Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
2016 Ieee International Conference on Big Data (big Data) a Meta-graph Approach to Analyze Subgraph-centric Distributed Programming Models

—Component-centric distributed graph processing models that use bulk synchronous parallel (BSP) execution have grown popular. These overcome shortcomings of Big Data platforms like Hadoop for processing large graphs. However, literature on formal analysis of these component-centric abstractions for different graphs, graph partitioning, and graph algorithms is lacking. Here, we propose an coarse-grained analytical approach based on a meta-graph sketch to examine the characteristics of component-centric graph programming models. We apply this sketch to subgraph-and block-centric abstractions, and draw a comparison with vertex-centric models like Google's Pregel. We explore the impact of various graph partitioning techniques on the meta-graph, and the impact of the meta-graph on graph algorithms. This decouples large unwieldy graphs and their partitioning artifacts from their algorithmic analysis. We evaluate our approach for five spatial and powerlaw graphs, four different partitioning strategies, and for PageRank and Breadth First Search algorithms. We show that this novel analytical technique is simple, scalable and yet gives a reliable estimate of the number of supersteps, and the communication and computational complexities of the algorithms for various graphs.
The α Crystallin Domain of Small Heat Shock Protein b8 (Hspb8) Acts as Survival and Differentiation Factor in Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis

Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is to a large degree controlled at the level of cell survival, and a number of potential mediators of this effect have been postulated. Here, we investigated the small heat shock protein Hspb8, which, because of its pleiotropic prosurvival effects in other systems, was considered a particularly promising candidate factor. Hspb8 is, for example, found in plaques of Alzheimer disease but exerts neuroprotective effects. We found that expression of Hspb8 increased during differentiation in vitro and was particularly associated with later stages (48–96 h) of differentiation. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments supported the hypothesis that Hspb8 regulates cell survival of new neurons in vitro. In the dentate gyrus of adult mice in vivo, lentiviral overexpression of Hspb8 doubled the surviving cells and concomitantly promoted differentiation and net neurogenesis without affecting precursor cell proliferation. We also discovered that the truncated form of the crystallin domain of Hspb8 was sufficient to affect cell survival and neuronal differentiation in vitro and in vivo. Precursor cell experiments in vitro revealed that Hspb8 increases the phosphorylation of Akt and suggested that the prosurvival effect can be produced by a cell-autonomous mechanism. Analysis of hippocampal Hspb8 expression in mice of 69 strains of the recombinant inbred set BXD revealed that Hspb8 is a cis-acting gene whose expression was associated with clusters of transcript enriched in genes linked to growth factor signaling and apoptosis. Our results strongly suggest that Hspb8 and its α-crystallin domain might act as pleiotropic prosurvival factor in the adult hippocampus.
Perturbation configurations in a two-fluid system of singular isothermal discs

We investigate properties of stationary aligned and unaligned spiral perturbation configurations in a composite system of gravitationally coupled stellar and gaseous singular isothermal discs (SIDs) using the two-fluid formalism. Both SIDs are taken to be razor thin and are in a self-consistent background equilibrium with power-law surface mass densities and flat rotation curves. We obtain stationary perturbation solutions for aligned and unaligned spiral logarithmic configurations in such a composite SID system and derive analytically existence criteria for these solutions. In comparison with the similar problem of a single SID studied by Shu et al., there are now two possible sets of analytical solutions owing to an additional SID. For physically valid solutions, we explore parameter regimes involving the squared ratio β of velocity dispersions and the ratio δ of the surface mass densities of the two SIDs. In terms of transition criteria from axisymmetric equilibria to aligned secular and spiral dynamic bar-like instabilities, the corresponding T/‖W‖ ratio of rotation to potential energies for a composite SID system depends on β and δ, varies in a wide range, and can be considerably lower than the often-quoted value of ∼0.14. For both aligned and unaligned cases with azimuthal periodicities ‖m‖ ≥ 2, there exist certain parameter regimes where only one set of solutions is physically meaningful. For unaligned cases, we study marginal stabilities for axisymmetric (m = 0) and non-axisymmetric (m ≠ 0) disturbances. The resulting marginal instability curves, varying with parameters, are different from those of a single SID. The case of a composite partial SID system is also studied to include the gravitational influence of a dark matter halo on the system equilibrium. For galactic applications, our model analysis contains more realistic elements and offers useful insights for the dynamics of disc galaxies consisting of stars and gas. Our analytical solutions are valuable for testing and benchmarking numerical codes. Starting from these solutions, numerical simulations are powerful tools for exploring non-linear dynamics such as large-scale spiral shocks.
AMP-18 Targets p21 to Maintain Epithelial Homeostasis

Dysregulated homeostasis of epithelial cells resulting in disruption of mucosal barrier function is an important pathogenic mechanism in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). We have characterized a novel gastric protein, Antrum Mucosal Protein (AMP)-18, that has pleiotropic properties; it is mitogenic, anti-apoptotic and can stimulate formation of tight junctions. A 21-mer synthetic peptide derived from AMP-18 exhibits the same biological functions as the full-length protein and is an effective therapeutic agent in mouse models of IBD. In this study we set out to characterize therapeutic mechanisms and identify molecular targets by which AMP-18 maintains and restores disrupted epithelial homeostasis in cultured intestinal epithelial cells and a mouse model of IBD. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, a pro-inflammatory cytokine known to mediate gastrointestinal (GI) mucosal injury in IBD, was used to induce intestinal epithelial cell injury, and study the effects of AMP-18 on apoptosis and the cell cycle. An apoptosis array used to search for targets of AMP-18 in cells exposed to TNF-α identified the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21WAF1/CIP1. Treatment with AMP-18 blunted increases in p21 expression and apoptosis, while reversing disturbed cell cycle kinetics induced by TNF-α. AMP-18 appears to act through PI3K/AKT pathways to increase p21 phosphorylation, thereby reducing its nuclear accumulation to overcome the antiproliferative effects of TNF-α. In vitamin D receptor-deficient mice with TNBS-induced IBD, the observed increase in p21 expression in colonic epithelial cells was suppressed by treatment with AMP peptide. The results indicate that AMP-18 can maintain and/or restore the homeostatic balance between proliferation and apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells to protect and repair mucosal barrier homeostasis and function, suggesting a therapeutic role in IBD.
Categorical Thinking in Portfolio Choice

Psychologists commonly believe that categorization, i.e. grouping many subjects into a few broad categories, is elemental to thinking. This study shows that the categorization of assets into coarse groups (e.g. industries, styles) is associated with some portfolio investors exhibiting categorical thinking– thinking where investors emphasize category-wide information and ignore asset-specific information during investment decisions in assets. To discern whether such categorical thinking in portfolio decisions reflects an information-processing bias that has potentially negative economic effects, I propose the following three hypotheses. First, psychological evidence predicts that if categorical thinking is an information-processing bias, it should increase with information uncertainty and complexity. Second, if a portfolio investor’s categorical thinking is an information-processing bias, it should lead to forecasting errors about asset values and, thus, should be negatively related to portfolio performance. Third, if categorical thinking leads to biased forecasting, portfolio investors should display less (more) skill in valuing assets with more (less) coarse categorizations, i.e. for which the category-wide information is less (more) informative. Based on actively managed equity mutual funds, the empirical results strongly support these hypotheses. The findings link an information-processing bias arising from categorization to the quality of decision-making in financial markets where asset categorization is pervasive.
Generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisitions (GRAPPA)

In this study, a novel partially parallel acquisition (PPA) method is presented which can be used to accelerate image acquisition using an RF coil array for spatial encoding. This technique, GeneRalized Autocalibrating Partially Parallel Acquisitions (GRAPPA) is an extension of both the PILS and VD‐AUTO‐SMASH reconstruction techniques. As in those previous methods, a detailed, highly accurate RF field map is not needed prior to reconstruction in GRAPPA. This information is obtained from several k‐space lines which are acquired in addition to the normal image acquisition. As in PILS, the GRAPPA reconstruction algorithm provides unaliased images from each component coil prior to image combination. This results in even higher SNR and better image quality since the steps of image reconstruction and image combination are performed in separate steps. After introducing the GRAPPA technique, primary focus is given to issues related to the practical implementation of GRAPPA, including the reconstruction algorithm as well as analysis of SNR in the resulting images. Finally, in vivo GRAPPA images are shown which demonstrate the utility of the technique. Magn Reson Med 47:1202–1210, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
(2, n) Secret Image Sharing Scheme with Ideal Contrast

In this paper, we propose a (2, n) secret image sharing scheme with precise reconstruction for binary, grayscale and color image. In sharing phase, XOR-based secret sharing scheme is utilized and each participant is required to hold a certain number of shares, each having the same size as the secret image. In revealing phase, each two participants can recover the original secret image precisely by just performing simple Boolean operation. The proposed scheme has low computational complexity and can reconstruct the secret image precisely. Experimental results show our scheme is simple and effective.
Phylogenetic Inference in Protein Superfamilies: Analysis of SH2 Domains

This work focuses on the inference of evolutionary relationships in protein superfamilies, and the uses of these relationships to identify key positions in the structure, to infer attributes on the basis of evolutionary distance, and to identify potential errors in sequence annotations. Relative entropy, a distance metric from information theory, is used in combination with Dirichlet mixture priors to estimate a phylogenetic tree for a set of proteins. This method infers key structural or functional positions in the molecule, and guides the tree topology to preserve these important positions within subtrees. Minimum-description-length principles are used to determine a cut of the tree into subtrees, to identify the subfamilies in the data. This method is demonstrated on SH2-domain containing proteins, resulting in a new subfamily assignment for Src2-drome and a suggested evolutionary relationship between Nck_human and Drk_drome, Sem5_caeel, Grb2_human and Grb2_chick.
ASSESSMENT OF STREAM FISH MORTALITY FROM SHORT-TERM EXPOSURE TO ILLITE CLAYS USED AS AN IN SITU METHOD FOR REMEDIATING 137CS CONTAMINATED WETLANDS

Due to their physical properties, illite clays can sorb cesium-137 almost irreversibly, and therefore sequester contamination from the environment. However, applying large amounts of clay to natural aquatic habitats for in situ remediation purposes may create conditions of high turbidity and sedimentation. To evaluate potential effects of turbidity from illite application on survivorship of stream fish, yellowfin shiners (Notropis lutipinnis) and tessellated darters (Etheostoma olmstedi) were subjected to treatment with two different types of clay in flow-through simulated stream raceways. Turbidity and fish mortality was subsequently monitored for seven days. At 2-m downstream from the application point, mean turbidity peaked during clay application at 525 and 72 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) in the air-floated illite and semi-dry illite treatments, respectively. Turbidity returned to levels similar to that of the controls (4-6 NTU) after four hours in the air-floated illite raceways and one hour in the semi-dry illite raceways. Although the majority of the suspended clay was quickly flushed from the system and the remaining settled to the bottom, turbidity did continue to fluctuate because of fish movements and sediment resuspension. Fish mortality did not significantly differ among control and illite treated raceways.
Variation within and between Closely Related Species Uncovers High Intra-Specific Variability in Dispersal

Mounting evidence shows that contrasting selection pressures generate variability in dispersal patterns among individuals or populations of the same species, with potential impacts on both species dynamics and evolution. However, this variability is hardly considered in empirical works, where a single dispersal function is considered to adequately reflect the species-specific dispersal ability, suggesting thereby that within-species variation is negligible as regard to inter-specific differences in dispersal abilities. We propose here an original method to make the comparison of intra- and inter-specific variability in dispersal, by decomposing the diversity of that trait along a phylogeny of closely related species. We used as test group European butterflies that are classic study organisms in spatial ecology. We apply the analysis separately to eight metrics that reflect the dispersal propensity, the dispersal ability or the dispersal efficiency of populations and species. At the inter-specific level, only the dispersal ability showed the signature of a phylogenetic signal while neither the dispersal propensity nor the dispersal efficiency did. At the within-species level, the partitioning of dispersal diversity showed that dispersal was variable or highly variable among populations: intra-specific variability represented from 11% to 133% of inter-specific variability in dispersal metrics. This finding shows that dispersal variation is far from negligible in the wild. Understanding the processes behind this high within-species variation should allow us to properly account for dispersal in demographic models. Accordingly, to encompass the within species variability in life histories the use of more than one value per trait per species should be encouraged in the construction of databases aiming at being sources for modelling purposes.
Evidence that Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor from Presynaptic Nerve Terminals Regulates the Phenotype of Calbindin-Containing Neurons in the Lateral Septum

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is transported anterogradely in neurons of the CNS and can be released by activity-dependent mechanisms to regulate synaptic plasticity. However, few neural networks have been identified in which the production, transport, and effects of BDNF on postsynaptic neurons can be analyzed in detail. In this study, we have identified such a network. BDNF has been colocalized by immunocytochemistry with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in nerve fibers and nerve terminals within the lateral septum of rats. BDNF-containing nerve fibers terminate on a population of calbindin-containing neurons in lateral septum that contain TrkB, the high-affinity receptor for BDNF. Overexpression of BDNF in noradrenergic neurons increased levels of calbindin in septum, as well as in whole-brain lysates. Septal levels of calbindin and BDNF partially decreased after unilateral lesions of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB), induced with 6-hydroxydopamine, a treatment that abolished TH staining. These data suggest that BDNF is anterogradely transported within the MFB in catecholaminergic neurons arising from brainstem nuclei. To determine whether BDNF affects the production of calbindin in lateral septal neurons directly, we tested the effects of BDNF on cultures of septal neurons from embryonic day 16–17 rats. BDNF promoted the expression of calbindin, as well as the arborization of calbindin-containing neurons, but BDNF had no effect on cell division or survival. Together, these results suggest that BDNF, anterogradely transported in catecholaminergic neurons, regulates calbindin expression within the lateral septum.
A proposed core model of the new public health for a healthier collectivity: how to sustain transdisciplinary and intersectoral partnerships

Abstract At present, there is no conceptual model by which public health could be represented as intersectoral governance collaborating with society and the state, and acting as a collective on the determinants of health. In this article, our interdisciplinary group, representing core competencies in public health, suggest two complementary conceptual models as frameworks for a diverse public concerned with public health and its core functions. The first conceptual ‘core model’ roots from the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. It represents the interrelationships of the three main poles united at the biopower level: the collectivity (entire population), the contemporary state and public health. In the second conceptual model, we present the various components in the meta-network of public health governance. We also present the roles of heterogeneous actors and how they can collaborate within a prominent process of capacity building and development of practice in public health. Thus, we emphasize the importance of intersectoral partnerships the contemporary state can make with public health without inducing any rupture with the social fabric. Our two complementary models can help actors from all sectors better understand the most frequent questions in public health governance (functions, roles, ingredients) and the challenges that intersectoral actors may very likely encounter in the implementation of these frameworks. The sustainability of well-balanced transdisciplinary and intersectoral partnerships contribute to a successful implementation of public health governance, and most importantly to a good health status for the collectivity.
Continuous Number Signs Recognition

Sign Language is the language of gestures used by mute people for non-verbal communication. This paper is about a novel approach for the recognition of number signs of Pakistan Sign Language. An image sign is captured from running video when signer nods head. Deep pixels-based analysis of the scanned image is pursued for the recognition of fingers (from index to small finger) while thumb's position is find out through Template Matching. After fingers identification, Dynamic signs are recognized based on fingers' state of being raised or down. For quick detection, signs are categorized into four groups which the algorithm identifies following a model of seven phases.
Quality of qualitative research: a grounded theory (GT) approach with special reference to straussian GT

This review was dedicated to discuss the core measures established evaluating the quality of Grounded Theory (GT) that have been highlighted by the main authors of GT with special reference to Straussian GT. Sraussian GT includes the work of Strauss and Corbin (1990 &1998); Corbin and Strauss (2008); and Charmaz (2006). Glaser alone develops the Glasarian GT approach. First, I explained the concept of evaluation of a research in relation to its quality discussing some rigorous methods of establishing quality in qualitative research. Second and finally, the specific canons and procedures established specially in the Straussian GT methodology in establishing quality were discussed. Here, the related content in the ground breaking research of Glaser and Strauss in 1967 has been first referred following the Glaser’s (1998) views in this regard before discussing the Straussian perspective on quality in GT research.
How Much do People Remember? Some Estimates of the Quantity of Learned Information in Long-Term Memory

How much information from experience does a normal adult remember? The “functional informotion content” of humon memory wos estimated in several ways. The methods depend on measured rotes of input and loss from very longterm memory and on onolyses of the informotionol demands of human memotybosed performance. Estimates ranged around 10’ bits. It is speculated that the flexible ond creative retrieval of facts by humans is a function of a large ratio of “hardware” capacity to functional storage requirements.
Mapping of Executive Functions / Cartografía de las Funciones Ejecutivas

Abstract This theoretical review attempts to carry out an overview of the concept of Executive Functions, exposing various facets emerging from the latest scientific developments, so that novice readers can begin to learn about the subject and those who are already familiar with it can update their knowledge. The review begins by explaining what is meant by Executive Functions and why they are important. Following that, we review both the components and the concepts commonly used in the literature that are directly related to Executive Functions. Finally, we review their precursors and those environmental factors that influence their development.
Neural Word Segmentation Learning for Chinese

Most previous approaches to Chinese word segmentation formalize this problem as a character-based sequence labeling task where only contextual information within fixed sized local windows and simple interactions between adjacent tags can be captured. In this paper, we propose a novel neural framework which thoroughly eliminates context windows and can utilize complete segmentation history. Our model employs a gated combination neural network over characters to produce distributed representations of word candidates, which are then given to a long short-term memory (LSTM) language scoring model. Experiments on the benchmark datasets show that without the help of feature engineering as most existing approaches, our models achieve competitive or better performances with previous state-of-the-art methods.