Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Overcoming the challenges in cost estimation for distributed software projects

We describe how we studied, in-situ, the operational processes of three large high process maturity distributed software development companies and discovered three common problems they faced with respect to early stage project cost estimation. We found that project managers faced significant challenges to accurately estimate project costs because the standard metrics-based estimation tools they used (a) did not effectively incorporate diverse distributed project configurations and characteristics, (b) required comprehensive data that was not fully available for all starting projects, and (c) required significant domain experience to derive accurate estimates. To address these challenges, we collaborated with practitioners at the three firms and developed a new learning-oriented and semi-automated early-stage cost estimation solution that was specifically designed for globally distributed software projects. The key idea of our solution was to augment the existing metrics-driven estimation methods with a case repository that stratified past incidents related to project effort estimation issues from the historical project databases at the firms into several generalizable categories. This repository allowed project managers to quickly and effectively “benchmark” their new projects to all past projects across the firms, and thereby learn from them. We deployed our solution at each of our three research sites for real-world field-testing over a period of six months. Project managers of 219 new large globally distributed projects used both our method to estimate the cost of their projects as well as the established metrics-based estimation approaches they were used to. Our approach achieved significantly reduced estimation errors (of up to 60%). This resulted in more than 20% net cost savings, on average, per project - a massive total cost savings across all projects at the three firms!
Prognostic Role of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Lung Cancer: a Meta-Analysis

Background/Aims: The role of Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in the prognosis of patients with lung cancer is still controversial. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic role of TILs in lung cancer. Methods: Studies were recruited by searching PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library and assessed by further quality evaluation. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to investigate the association between TIL subsets and lung cancer patients' outcome. Results: A total of 29 articles including 8,600 patients were enrolled into the meta-analysis. Our results indicated that high level of CD8+ cells infiltration in tumor stroma (TS) or tumor nest (TN) was associated with better OS in lung cancer patients (HR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.62-0.93, P = 0.006; HR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.67-0.96; P = 0.018, respectively). Similar results could be also observed in CD3+ T cells infiltration. High CD4+ T lymphocytes infiltration in TS was explicitly accompanied by better OS (HR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.46-0.91; P = 0.013), rather than in TN. In contrast, high density of FOXP3+ T cells infiltration in TS showed a poor PFS (HR = 2.67, 95% CI, 1.74-4.08, P < 0.001). Conclusion: This meta-analysis clarified that high level of CD8+ and CD3+ T cells infiltration in TS or TN, and high CD4+ T lymphocytes infiltration in TS showed better OS in lung cancer patients, whereas high density of FOXP3+ T cells infiltration in TS could be recognized as a negative prognostic factor.
Advances in Radio Science Improving MIMO-OFDM decision-directed channel estimation by utilizing error-correcting codes

In this paper a decision-directed Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) channel tracking algorithm is enhanced to raise the channel estimate accuracy. While DDCE is prone to error propagation the enhancement employs channel decoding in the tracking process. Therefore, a quantized block of symbols is checked on consistency via the channel decoder, possibly corrected and then used. This yields a more robust tracking of the channel in terms of bit error rate and improves the channel estimate under certain conditions. Equalization is performed to prove the feasibility of the obtained channel estimate. Therefore a combined signal consisting of data and pilot symbols is sent. Adaptive filters are applied to exploit correlations in time, frequency and spatial domain. By using good error-correcting coding schemes like Turbo Codes or Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes, adequate channel estimates can be acquired even at low signal to noise ratios (SNR). The proposed algorithm among two others is applied for channel estimation and equalization and results are compared.
Far transfer to language and math of a short software-based gaming intervention

Significance Executive functions (EF) imply processes critical for purposeful, goal-directed behavior. In children, evidence derived from laboratory measures indicates that training can improve EF. However, this hypothesis has never been explicitly examined based on real-world measures, especially of educational achievement. Here, we investigate whether a set of computerized games might yield transfer on low-socioeconomic status otherwise typically developing 6-y-olds in an intervention deployed at their own school. The games elicit transfer of some EF, which cascades to real-world measures of school performance. More importantly, the intervention equalizes academic outcomes across children who regularly attend school and those who do not because of social and familiar circumstances. Executive functions (EF) in children can be trained, but it remains unknown whether training-related benefits elicit far transfer to real-life situations. Here, we investigate whether a set of computerized games might yield near and far transfer on an experimental and an active control group of low-SES otherwise typically developing 6-y-olds in a 3-mo pretest–training–posttest design that was ecologically deployed (at school). The intervention elicits transfer to some (but not all) facets of executive function. These changes cascade to real-world measures of school performance. The intervention equalizes academic outcomes across children who regularly attend school and those who do not because of social and familiar circumstances.
Performance Modeling and Prediction of Nondedicated Network Computing

The low cost and wide availability of networks of workstations have made them an attractive solution for high performance computing. However, while a network of workstations may be readily available, these workstations may be privately owned and the owners may not want others to interrupt their priority in using the computer. Assuming machine owners have a preemptive priority, in this paper, we study the parallel processing capacity of a privately owned network of workstations. A mathematical model is developed to predict performance for nondedicated network computing. It also considers systems with heterogeneous machine utilization and heterogeneous service distribution. This model separates the influence of machine utilization, sequential job service rate, and parallel task allocation on the parallel completion time. It is simple and valuable for guiding task scheduling in a nondedicated environment.
MRTree :

MapReduce is a paradigm that allows parallel processing of large amounts of data. MapReduce programs combined with their underlying run-time framework have distinctive features that are prone to include unexpected behaviors not present in other types of programs. This paper describes an approach to functional testing of MapReduce programs based on a hierarchical classification of a number of potential faults that may occur in MapReduce programs over Hadoop. This classification, called MRTree, is then used to derive test cases able to detect the faults represented in MRTree and illustrated with some examples. Keywords— Testing, MapReduce, Big Data, Hadoop
GC/MS Analysis of Some Extractives from Eichhornia crassipes

Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth) is an invasive weed that causes serious issues for rivers, lakes, and other reservoirs around the world, although it can be an excellent source for bioactive compounds such as phytosterols and some steroids found in many plants. In this study, water hyacinth samples from both Durango and Distrito Federal in Mexico were collected. Ascendant extracts (cyclohexane, hexane, acetone, and methanol) from their leaves, stems, and roots were analyzed. Using boron trifluoride (~10% [~1.3 M] in 1-butanol), all extracts were derivatized. Twenty-four derivatized samples were analyzed using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method. Twenty carboxylic acids were found, as well as squalene, which was found in nine extract samples: four cyclohexane extracts, one hexane extract, three acetone extracts, and two methanol extracts. A compound not reported before, Beta-stigmasterol, was identified on three hexane extracts, an acetone extract, and a methalonic extract. Spirostane in acetone root extract and cholestane in cyclohexane stem-leaf extract were also identified.
Value of the frontal planar QRS-T angle on cardiac dysfunction in patients with old myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVES To explore a method of surface electrocardiogram for assessing cardiac dysfunction in patients with old myocardial infarction. METHODS 1000 patients with old myocardial infarction in Anzhen hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The planar QRS-T angle was calculated automatically according to QRS-wave and T-wave vectors by the electrocardiogram machine. RESULTS Among these 1000 patients, 822 (82.2%) were male and 178 (17.8%) were female, the mean age was 59.3±10.5 years (34~89 years). The average planar QRS-T angle was 88.5±50.6°. The planar QRS-T angle and LVEF was negative correlation (r=-0.406, p<0.01), the lower the LVEF, the better the relationship with planar QRS-T angle. QRS-T angle>90° had optimal sensitivity and specificity (76%, 74%) in diagnosis of cardiac dysfunction. CONCLUSION The planar QRS-T angle and LVEF of patients with old myocardial infarction is negative correlation, the larger the planar QRS-T angle, the lower the LVEF. The planar QRS-T angle may be an easier and more feasible index for assessing cardiac dysfunction in patients with old myocardial infarction.
On the Rebound: Focusing on Someone New Helps Anxiously Attached Individuals Let Go of Ex-Partners

The present research demonstrates that focusing on someone new may help anxiously attached individuals overcome attachment to an ex-romantic partner, suggesting one possible motive behind so-called rebound relationships. A correlational study revealed that the previously demonstrated link between anxious attachment and longing for an ex-partner was disrupted when anxiously attached individuals had new romantic partners. Two experiments demonstrated that this detachment from an ex can be induced by randomly assigning anxiously attached individuals to believe they will easily find a new partner (through bogus feedback in Study 2 and an ease of retrieval task in Study 3). This research suggests that for anxiously attached individuals, focusing on someone new can be an adaptive part of the breakup recovery process.
A GPU-based framework for simulation of medical ultrasound

Simulation of ultrasound (US) images from volumetric medical image data has been shown to be an important tool in medical image analysis. However, there is a trade off between the accuracy of the simulation and its real-time performance. In this paper, we present a framework for acceleration of ultrasound simulation on the graphics processing unit (GPU) of commodity computer hardware. Our framework can accommodate ultrasound modeling with varying degrees of complexity. To demonstrate the flexibility of our proposed method, we have implemented several models of acoustic propagation through 3D volumes. We conducted multiple experiments to evaluate the performance of our method for its application in multi-modal image registration and training. The results demonstrate the high performance of the GPU accelerated simulation outperforming CPU implementations by up to two orders of magnitude and encourage the investigation of even more realistic acoustic models.
Chapter 10 Synchronization

Synchronization So far, we have mainly studied synchronous algorithms. Generally, asynchro-nous algorithms are more difficult to obtain. Also it is substantially harder to reason about asynchronous algorithms than about synchronous ones. For instance , computing a BFS tree (Chapter 3) efficiently requires much more work in an asynchronous system. However, many real systems are not synchronous, and we therefore have to design asynchronous algorithms. In this chapter, we will look at general simulation techniques, called synchronizers, that allow running synchronous algorithms in asynchronous environments. A synchronizer generates sequences of clock pulses at each node of the network satisfying the condition given by the following definition. Definition 10.1 (valid clock pulse). We call a clock pulse generated at a node v valid if it is generated after v received all the messages of the synchronous algorithm sent to v by its neighbors in the previous pulses. Given a mechanism that generates the clock pulses, a synchronous algorithm is turned into an asynchronous algorithm in an obvious way: As soon as the i th clock pulse is generated at node v, v performs all the actions (local computations and sending of messages) of round i of the synchronous algorithm. Theorem 10.2. If all generated clock pulses are valid according to Definition 10.1, the above method provides an asynchronous algorithm that behaves exactly the same way as the given synchronous algorithm. Proof. When the i th pulse is generated at a node v, v has sent and received exactly the same messages and performed the same local computations as in the first i − 1 rounds of the synchronous algorithm. The main problem when generating the clock pulses at a node v is that v cannot know what messages its neighbors are sending to it in a given synchronous round. Because there are no bounds on link delays, v cannot simply wait " long enough " before generating the next pulse. In order satisfy Definition 10.1, nodes have to send additional messages for the purpose of synchronization. The total 101
An Effective Intelligent Model for Medical Diagnosis

A hybrid data mining model is proposed for finding an optimal number of different pathological types of any disease, and extracting the most significant features for each pathological type. This model is improved in order to reach the fewer subsets of features that have the most impact distinctive of each pathological type. This improvement is lead to the great importance in the decision making of the diagnosis process without confusion or ambiguity between the different variations of the diseases. This model and its optimization are based on fuzzy clustering, nearest neighbor classification, sequential backward search method, and averaging schema for features selection. Experiments have been conducted on three real medical datasets that have different diagnoses. The results show that the highest classification performance is obtained using our optimized model, and this is very promising compared to Naivebayes, Linear and Polykernal Support Vector Machine (SVM), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), and Support Feature Machines (SFM) models.
Excessive Leukotriene B4 in Nucleus Tractus Solitarii Is Prohypertensive in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Inflammation within the brain stem microvasculature has been associated with chronic cardiovascular diseases. We found that the expression of several enzymes involved in arachidonic acid-leukotriene B4 (LTB4) production was altered in nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) of spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). LTB4 produced from arachidonic acid by 5-lipoxygenase is a potent chemoattractant of leukocytes. Leukotriene B4-12-hydroxydehydrogenase (LTB4-12-HD), which degrades LTB4, was downregulated in SHR rats compared with that in Wistar-Kyoto rats. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that LTB4-12-HD was reduced by 63% and 58% in the NTS of adult SHR and prehypertensive SHR, respectively, compared with that in age-matched Wistar-Kyoto rats (n=6). 5-lipoxygenase gene expression was upregulated in the NTS of SHR (≈50%; n=6). LTB4 levels were increased in the NTS of the SHR, (17%; n=10, P<0.05). LTB4 receptors BLT1 (but not BLT2) were expressed on astroglia in the NTS but not neurons or vessels. Microinjection of LTB4 into the NTS of Wistar-Kyoto rats increased both leukocyte adherence and arterial pressure for over 4 days (peak: +15 mm Hg; P<0.01). In contrast, blockade of NTS BLT1 receptors lowered blood pressure in the SHR (peak: −13 mm Hg; P<0.05) but not in Wistar-Kyoto rats. Thus, excessive amounts of LTB4 in NTS of SHR, possibly as a result of upregulation of 5-lipoxygenase and downregulation of LTB4-12-HD, can induce inflammation. Because blockade of NTS BLT1 receptors lowered arterial pressure in the SHR, their endogenous activity may contribute to the hypertensive state of this rodent model. Thus, inflammatory reactions in the brain stem are causally associated with neurogenic hypertension.
MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF ENJOYMENT IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO PARTICIPATION IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL

For many years, the status of physical education (PE) in public schools in Palestine as well as other countries was jeopardized. However, the decline of engagement in PE and the reduction and/or elimination of PE programs in the US and other countries including Palestine, along with the increased obesity and sedentary behaviors among children, have motivated governments in countries like Canada, the United States and England to take action (Cairney et al., 2007; & Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency, 2007). Students in the United States and other countries, including Palestine, tend to demonstrate negative attitudes toward physical education (PE) at the middle and high school levels. Middle and high school students who do demonstrate a positive attitude toward PE suggest that it is because of an enjoyment. Thus, to change students’ negative attitude at schools in Palestine, enjoyment in PE classes is a promising way to achieve this. The purpose of this study was to investigate Palestinian elementary school students’ enjoyment in physical education (PE) classes and physical activity (PA) and the teaching practices that predict this enjoyment in PE. The relationship between Palestine students’ enjoyment in PE classes and their engagement in physical activities were also investigated. Participants (n= 203) included students from elementary public schools (6th grade) in West Bank/Palestine. Participants’ ages ranged from 10 to 13 years. The students completed the following surveys: 1) PE Enjoyment Scale, 2) Physical Education Teaching Processes Questionnaire, 3) Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children, and, 4) Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale. T-test and
Language and Culture in Health Literacy for People Living with HIV: Perspectives of Health Care Providers and Professional Care Team Members

Low health literacy has been linked to inadequate engagement in care and may serve as a contributor to poor health outcomes among people living with HIV and AIDS. The purpose of this paper was to examine the perspectives of health care providers and professional care team members regarding health literacy in HIV disease. A secondary data analysis was conducted from a qualitative study aimed at understanding factors that help an HIV positive person to manage their HIV disease. Data were collected from sites in Botswana, the US, and Puerto Rico. In the parent study, data were collected through focus group discussions with 135 people living with HIV, 32 HIV health care providers (HCPs), and 39 HIV professional care team members (PCTMs). SPSS was used to analyze quantitative data while ATLAS.ti was used to analyze qualitative data. The findings from analyses of the perspectives of HCPs/PCTMs suggested that linguistic and cultural factors were important themes in the exchange of HIV information between health care providers and PLHIV. These themes included ineffective communication, health seeking behavior, cultural facilitators, and complementary and alternative/traditional healing methods. Thus, this study suggests that language and culture have a major role in health literacy for PLHIV.
On storing and retrieving geospatial big-data in cloud

Cloud storage is a kind of external storage which can provide by unlimited storage space with high availability and low cost on maintenance. On the other side, the size of geospatial data is too large and is increasing dramatically which makes such data is hard to be stored in the local data warehouse. Hence following the benefits of Cloud storage, such geospatial data is suitable to be stored in Cloud storage and managed by local data warehouse. However, there is a gap between Cloud storages and data warehouses built on traditional infrastructures, such as the mostly adopted massive parallel processing (MPP) based data warehouse. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a middleware-like architecture to connect MPP data warehouse and Cloud storage. It supports traditional geospatial data retrieving while integrating the Cloud storage lineage by a set of technical designs. Based on the prototype system and practical data, we demonstrate the appreciable performance and the flexibility for other third parties' development. Another major contribution of this paper is that we implement the prototype on open-source data warehouse and we make it open-sourced to public.
ge , trauma and the critical shoulder angle accurately predict upraspinatus tendon

Background: The pathogenesis of full-thickness tears of the rotator cuff remains unclear. Apart from age and trauma, distinct scapular morphologies have been found to be associated with rotator cuff disease. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether a score formed using these established risk factors was able to predict the presence of a rotator cuff tear reliably. Methods: We retrospectively assessed a consecutive series of patients with a minimal age of 40 years old, who had true antero-posterior (AP) radiographs of their shoulders, as well as a magnetic resonance (MR) gadolinium-arthrography, between January and December 2011. In all of these patients, the critical shoulder angle (CSA) was determined, and MR images were assessed for the presence of rotator cuff tears. Additionally, the patients’ charts were reviewed to obtain details of symptom onset. Based on these factors, the so-called rotator cuff tear (RCT) score was calculated. Results: Patients with full-thickness RCTs were significantly older and had significantly larger CSAs than patients with intact rotator cuffs. Multiple logistic regression, using trauma, age and CSA as independent variables, revealed areas under the curve (AUCs) for trauma of 0.55, for age of 0.65 and for CSA of 0.86. The combination of all three factors was the most powerful predictor, with an AUC of 0.92. Conclusion: Age, trauma and the CSA can accurately predict the presence of a posterosuperior RCT. Level of evidence: Level IV. Case series with no comparison groups. © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.