Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Low-Span Parallel Algorithms for the Binary-Forking Model

The binary-forking model is a parallel computation model, formally defined by Blelloch et al., in which a thread can fork a concurrent child thread, recursively and asynchronously. The model incurs a cost of Θ(łog n) to spawn or synchronize n tasks or threads. The binary-forking model realistically captures the performance of parallel algorithms implemented using modern multithreaded programming languages on multicore shared-memory machines. In contrast, the widely studied theoretical PRAM model does not consider the cost of spawning and synchronizing threads, and as a result, algorithms achieving optimal performance bounds in the PRAM model may not be optimal in the binary-forking model. Often, algorithms need to be redesigned to achieve optimal performance bounds in the binary-forking model and the non-constant synchronization cost makes the task challenging. In this paper, we show that in the binary-forking model we can achieve optimal or near-optimal span with negligible or no asymptotic blowup in work for comparison-based sorting, Strassen's matrix multiplication (MM), and the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). Our major results are as follows: (1) A randomized comparison-based sorting algorithm with optimal O(łog n) span and O(nłog n) work, both w.h. p. in n. (2) An optimal O(łog n) span algorithm for Strassen's matrix multiplication (MM) with only a łogłog n -factor blow-up in work as well as a near-optimal O(łog n łogłog łog n) span algorithm with no asymptotic blow-up in work. (3) A near-optimal O(łog n łogłogłog n) span Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm with less than a łog n-factor blow-up in work for all practical values of n (i.e., n łe 10 ^10,000 ).
Efficient Parallel Determinacy Race Detection for Structured Futures

In task-parallel code, a determinancy race occurs when two logically parallel instructions access the same memory location in a conflicting way. A determinacy race tends to be a bug as it leads to non-deterministic program behaviors. Researchers have studied algorithms for detecting determinacy races in task-parallel code, with most prior work focuses on computations with nice structural properties (e.g., fork-join or pipeline parallelism). For such computations, one can devise provably efficient algorithms with constant overhead, leading to a asymptotically optimal running time --- O(T_1 / P + T_∞) on P cores for a computation with T_1 work and T_∞ span. More recently, researchers have begun to address the problem of race detecting computations with less structural properties, such as ones that arise from the use of futures. Due to the lack of structural properties, the race detection algorithm incurs higher overhead. % Given a computation with work T_1 and span T_∞, the state-of-the-art parallel algorithm for race detecting programs with futures runs in time O((T_1 łgk + k^2) / P + T_∞(łg k + łgr łgk )) on P cores (Xu ηl, 2020), where k is the total number of futures used, k is the maximum number of future operations per "future task,'' and r is the maximum number of readers between two consecutive writes to a given memory location. Interestingly, it has been shown that when one imposes certain restrictions on the use of futures, referred to as the structured futures, although the restrictions do not entirely eliminate arbitrary dependences among subcomputations, one can race detect such programs more efficiently than that for programs with general futures (i.e., no restrictions). The improved efficiency has only been demonstrated for a sequential algorithm (Utterback ηl, 2019) that race detects while executing the computation sequentially, however. The algorithm requires sequential execution, because the correctness of the algorithm relies on updating the necessary data structures while traversing the computation dag in a specific order. An interesting question remains, whether a parallel algorithm exists for race detecting programs with structured future that achieves better execution time compared to that designed for general futures. This work attempts to answer this question. We propose a parallel algorithm designed to race detect structured futures. By exploiting the restrictions imposed by structured futures, the proposed algorithm allows for a constant-time query while keeping fewer previous accessors around to provide the same correctness guarantees as prior work. Our algorithm runs in time O((T_1 + k^2)/P + T_∞ łg k) on P cores. We have also implemented and empirically evaluated the proposed algorithm. When compared to the state-of-the-art sequential algorithm designed for structured futures, although our algorithm has a longer one-core execution time, its absolute running time wins out when running on two cores or more. When compared to the state-of-the-art parallel algorithm designed for general futures, it indeed incurs lower overhead and performs better.
A Scalable Recoverable Skip List for Persistent Memory

Interest in recoverable, persistent-memory-resident (PMEM-resident) data structures is growing as availability of Intel Optane Data Center Persistent Memory increases. An interesting use case for inmemory, recoverable data structures is for database indexes, which need high availability and reliability. RECIPE, a popular conversion technique to make existing, proven-correct algorithms recoverable, is limited to certain classes of algorithms and does not prescribe how to reference data stored in relocatable regions of memory. The Untitled Persistent Skip List (UPSkipList) is a PMEM-resident recoverable skip list derived from Herlihy et al.'s lock-free skip list algorithm. It is developed using a new conversion technique that extends the RECIPE algorithm by Lee et al. to work on lock-free algorithms with non-blocking writes and no inherent recovery mechanism. The algorithm is also extended to support concurrent data node splitting to improve performance. Comparison was done against the BzTree of Arulraj et al., as implemented by Lersch et al., which has non-blocking, non-repairing writes implemented using the persistent multi-word CAS (PMwCAS) primitive by Wang et al. Tested with the Yahoo Cloud Serving Benchmark (YCSB), UPSkipList achieves better performance in write-heavy workloads at high levels of concurrency than BzTree, showing that the extension to RECIPE is an effective alternative.
Numerical simulation of flow of a shear-thinning Carreau fluid over a transversely oscillating cylinder

Abstract Flow of a shear-thinning fluid over curved and moving geometries demands special attention owing to its industrial and biological relevance. The present study reports a numerical simulation of the motion of a Carreau fluid over a transversely oscillating cylinder for a range of oscillation amplitudes and frequencies at Reynolds number $Re = 100$, and compares the flow behaviour with that of a Newtonian fluid. The numerical solver uses the sharp-interface immersed boundary method to reconstruct the flow variables at the intercepted cells in the vicinity of the moving cylinder geometry. Synchronized vortex shedding is observed during the locked-in oscillation mode, whereas paired counter-rotating vortices are shed during the non-locked-in mode. The generation of vorticity and enstrophy variations in the Carreau and Newtonian fluids are compared. The vortex patterns in the Carreau fluid show a strong difference from those of the Newtonian fluid at higher amplitude of oscillation ($A^{*} = 1.2$). This difference in the flow structures is explained through the behaviour of the diffusion terms in the vorticity transport equation. Further, the effect of the Carreau fluid properties on the flow structures and vorticity dynamics are also discussed.
Q-tensor model for undulatory swimming in lyotropic liquid crystal polymers

Abstract Microorganisms may exhibit rich swimming behaviours in anisotropic fluids, such as liquid crystals, which have direction-dependent physical and rheological properties. Here we construct a two-dimensional computation model to study the undulatory swimming mechanisms of microswimmers in a solution of rigid, rodlike liquid crystal polymers. We describe the fluid phase using Doi's $Q$-tensor model, and treat the swimmer as a finite-length flexible fibre with imposed propagating travelling waves on the body curvature. The fluid–structure interactions are resolved via an immersed boundary method. Compared with the swimming dynamics in Newtonian fluids, we observe non-Newtonian behaviours that feature both enhanced and retarded swimming motions in lyotropic liquid crystal polymers. We reveal the propulsion mechanism by analysing the near-body flow fields and polymeric force distributions, together with asymptotic analysis for an idealized model of Taylor's swimming sheet.
Statistical features of persistence and long memory in mortality data

Abstract Understanding core statistical properties and data features in mortality data are fundamental to the development of machine learning methods for demographic and actuarial applications of mortality projection. The study of statistical features in such data forms the basis for classification, regression and forecasting tasks. In particular, the understanding of key statistical structure in such data can aid in improving accuracy in undertaking mortality projection and forecasting when constructing life tables. The ability to accurately forecast mortality is a critical aspect for the study of demography, life insurance product design and pricing, pension planning and insurance-based decision risk management. Though many stylised facts of mortality data have been discussed in the literature, we provide evidence for a novel statistical feature that is pervasive in mortality data at a national level that is as yet unexplored. In this regard, we demonstrate in this work a strong evidence for the existence of long memory features in mortality data, and second that such long memory structures display multifractality as a statistical feature that can act as a discriminator of mortality dynamics by age, gender and country. To achieve this, we first outline the way in which we choose to represent the persistence of long memory from an estimator perspective. We make a natural link between a class of long memory features and an attribute of stochastic processes based on fractional Brownian motion. This allows us to use well established estimators for the Hurst exponent to then robustly and accurately study the long memory features of mortality data. We then introduce to mortality analysis the notion from data science known as multifractality. This allows us to study the long memory persistence features of mortality data on different timescales. We demonstrate its accuracy for sample sizes commensurate with national-level age term structure historical mortality records. A series of synthetic studies as well a comprehensive analysis of real mortality death count data are studied in order to demonstrate the pervasiveness of long memory structures in mortality data, both mono-fractal and multifractal functional features are verified to be present as stylised facts of national-level mortality data for most countries and most age groups by gender. We conclude by demonstrating how such features can be used in kernel clustering and mortality model forecasting to improve these actuarial applications.
Evaluation of primary care services in Hungary: a comprehensive description of provision, professional competences, cooperation, financing, and infrastructure, based on the findings of the Hungarian-arm of the QUALICOPC study

Abstract Background: Primary health care provision in terms of quality, equity, and costs are different by countries. The Quality and Costs of Primary Care (QUALICOPC) study evaluated these domains and parameters in 35 countries, using uniformized method with validated questionnaires filled out by family physicians/general practitioners (GPs). This paper aims to provide data of the Hungarian-arm of the QUALICOPC study and to give an overview about the recent Hungarian primary care (PC) system. Methods: The questionnaires were completed in 222 Hungarian GP practices, delivered by fieldworkers, in a geographically representative distribution. Descriptive analysis was performed on the data. Findings: Financing is based mostly on capitation, with additional compensatory elements and minor financial incentives. The gate-keeping function is weak. The communication between GPs and specialists is often insufficient. The number of available devices and equipment are appropriate. Single-handed practices are predominant. Appointment instead of queuing is a new option and is becoming more popular, mainly among better-educated and urban patients. GPs are involved in the management of almost all chronic condition of all generations. Despite the burden of administrative tasks, half of the GPs estimate their job as still interesting, burn-out symptoms were rarely found. Among the evaluated process indicators, access, continuity, comprehensiveness, and coordination were rated as satisfactory, together with equity among health outcome indicators. Financing is insufficient; therefore, many GPs are involved in additional income-generating activities. The old age of the GPs and the lack of the younger GPs generation contributes to a shortage in manpower. Cooperation and communication between different levels of health care provision should be improved, focusing better on community orientation and on preventive services. Financing needs continuous improvement and appropriate incentives should be implemented. There is a need for specific PC-oriented guidelines to define properly the tasks and competences of GPs.
Optimizing the convolutional network layers using the Viola–Jones framework and ternary weight networks

In this paper, we have presented a method of combining the weight optimizations from ternary weight networks with a set of custom features inspired by the Viola–Jones Object Detection Framework to improve a network's performance. By replacing the first convolutional layer in a network with a function using a custom set of filters, we can reduce the number of operations required to compute the layer's outputs. These filters are composed of four rectangles, labeled as either positive or negative, within the filter space. When combined with an integral image, these filters allow for more efficient computations of feature values than a standard convolutional layer. When using our custom filters of shape 5 × 5, the layer only requires 64% of the operations that a standard convolutional layer need. This reduction only increases as the filter sizes get larger. Empirically, we have found that these layers' real‐world execution times behave as theoretically calculated and that their optimizations do not lead to significant drop inaccuracy. During testing, we evaluated our proposed optimization on two different data sets with two different network architectures.
Factors Influencing the Levels of Grief Among Indonesian Nurses

This study aimed to develop the Grief State Scale for Nurses to measure the level of nurses' grief and to identify items influencing grief levels among Indonesian nurses. A total of 267 questionnaires were analyzed and interpreted. Statistical analyses were performed using descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis. Items influential in increasing nurses' grief were relating death with personal loss; patient's age/illness similar to nurse's family members; and having rapport with patients. Time and place to express grief, allocation of grieving time, and sharing collegial emotional expressions were items found to decrease levels of nurses' grief.
Electrostatic footpads enable agile insect-scale soft robots with trajectory control

Soft insect-scale robots achieve swift translational and rotational motion through electrostatic engineering. Agility and trajectory control are two desirable features for robotics, but they become very challenging for soft robots without rigid structures to support rapid manipulations. Here, a curved piezoelectric thin film driven at its structural resonant frequency is used as the main body of an insect-scale soft robot for its fast translational movements, and two electrostatic footpads are used for its swift rotational motions. These two schemes are simultaneously executed during operations through a simple two-wire connection arrangement. A high relative centripetal acceleration of 28 body length per square second compared with existing robots is realized on a 65-milligram tethered prototype, which is better than those of common insects, including the cockroach. The trajectory manipulation demonstration is accomplished by navigating the robot to pass through a 120-centimeter-long track in a maze within 5.6 seconds. One potential application is presented by carrying a 180-milligram on-board sensor to record a gas concentration route map and to identify the location of the leakage source. The radically simplified analog motion adjustment technique enables the scale-up construction of a 240-milligram untethered robot. Equipped with a payload of 1660 milligrams to include the control circuit, a battery, and photoresistors, the untethered prototype can follow a designated, 27.9-centimeter-long “S”-shaped path in 36.9 seconds. These results validate key performance attributes in achieving both high mobility and agility to emulate living agile insects for the advancements of soft robots.
DAB2IP inhibits p53 ubiquitin-mediated degradation by competitively binding to GRP75 and suppresses tumor malignancy in colon cancer

Increasing evidence has shown that DAB2IP acts as a tumor suppressor and plays an inhibition role in many tumors. However, the underlying mechanism is still uncertain. Our study shows that DAB2IP is positively associated with a better prognosis in colon cancer patients with wild-type TP53 expression. In vitro assay shows that DAB2IP elicits potent tumor-suppressive effects on inhibiting cell invasiveness, colony formation and promoting cell apoptosis in wild-type TP53 colon cancer cell lines. Subsequently, DAB2IP is demonstrated to up-regulate the stability of wild-type TP53 by inhibiting its degradation in a ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent manner. Using mass spectrometry profiling, we unveil that DAB2IP and p53 could both interact with the ubiquitin ligase-related protein, GRP75. Mechanistically, DAB2IP could competitively bind with GRP75, thus reducing GRP75-mediated p53 ubiquitination and degradation. Finally, animal experiments also reveal that DAB2IP inhibits the tumor progression in vivo. In conclusion, our study presents a novel function of DAB2IP in GRP75-driven wild-type p53 degradation, which provides a new insight in DAB2IP-induced tumor suppression and provides a novel molecular aspect of the p53 pathway.
From Passive Surveillance to Response: Suriname's Efforts to Implement Maternal Death Surveillance and Response

To implement Maternal Death Surveillance and Response successfully in Suriname, recommendations to reduce maternal death should be acted upon. Delineating the roles and responsibilities for action, establishing accountability mechanisms, and influencing stakeholders in a position to act are critical to ensure a response to recommendations to avert maternal mortality. Key Messages Crucial elements for a successful maternal death surveillance and response (MDSR) implementation are the 5 Cs: commitment, “no blame, no shame” culture, coordination, collaboration, and communication. Essential steps to achieve sustainable MDSR in Suriname are: (1) improving the identification and notification of maternal deaths and (2) introducing and continuing systematic facility-based and national maternal death reviews. Lack of action following the recommendations to reduce preventable maternal death is the biggest obstacle for MDSR implementation in Suriname. ABSTRACT Implementation of maternal death surveillance and response (MDSR) is crucial to reduce maternal deaths. In Suriname, MDSR was not implemented until 2015. We describe the process of MDSR implementation in Suriname and share the “lessons learned,” as experienced by the health care providers, national maternal death review committee members, and public health experts. Before 2015, maternal deaths were identified using death certificates and by active surveillance in the hospitals. Based on the recommendations from a 2010–2014 Reproductive Age Mortality Survey in Suriname, a maternal death review committee has improved the identification of maternal deaths and has audited every death since 2015. Although this review committee initiated several actions to implement MDSR together with health care providers, the involvement of the Ministry of Health (MOH) was crucial. Therefore, the Maternal Health Steering Committee was recently installed as a direct working arm of MOH to guide MDSR implementation. One of the main barriers to implementing MDSR in Suriname has been the lack of action following recommendations. Delineating roles and responsibilities for action, establishing accountability mechanisms, and influencing stakeholders in a position to act are critical to ensure a response to the recommendations. To implement MDSR, the 5 Cs—commitment, “no blame, no shame” culture, coordination, collaboration, and communication—are crucial.
Integrative analyses of convergent adaptation in sympatric extremophile fishes

The evolution of independent lineages along replicated environmental gradients frequently results in convergent adaptation, yet the degree to which convergence is present across multiple levels of biological organization is often unclear. Additionally, inherent biases associated with shared ancestry and variation in selective regimes across geographic replicates often pose challenges for confidently identifying patterns of convergence. We investigated a system in which three species of poeciliid fishes sympatrically occur in a toxic spring rich in hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and an adjacent nonsulfidic stream to examine patterns of adaptive evolution across levels of biological organization. We found convergence in morphological and physiological traits and genome-wide patterns of gene expression among all three species. In addition, there were shared signatures of selection on genes encoding H2S toxicity targets in the mitochondrial genomes of each species. However, analyses of nuclear genomes revealed neither evidence for substantial genomic islands of divergence around genes involved in H2S toxicity and detoxification nor substantial congruence of strongly differentiated regions across population pairs. These non-convergent, heterogenous patterns of genomic divergence may indicate that sulfide tolerance is highly polygenic, with shared allele frequency shifts present at many loci with small effects along the genome. Alternatively, H2S tolerance may involve substantial genetic redundancy, with non-convergent lineage-specific variation at multiple loci along the genome underpinning similar changes in phenotypes and gene expression. Overall, we demonstrate variability in the extent of convergence across organizational levels and highlight the challenges of linking patterns of convergence across scales.