Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CloudLightning Simulation and Evaluation Roadmap

The CloudLightning (CL) system, designed in the frame of the CloudLightning project, is a service-oriented architecture for the emerging large scale heterogeneous cloud. It facilitates a clear distinction between service-lifecyle management and resource-lifecycle management. This separation of concerns is used to make resource management issues tractable at scale and to enable functionality that is currently not naturally covered by the cloud paradigm. In particular, the CL project seeks to maximize computational efficiency of the cloud in a number of specific ways; by exploiting prebuilt HPC environments, by dynamically building HPC instances, by improving server utilization, by reducing power consumption and by improving service delivery. Given the scale and complexity of this project, its utility can presently only be measured through simulation. This paper outlines the parameters, constraints and limitation being considered as part of the design and construction of that simulation environment.
Reduction in antibiotic use among US children, 1996-2000.

BACKGROUND High rates of antibiotic prescribing to children contribute to antibiotic resistance in the community. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with other national and state level organizations, have actively promoted more judicious prescribing for children. OBJECTIVE We sought to assess changes in the rate of antibiotic prescribing from 1996-2000 in 9 US health plans, patterns of diagnosis and treatment responsible for these trends, and changes in the use of first-line antimicrobial agents. DESIGN/METHODS We analyzed claims data for dispensed medications and physician visits from 9 health plans. Each provided data on 25,000 children aged 3 months to <18 years enrolled between September 1, 1995, and August 31, 2000. Antibiotic dispensings were linked with an ambulatory visit claim to assign diagnosis. Antibiotic dispensings per person-year (antibiotics/p-y) were calculated for the age groups 3 months to <3 years, 3 years to <6 years, and 6 years to <18 years. The contribution of each diagnosis to changes in the overall rate of antibiotic use was determined. Generalized linear mixed models were used to test for trend and assess differences in rates by site. RESULTS From 1996-2000, antibiotic rates for children 3 months to <3 years decreased from 2.46 to 1.89 antibiotics/p-y (24%); for children 3 years to <6 years from 1.47 to 1.09 antibiotics/p-y (25%); and for children 6 to <18 years from 0.85 to 0.69 antibiotics/p-y (16%). The reduction varied among health plans from 6% to 39% for children 3 months to <3 years. A decrease in prescriptions for otitis media accounted for 59% of the total decrease, and was primarily accounted for by a decrease in the rate of diagnosis of this condition. The proportion of first-line penicillins increased from 49% to 53%, with health plans with the lowest initial rates increasing most. CONCLUSIONS Antibiotic prescribing decreased significantly between 1996 and 2000, concurrent with decreased frequency of diagnosis of potential bacterial infections, especially otitis media. Attention by public health and professional organizations and the news media to antibiotic resistance may have contributed to changes in diagnostic thresholds, resulting in more judicious prescribing.
Risk factors for chronic kidney disease in adults with cystic fibrosis.

RATIONALE Adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) possess multiple potential risk factors for chronic kidney disease, including CF-related diabetes (CFRD) and lifetime nephrotoxic drug exposure. OBJECTIVES To determine whether cumulative intravenous (IV) aminoglycoside exposure and CFRD increase the risk of chronic kidney disease in adults with CF. METHODS This was a cohort study using adults (≥ 18 yr) in the CF Foundation registry from 2001-2008. Chronic kidney disease (stage 3 or greater) was defined by an estimated glomerular filtration rate of less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2). Time-dependent multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine whether cumulative number of acute pulmonary exacerbations (surrogate for IV aminoglycoside exposure) and CFRD requiring insulin increase the risk of chronic kidney disease, adjusting for confounders. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS The study cohort included 11,912 adults with a median follow-up of 4 years. During the study period, 204 subjects had chronic kidney disease, with an annual disease prevalence of 2.3%. Disease prevalence doubled with every 10-year increase in age. CFRD requiring insulin therapy substantially increased the risk of chronic kidney disease (1-4 yr of CFRD requiring insulin vs. no CFRD, hazard ratio [HR] = 2.40, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.74-3.32; ≥ 5 yr, HR = 4.56, 95% CI 2.84-7.31). Pulmonary exacerbations did not significantly increase the risk of chronic kidney disease (one to five exacerbations vs. none, HR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.56-1.11; six to nine exacerbations, HR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.58-1.46; ≥ 10 exacerbations, HR = 1.16, 95% CI 0.75-1.81). CONCLUSIONS CF-related diabetes is a significant risk factor for chronic kidney disease in adults with CF, but additional studies examining IV aminoglycoside exposure directly are required.
Growth Hormone Treatment in Turner's Syndrome

ABSTRACT. A total of 21 patients with Turner's syndrome were treated with pituitary hGH and/or somatrem for 1–2 years. Plasma non‐esterified fatty acid increased significantly from 0.52 ± 0.06 to 1.30 ± 0.09 mEq/litre at 4 hours after injection of hGH, 4 IU (mean ± SEM, p < 0.001). Basal plasma IGF‐1 levels were within the normal range; however, they increased significantly at 24 hours after the first three daily injections of hGH, 4 IU (basal, 0.92 ± 0.14 units/ml; 24 hours, 1.39 ± 0.16 units/ml; 48 hours, 1.68 ± 0.19 units/ml; 72 hours, 1.91 ± 0.22 units/ml; p < 0.001). For long‐term treatment, patients were given hGH, 4–16 IU for 1–2 years. Their height velocity increased to 5.5 ± 1.2 cm/year and 5.1 ± 0.6 cm/year in the first and second year of the treatment, respectively. These values were greater than the pretreatment value of 3.6 ± 0.8 cm/year (p < 0.001). Antibody against hGH was observed in 60% of the patients at the end of 12 months of somatrem treatment. Otherwise there were no significant changes in physical, blood or urine examinations. These results indicate that hGH treatment is useful for the acceleration of growth velocity in patients with Turner's syndrome.
Slow and steady: the evolution of cranial disparity in fossil and recent turtles

Turtles (Testudinata) are a diverse group of amniotes that have a rich fossil record that extends back to the Late Triassic, but little is known about global patterns of disparity through time. We here investigate the cranial disparity of 172 representatives of the turtle lineage and their ancestors grouped into 20 time bins ranging from the Late Triassic until the Recent using two-dimensional geometric morphometrics. Three evolutionary phases are apparent in all three anatomical views investigated. In the first phase, disparity increases gradually from the Late Triassic to the Palaeogene with only a minor perturbation at the K/T extinct event. Although global warming may have influenced this increase, we find the Mesozoic fragmentation of Pangaea to be a more plausible factor. Following its maximum, disparity decreases strongly towards the Miocene, only to recover partially towards the Recent. The marked collapse in disparity is likely a result of habitat destruction caused by global drying, combined with the homogenization of global turtle faunas that resulted from increased transcontinental dispersal in the Tertiary. The disparity minimum in the Miocene is likely an artefact of poor sampling.
An effective implementation scheme for TSV leakage testing

Leakage test is necessary for the through silicon vias (TSVs) in the 3-D integrated circuits (ICs). There are still some challenges on narrow test range for the most existing leakage test methods. In this paper, an effective scheme by utilizing the Enhanced Launch and Capture Clock Generation (Enhanced LCCG) structure is implemented to enhance the capability of TSV leakage testing. In this scheme, expanded leakage test range is obtained by using the series structure of Enhanced LCCG. The leakage fault test results are more precise than that of the traditional leakage test method. Experimental results are showed to prove the feasibility of the scheme.
The Future of Object Technology

In the future, object technology will not be confined to a niche. Objects will be pervasive; very little serious software will not be object-oriented at least in some way in 1998 and beyond. Object technology isn't a matter of fashion. It's simply that no-one really knows how to tackle the kind of sophisticated systems that our users now want, without using object technology. It's also that no one has found anything better. Since object technology came into prominence a decade ago, pundits have at various times predicted its demise, with the inevitable periodic announcements of the so-called "Object Winter"-an allusion to the "AI Winter" that froze the spread of artificial intelligence in the late 1970s-but winter has not come, and all the signs indicate that spring will continue.
Feasibility and Efficiency of Indirect Lifestyle Interventions in Offspring of Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Introduction: Individuals genetically predisposed to type 2 diabetes represent an important target for preventive strategies. Genetic screening, based on information about individual genetic variants, will be possible technically, but translational research in this field is still insufficient. Family history thus represents a useful tool for detecting genetically high-risk populations in this post-genomic era. Objectives: The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the feasibility and efficiency of indirect lifestyle interventions in offspring of type 2 diabetic patients. Methods: Offspring were recruited from 74 diabetic (Group 1) and 39 non-diabetic (Group 2, control group) patients. A lifestyle intervention was conducted by mail, a total of 3 times, every 3 months. Lifestyle related to diet and physical activity was assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. Results: Ten offspring of type 2 diabetic and 6 of non-diabetic patients participated in this study. Total energy intake decreased after 3 interventions in both of the groups (Group 1: 305 ± 228.8 kcal/day, p = 0.004; Group 2: 82 ± 65.6 kcal/day, p = 0.04); however, the effect of intervention was significantly greater in Group 1 compared to Group 2 (p = 0.021). Physical activity and other physical outcomes were stable in normal levels during the study period in both of the groups. Conclusions: The intervention program helped to reduce total energy intake in offspring of type 2 diabetic patients more than in the control group, but the acceptance rate of the intervention program was disappointingly low. Further consideration is required to access and motivate offspring to develop precautionary lifestyle principles.
Input-to-state-K ℒ*-stability for a class of hybrid dynamical systems

This paper investigates input-to-state-K ℒ<sub>*</sub>-stability (IS-K ℒ<sub>*</sub>-S) for hybrid dynamical systems (HDS) with external inputs. The notions of IS- K ℒ<sub>θL</sub> K<sub>θK</sub><sup>0</sup>-property and IS- K ℒ<sub>θ</sub>-S are proposed for HDS. The IS- K ℒ<sub>θL</sub> K<sub>θK</sub><sup>0</sup>-property, including input-to-state stability (ISS) and IS- K ℒ<sub>θ</sub>-S, is a more general input-to-state property and reflects the specific effects on the dynamic behavior of a HDS from its continuous/discrete-time subsystems and switching events. A HDS with IS- K ℒ<sub>θL</sub> K<sub>θK</sub><sup>0</sup>-property may be non-ISS. The conditions for HDS with IS- K ℒ<sub>θL</sub> K<sub>θK</sub><sup>0</sup>-property to achieve IS- K -<sub>θL</sub>-S are derived. These conditions are expressed by the conditions of K ℒ-function and finite accumulative value (KLF-FAV-conditions) while satisfying the hybrid dwell time condition (HDT). Finally, a criterion of IS- K -<sub>θ</sub>-S is given by using the multiple Lyapunov-like functions and the IS- K ℒ<sub>θL</sub> K<sub>θK</sub><sup>0</sup>-property of subsystems.
Agent-based conference management: a case study in SODA

Conference management is concerned with managing the dependencies of activities required to produce the proceedings of a scientific conference. This case study, very frequently used in the literature, presents interesting software engineering issues because it involves a number of articulated coordination activities and stresses interaction between peers. This paper presents an agent-based solution to the conference management problem using the Societies in Open and Distributed Agent spaces (SODA) agent-oriented methodology. On the one hand, this demonstrates the general benefits of Agent-Oriented Software Engineering (AOSE); on the other hand, it emphasises the peculiarities of SODA: in particular, its focus on inter-agent, social aspects and its layering mechanisms for handling the engineering of complex computation systems. We first discuss why conference management is interesting from the AOSE viewpoint, then we show how to face the many issues in the design of its software architecture by means of SODA.
Physical model of an electric vehicle for research of dynamic operating modes

This paper presents mathematical and physical model of permanent magnet synchronous machine which enable simulation and experimental studies of various dynamic modes of operation of electric vehicle in laboratory environment. The mathematical model is realized in Matlab programming language. It provides useful information for investigation of the dynamic modes including control strategies related to recuperation modes. Several operation modes are experimentally studied and analyzed using the physical model.
Developmental Regulation and Awareness of Age-Related Change: A (Mostly) Unexplored Connection

Objectives Linkages between developmental regulation and awareness of aging-although suggested by theoretical considerations-have not found much empirical consideration. To address this gap, we examined associations between two established modes of developmental regulation, that is, assimilation and accommodation, and awareness of age-related change (AARC) in midlife and old age, while considering the role of chronological age as a moderator. Method Data are based on a cross-sectional sample of 356 adults (aged 42-100 years). A newly developed measure of AARC was used to assess perceived gain- and loss-related aging experiences. Results AARC was associated with assimilation and accommodation over and above a range of control variables. Individuals who perceived many loss-related aging experiences were less likely to use assimilation and accommodation. Individuals perceiving many gain-related aging experiences were more likely to make use of these strategies. The effects remained stable when controlling for subjective age and self-efficacy, except for the association between gain-related aging experiences and assimilation. No moderation effect of calendar age was found. Discussion Results suggest that multidimensional subjective aging constructs may enrich our understanding of how developmental regulation modalities are used by aging individuals.
Prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) protein does not affect growth of prostate cancer cells in vitro or prostate cancer xenografts in vivo

Prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) is produced in high amounts by normal and malignant prostate cancer cells. PSA is a serine protease with substrates that include semenogelin I and II, insulin‐like growth factor binding protein 3, fibronectin, and laminin. PSA, via its enzymatic activity, may play a role in growth, invasion, and metastasis of prostate cancer cells. Recent data also suggest that the PSA protein itself, independent of enzymatic activity, may also function as an endothelial cell‐specific inhibitor of angiogenesis.
The use of molecular profiling to predict survival after chemotherapy for diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND The survival of patients with diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma after chemotherapy is influenced by molecular features of the tumors. We used the gene-expression profiles of these lymphomas to develop a molecular predictor of survival. METHODS Biopsy samples of diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma from 240 patients were examined for gene expression with the use of DNA microarrays and analyzed for genomic abnormalities. Subgroups with distinctive gene-expression profiles were defined on the basis of hierarchical clustering. A molecular predictor of risk was constructed with the use of genes with expression patterns that were associated with survival in a preliminary group of 160 patients and was then tested in a validation group of 80 patients. The accuracy of this predictor was compared with that of the international prognostic index. RESULTS Three gene-expression subgroups--germinal-center B-cell-like, activated B-cell-like, and type 3 diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma--were identified. Two common oncogenic events in diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma, bcl-2 translocation and c-rel amplification, were detected only in the germinal-center B-cell-like subgroup. Patients in this subgroup had the highest five-year survival rate. To identify other molecular determinants of outcome, we searched for individual genes with expression patterns that correlated with survival in the preliminary group of patients. Most of these genes fell within four gene-expression signatures characteristic of germinal-center B cells, proliferating cells, reactive stromal and immune cells in the lymph node, or major-histocompatibility-complex class II complex. We used 17 genes to construct a predictor of overall survival after chemotherapy. This gene-based predictor and the international prognostic index were independent prognostic indicators. CONCLUSIONS DNA microarrays can be used to formulate a molecular predictor of survival after chemotherapy for diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma.
3D object symbolization

The 3D object recognition stands a very important role in the process of computer vision. The recognition of objects is fundamental step in the design of more automated systems. The need for these systems is now high. Therefore, the 3D object recognition has a high impact. The most frequently used methods are based on neural networks (NNs), or, the derivation of NNs. The NNs approaches have high impact on computer performance and the behavior of these systems is not easily predictable over time - this attribute can be seen in all chaotic systems. Sometimes it is very difficult to determine the optimal configuration of these systems and several tests are needed to figure out the optimal system configuration. The process is not very user friendly. We realize, the grammar approaches are more manageable and more predictable than NNs. Therefore, in this paper, we present the symbolization process. It is the first step of 3D object recognition based on grammar. Our aim is to describe the process allowing the 3D object symbolization.
Methods for circuit-based automotive EMC simulation incorporating VHDL-AMS models

This paper provides an overview of several novel approaches to enhance todaypsilas automotive EMC simulation. The introduction of fast and efficient modeling and solving techniques for models of passive PCB traces leads to an improved computational performance. Additionally, the development of a methodology enabling co-simulations of VHDL-AMS models of active IC devices yields more accurate numerical results. After the explanation of these enhancements, the proposed simulation flow and analysis methods are shown by means of numerical results from a typical automotive application.
Dual-Parameters Optical Fiber Sensor With Enhanced Resolution Using Twisted MMF Based on SMS Structure

A compact and low cost optical fiber sensor by introducing higher order modes interference with fiber twisting based on single-mode-multimode-single-mode structure is proposed and demonstrated for simultaneous measurement of strain and temperature. The sensor is fabricated by heating and twisting a section of multimode fiber (MMF), which is spliced between two single-mode fibers. By adjusting the heating temperature and rotate speed during fabrication, the twisted region is introduced in MMF, which is able to couple more power of light into the cladding and introduce higher order modes in modal interferences. With this method, strain sensitivity of −7 and −2.19 pm/<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \varepsilon $ </tex-math></inline-formula> as well as temperature sensitivity of 17.33 and 13 pm/°C are obtained. By spatial frequency demodulation method, measurement resolution reaches <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\pm 2.14~\mu \varepsilon $ </tex-math></inline-formula> and ±0.89 °C, which has great potential in dual-parameters measurement of temperature and strain with high resolution.
Résultats de complexité et programmation par contraintes pour l'ordonnancement

Baker [9] defines scheduling as the problem of allocating scarce resources to activities over time1. In this manuscript, we consider several scheduling problems with a variety of different environments. The two parts of this manuscript provide an overview of two of our major research interests. The first part (Chapters 2 to 5) is dedicated to polynomial time solutions of equal{processing{time scheduling problems. The second one (Chapters 7 to 15) deals with the application of Constraint Programming to scheduling. These two parts re ect the balance we have tried to keep between theoretical and more applied research. Although all the topics covered in this manuscript are related to scheduling, Parts 1 and 2 are dedicated to very different aspects of scheduling. Some few results discussed in Part 1 are occasionally used in Part 2 but they are independent one from another. In the following, we brie y review the content Parts 1 and 2. More detailed introductions are provided in Sections 1 and 7 respectively.
A three‐dimensional analytic model for the scattering of a spherical bush

[1] Advanced climate models require a more realistic description of canopy radiation with reasonable computational efficiency. This paper develops the mathematics of scattering from a spherical object conceptualized to be a spherical bush to provide a building block that helps to address this need of climate models. It is composed of a homogeneous distribution of individual smaller objects that scatter isotropically. In the limit of small optical depth, incident radiation will scatter isotropically as the sum of that scattered by all the individual scatterers, but at large optical depth the radiation leaving the spherical bush in a given direction is reduced by mutual shadowing of the smaller objects. In the single scattering limit, the scattering phase function and so the albedo are obtained by simple but accurate analytic expressions derived from analytic integration and numerical evaluation. Except in the limit of thin canopies, the scattering and hence albedos are qualitatively and quantitatively different than those derived from 1-D modeling.