Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Techniques for Low-overhead and No-overhead Communication Using Commodity Superscalar Processors

Previous researchers in user-level message-passing parallel computing have attempted to reduce communication overhead via several techniques: integrating part or all of the network interface (NI) on the CPUU8, 2], allowing NI device register accesses to be cachedd11, 6], or using polling to avoid the overhead of interruptss15, 18]. Unfortunately, these techniques incur signiicant overhead if applied to a superscalar processor system. We have developed architectural features that have the potential to alleviate these overheads. In this paper we present the results of simulations which demonstrate successful overlap of communication overhead and network latency with useful work. This beneet was achieved without sacriicing programmibility | our message-passing libraries use PVM semantics.
Novel techniques of laser acceleration: from structures to plasmas

Compact accelerators of the future will require enormous accelerating gradients that can only be generated using high power laser beams. Two novel techniques of laser particle acceleration are discussed. The first scheme is based on a solid-state accelerating structure powered by a short pulse CO2 laser. The planar structure consists of two SiC films, separated by a vacuum gap, grown on Si wafers. Particle acceleration takes place inside the gap by a surface electromagnetic wave excited at the vacuum/SiC interface. Laser coupling is accomplished through the properly designed Si grating. This structure can be inexpensively manufactured using standard microfabrication techniques and can support accelerating fields well in excess of 1 GeV m−1 without breakdown. The second scheme utilizes a laser beatwave to excite a high-amplitude plasma wave, which accelerates relativistic particles. The novel aspect of this technique is that it takes advantage of the nonlinear bi-stability of the relativistic plasma wave to drive it close to the wavebreaking.
Designing alignment and improvising change: Experiences in the public sector using the SPRING methodology

If information systems (IS) are to yield real benefits for organisations, it is critical that they support the business goals of the enterprise and that they are successfully assimilated into routine use by organisational members. The conventional solutions to the achievement of strategic alignment and the management of change in IS development are typically top-down, relying in both areas on a rational, planned approach. This paper describes a BPR framework, known as SPRINT, which adopts a different strategy. Following Ciborra (1997), it is argued that alignment is most effectively achieved when “designed into” the whole IS life-cycle (including evaluation) as an omnipresent issue of ongoing concern to all participants. Regarding change, an incremental approach is advocated, drawing on the improvisational change model of Orlikowski and Hoffman (1997). The paper provides an overview of SPRINT followed by a case study illustrating its use in a local authority on a project to re-engineer IS support for the authority’s decision-making process. The methodology has now been deployed on a number of projects, with generally positive results. This is adduced as strong evidence for the methodological validity of the framework, especially in the two key areas of alignment and change. Other aspects of SPRINT are discussed, in particular the use of methodology as a tool for knowledge management. David Wastell, Peter Kawalek, Mike Willetts 1126
Effect of Fly Ash Additive on Concrete Properties

The utilization of fly ash in concrete as partial replacement of cement is gaining immense importance today, mainly on account of the improvement in the long-term durability of concrete combined with ecological benefits. Three grades of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) namely: 33, 43 and 53 as classified by Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) are commonly used in construction industry. This paper reports a comparative study on effects of concrete properties when OPC of varying grades were partially replaced by fly ash. The main variable investigated in this study is variation of fly ash dosage of 10%, 20%, 30% and 40%. The compressive strength, durability and shrinkage of concrete were mainly studied. Test results shows that, inclusion of fly ash generally improves the concrete properties upto certain percent of replacement in all grades of OPC.
Bilirubin Exerts Additional Toxic Effects in Hypoxic Cultured Neurons from the Developing Rat Brain by the Recruitment of Glutamate Neurotoxicity

Both hypoxia and bilirubin are common risk factors in newborns, which may act synergistically to produce anatomical and functional disturbances of the CNS. Using primary cultures of neurons from the fetal rat brain, it was recently reported that neuronal apoptosis accounts for the deleterious consequences of these two insults. To investigate the influence of hypoxia, bilirubin, or their combination on the outcome of neuronal cells of the immature brain, and delineate cellular mechanisms involved, 6-d-old cultured neurons were submitted to either hypoxia (6 h), unconjugated bilirubin (0.5 μM), or to combined conditions. Within 96 h, cell viability was reduced by 22.7% and 24.5% by hypoxia and bilirubin, respectively, whereas combined treatments decreased vital score by 34%. Nuclear morphology revealed 13.4% of apoptotic cells after hypoxia, 16.2% after bilirubin, and 22.6% after both treatments. Bilirubin action was specifically blocked by the glutamate receptor antagonist MK-801, which was without effect on the consequences of hypoxia. Temporal changes in [3H]leucine incorporation rates as well as beneficial effects of cycloheximide reflected a programed phenomenon dependent upon synthesis of selective proteins. The presence of bilirubin reduced hypoxia-induced alterations of cell energy metabolism, as reflected by 2-d-[3H]deoxyglucose incorporation, raising the question of free radical scavenging. Measurements of intracellular radical generation, however, failed to confirm the antioxidant role of bilirubin. Taken together, our data suggest that low levels of bilirubin may enhance hypoxia effects in immature neurons by facilitating glutamate-mediated apoptosis through the activation of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors.
Dim Light at Night Does Not Disrupt Timing or Quality of Sleep in Mice

Artificial nighttime illumination has recently become commonplace throughout the world; however, in common with other animals, humans have not evolved in the ecological context of chronic light at night. With prevailing evidence linking the circadian, endocrine, immune, and metabolic systems, understanding these relationships is important to understanding the etiology and progression of several diseases. To eliminate the covariate of sleep disruption in light at night studies, researchers often use nocturnal animals. However, the assumption that light at night does not affect sleep in nocturnal animals remains unspecified. To test the effects of light at night on sleep, we maintained Swiss-Webster mice in standard light/dark (LD) or dim light at night (DLAN) conditions for 8–10 wks and then measured electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) biopotentials via wireless telemetry over the course of two consecutive days to determine differences in sleep timing and homeostasis. Results show no statistical differences in total percent time, number of episodes, maximum or average episode durations in wake, slow-wave sleep (SWS), or rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. No differences were evident in SWS delta power, an index of sleep drive, between groups. Mice kept in DLAN conditions showed a relative increase in REM sleep during the first few hours after the dark/light transition. Both groups displayed normal 24-h circadian rhythms as measured by voluntary running wheel activity. Groups did not differ in body mass, but a marked negative correlation of body mass with percent time spent awake and a positive correlation of body mass with time spent in SWS was evident. Elevated body mass was also associated with shorter maximum wake episode durations, indicating heavier animals had more trouble remaining in the wake vigilance state for extended periods of time. Body mass did not correlate with activity levels, nor did activity levels correlate with time spent in different sleep states. These data indicate that heavier animals tend to sleep more, potentially contributing to further weight gain. We conclude that chronic DLAN exposure does not significantly affect sleep timing or homeostasis in mice, supporting the use of dim light with nocturnal rodents in chronobiology research to eliminate the possible covariate of sleep disruption.
Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems ( PACIS ) 1-1-2010 World-Class IS-Enabled Business Innovation : A Case Study of IS Leadership , Strategy & Governance

While many global corporations acknowledge they lack corporate capabilities for successful technology-enabled business innovation, an Australian financial services provider has been ranked by an international ratings agency in its highest categories due to the capabilities of its Information Systems. Its Loan Processing system has been commended by the ratings agency as the principal reason for its high ranking and for the organization’s inclusion on a global list of selected service providers. This paper presents a longitudinal case study of how an organization with 750 employees located in rural Australia came to develop world-class strategic Information Systems. From its first system nearly 30 years ago, this paper shows how the organization has grown in-house capabilities to devise, develop, implement and manage applications of technology from operational systems that automate specific functions to systems that inform and enable enterprise strategy. The implications for theory and practice are discussed.
A ZRS duplication causes syndactyly type IV with tibial hypoplasia

A ZRS Duplication Causes Syndactyly Type IV With Tibial Hypoplasia Lingqian Wu,* Desheng Liang, Norio Niikawa, Fen Ma, Miao Sun, Qian Pan, Zhigao Long, Zhongmin Zhou, Koh-ichiro Yoshiura, Hua Wang, Daisuke Sato, Gen Nishimura, Heping Dai, Xue Zhang, and Jiahui Xia National Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China Solution Oriented Research of Science and Technology (SORST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Kawaguchi, Japan Research Institute of Personalized Health Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Japan McKusick-Zhang Center for Genetic Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China Department of Human Genetics, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan Women and Children’s Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China Department of Radiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Kiyose Children’s Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
Lax monitoring versus logical intuition: The determinants of confidence in conjunction fallacy

ABSTRACT The general assumption that people fail to notice discrepancy between their answer and the normative answer in the conjunction fallacy task has been challenged by the theory of Logical Intuition. This theory suggests that people can detect the conflict between the heuristic and normative answers even if they do not always manage to inhibit their intuitive choice. This theory gained support from the finding that people report lower levels of confidence in their choice after they commit the conjunction fallacy compared to when their answer is not in conflict with logic. In four experiments we asked the participants to give probability estimations to the options of the conflict and no-conflict versions of the tasks in the original set-up of the experiment or in a three-option design. We found that participants perceive probabilities for the options of the conflict version less similar than for the no-conflict version. As people are less confident when choosing between more similar options, this similarity difference is proposed to serve as a mediator in the task in a way that the conflict and no-conflict conditions have their effects on confidence ratings through manipulating the similarity of the answer options.
Malignant Catecholamine-Secreting Carotid Body Paraganglioma

The second known case of a malignant catecholamine-secreting (DA)-secreting carotid body paraganglioma is presented. Dopamine synthesis and secretion can be increased in malignant tumors derived from neural crest cells. Whether this is true, in addition, for extra-adrenal paragangliomas is not yet clear. Malignant paragangliomas of the carotid body and larynx, although rare, frequently have been accompanied by increased catecholamine secretion. Malignant catecholamine-secreting carotid body paragangliomas are best treated by composite resection (internal carotid artery and neck dissection), with special attention being given to measures preventing severe hypertension and arrhythmias in the perioperative period.
Yama: a scalable generational garbage collector for Java in multiprocessor systems

The current state-of-the-art generational garbage collector pauses all the program threads when it performs young and old generation garbage collection. As the number of program threads increases, the delay due to garbage collection also increases, thus restricting the scalability of the collector. In order to improve the scalability and reduce the pause time, an on-the-fly generational garbage collector called Yama is proposed for multiprocessor systems. This uses the on-the-fly deferred reference counting in the young generation and the DLG (Doligez Leroy Gonthier) on-the-fly mark and sweep garbage collector in the old generation. We have proposed and experimented with two novel variations of the on-the-fly deferred reference counting called Chitragupt1 and Chitragupt2 in the young generation. Yama does not pause all the application threads simultaneously. An adaptive tenuring policy based on object reference count and survival rate is also proposed. Yama has been implemented in the IBM Jikes RVM (research virtual machine). The above claims are supported with experimental results for standard benchmark programs. The results show that Yama has an extremely low pause time in both the young and the old generation. The pause time reduction results in better response times for the user programs.
Adaptive proportionality-Opportunistic Scheduling for High Speed Packet Access MIMO Systems

In MIMO system, it is known that Multi-user diversity can be used to increase the sum system throughput. The maximization of the throughput under quality of service (QoS) constraints is a still open field for research. In this paper, a scheduling algorithm that uses fairness among users as a QoS constraint is considered. This algorithm, called Adaptive Proportionality Opportunistic Scheduling (APOS), can meet a trade-off between throughput and fairness. To achieve this goal the APOS scheme allocates each spatial channel by sorting users in a descending order of their channel signal to interference plus noise ratios (SINR), and selects the user owning the worst case performance among the L users owning the first sorted SINRs. Accordingly, each space channel is allocated to the user owning the L best SINRs and a min of average rate to proportionality coefficient rate r_k(t)/ k α . To show the performance of the proposed scheme a selection of simulation results is used. These results show that APOS outperforms some well-known scheduling algorithms.
Does Public Access Computing Really Contribute to Community Development? Lessons from Libraries, Telecentres and Cybercafés in Colombia

The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) can contribute to local community development and help connect local communities to global issues. Public access computing (PAC) venues such as telecenters, public libraries and cybercafés make ICT more broadly available and extend the benefits of ICT to underserved populations. This paper discusses findings from a study of the contribution of PAC to community development in Colombia, with particular attention to the town of Carmen de Bolívar. This town has a strong tradition of community organization for social development, and a long history of violence that has shaped its social fabric. While the introduction of PAC may not have contributed significantly to community development, use of ICT gives the local population a sense of belonging to a larger, global community, which in turn may help local activities in support of community development. We conclude that personal friendships and entertainment are perceived as stronger benefits of PAC, not community development or social transformation. Future research can explore if personal friendships and entertainment can be indirect contributors to community development.
Some applications of source coding in cryptography

It is shown that the techniques of source coding (or "data compression") can be usefully applied in cryptography. Five source coding schemes (Shannon- Fano coding, Huffman coding, Lynch-Davisson coding, Elias-Willems coding, and Lempel-Ziv coding) are reviewed and their characteristics delineated. It is then shown how the last three of these schemes, which are of the universal source coding type, can be advantageously used to create strongly-ideal ciphers, to perform "universal" homophonic substitution, to test random bit generators, and to strengthen running-key generators for stream ciphers.
Expression of protein F, the fibronectin-binding protein of Streptococcus pyogenes JRS4, in heterologous streptococcal and enterococcal strains promotes their adherence to respiratory epithelial cells

In a previous study we reported the identification of protein F, a fibronectin-binding protein that was essential to the ability of Streptococcus pyogenes JRS4 to adhere to respiratory epithelial cells (E. Hanski and M. Caparon, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 89:6172-6176, 1992). To further evaluate the role of protein F in the adherence of the group A streptococci, we screened other group A streptococcal strains, including six recent clinical isolates, and one strain of Enterococcus faecalis for their capacity to bind fibronectin and for the presence of the gene encoding protein F (prtF). Seven of eight group A streptococcal strains analyzed, including all recent clinical isolates, both bound fibronectin at high affinity and contained DNA sequences that hybridized with a prtF-specific probe. One group A streptococcal isolate and the strain of E. faecalis examined neither contained a prtF-related gene nor bound fibronectin. These two strains also could not efficiently adhere to respiratory epithelial cells. However, upon the introduction of the cloned prtF gene, both of these strains gained the capacity to bind fibronectin and to adhere to respiratory epithelial cells. These results suggest that protein F is an important adhesin, which may have a general role in the virulence of the group A streptococci.
Rho activation patterns after spinal cord injury and the role of activated Rho in apoptosis in the central nervous system

Growth inhibitory proteins in the central nervous system (CNS) block axon growth and regeneration by signaling to Rho, an intracellular GTPase. It is not known how CNS trauma affects the expression and activation of RhoA. Here we detect GTP-bound RhoA in spinal cord homogenates and report that spinal cord injury (SCI) in both rats and mice activates RhoA over 10-fold in the absence of changes in RhoA expression. In situ Rho-GTP detection revealed that both neurons and glial cells showed Rho activation at SCI lesion sites. Application of a Rho antagonist (C3–05) reversed Rho activation and reduced the number of TUNEL-labeled cells by ∼50% in both injured mouse and rat, showing a role for activated Rho in cell death after CNS injury. Next, we examined the role of the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) in Rho signaling. After SCI, an up-regulation of p75NTR was detected by Western blot and observed in both neurons and glia. Treatment with C3–05 blocked the increase in p75NTR expression. Experiments with p75NTR-null mutant mice showed that immediate Rho activation after SCI is p75NTR dependent. Our results indicate that blocking overactivation of Rho after SCI protects cells from p75NTR-dependent apoptosis.
Evaluation of autohydrolysis process for cellulases production by Aspergillus niger van Tieghem using corncob biomass

M. Michelin, D. S. Ruzene, D. P. Silva, A. A. Vicente, J. A. Teixeira and M. L. T. M. Polizeli IBB Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centro de Engenharia Biologica, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciencias e Letras de Ribeirao Preto, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Campus Ribeirao Preto, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, 14040-901 Ribeirao Preto/SP, Brazil Instituto de Tecnologia e Pesquisa, Universidade Tiradentes, Campus Farolândia, Av. Murilo Dantas 300, 49032-490 Aracaju-SE, Brasil. Nucleo de Engenharia de Producao, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Av. Marechal Rondon s/n, 49100-000 Sao Cristovao/SE, Brazil
Effect of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors on Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality

Depression in patients with coronary artery disease is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. It is not clear, however, if treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) decreases the rate of future cardiovascular events. This paper reviews the available literature regarding the effect of SSRI use on cardiovascular outcomes. Thirteen studies addressing this issue were identified. Of these, 5 concluded that SSRI use is associated with decreased cardiovascular morbidity or mortality, 2 concluded that SSRI use was associated with worsened prognosis, and 6 studies found no statistically significant association. Almost all of the published literature examining the effect of SSRIs on cardiovascular outcomes is based on observational studies, thereby precluding definitive conclusions. Randomized controlled studies are clearly needed to definitively address this issue.
Optimal Independent Encoding Schemes for Several Classes of Discrete Degraded Broadcast Channels

Let X → Y → Z be a discrete memoryless degraded broadcast channel (DBC) with marginal transition probability matrices TY X and TZX . Denote q as the distribution of the channel input X . For any given q, and H(Y |X) ≤ s ≤ H(Y ), where H(Y |X) is the conditional entropy of Y given X and H(Y ) is the entropy of Y , define the function F ∗ TY X ,TZX (q, s) as the infimum of H(Z|U), the conditional entropy of Z given U with respect to all discrete random variables U such that a) H(Y |U) = s, and b) U and Y, Z are conditionally independent given X . This paper studies the function F ∗, its properties and its calculation. This paper then applies these results to several classes of DBCs including the broadcast Z channel, the inputsymmetric DBC, which includes the degraded broadcast group-addition channel, and the discrete degraded multiplication channel. This paper provides independent encoding schemes and demonstrates that each achieve the boundary of the capacity region for the corresponding class of DBCs. This paper first represents the capacity region of the DBC X → Y → Z with the function F ∗ TY X ,TZX . Secondly, this paper shows that the OR approach, an independent encoding scheme, achieves the optimal boundary of the capacity region for the multi-user broadcast Z channel. This paper then studies the inputsymmetric DBC, introduces the permutation approach, an independent encoding scheme, for the inputsymmetric DBC and proves its optimality. As a consequence, the group-addition approach achieves the optimal boundary of the capacity region for the degraded broadcast group-addition channel. Finally, this paper studies the discrete degraded broadcast multiplication channel and shows that the multiplication approach achieves the boundary of the capacity region for the discrete degraded broadcast multiplication channel.