Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Data Processing Model to Perform Big Data Analytics in Hybrid Infrastructures

Big Data applications are present in many areas such as financial markets, search engines, stream services, health care, social networks, and so on. Data analysis provides value to information for organizations. Classical Cloud Computing represents a robust architecture to perform complex and large-scale computing for these areas. The main challenges are the user’s unknowledge about Cloud infrastructure, the requirement needed for improving performance, and the resource management to maintain stable processing. In these difficulties, an inadequate solution can lead to users overestimate or underestimate the number of computational resources, which drives to the budget increases. One way to work around this problem is to make use of Volunteer Computing since it provides distributed computational resources at free monetary cost. However, a volatile machine behavior is a problem to address in Big Data data distributions. Thus, this work proposes a data distribution model composed of Cloud Computing and Volunteer Computing environments in a hybrid fashion for Big Data analytics. The contributions of this work are: i) the required evaluation to enable efficient deployment of Big Data in hybrid infrastructures; ii) the development of an HR_Alloc Algorithm for establishing the data placement to Big Data applications; iii) a model to resource allocation in hybrid infrastructures. The obtained results indicate the feasibility of using a hybrid infrastructure with up to 35% of unstable machines in the worst-case scenario, without losing performance and a monetary cost lower than 20% in comparison to Classical Cloud Computing. Also, communication costs decrease up to 57.14% in the best-case scenario due to load balancing.
THAP1 modulates oligodendrocyte maturation by regulating ECM degradation in lysosomes

Significance The development and function of the nervous system is profoundly influenced by the interactions of neurons with glial cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Mechanisms regulating the maturation of oligodendroglial progenitor cells (OPCs) into myelinating cells to facilitate central nervous system myelination play an essential role in circuit plasticity, including motor learning. Our work has identified that THAP1, a transcription factor whose loss of function leads to the neurodevelopmental movement disorder DYT6 dystonia, drives OPC development by regulating the breakdown of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), essential components of the ECM. GAGs produced and secreted by OPCs act in an autocrine fashion to inhibit their lineage progression, highlighting a unique mechanism regulating the pool of mature oligodendrocytes. Mechanisms controlling myelination during central nervous system (CNS) maturation play a pivotal role in the development and refinement of CNS circuits. The transcription factor THAP1 is essential for timing the inception of myelination during CNS maturation through a cell-autonomous role in the oligodendrocyte lineage. Here, we demonstrate that THAP1 modulates the extracellular matrix (ECM) composition by regulating glycosaminoglycan (GAG) catabolism within oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). Thap1−/− OPCs accumulate and secrete excess GAGs, inhibiting their maturation through an autoinhibitory mechanism. THAP1 controls GAG metabolism by binding to and regulating the GusB gene encoding β-glucuronidase, a GAG-catabolic lysosomal enzyme. Applying GAG-degrading enzymes or overexpressing β-glucuronidase rescues Thap1−/− OL maturation deficits in vitro and in vivo. Our studies establish lysosomal GAG catabolism within OPCs as a critical mechanism regulating oligodendrocyte development.
Understanding land-use response of bird communities in an arid ecosystem of India

The Indian Thar desert has lost much of its grasslands over the last few decades, mainly due to land-use change from pastoralism to agriculture. Expanding croplands and intensifying grazing pressures are popularly hypothesized to be major drivers of biodiversity loss in the region. Our study aims to investigate the effects of contemporary land-use change on bird communities of the Western Thar Desert. We surveyed 58 randomly laid line transects in a c2000 sq.km study area, to quantify parameters of bird community structure in three predominant land-use types viz. protected grasslands, rangelands, and non-irrigated croplands. Fieldwork for the study was conducted in the dry season (winter and summer) between December 2018 and April 2019. During winter, overall bird richness and abundance were highest in protected grasslands followed by non-irrigated croplands and rangelands. Protected grasslands also had a higher abundance of diet and habitat specialists. Compared to protected grasslands, density was lower in non-irrigated croplands and rangelands for 35% and 10% of species, respectively. A majority of the negatively affected species were insectivorous grassland specialists. Contrary to the pattern in winter, overall bird richness, abundance, community composition, and guild structure in summer were similar across three land-use types. Only one of the 17 analysed species had lower density in modified land-use types. Overall, protected grassland was the best habitat for birds and was specifically important for specialists, particularly during the winter. Rangelands and fallow croplands sustained most generalists at comparable densities but had severe negative impacts on specialists. Synthesis and application: Our results point out that low-intensity agro-pastoral land-uses can supplement, but not replace, protected areas in conservation of Thar desert’s avifaunal diversity. Our results are consistent with the idea of managing dryland habitats as agro-grassland mosaics with embedded protected areas, in order to reconcile human needs and biodiversity conservation at a landscape scale.
Early histomorphogenesis of myelencephalon in goats.

Early development of the myelencephalon was studied using six goat foetuses up to one month of gestation. By 24 days of age (1.4cm CRL), the neural tube was completely fused and the brain vesicles started developing. The myelencephalon was distinguished from the anterior metencephalon by its much thinner roof and the location of the otocyst at the junction between the two. All the myelencephalic parameters showed a significant positive correlation with the parameters of other brain vesicles. Wall of the myelencephalon showed the typical arrangement of longitudinal alar plates and basal plates and the sulcus limitans. Diamond-shaped lumen of the myelencephalon in 24 days-old subjects became narrower and coffin-shaped at 26 days and slit-like in 27 days of age. Froriep’s ganglion of the spinal accessory nerve was seen on either side of the myelencephalon by 24 days. Histologically, wall of the myelencephalon showed an inner ependymal, middle mantle and outer marginal layers bounded by the inner and outer limiting membranes.
Spectral and energy efficiency of line-of-sight OAM-MIMO communication systems

Not only high spectral efficiency (SE) but also high energy efficiency (EE) are required for future wireless communication systems. Radio orbital angular momentum (OAM) provides a new perspective of mode multiplexing to improve SE. However, there are few studies on the EE performance of OAM mode multiplexing. In this paper, we investigate the SE and EE of a misaligned uniform concentric circle array (UCCA)-based multi-carrier multimode OAM and multiple-input multiple-output (MCMM-OAM-MIMO) system in the line-of-sight (LoS) channel, in which two transceiver architectures implemented by radio frequency (RF) analog synthesis and baseband digital synthesis are considered. The distance and angle of arrival (AoA) estimation are utilized for channel estimation and signal detection, whose training overhead is much less than that of traditional MIMO systems. Simulation results validate that the UCCA-based MCMM-OAM-MI-MO system is superior to conventional MIMO-OFDM system in the EE and SE performances.
Optimized Voronoi-based algorithms for parallel shortest vector computations

In this paper, we improve and accelerate Voronoi cell-based algorithms used to solve the Shortest Vector Problem (SVP), a fundamental challenge in lattice-based cryptanalysis. In particular, we optimize the “RelevantVectors” algorithms by [1] using various norm-based optimizations, which capitalize on the previous states of the algorithm to infer information and speedup the processing. We also use other concepts from generic knowledge on lattice theory and other algorithms/attacks, such as the concept of pruning–i.e., avoiding specific computations that are likely not going to improve the solution–which delivered additional speedup. The optimization that requires additional memory is based on computing all target vectors upfront, sort them by increasing norm and apply the previous optimizations. Our improvements render the algorithm significantly faster, producing a speedup factor of almost 69× compared to the original algorithm if no additional memory is explored, and about 77× if additional memory is used. We also show that the algorithm is highly suitable for parallelization on both CPUs and GPUs. Our parallel multi-core version of this algorithm also scales linearly on CPUs (in our tests up to 28 threads) compared to the baseline, original Voronoi-cell based SVP-solver by Agrell et al. and can take advantage of Simultaneous Multi-threading (SMT) in tests up to 56 threads. We show that a parallel GPU implementation is competitive with a highly ranked CPU, although the CPU outperforms the GPU if we run the algorithm using 56 threads. We expect the GPU implementation to surpass the CPU for higher lattice dimensions, a scenario that will be possible as soon as memory (currently the limiting factor) increases in size on the GPU side. INDEX TERMS Cryptanalysis, Lattices, Parallel Processing
Nationwide analysis of resuscitative thoracotomy in pediatric trauma: Time to differentiate from adult guidelines?

BACKGROUND Emergency department thoracotomy (EDT) for pediatric patients is uncommon, and practice patterns have not been evaluated. We examined the indications and outcomes for EDT by trauma center designation using a nationwide database. METHODS Patients 16 years or younger who underwent EDT within 30 minutes of arrival from 2013 to 2016 were identified in the American College of Surgeons National Trauma Data Bank. Patient demographic information, indications for EDT, and outcomes were analyzed. Outcomes were compared between centers with and without pediatric trauma center designation. RESULTS A total of 114 patients were identified for analysis with a mean ± SD age of 10.3 ± 4.7 years. Patients were predominantly male (69%) with a median Injury Severity Score of 26 (interquartile range, 18–42). Penetrating trauma occurred in 56%. Overall, mortality was 90% and was similar in penetrating and blunt trauma (88% vs. 94%; p = 0.34). There were no survivors among the 53 patients (46%) who arrived with no signs of life. Among the 11 patients (10%) who survived, median length of stay was 26 days (interquartile range, 6–28 days). Overall, 8% of EDT was performed at free-standing pediatric trauma centers, 45% at adult centers, and 47% at combined trauma centers. Mortality rates and indications were similar among trauma centers regardless of designation status. CONCLUSION In a national population-based data set, the mortality after pediatric EDT is high, and many of these procedures are performed at nonpediatric trauma centers. Regardless of injury mechanism, EDT is not appropriate in children without signs of life on arrival. Pediatric guidelines are needed to increase awareness of the poor outcomes and limited indications for EDT. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic, level IV.
Rapid identification of rice blast resistance gene by specific length amplified fragment sequencing

ABSTRACT Excavation of resistance genes is one of the most effective and environment-friendly measures to control the devastating rice disease caused by Magnaporthe oryzae. Many resistance genes have been mapped and characterized in the last century. Nevertheless, only a few of the total resistance genes could be really applied in the rice breeding program. Huazhan (HZ) is a new native rice restorer line developed in China and widely used in hybrid rice in recent years. HZ and its crossed combinations usually show a broad spectrum of resistance against rice blast in different rice ecosystems in China. Dissection of the genetic background of HZ is very useful for its further application. In this study, a combined method based on bulked segregation analysis (BSA) and specific length amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) was used to identify blast resistance gene(s) in HZ. A total of 56,187 SLAFs labels were captured and 9051 polymorphic SLAFs markers were analysed and procured in this study. One trait associated with candidate resistance genes region on chromosome 12 overlapping 10.2–17.6 Mb has been identified, in which 10 NBS-LRR (nucleotide-binding site-leucine-rich repeat) coding genes were used as resistance gene candidates. Our result indicated that SLAF-seq with BSA is a rapid and effective method for initial identification of blast resistance genes. The identification of resistance gene in HZ will improve its molecular breeding and resistance variety application.
Horizontal gene transfer-mediated bacterial strain variation affects host fitness

How microbes affect host fitness and environmental adaptation has become a fundamental research question in evolutionary biology. We tested for associations of bacterial genomic variation and Drosophila melanogaster offspring number in a microbial Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS). Leveraging strain variation in the genus Gluconobacter, a genus of bacteria that are commonly associated with Drosophila under natural conditions, we pinpoint the thiamine biosynthesis pathway (TBP) as contributing to differences in fitness conferred to the fly host. By tracing the evolutionary history of TBP genes in Gluconobacter, we find that TBP genes were most likely lost and reacquired by horizontal gene transfer (HGT). We suggest that HGT might contribute to microbiome flexibility and speculate that it can also more generally contribute to host adaptation.
How ants, birds and bats affect crop yield along shade gradients in tropical cacao agroforestry

Tropical agroforests are diverse systems where several predator groups shape animal communities and plant-arthropod interactions. Ants, birds and bats in particular can reduce herbivore numbers and thereby increase crop yield. However, the relative importance of these groups, whether they interact, and how this interaction is affected by management and landscape context, is poorly understood. We jointly manipulated access of ants, birds and bats in Indonesian smallholder cacao agroforestry across gradients of shade and distance to natural forest. We quantified arthropod abundance, pest damage and yield. In control treatments, yield was highest under 30-40% canopy cover. Ant exclusion strongly reduced yield (from 600 to 300 kg ha-1 year-1) at 15% canopy cover. Bird exclusion impaired yield (from 400 to 250 kg ha-1 year-1) at 60% and enhanced yield (from 600 to 900 kg ha-1 year-1) at 15% canopy cover, while bats had no effect. Yield increased with forest proximity, a pattern not related to predator access. No interactive effects among predator exclusions on yield, pest damage and arthropod communities were found. Ant exclusion increased numbers of herbivores below 30% canopy cover, without reducing spider abundances. Bird exclusion reduced herbivore and increased spider abundances. Synthesis and applications. Using exclusion studies, we estimated that ants and birds cause cacao yield to vary between 100 and 800 kg ha-1 year-1, depending on shade-tree management. In all but the most shaded agroforests, ants were pivotal in supporting yields. Yields under low-canopy cover were strongly dependent on access by predator groups, with birds reducing rather than increasing yield. Hence, cacao farmers should refrain from disturbing ant communities and maintain 30-40% shade-tree canopy cover not only for ecophysiological reasons but also to buffer variability in predator communities. (Less)
How Interacting Multiple Male Sexual Signals Influence Female Choice in the Great Bowerbird

Male courtship displays commonly involve multiple sexual signals. While there has been considerable interest in female choice for male multiple signals, few studies have investigated how these signals interact. We analyzed courtship behaviours of male Great Bowerbirds Chlamydera nuchalis , which include both acoustical elements, including ticking sounds of three types (SS, MS and LS), and locomotive elements, including dancing around the bower. Our results show that the ticking sounds played an important role in female choice. Males that uttered more LS sounds (louder and longer than the other two types) attracted more females, which suggests that intense display enhances mating success. In addition, males uttering more LS type calls had a larger bower, which suggests that a large bower provides females a safe protection against male’s vigorous display and that the male can perform display more intensely. These results show that the multiple signals interacted with each other.
A more responsive, multi‐pronged strategy is needed to strengthen HIV healthcare for men who have sex with men in a decentralized health system: qualitative insights of a case study in the Kenyan coast

HIV healthcare services for men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kenya have not been openly provided because of persistent stigma and lack of healthcare capacity within Kenya’s decentralized health sector. Building on an evaluation of a developed online MSM sensitivity training programme offered to East and South African healthcare providers, this study assessed views and responses to strengthen HIV healthcare services for MSM in Kenya.
Arabic Text Summarization Using AraBERT Model Using Extractive Text Summarization Approach

—recently, after the life of the individual changed and became more crowded with all the concerns of life, and with the diversity and the increasing of sources of knowledge on the Internet, it became difficult for us to read large texts and articles, so we are looking for the summaries of these texts before deciding dive deeply in reading. For this reason, it became urgent to provide tools to fulfill this function by extracting basic information while preserving the essence of the text. In this study, we proposed an extractive Arabic text summarizer based on a general-purpose architecture for Natural Language Generation (NLG) and Natural Language Understanding (NLU) like (AraBERT, BERT, XLNet, XLM, etc.) to summarize the Arabic document by evaluating and extracting the most important sentences at this document. Then, using the Rouge measure and human evaluation, we compared the efficiency between the proposed and other solutions to recommend what the best one we can use to summarize Arabic text and put our hands-on weak points to open the way for researchers to improve the approaches.
Development of Test Instruments Based on Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy to Measure the Students' Higher Order Thinking Skills

The objectives of this study were to determine: (1) the appropriateness of the comparative material test instrument based on the Revised Bloom Taxonomy to measure HOTS student; (2) the quality of the comparative material test instrument based on the Revised Bloom Taxonomy to measure HOTS student; and (3) analysis of potential effects on the use of test instruments for comparison material based on Revised Bloom's Taxonomy to measure HOTS students'developed. This research is development research with the Tessmer model development design. The subjects of this research were all students of class VIII SMP Koperasi Pontianak. The research data was obtained based on the expert's / expert's assessment of the test instrument, the results of the test small group which will be analyzed in terms of validity, difficulty index, distinguishing power, and item reliability, as well as the results of the tests field test which will be analyzed related to potential effects. The results showed that: (1) the feasibility of the comparative material test instrument based on the Revised Bloom Taxonomy to measure HOTS students'reached the valid criteria level; (2) the quality of the comparative material test instrument based on the Revised Bloom Taxonomy to measure the HOTS of students reaching the criteria level is valid, difficult, has poor distinguishing power, and is declared to have low feasibility as a research instrument; (3) analysis of potential effects on the use of test instruments for comparison material based on Revised Bloom's Taxonomy to measure HOTS to student achieve an effectiveness level of 68.96% with the criteria for positive potential effects.
PERIOPERATIVE BETA BLOCKER IN HIGH RISK PATIENTS UNDERGOING MAJOR ABDOMINAL SURGERY AND ITS EFFECT ON CARDIOVASCULAR MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY

Background: Perioperative cardiac complications are an important concern for the millions of individuals who undergo surgery worldwide every year. After surgery, 2% of these patients suffer major cardiac complications. Aim of the Work: To study the effects of perioperatively administered beta-blockers for prevention of surgery-related mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery while under general anesthesia. Patients and Methods: This is an observational prospective study, in which 240 patients were divided into 2 groups (120 patients each) as follows: Beta blocker group (BB group) 120 patients on beta blocker (Bisoprolol 5 mg) started more than 15 days preoperative andcontinued for at least 7 days postoperative. Control group: 120 patients not receiving any beta blocker. Results: In this study, results showed no difference between 2 groups regarding cerebrovascular events and heart failure. Equal cases of mortality happened to patients in both groups. As regards hypothension with SBP<90 mmHg, we found that it occurred to 32 patients representing 26.7 % of beta blocker group, compared to 18 patients representing 15 % of the control group.Conclusion: Analysis of the results concluded that Patients on beta blocker are at less risk of perioperative arrhythmias and myocardial infarction when undergoing high risk surgeries. These patients are at higher risk of experiencing episodes of bradycardia and hypotension. No significant effect on perioperative heart failure, cerebrovascular stroke and mortality.