenting an object of interest in a cluttered environment by combining a P300-based brain computer interface (BCI) and an improved fuzzy color extractor (IFCE). The induced P300 potential identifies the corresponding region of interest and obtains the target of interest for the IFCE. The classification results not only represent the human mind but also deliver the associated seed pixel and fuzzy parameters to extract the specific objects in which the human is interested. Then, the IFCE is used to extract the corresponding objects. The results show that the IFCE delivers better performance than the BP network or the traditional FCE. The use of a P300-based IFCE provides a reliable solution for assisting a computer in identifying an object of interest within images taken under varying illumination intensities.
Transactional Sex and Preferences for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Administration Modalities Among Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM)

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an important biomedical human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention tool gaining more popularity among Parisian men who have sex with men (MSM) who engage in transactional sex. This study examines the knowledge of, and willingness to use, different modalities of PrEP among this subgroup. Broadcast advertisements were placed on a geosocial-networking smartphone application with a link to a Web-based survey during three 24-hour periods in October 2016. Modified Poisson regression models were used to assess the association between engagement in transactional sex and preferences for each of these PrEP modalities. A total of 444 respondents were included. About 14% reported engagement in transactional sex. In all, 90% of MSM who engaged in transactional sex were knowledgeable of daily oral PrEP, while 13.3% were knowledgeable about long-acting injectable PrEP or penile or rectal microbicides. They were more likely to be aware of long-acting injectable PrEP (aRR = 2.52, 95% CI = 1.16 to 5.47) and willing to use daily oral PrEP (aRR = 1.48; 95% CI = 1.11 to 1.98) or long-acting injectable PrEP (aRR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.09 to 1.81) than MSM who had not engaged in transactional sex. Long-acting injectable PrEP may be an important HIV-prevention option for MSM who engage in transactional sex if this modality is proven effective.
When the Whole is Not Greater than the Sum of the Parts: A Critical Review of Laboratory Bioassay Effects Testing for Insecticidal Protein Interactions

Abstract Many studies have been conducted to investigate synergism among insecticidal proteins; however, a consensus on minimal data requirements and interpretation is lacking. While some have concluded that all additive predictive-type models should be abandoned, we advocate that additivity models can remain useful as assessment tools and that an appropriately designed interaction study will never systematically underestimate the existence of synergism, irrespective of which additivity model (or none at all) may be used. To generate the most meaningful synergy assessment datasets in support of safety assessments, we highlight two beneficial steps to follow: (i) select a testing model which is the most consistent with current knowledge regarding the action of the insecticidal proteins and (ii) avoid using bioassay methods which may result in excess response heterogeneity. We also outline other experimental design elements to consider, which may be crucial for conducting future studies of this type. A contrast of underlying testing assumptions associated with the additivity models is provided, along with a comprehensive review of interaction data for Cry1, Cry2, Cry3, Cry9, and Vip3A insecticidal proteins. Our review captures four recurrent findings: i) experiments reporting synergistic interactions are a minority, ii) the degree of synergism reported is low in magnitude, iii) reported interactions are sometimes equivocal/inconclusive due to unconfirmed model assumptions or other bioassay challenges, and iv) due to biological response variation many of the reported interactions may be artefactual. A brief overview of the positioning of interaction testing data in safety assessments of GM food crops is also provided.
Fetal echocardiography for planning perinatal and delivery room care of neonates with congenital heart disease

Fetal echocardiography facilitates the prenatal diagnosis of infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) and through sequential examinations, allows assessment of fetal hemodynamics and cardiovascular status from the time of diagnosis to delivery. Fetal cardiologists have created diagnostic protocols aimed at risk stratifying severity and potential postnatal compromise in fetuses with CHD, and identifying those who may require special intervention at birth or within the first days of life. In this article, we review fetal cardiovascular physiology, the progression of CHD in utero and fetal echocardiographic findings used for risk stratification of newborns with CHD, as well as some of the basic principles of planning for the neonatal resuscitation and initial transitional care of these complex newborns.
Prevalence of Parent-Reported ADHD Diagnosis and Associated Treatment Among U.S. Children and Adolescents, 2016

The purpose of this study is to estimate the national prevalence of parent-reported attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis and treatment among U.S. children 2–17 years of age using the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH). The NSCH is a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey of parents regarding their children’s health that underwent a redesign before the 2016 data collection. It included indicators of lifetime receipt of an ADHD diagnosis by a health care provider, whether the child currently had ADHD, and receipt of medication and behavioral treatment for ADHD. Weighted prevalence estimates were calculated overall and by demographic and clinical subgroups (n = 45,736). In 2016, an estimated 6.1 million U.S. children 2–17 years of age (9.4%) had ever received an ADHD diagnosis. Of these, 5.4 million currently had ADHD, which was 89.4% of children ever diagnosed with ADHD and 8.4% of all U.S. children 2–17 years of age. Of children with current ADHD, almost two thirds (62.0%) were taking medication and slightly less than half (46.7%) had received behavioral treatment for ADHD in the past year; nearly one fourth (23.0%) had received neither treatment. Similar to estimates from previous surveys, there is a large population of U.S. children and adolescents who have been diagnosed with ADHD by a health care provider. Many, but not all, of these children received treatment that appears to be consistent with professional guidelines, though the survey questions are limited in detail about specific treatment types received. The redesigned NSCH can be used to annually monitor diagnosis and treatment patterns for this highly prevalent and high-impact neurodevelopmental disorder.
User Pairing and Pair Scheduling in Massive MIMO-NOMA Systems

To enhance the spectral efficiency of non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) in massive multiple input multiple output systems, we propose a user pairing and pair scheduling algorithm, which can, simultaneously, pair the selected users and schedule suitable user pairs for data transmission. Through dividually selecting the first user and the second user for each user pair, the proposed algorithm can make sure that both the two users in each user pair can make the greatest contribution to the system sum rate. To suppress the inter-pair interference, we design an interference cancellation combining (ICC) matrix, which first breaks through the constraint between antenna numbers of base station and users. Theoretical analyses and computer simulations show that, the proposed algorithm has excellent sum rate and outage performance compared with the traditional user pairing algorithms.
Myocardial β-Adrenergic Receptor Density Assessed by 11C-CGP12177 PET Predicts Improvement of Cardiac Function After Carvedilol Treatment in Patients with Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy

We evaluated whether myocardial β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) density, as determined by 11C-CGP12177 PET, could predict improvement of cardiac function by β-blocker carvedilol treatment in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC). Methods: Ten patients with IDC (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] < 45%) were studied. Myocardial β-AR density was estimated using 11C-CGP12177 PET before treatment with carvedilol. Changes of LVEF in response to dobutamine infusion (ΔLVEF-dobutamine) were also measured by echocardiography. Changes of LVEF (ΔLVEF-carvedilol) were evaluated after 20 mo of carvedilol treatment. Results: Baseline myocardial β-AR density significantly correlated with ΔLVEF-carvedilol (r = −0.88, P < 0.001). In contrast, ΔLVEF-dobutamine did not correlate with ΔLVEF-carvedilol (P = 0.65). Myocardial β-AR density was the significant multivariate independent predictor of ΔLVEF-carvedilol (β = −0.88, P < 0.001) among univariate predictors, including functional class (r = 0.76, P < 0.05), plasma norepinephrine (r = 0.85, P < 0.01), LVEF (r = −0.64, P < 0.05), and age as confounding factors. Furthermore, myocardial β-AR density was significantly correlated with plasma norepinephrine (r = −0.79, P < 0.01) and LVEF (r = 0.70, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Myocardial β-AR density is more tightly related to improvement of LVEF-carvedilol than is cardiac contractile reserve in patients with IDC. Patients with decreased myocardial β-AR have higher resting adrenergic drive, as reflected by plasma norepinephrine, and may receive greater benefit from being treated by antiadrenergic drugs.
Thermal Stress and Deformation in Functionally Graded Material Shells of Revolution under Thermal Loading due to Fluid.

This paper is concerned with an analytical formulation and a numerical solution of the thermal stress and deformation for axisymmetrical shells of functionally graded material (FGM) subjected to thermal loading due to fluid. The temperature distribution through the thickness is assumed to be a curve of high order, and the temperature field in the shell is determined using the equations of heat conduction and heat transfer. The equations of equilibrium and the relations between the strains and displacements are derived from the Sanders elastic shell theory. The fundamental equations derived are numerically solved using the finite difference method. As numerical examples, functionally graded cylindrical shells composed of SUS304 and ZrO2 subjected to thermal loads due to fluid are analyzed. Numerical computations are carried out for various compositional distribution profiles in FGM. The results show that the present method gives correct temperature distributions and that the temperature distributions, stress distributions and deformations vary significantly depending on these compositional distribution profiles.
A Domain-Independent Multi-modifier Entity Search Method

Entity search is a new search pattern that return related entities to users rather than amounts of web pages containing mass and messy information. It is also a challenging research topic because it is difficult to understand the meaning of users' input and identify the entities from the messy web pages. In this paper, we propose an entity search pattern based on online encyclopedias and define it as MMK search(Multi-modifier Search), which means the input text by people only includes one kernel concept and multiple modifiers. We propose a solution framework to solve this kind of search, and propose a method to identify expected entities based on well-utilized online encyclopedias. To evaluate the methods, we create an experimental data set and a baseline under the help of participants, the results verified the effectiveness of our methods.