Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lightweight storage and overlay networks for fault tolerance.

The next generation of capability-class, massively parallel processing (MPP) systems is expected to have hundreds of thousands to millions of processors, In such environments, it is critical to have fault-tolerance mechanisms, including checkpoint/restart, that scale with the size of applications and the percentage of the system on which the applications execute. For application-driven, periodic checkpoint operations, the state-of-the-art does not provide a scalable solution. For example, on today's massive-scale systems that execute applications which consume most of the memory of the employed compute nodes, checkpoint operations generate I/O that consumes nearly 80% of the total I/O usage. Motivated by this observation, this project aims to improve I/O performance for application-directed checkpoints through the use of lightweight storage architectures and overlay networks. Lightweight storage provide direct access to underlying storage devices. Overlay networks provide caching and processing capabilities in the compute-node fabric. The combination has potential to signifcantly reduce I/O overhead for large-scale applications. This report describes our combined efforts to model and understand overheads for application-directed checkpoints, as well as implementation and performance analysis of a checkpoint service that uses available compute nodes as a network cache for checkpoint operations.
Making computers easier for older adults to use: area cursors and sticky icons

The normal effects of aging include some decline in cognitive, perceptual, and motor abilities. This can have a negative effect on the performance of a number of tasks, including basic pointing and selection tasks common to today’s graphical user interfaces. This paper describes a study of the effectiveness of two interaction techniques: area cursors and sticky icons, in improving the performance of older adults in basic selection tasks. The study described here indicates that when combined, these techniques can decrease target selection times for older adults by as much as 50°/0 when applied to the most difficult cases (smallest selection targets). At the same time these techniques are shown not to impede performance in cases known to be problematical for related techniques (e.g., differentiation between closely spaced targets) and to provide similar but smaller benefits for younger users.
Freeform-based form feature modeling using a hierarchical & multi-resolution NURBS method

In a three dimensional (3D) environment, non-uniform rational B-spline surfaces (NURBS) have been a standard in CAD industry for free-form shape modelling. Feature based design is widely used in CAD design. This paper addresses the issue of form feature design on free-form surfaces. Based on the multi-resolution and refinement scheme, the Hierarchical NURBS (H-NURBS) representation is proposed for localized form feature modelling. More specifically, the patch-based form feature modelling concept will be discussed. H-NURBS representation introduced here not only offers powerful functionality for form feature modeling on freeform surface, but also overcomes the problems inherited from the traditional control point based shape modelling. We will investigate first the extrusion operation to create various form features on freeform surfaces. Patterning operation of form features as well as form feature cut-&-paste operation on freeform surfaces/shapes will be studied for efficient and effective local shape design. Interactive methodology and techniques will be developed for the patch-based form feature modelling with an emphasis on the native and easy parameter control.
Protein Disulfide Isomerase-Like Protein 1-1 Controls Endosperm Development through Regulation of the Amount and Composition of Seed Proteins in Rice

Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is a chaperone protein involved in oxidative protein folding by acting as a catalyst and assisting folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). A genome database search showed that rice contains 19 PDI-like genes. However, their functions are not clearly identified. This paper shows possible functions of rice PDI-like protein 1-1 (PDIL1-1) during seed development. Seeds of the T-DNA insertion PDIL1-1 mutant, PDIL1-1Δ, identified by genomic DNA PCR and western blot analysis, display a chalky phenotype and a thick aleurone layer. Protein content per seed was significantly lower and free sugar content higher in PDIL1-1Δ mutant seeds than in the wild type. Proteomic analysis of PDIL1-1Δ mutant seeds showed that PDIL1-1 is post-translationally regulated, and its loss causes accumulation of many types of seed proteins including glucose/starch metabolism- and ROS (reactive oxygen species) scavenging-related proteins. In addition, PDIL1-1 strongly interacts with the cysteine protease OsCP1. Our data indicate that the opaque phenotype of PDIL1-1Δ mutant seeds results from production of irregular starch granules and protein body through loss of regulatory activity for various proteins involved in the synthesis of seed components.
A Field of Study of the Effect of Interpersonal Trust on Virtual Collaborative Relationship Performance

This article examines the relationship between interpersonal trust and virtual collaborative relationship (VCR) performance. Findings from a study of 10 operational telemedicine projects in health care delivery systems are presented. The results presented here confirm, extend, and apparently contradict prior studies of interpersonal trust. Four types of interpersonal trust-calculative, competence, relational, and integrated are identified and operationalized as a single construct. We found support for an association between calculative, competence, and relational interpersonal trust and performance. Our finding of a positive association between integrated interpersonal trust and performance not only yields the strongest support for a relationship between trust and VCR performance but also contradicts prior research. Our findings indicate that the different types of trust are interrelated in that positive assessments of all three types of trust are necessary if VCRs are to have strongly positive performance. The study also established that if any one type of trust is negative, then it is very likely that VCR performance will not be positive. Our findings indicate that integrated types of interpersonal trust are interdependent, and the various patterns of interaction among them are such that they are mutually reinforcing. These interrelationships and interdependencies of the different types of interpersonal trust must be taken into account by researchers as they attempt to understand the impact of trust on virtual collaborative relationship performance.
Design of Finite-dimensional Controllers for Innnite-dimensional Systems by Approximation

Several diiculties in controller design for innnite-dimensional systems arise from using an approximation for the state of the system. In this paper it is demonstrated that the graph topology is an appropriate framework in which to discuss convergence of approximations used for controller design. It is also shown that Galerkin type approximations to a large class of problems possess the required convergence properties and can be used to design controllers which will perform as designed when implemented on the original innnite-dimensional system. An H1{controller design problem is used to illustrate this approach.
Çoklu-Grup Örtük Sınıf Analizi ve Ölçme Eşdeğerliği

Social and behavioral research relies heavily on group comparison. Empirical demonstration of measurement equivalence is necessary when the attributes are compared. Latent class models are used when attributes are conceptualized as having discrete distributions and when discrete observed variables are used to estimate those distributions. This study illustrates the measurement equivalence in multi-group latent class analysis. Heterogeneous model imposes the same number of latent classes on two or more groups without imposing between-group parameter constraints. Homogeneous model is obtained by constraining the between-group conditional probabilities of the heterogeneous model equal. Measurement equivalence is established by demonstrating that the homogenous model fits the data as good as, if not better than, the heterogeneous model. Otherwise, the analysis moves to the exploratory mode to identify the offending equality constraints. The resultant model, if any, is called partial homogenous model. Using the Love Capacity dimension of Values in Action Inventory, the measurement invariance for latent class analysis is illustrated with a dataset involving 496 female and 237 male college students. A two-class model is chosen to represent both gender groups. Homogenous model was found to be the best fitting model. There was evidence for the equality of conditional probabilities between the groups, however, the equality constraint on unconditional probabilities was not supported, which led to the conclusion that the latent classes have the same meaning in both of the gender groups, i.e., measurement equivalence, but that the prevalence rates are gender specific.
Competition between honey bees (Apis mellifera) and wasps (Vespula spp.) in honeydew beech (Nothofagus solandri var. solandri) forest

Summary: Honeydew, the sugary exudate of the scale insect Ultracoelostoma brittini, is an important food source in black beech (Nothofagus solandri var. solandri) forests in the South Island of New Zealand. Two of the most prominent foragers of honeydew are honey bees (Apis mellifera) and wasps (Vespula germanica and V. vulgaris). Observations in the field and using a captive bee hive were used to investigate competition between bees and wasps feeding on honeydew. In laboratory trials, interference competition was often strong, and many cases of aggression were noted. In the forest, there was invariably enough room on the trees for bees and wasps to feed while rarely encountering one another. Over the whole year, environmental variables (especially low temperatures and rain), were found to constrain honey bee foraging to a greater degree than competition with wasps. Because the competition that did occur was primarily exploitation competition, reciprocal effects were likely to be felt. At Coopers Creek, bees may be reducing wasp densities, compared with the situation in Nelson - Marlborough where commercial hives are scarce. It may be possible to reduce wasp densities locally by increasing the number of bee hives in an area.
Adaptive Iterative Dose Reduction Algorithm in CT: Effect on Image Quality Compared with Filtered Back Projection in Body Phantoms of Different Sizes

Objective To evaluate the impact of the adaptive iterative dose reduction (AIDR) three-dimensional (3D) algorithm in CT on noise reduction and the image quality compared to the filtered back projection (FBP) algorithm and to compare the effectiveness of AIDR 3D on noise reduction according to the body habitus using phantoms with different sizes. Materials and Methods Three different-sized phantoms with diameters of 24 cm, 30 cm, and 40 cm were built up using the American College of Radiology CT accreditation phantom and layers of pork belly fat. Each phantom was scanned eight times using different mAs. Images were reconstructed using the FBP and three different strengths of the AIDR 3D. The image noise, the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the phantom were assessed. Two radiologists assessed the image quality of the 4 image sets in consensus. The effectiveness of AIDR 3D on noise reduction compared with FBP were also compared according to the phantom sizes. Results Adaptive iterative dose reduction 3D significantly reduced the image noise compared with FBP and enhanced the SNR and CNR (p < 0.05) with improved image quality (p < 0.05). When a stronger reconstruction algorithm was used, greater increase of SNR and CNR as well as noise reduction was achieved (p < 0.05). The noise reduction effect of AIDR 3D was significantly greater in the 40-cm phantom than in the 24-cm or 30-cm phantoms (p < 0.05). Conclusion The AIDR 3D algorithm is effective to reduce the image noise as well as to improve the image-quality parameters compared by FBP algorithm, and its effectiveness may increase as the phantom size increases.
Bax Is Activated during Rotavirus-Induced Apoptosis through the Mitochondrial Pathway

ABSTRACT Rotaviruses are the leading cause of infantile viral gastroenteritis worldwide. Mature enterocytes of the small intestine infected by rotavirus undergo apoptosis, and their replacement by less differentiated dividing cells probably leads to defective absorptive function of the intestinal epithelium, which, in turn, contributes to osmotic diarrhea and rotavirus pathogenesis. Here we show that infection of MA104 cells by the simian rhesus rotavirus strain RRV induced caspase-3 activation, DNA fragmentation, and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase; all three phenomena are features of apoptosis. RRV induced the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to the cytosol, indicating that the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway was activated. RRV infection of MA104 cells activated Bax, a proapoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family, as revealed by its conformational change. Most importantly, Bax-specific small interfering RNAs partially inhibited cytochrome c release in RRV-infected cells. Thus, mitochondrial dysfunction induced by rotavirus is Bax dependent. Apoptosis presumably leads to impaired intestinal functions, so our findings contribute to improving our understanding of rotavirus pathogenesis at the cellular level.
Simulation of the metamorphic and deformational history of the metamorphic sole of the Oman Ophiolite

Emplacement of ophiolites onto less dense continental crust is an enigma. The rates of emplacement, the mechanisms of emplacement, and the stress and temperature histories of the rocks are all incompletely understood. The Oman ophiolite is well exposed and has been studied extensively by field geologists. An integrated thermal and kinematic model of the temperature, stress, rock type, and displacement fields during the early stages of the emplacement of the Oman ophiolite is developed here to explain field relations and provide insight into the development of the metamorphic rocks at the base of the ophiolite. The thermal evolution was calculated by a finite difference algorithm for heat conduction, considering heats of metamorphic reactions, deformational heating, and heat advection by rock. The stress and displacement fields were calculated by an analytical model using a velocity boundary condition, power law constitutive relations, and a brittle frictional sliding relationship. In simulations involving young, hot subducted lithosphere, a wider portion of the subduction zone deforms by power law creep, and deformation occurs at lower stresses and slower strain rates, minimizing the deformational heating compared to colder, older subducted lithosphere. Dehydration occurs at an accelerated rate in younger, hotter lithosphere, removing heat from the subducted plate at an earlier stage and causing the zone of brittle deformation to propagate downward more rapidly. Power law creep of subducted basaltic rocks is limited to temperatures greater than 500°C and occurs at differential stresses of the order of 100 MPa. The simulations predict that metamorphic field gradients and the spatial distribution of rock types in the metamorphic sole of Tethyan ophiolites might be used to infer the emplacement direction of the ophiolite.
Disease Manifestations and Pathogenic Mechanisms of Group A Streptococcus

SUMMARY Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as group A Streptococcus (GAS), causes mild human infections such as pharyngitis and impetigo and serious infections such as necrotizing fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. Furthermore, repeated GAS infections may trigger autoimmune diseases, including acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, acute rheumatic fever, and rheumatic heart disease. Combined, these diseases account for over half a million deaths per year globally. Genomic and molecular analyses have now characterized a large number of GAS virulence determinants, many of which exhibit overlap and redundancy in the processes of adhesion and colonization, innate immune resistance, and the capacity to facilitate tissue barrier degradation and spread within the human host. This improved understanding of the contribution of individual virulence determinants to the disease process has led to the formulation of models of GAS disease progression, which may lead to better treatment and intervention strategies. While GAS remains sensitive to all penicillins and cephalosporins, rising resistance to other antibiotics used in disease treatment is an increasing worldwide concern. Several GAS vaccine formulations that elicit protective immunity in animal models have shown promise in nonhuman primate and early-stage human trials. The development of a safe and efficacious commercial human vaccine for the prophylaxis of GAS disease remains a high priority.
The Advantages of PID Fuzzy Controllers Over The Conventional Types

Fuzzy logic controllers (FLC's) have the following advantages over the conventional controllers: they are cheaper to develop, they cover a wider range of operating conditions, and they are more readily customizable in natural language terms. A self-organizing fuzzy controller can automatically refine an initial approximate set of fuzzy rules. Application of PI-type fuzzy controller increases the quality factor. In this paper, the voltage raising type-pulse controller is considered. Two types of fuzzy controllers used for the control of boost converter are investigated; the simulation results confirm the above mentioned advantages. In order to prove the dynamic characteristics of the PID fuzzy controller being fast and robust, simulation studies using PSIM program are carried out and compared to the results of the conventional loop gain design method for which MATLAB program is used.
Potential Targets for Colorectal Cancer Prevention

The step-wise development of colorectal neoplasia from adenoma to carcinoma suggests that specific interventions could delay or prevent the development of invasive cancer. Several key factors involved in colorectal cancer pathogenesis have already been identified including cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), survivin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Clinical trials of COX-2 inhibitors have provided the “proof of principle” that inhibition of this enzyme can prevent the formation of colonic adenomas and potentially carcinomas, however concerns regarding the potential toxicity of these drugs have limited their use as a chemopreventative strategy. Curcumin, resveratrol and quercetin are chemopreventive agents that are able to suppress multiple signaling pathways involved in carcinogenesis and hence are attractive candidates for further research.
BVI Time-Series Data of the Galactic Globular Cluster NGC 3201. I. RR Lyrae Stars

We present Johnson BV- and Kron-Cousins I-band time-series data collected over three consecutive nights in a region of 13 arcmin2 centered on the Galactic globular cluster (GGC) NGC 3201. The time sampling of current CCD data allowed us to derive accurate light curves and, in turn, mean magnitudes and colors for a sample of 53 RR Lyrae stars. To overcome the thorny problem of differential reddening affecting this cluster, we derived new empirical relations connecting the intrinsic B-V and V-I colors of fundamental (RRab) RR Lyrae stars to the luminosity amplitude, the metallicity, and the pulsation period. The key features of these relations are the following: (1) they rely on stellar parameters, which are not affected by reddening; (2) they supply accurate estimates of intrinsic colors across the fundamental instability strip and cover a wide metallicity range; (3) they were derived by neglecting the RR Lyrae stars that are affected by amplitude modulation. Moreover, the zero point of the E(B-V) reddening scale was empirically checked using the large sample of RR Lyrae stars in M3 from Corwin & Carney, a GGC affected by a vanishing reddening. According to these relations we estimated individual reddenings for RR Lyrae stars in our sample and the main results we found are the following: (1) The mean cluster reddening based on E(B-V) color excesses is ⟨E(B-V)⟩ = 0.30 ± 0.03. This estimate is slightly higher than the mean reddening evaluations available in the literature or based on the dust infrared map by Schlegel, Finkbeiner, & Davis, i.e., ⟨E(B-V)⟩ = 0.26 ± 0.02. Note that the angular resolution of this map is ≈6′, whereas for current reddening map it is ≈1′. (2) The mean cluster reddening based on E(V-I) color excesses is ⟨E(V-I)⟩ = 0.36 ± 0.05. This estimate is only marginally in agreement with the mean cluster reddening obtained using the reddening map by von Braun & Mateo and derived by adopting cluster turnoff stars, i.e., ⟨E(V-I)⟩ = 0.25 ± 0.07. On the other hand, current intrinsic spread among individual reddenings (≈0.2 mag) agrees quite well with the estimate provided by previous authors. It is noteworthy that previous mean cluster reddenings are in very good agreement with values obtained using the empirical relations for intrinsic RR Lyrae colors provided by Kovacs & Walker. (3) According to current individual E(B-V) and E(V-I) reddenings and theoretical predictions for horizontal-branch stars, we found that the true distance modulus for this cluster is 13.32 ± 0.06 mag. This determination is somehow supported by the comparison between predicted and empirical pulsation amplitudes. (4) The comparison between present luminosity amplitudes and estimates available in the literature discloses that approximately 30% of fundamental RR Lyrae stars are affected by amplitude modulation (the Blazhko effect). This finding confirms empirical evidence originally brought out by Szeidl and by Smith.
The influence of task challenge on skill utilization, affective wellbeing and intrapreneurial behaviour

This study examines and theorizes the effects of task challenge on skill utilization, affective wellbeing and intrapreneurial behaviour among civil servants through a real-life challenging assignment, which was part of a unique Dutch and Flemish bottom-up organized event called ‘Train Your Colleague’. Results of a short-term longitudinal study indicate that, as expected, task challenge is positively related to skill utilization and intrapreneurial behaviour but, unexpectedly, not to affective wellbeing. These results suggest that challenging assignments may be important tools to enhance employees’ skill utilization and intrapreneurial behaviour at the workplace. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.