Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fast segmented sort on GPUs

Segmented sort, as a generalization of classical sort, orders a batch of independent segments in a whole array. Along with the wider adoption of manycore processors for HPC and big data applications, segmented sort plays an increasingly important role than sort. In this paper, we present an adaptive segmented sort mechanism on GPUs. Our mechanisms include two core techniques: (1) a differentiated method for different segment lengths to eliminate the irregularity caused by various workloads and thread divergence; and (2) a register-based sort method to support N-to-M data-thread binding and in-register data communication. We also implement a shared memory-based merge method to support non-uniform length chunk merge via multiple warps. Our segmented sort mechanism shows great improvements over the methods from CUB, CUSP and ModernGPU on NVIDIA K80-Kepler and TitanX-Pascal GPUs. Furthermore, we apply our mechanism on two applications, i.e., suffix array construction and sparse matrix-matrix multiplication, and obtain obvious gains over state-of-the-art implementations.
Effect of dietary magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and limestone grain size on productive performance and eggshell quality of hens

Two experiments conducted on laying hens, aged 50 and 52 weeks, were carried out to evaluate the effect of dietary Mg and its relationship to the Ca : NPP (non-phytate phosphorus) ratio using a various grain-size of limestone. The Ca : NPP ratio in each experiment was 12.8 and 18, respectively. Two Mg levels were evalued in the first (1.56 and 4.0 g/kg) and the second experiment (1.52 and 4.0 g/kg). A fine-grained limestone (< 0.5 mm; FL) or a coarse-grained limestone (0.8–2 mm; CL) was used in the first experiment. In the second experiment, a mixture of both the aforementioned limestone forms (FCL) was used as the third alternative. The main parameters estimated in this study were egg production and egg shell breaking strength. In the first experiment, CL significantly increased hen-day egg production (P = 0.043) and Mg (in dietary concentration up to 4 g/kg) increased egg weight (P < 0.001). The addition of Mg to the mixed feed, together with CL, decreased yolk percentage (P = 0.008), increased egg shell percentage (P = 0.044), increased egg shell thickness (P = 0.014), and egg shell breaking strength (P = 0.003). Higher dietary Mg, together with a wider Ca : NPP ratio in the second experiment, increased egg production and egg weight (P < 0.001), but it did not influence egg shell breaking strength. CL increased egg shell breaking strength compared to the addition of FL, as well as FCL (P < 0.05), regardless of the Mg levels. Lower level of Mg with FL decreased ash content of shells (P = 0.004).
Computational Design of Hypothetical New Peptides Based on a Cyclotide Scaffold as HIV gp120 Inhibitor

Cyclotides are a family of triple disulfide cyclic peptides with exceptional resistance to thermal/chemical denaturation and enzymatic degradation. Several cyclotides have been shown to possess anti-HIV activity, including kalata B1 (KB1). However, the use of cyclotides as anti-HIV therapies remains limited due to the high toxicity in normal cells. Therefore, grafting anti-HIV epitopes onto a cyclotide might be a promising approach for reducing toxicity and simultaneously improving anti-HIV activity. Viral envelope glycoprotein gp120 is required for entry of HIV into CD4+ T cells. However, due to a high degree of variability and physical shielding, the design of drugs targeting gp120 remains challenging. We created a computational protocol in which molecular modeling techniques were combined with a genetic algorithm (GA) to automate the design of new cyclotides with improved binding to HIV gp120. We found that the group of modified cyclotides has better binding scores (23.1%) compared to the KB1. By using molecular dynamic (MD) simulation as a post filter for the final candidates, we identified two novel cyclotides, GA763 and GA190, which exhibited better interaction energies (36.6% and 22.8%, respectively) when binding to gp120 compared to KB1. This computational design represents an alternative tool for modifying peptides, including cyclotides and other stable peptides, as therapeutic agents before the synthesis process.
Apparent protective effect of increased left ventricular wall thickness in an ICD population.

BACKGROUND Expanding indications for the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) call for further enhancement of patient selection for optimization of use. Because a subgroup of patients who receive ICDs may not receive therapies, we sought to identify clinical predictors of therapy-free survival in ICD patients. METHODS We performed an analysis of a single-center, 13-year ICD implantation experience (1990-2002). The association between therapy-free survival and several clinical variables was evaluated. RESULTS From a total of 562 patients included in the database, 98 patients (17%) received no shock therapies or antitachycardia pacing (group A). When compared with a randomly selected sample of 131 patients who did receive ICD therapies (group B), there were no significant differences in age, gender, frequency of coronary artery disease, or extent of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. However, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH; increased wall thickness by echocardiography) was significantly more common in group A versus group B (30% versus 18%; Pearson's chi-square=4.69, P=.03). The odds of patients in group A having LVH were 1.98 times higher versus group B (95% confidence interval for odds ratio: 1.06-3.71). Comparisons of calculated mean LV mass between the 2 groups were not significantly different (group A 283+/-112 gm versus group B 271+/-108, P=.58). The overall mortality rate was 17% in group A and 22% in group B (P=.29). CONCLUSIONS Increased LV wall thickness was a significant, independent predictor of therapy-free survival in this ICD population. Because LV mass was unchanged, this finding may reflect the importance of LV dilation and wall thinning (ie, eccentric remodeling) as a risk factor for recurrent ventricular arrhythmia in ICD patients.
Retrospective Study of Tick-Borne Pathogens and Observation of Ehrlichia ewingii / Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. in Dogs’ Blood Films

Ehrlichia ewingii , Anaplasma phogocytophilum and hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. are three bacteria which can infect different dog’s blood cells. All of these three pathogens can be transmitted by different ticks and some reservoir hosts also play a role in their transmission. Although E. ewingii and A. phagocytophilum infect granulocytes and neutrophils of their hosts, respectively, hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. can infect reticulocytes. In this research, the previously taken dogs’ blood films were collected randomly from different veterinary hospitals of Tehran, the capital of Iran. The blood films were reinvestigated for arthropod-borne diseases. Surprisingly, E. ewingii/A. phagocytophilum morulae and hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. were observed in 18% and 37.7% of samples, respectively. None of these pathogens have been reported in Iran. In addition to the new report, the changes which have been made by these pathogens, their similarities, differences and zoonotic importance are discussed.
Pharmacotherapy for Hyperglycemia in Noncritically Ill Hospitalized Patients

In Brief Hyperglycemia in the hospital setting affects 38–46% of noncritically ill hospitalized patients. Evidence from observational studies indicates that inpatient hyperglycemia, in patients with and without diabetes, is associated with increased risks of complications and mortality. Substantial evidence indicates that correction of hyperglycemia through insulin administration reduces hospital complications and mortality in critically ill patients, as well as in general medicine and surgery patients. This article provides a review of the evidence on the different therapies available for hyperglycemia management in noncritically ill hospitalized patients.
KIDNEY DISEASE PREDICTION USING SVM AND ANN ALGORITHMS

The healthcare industry collects huge amounts of healthcare data which, unfortunately, are not “mined” to discover hidden information for effective analysis, diagnosis and decision making. Discovery of hidden patterns and relationships often goes idle. Advanced data mining techniques can help and provides remedy to handle this situation. Data mining is the process of extraction of hidden information from the voluminous dataset. Various data mining techniques are clustering, classification, association analysis, regression, summarization, time series analysis and sequence analysis, etc. Data mining techniques plays a vital role in different domains such as text mining, graph mining, medical mining, multimedia mining and web mining. The objective of this research work is to predict kidney diseases by using Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The aim of this work is to compare the performance of these two algorithms on the basis of its accuracy and execution time. From the experimental results it is observed that the performance of the ANN is better than the other algorithm.
Elevated Corticosterone Levels and Changes in Amphibian Behavior Are Associated with Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) Infection and Bd Lineage

Few studies have examined the role hormones play in mediating clinical changes associated with infection by the parasite Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Glucocorticoid (GC) hormones such as corticosteroids (CORT) regulate homeostasis and likely play a key role in response to infection in amphibians. We explore the relationship between CORT release rates and Bd infection in tadpoles of the common midwife toad, Alytes obstetricians, using a non-invasive water-borne hormone collection method across seven populations. We further examined whether tadpoles of A. muletensis infected with a hypervirulent lineage of Bd, BdGPL, had greater CORT release rates than those infected with a hypovirulent lineage, BdCAPE. Finally, we examined the relationship between righting reflex and CORT release rates in infected metamorphic toads of A. obstetricans. We found an interaction between elevation and Bd infection status confirming that altitude is associated with the overall severity of infection. In tandem, increasing elevation was associated with increasing CORT release rates. Tadpoles infected with the hypervirulent BdGPL had significantly higher CORT release rates than tadpoles infected with BdCAPE showing that more aggressive infections lead to increased CORT release rates. Infected metamorphs with higher CORT levels had an impaired righting reflex, our defined experimental endpoint. These results provide evidence that CORT is associated with an amphibian’s vulnerability to Bd infection, and that CORT is also affected by the aggressiveness of infection by Bd. Together these results indicate that CORT is a viable biomarker of amphibian stress.
“They Know, They Agree, but They Don’t Do”- The Paradox of Tuberculosis Case Notification by Private Practitioners in Alappuzha District, Kerala, India

Background Despite being a recognized standard of tuberculosis (TB) care internationally, mandatory TB case notification brings forth challenges from the private sector. Only three TB cases were notified in 2013 by private practitioners compared to 2000 TB cases notified yearly from the public sector in Alappuzha district. The study objective was to explore the knowledge, opinion and barriers regarding TB Notification among private practitioners offering TB services in Alappuzha, Kerala state, India. Methods & Findings This was a mixed-methods study with quantitative (survey) and qualitative components conducted between December 2013 and July 2014. The survey, using a structured questionnaire, among 169 private practitioners revealed that 88% were aware of mandatory notification. All patient-related details requested in the notification form (except government-issued identification number) were perceived to be important and easy to provide by more than 80% of practitioners. While more than 95% felt that notification should be mandatory, punitive action in case of failure to notify was considered unnecessary by almost two third. General practitioners (98%) were more likely to be aware of notification than specialists (84 %). (P<0.01). Qualitative purposive personal interviews (n=34) were carried out among private practitioners and public health providers. On thematic framework analysis of the responses, barriers to TB notification were grouped into three themes: ‘private provider misconceptions about notification’, ‘patient confidentiality, and stigma and discrimination ’and ‘lack of cohesion and coordination between public and private sector’. Private practitioners did not consider it necessary to notify TB cases treated with daily regimen. Conclusion Communication strategies like training, timely dissemination of information of policy changes and one-to-one dialogue with private practitioners to dispel misconceptions may enhance TB notification. Trust building strategies like providing feedback about referred cases from private sector, health personnel visit or a liaison private doctor may ensure compliance to public health activities.
Regulating the transition from centriole to basal body

The role of centrioles changes as a function of the cell cycle. Centrioles promote formation of spindle poles in mitosis and act as basal bodies to assemble primary cilia in interphase. Stringent regulations govern conversion between these two states. Although the molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated, recent findings have begun to shed light on pathways that regulate the conversion of centrioles to basal bodies and vice versa. Emerging studies also provide insights into how defects in the balance between centrosome and cilia function could promote ciliopathies and cancer.
Stability of plant immune-receptor resistance proteins is controlled by SKP1-CULLIN1-F-box (SCF)-mediated protein degradation

The nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeats containing proteins (NLRs) serve as immune receptors in both plants and animals. Overaccumulation of NLRs often leads to autoimmune responses, suggesting that the levels of these immune receptors must be tightly controlled. However, the mechanism by which NLR protein levels are regulated is unknown. Here we report that the F-box protein CPR1 controls the stability of plant NLR resistance proteins. Loss-of-function mutations in CPR1 lead to higher accumulation of the NLR proteins SNC1 and RPS2, as well as autoactivation of immune responses. The autoimmune responses in cpr1 mutant plants can be largely suppressed by knocking out SNC1. Furthermore, CPR1 interacts with SNC1 and RPS2 in vivo, and overexpressing CPR1 results in reduced accumulation of SNC1 and RPS2, as well as suppression of immunity mediated by these two NLR proteins. Our data suggest that SKP1-CULLIN1-F-box (SCF) complex-mediated stability control of plant NLR proteins plays an important role in regulating their protein levels and preventing autoimmunity.
Chronic hypoxia up‐regulates α1H T‐type channels and low‐threshold catecholamine secretion in rat chromaffin cells

α1H T‐type channels recruited by β1‐adrenergic stimulation in rat chromaffin cells (RCCs) are coupled to fast exocytosis with the same Ca2+ dependence of high‐threshold Ca2+ channels. Here we show that RCCs exposed to chronic hypoxia (CH) for 12–18 h in 3% O2 express comparable densities of functional T‐type channels that depolarize the resting cells and contribute to low‐voltage exocytosis. Following chronic hypoxia, most RCCs exhibited T‐type Ca2+ channels already available at −50 mV with the same gating, pharmacological and molecular features as the α1H isoform. Chronic hypoxia had no effects on cell size and high‐threshold Ca2+ current density and was mimicked by overnight incubation with the iron‐chelating agent desferrioxamine (DFX), suggesting the involvement of hypoxia‐inducible factors (HIFs). T‐type channel recruitment occurred independently of PKA activation and the presence of extracellular Ca2+. Hypoxia‐recruited T‐type channels were partially open at rest (T‐type ‘window‐current’) and contributed to raising the resting potential to more positive values. Their block by 50 μm Ni2+ caused a 5–8 mV hyperpolarization. The secretory response associated with T‐type channels could be detected following mild cell depolarizations, either by capacitance increases induced by step depolarizations or by amperometric current spikes induced by increased [KCl]. In the latter case, exocytotic bursts could be evoked even with 2–4 mm KCl and spike frequency was drastically reduced by 50 μm Ni2+. Chronic hypoxia did not alter the shape of spikes, suggesting that hypoxia‐recruited T‐type channels increase the number of secreted vesicles at low voltages, without altering the mechanism of catecholamine release and the quantal content of released molecules.
T cell memory. Long-term persistence of virus-specific cytotoxic T cells

This study documents that virus-specific CTL can persist indefinitely in vivo. This was accomplished by transferring Thy-1.1 T cells into Thy- 1.2 recipient mice to specifically identify the donor T cell population and to characterize its antigenic specificity and function by using a virus-specific CTL assay. Thy-1.1+ T cells from mice previously immunized with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) were transferred into Thy-1.2 mice persistently infected with LCMV. The transferred LCMV-specific CTL (Thy-1.1+ CD8+) eliminate virus from the chronically infected carriers and persist in the recipient mice in small numbers, comprising only a minor fraction of the total T cells. Upon re-exposure to virus, these long-lived "resting" CD8+ T cells proliferate in vivo to become the predominant cell population. These donor CD8+ T cells can be recovered up to a year post-transfer and still retain antigenic specificity and biological function. They kill LCMV infected H-2-matched cells in vitro and can eliminate virus upon transfer into a second infected host. In addition, these long-lived CD8+ T cells appear not to be dependent on help from CD4+ T cells, since depletion of CD4+ T cells has minimal or no effect on their biological properties (proliferation, CTL response, viral clearance). These donor CTL also exhibit an immunodominance over the host-derived LCMV-specific CTL response. When both host and donor T cells are present, the donor CTL response is dominant over the potential CTL response of the cured carrier host. Taken together, these results suggest that virus-specific CTL can persist for the life span of the host as memory cells.
A Method for Providing Content and Service Recommendations Using Social Information from Telecommunications Networks

Social networks and community services are becoming an ever more popular phenomenon in the information society of today. The latest trend is also to utilize the information and collective wisdom that is created within these different types of social networks, in this paper we will show how information extracted from social networks can be used to derive recommendations and improve the user experience. We will show that different sources or type of social information enables different types of recommendations and the results of the evaluation will show an interesting conclusion of how social networks which utilize trust systems impact the recommendations that are given.
Metabolic engineering and potential functions of proanthocyanidins in poplar

Poplar (Populus spp.) is a widely distributed tree genus of significant economic and ecological importance. Poplar trees accumulate proanthocyanidins (PAs) in leaves, roots, and a variety of other tissues. Damage to leaves by insects causes a rapid accumulation of PAs, both at the sight of damage and distally in undamaged leaves. This rapid PA accumulation is mediated by the activation of genes encoding enzymes involved in PA synthesis. PAs have been hypothesized to deter insect feeding and reduce the nutritive value of poplar leaf tissue, but experimental evidence supporting a role for PAs as an effective inducible defense against herbivores is lacking. Our recent paper described the identification of a MYB gene that regulates the PA pathway under multiple stress conditions, and we used this gene to constitutively activate the PA pathway in poplar. Here we describe observations that suggest that poplar PAs may have roles besides insect defense, for example responses to UV light. The PA-modified trees will be a useful tool for analyzing the biological roles of PAs in this important model tree.
Magnitude and Prevention of College Drinking and Related Problems

In 2002, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) issued a report entitled A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges. Data on the magnitude of college drinking problems in 1998 to 1999 were reported. From 1999 to 2005, the proportion of college students aged 18–24 who drank five or more drinks on a single occasion in the past month increased from 41.7 percent to 45.2 percent. The proportion who drove under the influence of alcohol increased from 26.1 percent to 29.2 percent. Higher percentages of 21- to 24-year-olds engaged in those behaviors than 18- to 20-year-olds, and between 1999 and 2005 the percentage increased among 21- to 24-year-olds but not among those aged 18–20. From 1998 to 2005, unintentional alcohol-related injury deaths increased 3 percent (from 1,442 to 1,825) per 100,000 college students aged 18–24. Alcohol misuse by college students often harms other people through traffic crashes and sexual/other assaults. Research regarding ways to reduce college drinking problems has shown that individual-oriented interventions, particularly screening and brief motivational counseling interventions, social norms interventions, environmental policy changes such as the minimum legal drinking age of 21 and drinking-and-driving laws, and comprehensive college–community programs, can reduce college drinking and related morbidity and mortality. There is a growing need for colleges and surrounding communities to implement interventions shown through research to reduce alcohol misuse among college-aged people.
Performance under Requirements Uncertainty: a Personality Perspective

Software project failure is rampant and is far reaching in its economic consequences. Prior studies have found that the contextual factors (requirements uncertainty, for example) are a major source of failure in software development. From prior research, it is known that personality traits have an impact on an individual’s performance. The present research studies, how the personality trait of the software developer moderates the relationship between requirements uncertainty and performance of the software developer. The knowledge of this dynamics will help in better staffing of IT teams and more importantly in improving the success rate of software projects.
Perivascular cells in blood vessel regeneration

Vascular engineering seeks to design and construct functional blood vessels comprising endothelial cells (ECs) and perivascular cells (PCs), with the ultimate goal of clinical translation. While EC behavior has been extensively investigated, PCs play an equally significant role in the development of novel regenerative strategies, providing functionality and stability to vessels. The two major classes of PCs are vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) and pericytes; vSMCs can be further sub‐classified as either contractile or synthetic. The inclusion of these cell types is crucial for successful regeneration of blood vessels. Furthermore, understanding distinctions between vSMCs and pericytes will enable improved therapeutics in a tissue‐specific manner. Here we focus on the approaches and challenges facing the use of PCs in vascular regeneration, including their characteristics, stem cell sources, and interactions with ECs. Finally, we discuss biochemical and microRNA (miR) regulators of PC behavior and engineering approaches that mimic various cues affecting PC function.