Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Load Balance Algorithms

The Information technology Infrastructure plays an important role in the success of business applications. However, these applications suffer from performance and availability. In this vain, resource utilization is out of balance. Load balancing is very important approach to minimize the execution time because it has many processes units that are running in the same time. It is important to decompose the tasks among processors to achieve load balance. We distinguish two approaches to solve load balance: static and dynamic. Each approach has many algorithms which are not yet evaluated to understand the advancements as well as weaknesses over each other. The main purpose of this paper is to help in design of new algorithms in future by studying the behavior of various existing algorithms. We are going to evaluate these algorithms based on new parameters such as process migration, overhead, scalability and availability.
Decreased basal production of nitric oxide in patients with heart disease.

STUDY OBJECTIVES The pathophysiologic role of nitric oxide (NO) released in the lung is not well understood. To determine whether the production of endogenous NO is correlated with any hemodynamic parameters, we measured the amount of NO released from the lung tissue of patients with heart disease. METHODS Twenty patients (14 with ischemic heart disease, 4 with dilated cardiomyopathy, and 2 with mitral stenosis) and 16 normal control subjects were enrolled in the study. We measured exhaled air samples by using a method developed in our laboratory. The NO release rate from the lungs was calculated from the amount of exhaled NO and the duration of the exhalation. RESULTS The rate of NO release was significantly lower in the patients with moderate-to-severe heart failure (New York Heart Association [NYHA] II or III) than in those with mild heart failure (NYHA I) or in normal control subjects. The rate of NO release was positively correlated with the cardiac index (r=0.50, p<0.05), and was negatively correlated with either the systemic (r= -0.58, p<0.01) or pulmonary vascular resistance (r=-0.45, p<0.05). In the patients with moderate-to-severe heart failure, the amount of NO released and the oxygen tension in the pulmonary artery were significantly lower compared with those parameters in patients with mild heart failure. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that the basal production of endogenous NO in the lung tissue of patients with heart failure is impaired, perhaps leading to the elevated pulmonary vascular tone seen in patients with moderate-to-severe heart failure.
Eicosanoids and Their Drugs in Cardiovascular Diseases: Focus on Atherosclerosis and Stroke

Eicosanoids are biologically active lipids in both physiologic and pathophysiologic situations. These mediators rapidly generate at sites of inflammation and act through specific receptors that following the generation of a signal transduction cascade, lead to coordinated cellular responses to specific stimuli. Prostanoids, that is, prostaglandins and thromboxane A2, are active products of the cyclooxygenase pathway, while leukotrienes and lipoxins derive from the lipoxygenase pathway. In addition, a complex family of prostaglandin isomers called isoprostanes is derived as free‐radical products of oxidative metabolism. While there is a wide consensus on the importance of the balance between proaggregating (thromboxane A2) and antiaggregating (prostacyclin) cyclooxygenase products in cardiovascular homeostasis, an increasing body of evidence suggests a key role also for other eicosanoids generated by lipoxygenases, epoxygenases, and nonenzymatic pathways in cardiovascular diseases. This intricate network of lipid mediators is unique considering that from a single precursor, arachidonic acid, may derive an array of bioproducts that interact within each other synergizing or, more often, behaving as functional antagonists.
Age at Onset: An Essential Variable for the Definition of Genetic Risk Factors for Sporadic Alzheimer's Disease

The aim of our work was to detect minor loci acting as Alzheimer's disease (AD) genetic markers. We divided 206 AD patients and 186 individuals as controls into six age at onset/age‐dependent groups. We studied polymorphisms of the genes of apolipoprotein E (APOE) and its promoter, cathepsin D, butyrylcholinesterase, cystatin C, methionine synthase, and cystathionine beta‐synthase. Our results demonstrated that data analysis according to age at onset allows the detection of minor genetic risk factors for AD. Thus, the Th1/E47cs‐G allele was an independent AD risk factor after 80 years, whereas the catD‐T, BChE‐K, CBS‐844ins68, and CBS‐VNTR 19 alleles are independent AD risk factors after 75 years. On the other hand, the CST3‐A allele was an independent AD risk factor before 60 years while the CBS‐VNTR allele 21 was an independent AD risk factor before 64 years. In contrast, the MS‐AA genotype was an AD risk factor unrelated to age at onset. In conclusion, two main tasks remain to be accomplished to facilitate early detection of people at risk of developing AD: (1) the establishment of common criteria to carry out association studies for different genetic markers, including the introduction of AD age at onset as a crucial variable in each study, and (2) the definition of global and population‐specific genetic markers for each age at onset AD subgroup.
Chemical and biochemical studies on carbohydrate esters. VIII. Antitumor activity of sucrose fatty acid esters.

The monoester compositions of nine new sucrose fatty acid ester preparations produced industrially, which contain mono-, di-, and polyesters of stearic and palmitic acids in different ratios, were quantitatively analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. Monoester-rich preparations had a marked cell growth inhibiting effect upon L-5178Y, as determined by the tissue culture method. It was observed that the ID50 values tend to decrease with increase in HLB (hydrophile-lipophile balance) values. These preparations were effective against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma as determined by the total packed cell volume method. Preparations consisting mainly of monoesters increased the life spans of mice bearing Ehrlich ascites tumor, but were not effective against L-1210.
Experimental Viral Hepatitis

The use of improved fixation in glutaraldehyde and related materials, plastic embedding, ultra-thin sections, phase contrast optics for viewing, and the use of abundant electron micrographs, stereoscans and replicas have permitted a degree of visualization not before possible. Clearly, the beginning student will find in this book a way of introducing himself to the complex structure and developmental patterns of the higher plant. I tried to imagine myself as an elementary student plunging alone into this tautly written and attractively illustrated guide through the plant. I think it would take an extraordinary student to do justice to this book and its subject by himself. However, were there a skilled teacher around to guide the neophyte, this book could prove highly successful as a teaching device. I find this an attractive addition to my reference shelf. Together with classics such as Esau's Plant Anatomy, this book can be used to visualize both the most beautiful and esoteric aspects of plant structure. The authors and publishers are to be commended for an innovative and attractive publication. The long search for an experimental animal host system for the agents of human viral hepatitis has yielded an abundance of false leads and shattered hopes. In many instances, however, the search has led to the discovery and characterization of agents which produce hepatitis in animals that often resembles the human disease in a variety of ways. A center of intensive work in this field, particularly in comparative studies of human and murine hepatitis, is the laboratory of Professor Fernando DeRitis in Naples. As one of his students and coworkers, Dr. Marcello Piazza has been a major contributor. In this new book, which represents an updated and expanded English verison of his earlier publication in Italian, Dr. Piazza has collected, organized, and clearly presented an excellent detailed summation of current knowledge of all well documented animal hepatitis viruses. Although presented in large part on the premise that the animal hepa-titides provide a useful model system for the study and understanding of the human disease, this book does far more than point out the similarities and the basic differences. It provides a compact and ready reference for those students and investigators with a primary interest in the animal diseases per se as well as for those still pursuing the human viruses with laboratory animal systems. It is particularly thorough in coverage of the abundant and easily confused …
A new adaptation scheme for low noise and fast settling phase locked loop

This paper presents a salient analog phase-locked loop that adaptively controls the loop bandwidth according to the locking status. An extended loop bandwidth enhancement is achieved by the adaptive control on the charge pump current. First of all, when the phase error is large, such as in the locking mode, the PLL increases the loop bandwidth and achieves fast locking. On the other hand, when the phase error is small, this PLL decreases the loop bandwidth and minimizes output jitters. The relationships of performance aspects to design variables are presented and the basic tradeoffs of the new concept are discussed. A circuit implementation of the adaptive PLL is described in detail and simulation result of a 50 MHz PLL in a 0.15 mum CMOS technology is presented.
Communication protocols and simulation tool development for multimedia traffic optimization in LTE networks

This work tackles the issue of multimedia traffic optimization in LTE networks. The whole approach comprises two parts: first, the analysis and design of novel communication techniques; second, the implementation and extension of the network simulation tool (ns-3) used to test and validate the proposed approaches. This key features are provided along with the description and explanation of two effective contributions to the ns-3 developers community: the evaluation of handover algorithms in LTE femtocell networks, based on a centralized mechanism handled by a Home eNodeB Gateway (HeNB-GW), and the extraction of link effective measurements to enhance the system level simulator error model, based on Mutual Information Effective SINR Metrics (MIESM).
Low‐dose short‐term hepatitis B immunoglobulin with high genetic barrier antivirals: the ideal post‐transplant hepatitis B virus prophylaxis?

Low‐dose hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and nucleos(t)ides analogs (lamivudine/adefovir) used for the prevention of hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence after liver transplantation (LT) are associated with some risk of HBV recurrence and antiviral resistance.
Psychology of Speech Production and Speech Perception

Academic year 2008-09, period 4 (April–June). Teacher: Dr Hugo Quene, see www.hugoquene. nl. The course will be styled as a tutorial, with one long meeting per week. Class meetings will be on Friday, from 9:00 to 12:45 (officially), at Trans 10, room 1.01. The course will be taught in English. The course can be done for 5 credit points, or for 7.5 credit points. In both cases you will have to write a research proposal as your final assignment (see below). If you wish to receive the additional credit points, an additional paper is required (see below).
Fibonacci Codes for Crosstalk Avoidance 1

In the deep sub micrometer CMOS process technology, the interconnect resistance, length, and interwire capacitance are increasing significantly, which contribute to large on-chip interconnect propagation delay. Data transmitted over interconnect determine the propagation delay and the delay is very significant when adjacent wires are transitioning in opposite directions (i.e., crosstalk transitions) as compared to transitioning in the same direction. Propagation delay across long on-chip buses is significant when adjacent wires are transitioning in opposite direction (i.e., crosstalk transitions) as compared to transitioning in the same direction. By exploiting Fibonacci number system, we propose a family of Fibonacci coding techniques for crosstalk avoidance, relate them to some of the existing crosstalk avoidance techniques, and show how the encoding logic of one technique can be modified to generate code words of the other technique.
Splenic Angiosarcoma Presenting With Jaundice, Ascites and Bone Marrow Fibrosis

A middle aged chronic alcoholic presented with deep jaundice, markedly enlarged and tender spleen with leukoerythroblastic blood picture and bone marrow biopsy showing mild fibrosis. He was tested negative for HIV, hepatitis B and C viruses. Besides very high serum bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase was raised four times the normal value. Contrast enhanced CT showed enlarged spleen and liver with multiple heterogenous lesions in spleen and tiny hypo-dense lesions in liver. In hospital, he developed haemolytic uraemic syndrome and succumed to his illness. At autopsy spleen weighed 5200 gms and variegated in appearance due to large areas of necrosis and whitish tumour nodules. Histology revealed morphology of an angiosarcoma. Liver was also infiltrated by the tumour mainly in and around portal tract areas.
Zoledronate upregulates MMP-9 and -13 in rat vascular smooth muscle cells by inducing oxidative stress

Background Bisphosphonates, including zoledronate, target osteoclasts and are widely used in the treatment of osteoporosis and other bone resorption diseases, despite side effects that include damaging the stomach epithelium. Beneficial and adverse effects on other organ systems, including the cardiovascular system, have also been described and could impact on the use of bisphosphonates as therapeutic agents. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are major constituents of the normal vascular wall and have a key role in intimal thickening and atherosclerosis, in part by secreting MMPs that remodel the extracellular matrix and cleave cell surface proteins or secreted mediators. In this study, we investigated the effects of zoledronate on MMP expression. Methods Rat VSMCs were stimulated by PDGF (50 ng/mL) plus TNF-α (10 ng/mL) or left unstimulated for a further 24 hours in serum-free medium. In other series of experiments, cells were pre-treated either with SC-514 (50 μM) or with apocynin (20 nM) for 2 hours, then zoledronate (100 μM) was added into 2% fetal calf serum containing medium for 24 hours. Results and discussion Using isolated rat VSMCs in culture, zoledronate (100 μM) increased MMP-9 and -13 mRNA expressions but inhibited MMP-2 expression. MMP-9 and MMP-13 up-regulation was shown to depend on the NF-κB pathway; and this was activated by zoledronate. Furthermore, zoledronate elevated the levels of reactive oxygen species detected by either dichlorofluorescein in isolated VSMCs or lucigenin enhanced chemiluminescence in rat aortic rings in vitro. Apocynin, an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase, reversed NF-κB activation and MMP-9 and MMP-13 up-regulation by zoledronate. Conclusion We conclude that zoledronate increases MMP-9 and MMP-13 expressions in rat VSMCs dependent upon stimulation of the NF-κB pathway by reactive oxygen species. Effects on MMP expression may contribute to the pharmacologic profile of bisphosphonates.
Expatriate Compensation: A Total Reward Perspective

For the past decade it has been pointed out that employee perspectives on and reactions to HRM should be reinstated within the relationship between HRM practices and performance, since employees are deemed critical to organizational outcomes. Furthermore, research has shown the limited effect of financial compensation practices on employee commitment and retention. The scarce theoretically grounded studies which have examined expatriate compensation have been guided by the view that financial compensation is a pivotal control and incentive mechanism, a flexible means to achieve corporate outcomes. This dissertation considers expatriate compensation from an individual perspective. It comprises four articles, of which three are based on empirical data. The first theoretical article brings to the fore the necessity of considering expatriate compensation as embedded into the employment relationship, which is itself entwined with the international environment of the expatriation. In the second article the relationship between expatriates' state of psychological contract related to their compensation package and affective commitment is investigated using quantitative empirical data. The third article examines more closely this previous relationship by considering the mediating role of perceived employer obligations. The fourth articles uses qualitative interview data to investigate, from a total reward perspective, what factors influence career decisions of global careerists. The dissertation shows that organizations would do well to encompass rewards most valued by expatriates into their compensation packages. Secondly, it shows that expatriates systematically assess their total reward package, interpret and give meaning to compensation signals in terms of fulfillment of perceived employer obligations. Simultaneously they re-adapt or adjust their attitudes at any moment through their employment relationship. Thus to retain expatriates organizations might do well to pay more attention to what expatriates value most in their employment relationship rather than simply paying them more.
The classification of afferents from muscle spindles of the jaw‐closing muscles of the cat.

1. The effects of the muscle‐depolarizing drug succinylcholine (SCh) on the stretch responses of jaw‐closer muscle spindle afferents were studied in the anaesthetized cat. Using ramp and hold stretches repeated every 6 s the basic measurements made were: initial frequency (IF), peak frequency (PF) and static index (SI), the frequency 0.5 s after the end of the ramp of stretch. Derived from these were: dynamic difference (DD) = PF‐IF, dynamic index (DI) = PF‐SI and static difference (SD) = SI‐IF. Increases in these measures caused by a single I.V. dose of SCh (200 micrograms kg‐1) are symbolized by the prefix delta. 2. In a population of 234 units, delta DD and delta IF were each distributed bimodally, but were uncorrelated, thus defining four subgroups. 3. delta DD was argued to be an index of the effect of bag1 intrafusal fibre contraction and delta IF to be an index of the effect of bag2 fibre contraction. On this basis it is proposed that units can be divided into four groups according to the predominant influences of the bag1, bag2 and chain fibres as b1c (6.8%), b1b2c (22.2%), b2c (54.3%) or c (16.7%). 4. Testing with sine wave stretches at 1 Hz showed that changes in mean frequency and amplitude of response caused by SCh correlated with delta IF and delta DD respectively, but separated groups of units much less effectively than did ramp and hold testing. 5. Evidence is presented to indicate that the control value of DD in passive spindles does not relate to the potential strength of bag1 fibre effects in fully activated spindles. The bag1 fibre appears to contribute little to responses of spindle afferents in the passive state. DD is superior to DI as a measure of bag1 effects. 6. Conduction velocity was unimodally distributed in masseter spindle afferents and was not correlated with delta DD or delta IF and was therefore of no value in classifying them. 7. Neither the threshold of afferents to quick transient stretch nor the coefficient of variation of interspike intervals provided any significant additional help in classification. 8. The unexpectedly high proportion of units of b2c type is thought to include primaries lacking appreciable bag1 fibre contacts and secondaries with more or less substantial bag2 contracts.
Intelligent detection of influential nodes in networks

Detection of influential nodes in networks is a key problem of prime importance for a plenty of important practical applications. Social networks, covert networks like terrorist networks have an important feature of “influential” nodes which have great implications ranging from marketing, advertisement, recommendation, controlling the spread of information in a network etc. This survey paper discusses the research on social influence analysis and the various techniques used in the detection of the influential nodes in complex networks.
Three-dimensional printing of tungsten structures by directed energy deposition

ABSTRACT Although three-dimensional (3D) printing of tungsten parts by Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) has been demonstrated by multiple research groups, a directed energy deposition (DED) process for fabricating pure tungsten structures has never been reported. This work reports successful fabrication of pure tungsten structures by DED, revealing the required process conditions. The effect of laser power, scan speed, powder feed rate and carrier gas velocity on the stability and properties of the structures is first analyzed, based on which the proper process condition for effective 3D printing of tungsten parts is proposed. Fabrication of a rectangular tube of 110 mm in height is demonstrated using an in-house DED printing system. Analyses of the fabricated samples show that the density and the hardness can be as high as 18.9 g/cm3 (98.4% of the theoretical value) and 3.9 GPa, respectively. The results indicate that the optimal condition for 3D printing of tungsten is 400 ~ 530 J/mm2 in terms of specific energy and that high-speed or high-mass injection of powder can induce waviness on the surface. This work suggests that DED can be a promising alternative to produce pure tungsten parts in various applications.
Osmotic Pressure of Aqueous Polyethylene Glycols : Relationship between Molecular Weight and Vapor Pressure Deficit.

Osmotic pressures (II) of aqueous solutions of polyethylene glycols (PEGs) of average relative molecular weight (M(r)) between 200 and 10,000 were measured using vapor pressure deficit osmometry. The relationships between molarity and II were described with high precision by second order polynomials for each of the PEGs studied. In contrast to previous reports, equivalent weights of different polymers in solution did not generate the same II; low M(r) PEGs generated a higher II than the higher M(r) PEGs. The effect of PEGs upon II represents an interaction between concentration and M(r).
Natural Selection Reduced Diversity on Human Y Chromosomes

The human Y chromosome exhibits surprisingly low levels of genetic diversity. This could result from neutral processes if the effective population size of males is reduced relative to females due to a higher variance in the number of offspring from males than from females. Alternatively, selection acting on new mutations, and affecting linked neutral sites, could reduce variability on the Y chromosome. Here, using genome-wide analyses of X, Y, autosomal and mitochondrial DNA, in combination with extensive population genetic simulations, we show that low observed Y chromosome variability is not consistent with a purely neutral model. Instead, we show that models of purifying selection are consistent with observed Y diversity. Further, the number of sites estimated to be under purifying selection greatly exceeds the number of Y-linked coding sites, suggesting the importance of the highly repetitive ampliconic regions. While we show that purifying selection removing deleterious mutations can explain the low diversity on the Y chromosome, we cannot exclude the possibility that positive selection acting on beneficial mutations could have also reduced diversity in linked neutral regions, and may have contributed to lowering human Y chromosome diversity. Because the functional significance of the ampliconic regions is poorly understood, our findings should motivate future research in this area.