Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Programming Parallel Pipelines Using Non-Parallel C# Code

Parallel and high-performance code is usually created as imperative code in FORTRAN, C, C++ with the help of parallel environments like OpenMP or Intel TBB. However, learning these languages is quite dicult com- pared to C# or Java. Although these modern languages have numerous parallel features, they lack the automatic parallelization or load distribution features known from spe- cialized parallel environments. Due to the referential nature of C# and Java, the principles of parallel environments like OpenMP cannot be directly transferred to these lan- guages. We investigated the idea of using C# as a pro- gramming language for a parallel system based on non- linear pipelines. In this paper, we propose the architecture of such system and describe some key steps that we have already taken towards the future goal of extracting both the pipeline structure and the code of the nodes from the C# source code.
AAPS Workshop Report: Strategies to Address Therapeutic Protein–Drug Interactions during Clinical Development

Therapeutic proteins (TPs) are increasingly combined with small molecules and/or with other TPs. However preclinical tools and in vitro test systems for assessing drug interaction potential of TPs such as monoclonal antibodies, cytokines and cytokine modulators are limited. Published data suggests that clinically relevant TP-drug interactions (TP-DI) are likely from overlap in mechanisms of action, alteration in target and/or drug-disease interaction. Clinical drug interaction studies are not routinely conducted for TPs because of the logistical constraints in study design to address pharmacokinetic (PK)- and pharmacodynamic (PD)-based interactions. Different pharmaceutical companies have developed their respective question- and/or risk-based approaches for TP-DI based on the TP mechanism of action as well as patient population. During the workshop both company strategies and regulatory perspectives were discussed in depth using case studies; knowledge gaps and best practices were subsequently identified and discussed. Understanding the functional role of target, target expression and their downstream consequences were identified as important for assessing the potential for a TP-DI. Therefore, a question-and/or risk-based approach based upon the mechanism of action and patient population was proposed as a reasonable TP-DI strategy. This field continues to evolve as companies generate additional preclinical and clinical data to improve their understanding of possible mechanisms for drug interactions. Regulatory agencies are in the process of updating their recommendations to sponsors regarding the conduct of in vitro and in vivo interaction studies for new drug applications (NDAs) and biologics license applications (BLAs).
Prognostic role of bcl-xL and p53 in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Molecular parameters involved in the prediction of response of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are still unclear. We have evaluated the expression and mutational status of p53 and the expression of bcl-xL and bax in a series of 62 consecutive children (median age: 4 years; 38 males and 24 females) affected by de novo ALL. Alterations and overexpression of p53 were uncommon events (9/62, 14.5%) while bcl-xL and bax overexpression were frequent (about 70%). EFS was directly correlated to age < 6 years (p= 0.0178), non-T phenotype (p= 0.0470), WBC at diagnosis < 20000/µl (p= 0.0093), response to induction therapy with prednisone (p= 0.0211) and inversely correlated to mutated p53 or overexpression of p53 (p= 0.0039) and high intensity of BclxL expression (p= 0.0055). OS was directly correlated with age < 6 years (p= 0.0004), female gender (p= 0.0139), non-T phenotype (p= 0.0012), WBC at diagnosis < 20000/µl (p= 0.0187), response to induction therapy with prednisone (p= 0.0211), wild type p53 or low expression of p53 (p= 0.035). When all factors were considered in a stepwise Cox regression analysis, only the good response to PDN (p= 0.013) and the low intensity of Bcl-xL expression (p= 0.001) were independent significant prognostic factors with regard to EFS. Moreover, only age (p= 0.022), gender (p= 0.036) and WBC at the diagnosis (p= 0.050) were independent prognostic factors with regard to OS. Moreover, the mutated status of p53 was statistically correlated to the resistance to the induction therapy with PDN (correlation coefficient: - 0.349, p = 0.008). In conclusion, both bcl-xL and bax were frequently expressed at high intensity, but only bcl-xL was an independent predictor of EFS in our series. Moreover, p53 alterations were uncommon and alone not strong independent predictors of outcome, but they were correlated to poor response to therapy with PDN and inversely correlated to EFS and OS in univariate analysis.
Photodissociation of isotopically heavy O 2 as a source of atmospheric O 3

18O16O is the sixth most abundant gas in the atmosphere after 14N14N, 16O16O, Ar, 15N14N and H2O. From available data on line positions in the Schumann-Runge (S-R) bands (175 < λ < 205 nm) of 18O16O we estimate its atmospheric photodissociation rates. In the high stratosphere and mesosphere this proposed source of O and O3 could be significant compared to photodissociation of 16O16O although our estimates are subject to several uncertainties that are discussed. We calculate the transmission of solar radiation through the S-R bands of 18O16O and 16O16O with transmission functions averaged over individual S-R bands. Line-by-line calculations will be needed to refine our estimates but certain spectroscopic data are not yet available.
The isotopic structures of geological organic compounds

Abstract Organic compounds are ubiquitous in the Earth's surface, sediments and many rocks, and preserve records of geological, geochemical and biological history; they are also critical natural resources and major environmental pollutants. The naturally occurring stable isotopes of volatile elements (D, 13C, 15N, 17,18O, 33,34,36S) provide one way of studying the origin, evolution and migration of geological organic compounds. The study of bulk stable isotope compositions (i.e. averaged across all possible molecular isotopic forms) is well established and widely practised, but frequently results in non-unique interpretations. Increasingly, researchers are reading the organic isotopic record with greater depth and specificity by characterizing stable isotope ‘structures’ – the proportions of site-specific and multiply substituted isotopologues that contribute to the total rare-isotope inventory of each compound. Most of the technologies for measuring stable isotope structures of organic molecules have been only recently developed and to date have been applied only in an exploratory way. Nevertheless, recent advances have demonstrated that molecular isotopic structures provide distinctive records of biosynthetic origins, conditions and mechanisms of chemical transformation during burial, and forensic fingerprints of exceptional specificity. This paper provides a review of this young field, which is organized to follow the evolution of molecular isotopic structure from biosynthesis, through diagenesis, catagenesis and metamorphism.
Enabling Self-Managing Applications using Model-based Online Control Strategies

The increasing heterogeneity, dynamism and uncertainty of emerging DCE (Distributed Computing Environment) systems imply that an application must be able to detect and adapt to changes in its state, its requirements and the state of the system to meet its desired QoS constraints. As system and application scales increase, ad hoc heuristic-based approaches to application adaptation and self-management quickly become insufficient. This paper builds on the Accord programming system for rule-based self-management and extends it with model-based control and optimization strategies. This paper also presents the development of a self-managing data streaming service based on online control using Accord. This service is part of a Grid-based fusion simulation workflow consisting of long-running simulations, executing on remote supercomputing sites and generating several terabytes of data, which must then be streamed over a wide-area network for live analysis and visualization. The self-managing data streaming service minimize data streaming overheads on the simulations, adapt to dynamic network bandwidth and prevent data loss. An evaluation of the service demonstrating its feasibility is presented.
Direct torque control of induction motor using imaginary switching times with 0-1-2-7 & 0-1-2 switching sequences: a comparative study

This paper presents a new strategy of direct torque control of induction motor using imaginary switching times. Determination of effective time from reference voltage vector is eliminated and no requirement of sector and angle identification. Imaginary switching times are derived from flux errors of respective phases. These times are directly responsible for calculating the effective time during which the actual power flows to the motor. Also the stator resistance drop is compensated in terms of imaginary times to improve the performance. In order to further simplify the control strategy, electromagnetic torque is estimated in terms of phase quantities. Simulation results of the proposed method show the effectiveness of the new strategy. Switching sequence 0-1-2-7 (conventional sequence for first sector) is used but in order to reduce switching frequency, 0-1-2 (clamping) sequence is also presented using same program just by changing the offset time. A comparison is made between two switching sequences and concluded that clamping sequence is on leading edge as far as switching losses and performance is concerned. This control strategy guarantees very good dynamic and steady state performance with constant switching frequency.
Mucociliary clearance in smokers.

The mucociliary clearance characteristics and the correlation between the extent of smoking and bronchial mucociliary dysfunction were studied in 71 smokers (15 without chronic bronchitis, 16 with simple and 40 with obstructive chronic bronchitis). Mucociliary clearance (MC) was measured with 99mTc-tagged human erythrocytes. Lung function values were determined by whole body plethysmography. All three smoking groups had significantly (p less than 0.001) lower TMC60.min rates (total MC in 60 min) on the average than the predicted values. The mean TMC60.min rates of heavy smokers with simple and obstructive chronic bronchitis were significantly (p less than 0.001) lower than that of light smokers without chronic bronchitis. There was no significant difference between the TMC60.min rates of smokers with simple and obstructive chronic bronchitis. The decrease in the MC rates was more pronounced in the central than in the peripheral airways. A significant (p less than 0.001) correlation was found between the extent of smoking (pack years) and the decrease of MC. The results suggest that the decrease of MC is an early functional abnormality in smokers, which precedes the development of symptoms of chronic bronchitis as well as functional detectability of airways obstruction.
Intraductal carcinoma of the oral cavity.

To the Editor: The paper of Cheuk et al describes a case of intraductal carcinoma of the oral cavity arising from the minor salivary glands, and reviews the 18 cases of salivary gland intraductal carcinoma previously reported in the literature. All cases reported thus far resembled mammary intraductal carcinoma, with islands of epithelial proliferation exhibiting a cribrifom, micropapillary, solid, comedo, or clinging pattern. I wish to report a case of minor salivary gland intraductal carcinoma which, unlike previously reported cases, exhibited features of a low-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma. A 72-year-old, previously healthy, woman presented with a small submucosal nodule in the buccal mucosa. The clinical impression was mucocele versus neoplasm. The lesion was excised under local anesthesia. The resected specimen showed a 7-mm circumscribed, lobulated, submucosal light tan nodule. Small mucus containing cystic spaces were present on cut sections. Microscopically, the lesion was composed of ducts of varying size, some of which were completely or partially filled with neoplastic tissue (Fig. 1) with features of a lowgrade mucoepidermoid carcinoma. The neoplastic tissue was composed of bland intermediate cells and clear cells, admixed with scattered epidermoid cells and mucous cells (Fig. 2). There were microcysts within the tumor tissue. The mucous cells showed cytoplasmic mucicarmine positivity. An infiltrative pattern was not present. The resection margin was negative for neoplasm. She had no evidence of disease 1 year later. The salivary gland intraductal carcinoma appears to represent a distinct entity with a much more favorable prognosis than salivary duct carcinoma. When completely excised and the presence of an invasive component excluded by thorough sampling, tumor recurrence is not expected. Origin from ductal epithelium in rare invasive mucoepidermoid carcinomas has previously been illustrated. However, the present case appears to be the first case of pure intraductal mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the salivary gland. It is important for the pathologists to recognize this entity to avoid unnecessary and potentially harmful adjuvant therapies.
Postal and Face-to-Face Administration of Stroke Outcome Measures: Can Mixed Modes Be Used?

Background and Purpose— Different modes of administration are used to collect stroke outcomes, even within the same study, potentially leading to different results. We investigated the effect of administration mode (postal questionnaire; face-to-face interview) on self-reports of activities of daily living and mood. Methods— The study was nested within a poststroke motivational interviewing trial. Activities of daily living (Barthel; Nottingham Extended) and mood (General Health Questionnaire; Yale) were collected at 3 and 12 months via postal questionnaire. Participants were approached to respond again via face-to-face interview. Paired t tests (McNemar test) and intraclass correlation coefficients (Cohen &kgr;) were used, with 95% CI, to compare scores (items). Results— Forty-four participants consented. Only Barthel scores were significantly different; they were 1.0 (95% CI, 0.5–1.6) higher face-to-face. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the Barthel was 0.90; for the other scales it was between 0.83 and 0.87. The Yale &kgr; was 0.72. Conclusions— Modes of administration might be used interchangeably, albeit in conjunction with corrections for the Barthel.
Multi-Carrier Burst Contention (MCBC): Scalable Medium Access Control for Wireless Networks

With the rapid growth of WLAN capability for mobile devices such as laptops, handhelds, mobile phones and vehicles, we will witness WLANs with very large numbers of active nodes for which very efficient medium access control techniques will be needed to cope with high loads and mobility. We propose a high performance solution based on an innovative node elimination algorithm that uses short and unmodulated bursts of energy during contention - no data is exchanged. We also present a modified OFDM PHY layer, based on IEEE 802.11a, which allows sensing and bursting on individual subcarriers. We show that the protocol maintains a very low overhead and collision probability which lead to high and virtually constant network throughput at all analyzed network loads, even beyond 500 nodes. The protocol is validated by extensive simulation, comparing it against the IEEE 802.11a and SYN-MAC protocols.
Model Analysis of Helper T Cell Differentiation

Helper T (Th) cells regulate immune responses by producing various cytokines upon antigen stimulation. Helper T cells can be divided into two subsets, Th1 and Th2 [2]. The Th1 cells are responsible for defense against infectious intracellular microorganisms. The Th2 cells are responsible for defense against extracellular pathogens and the development of allergic immune reactions. The SOCS family was reported to regulate Th differentiation [3, 4]. In order to analyze the balance of Th1/Th2 differentiation and the role of SOCS family, we developed the model of Th0 cells containing IL-4, IL-12 and IFN-γ JAK/STAT signal transduction pathway, which simulates the first stage of Th1/Th2 differentiation.
Efficacy and safety of tiotropium + olodaterol maintenance treatment in patients with COPD in the TONADO® and OTEMTO® studies: a subgroup analysis by age

Background Increasing age is associated with poor prognosis in patients with COPD. Objective This analysis from the replicate Phase III OTEMTO® and TONADO® studies examined the efficacy and safety of tiotropium, a long-acting anticholinergic, combined with olodaterol, a long-acting β2-agonist, compared to monotherapies and placebo in patients with COPD aged 40 years to <65 years, 65 years to <75 years, 75 years to <85 years, and ≥85 years. Methods In these double-blind, parallel-group, active-controlled, multicenter, randomized studies, patients received tiotropium + olodaterol 2.5/5 μg or 5/5 μg, tiotropium 5 μg or 2.5 μg (TONADO only), olodaterol 5 μg (TONADO only), or placebo (OTEMTO only). This analysis used the approved doses of tiotropium + olodaterol 5/5 μg, tiotropium 5 μg, and olodaterol 5 μg. Primary end points at 12 weeks (OTEMTO) or 24 weeks (TONADO) included St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) total score, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) area under the curve from 0 hour to 3 hours (AUC0–3) response, and trough FEV1 response. Results A total of 1,621 patients were randomized (40 years to <65 years, n=749; 65 years to <75 years, n=674; 75 years to <85 years, n=186; ≥85 years, n=12) in OTEMTO and 5,162 patients (40 years to <65 years, n=2,654; 65 years to <75 years, n=1,967; 75 to <85 years, n=528; ≥85 years, n=13) in TONADO. FEV1 AUC0–3 and trough FEV1 responses improved with tiotropium + olodaterol 5/5 μg at 12 weeks and 24 weeks compared to monotherapies or placebo for all age groups. SGRQ scores generally improved with tiotropium + olodaterol 5/5 μg after 12 weeks in OTEMTO and improved after 24 weeks in all age groups in TONADO. In all age groups receiving tiotropium + olodaterol 5/5 μg compared to monotherapies or placebo, transition dyspnea index scores generally improved, while rescue medication usage improved. Conclusion No differences were noted in relative responses to treatment or safety when using tiotropium + olodaterol 5/5 μg compared to monotherapies or placebo across all age groups.
Implementation of Lora and CoAP Protocol in Hydroponic Plant Water Pump Control

Hydroponics is the cultivation of plants without using soil media, but using water media that contains nutrients and minerals. To observe the growth parameters of hydroponic plants, it is still necessary to come directly to the hydroponic site and provide the nutrients needed manually. In time efficiency, the use of Internet of Things (IoT) is needed so that there is no need to come directly to the hydroponic site. LoRa is a Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) communication system. This research uses sensor nodes, middleware, and client nodes as well as the Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) protocol for clients to access the value of sensors to control automatic pumps so that nutrients for plants can be given directly without the need to come to the hydroponic site. The result of the implementation is that the water pump control can run properly until the plants can be harvested. The performance testing is done so that LoRa can transmit data at a distance of 1 km with an RSSI value of -114 dBm.
Auditory and Tactile Signals Combine to Influence Vision during Binocular Rivalry

Resolution of perceptual ambiguity is one function of cross-modal interactions. Here we investigate whether auditory and tactile stimuli can influence binocular rivalry generated by interocular temporal conflict in human subjects. Using dichoptic visual stimuli modulating at different temporal frequencies, we added modulating sounds or vibrations congruent with one or the other visual temporal frequency. Auditory and tactile stimulation both interacted with binocular rivalry by promoting dominance of the congruent visual stimulus. This effect depended on the cross-modal modulation strength and was absent when modulation depth declined to 33%. However, when auditory and tactile stimuli that were too weak on their own to bias binocular rivalry were combined, their influence over vision was very strong, suggesting the auditory and tactile temporal signals combined to influence vision. Similarly, interleaving discrete pulses of auditory and tactile stimuli also promoted dominance of the visual stimulus congruent with the supramodal frequency. When auditory and tactile stimuli were presented at maximum strength, but in antiphase, they had no influence over vision for low temporal frequencies, a null effect again suggesting audio-tactile combination. We also found that the cross-modal interaction was frequency-sensitive at low temporal frequencies, when information about temporal phase alignment can be perceptually tracked. These results show that auditory and tactile temporal processing is functionally linked, suggesting a common neural substrate for the two sensory modalities and that at low temporal frequencies visual activity can be synchronized by a congruent cross-modal signal in a frequency-selective way, suggesting the existence of a supramodal temporal binding mechanism.
α2-Receptor Agonists for Treatment and Prevention of Iatrogenic Opioid Abstinence Syndrome in Critically Ill Patients

Objective: To review the literature regarding the use of α2-agonists in the treatment and prevention of iatrogenic opioid abstinence syndrome (IOAS) in critically ill patients. Data Sources: Primary literature was identified through a search of MEDLINE (1950–June 2009), EMBASE (1988–June 2009), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970–June 2009), and the Cochrane Library (1996–June 2009), using the names of individual α2-agonists and the following key words: children, opioid withdrawal, opioid, and adult. Relevant abstracts from the Society of Critical Care Medicine, reference citations from selected articles, and manufacturers’ product information were also reviewed. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All English-language articles identified from the data sources were evaluated. Three retrospective studies and 6 case reports/series representing 44 patients were included for analysis. Data Synthesis: Central α2-agonists are thought to minimize symptoms of IOAS by decreasing presynaptic outflow of catecholamines. Successful use of clonidine and dexmedetomidine for management of IOAS has been reported. Lofexidine, an α2-agonist not yet approved in the US, may offer similar withdrawal symptom relief but has yet to be studied in the intensive care setting. Although the quality of studies identified was limited, preliminary evidence does provide some support for the use of transdermal clonidine and injectable dexmedetomidine in the treatment and prevention of IOAS. These agents were shown to facilitate discontinuation of opioids and to minimize withdrawal symptoms with few reported adverse events. Conclusions: Central α2-agonists appear to be effective and safe second-line agents for treatment and prevention of IOAS. Further studies should be conducted to determine their role in the therapy of patients with IOAS.