Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design of an RDMA Communication Middleware for Asynchronous Shuffling in Analytical Processing

A key component in a distributed parallel analytical processing engine is shuffling, the distribution of data to multiple nodes such that the computation can be done in parallel. In this paper we describe the initial design of a communication middleware to support asynchronous shuffling of data among multiple processes on a distributed memory environment. The proposed middleware relies on RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access) operations to transfer data, and provides basic operations to send and queue data on remote machines, and to retrieve this queued data. Preliminary results show that the RDMA-based middleware can provide a 75% reduction on communication costs, when compared with a traditional sockets implementation.
The completeness of taxonomic inventories for describing the global diversity and distribution of marine fishes

Taxonomic inventories (or species censuses) are the most elementary data in biogeography, macroecology and conservation biology. They play fundamental roles in the construction of species richness patterns, delineation of species ranges, quantification of extinction risk and prioritization of conservation efforts in hot spot areas. Given their importance, any issue related to the completeness of taxonomic inventories can have far-reaching consequences. Here, we used the largest publicly available database of georeferenced marine fish records to determine its usefulness in depicting the diversity and distribution of this taxonomic group. All records were grouped at multiple spatial resolutions to generate accumulation curves, from which the expected number of species were extrapolated using a variety of nonlinear models. Comparison of the inventoried number of species with that expected from the models was used to calculate the completeness of the taxonomic inventory at each resolution. In terms of the global number of fish species, we found that approximately 21% of the species remain to be described. In terms of spatial distribution, we found that the completeness of taxonomic data was highly scale dependent, with completeness being lower at finer spatial resolutions. At a 3° (approx. 350 km2) spatial resolution, less than 1.8% of the world's oceans have above 80% of their fish fauna currently described. Censuses of species were particularly incomplete in tropical areas and across the entire range of countries' gross domestic product (GDP), although the few censuses nearing completion were all along the coasts of a few developed countries or territories. Our findings highlight that failure to quantify the completeness of taxonomic inventories can introduce substantial flaws in the description of diversity patterns, and raise concerns over the effectiveness of conservation strategies based upon data that remain largely precarious.
HYPOTHESIS OF ENVIRONMENTAL KUZNETS CURVE AND ITS TEST IN CHINA

Since the beginning of reform and opening-up,average annual economic growth of 9.8 percent in China has attracted worldwide attention.However,there are still lots of controversy about the environmental costs of China economic growth.Environmental Kuznets Curve(EKC) hypothesis,the classic study of the relationship between environment and income statements,visually shows changes in the environment and income.Because of flaws of previous EKC studies using one or more indicator measuring the extent of pollution,this paper based on 6 environmental pollutants from 1982 to 2006,improved the entropy calculated on behalf of China's environmental situation as a whole environmental pollution index,and using co-integration tests to study the effect of environmental Kuznets curve and the existence of "localization" features in China.Different from both developed and emerging and developing countries in general "upset U"-type environmental Kuznets curve,the model showed China's comprehensive environmental pollution is "U" type.The early of 21st century as a dividing line,before this time the environmental pollution level was declining,then environmental pollution has started in deterioration.By using the impulse response function to study the environmental pollution and economic growth,this paper revealed that economic growth in the number of retrospective on environmental pollution affected positively by environmental pollution only in the short term for role in the promotion of economic growth.The study is designed to set up policy coinciding with the development of China's economy and the environment,and provides a theoretical basis of economic development in harmony with the environment,but also will promote the further development and improvement of the EKC hypothesis.
What can we know about addiction from the addicts we treat?

The present paper examines the limitations that are placed on our understanding of addiction when research is restricted to studying opiate users who are seeking treatment. Though users who do seek treatment do not seem to differ in terms of their history or magnitude of drug use from those not seeking treatment, those in treatment are likely to have more serious addiction-related problems. Addicts who seek different types of treatment (e.g., methadone maintenance vs therapeutic community) appear to differ in terms of social and psychological characteristics. However, specific characteristics do not appear to be matched with specific treatments. Thus the addicts seen in treatment in general or in any specific treatment represent a discrete subpopulation of the entire population of opiate users. As such, any generalizations that we make about addiction based on these addicts must be limited.
First Signature of Islet β-Cell-Derived Naturally Processed Peptides Selected by Diabetogenic Class II MHC Molecules1

The diversity of Ags targeted by T cells in autoimmune diabetes is unknown. In this study, we identify and characterize a limited number of naturally processed peptides from pancreatic islet β-cells selected by diabetogenic I-Ag7 molecules of NOD mice. We used insulinomas transfected with the CIITA transactivator, which resulted in their expression of class II histocompatibility molecules and activation of diabetogenic CD4 T cells. Peptides bound to I-Ag7 were isolated and examined by mass spectrometry: some peptides derived from proteins present in secretory granules of endocrine cells, and a number were shared with cells of neuronal lineage. All proteins to which peptides were identified were expressed in β cells from normal islets. Peptides bound to I-Ag7 molecules contained the favorable binding motif characterized by acidic amino acids at the P9 position. The draining pancreatic lymph nodes of prediabetic NOD mice contained CD4 T cells that recognized three different natural peptides. Furthermore, four different peptides elicited CD4 T cells, substantiating the presence of such self-reactive T cells. The overall strategy of identifying natural peptides from islet β-cells opens up new avenues to evaluate the repertoire of self-reactive T cells and its role in onset of diabetes.
Research of constraint handling techniques for Economic Load Dispatch of power system

Economic Load Dispatch (ELD) optimization is an important and difficult task in power system planning. Previously, most of the research mainly focused on proposing various evolutionary algorithms (EAs) to pursue better results of ELD problems. However, few comprehensive analysis of the effects of various constraint handling techniques (CHTs) on the performance of EA-based techniques are available so far. In this paper, we try to fill this gap by experimentally testing the algorithmic variants of combining four effective and widely used EAs with three CHTs. From the experimental results on the ELD problems with valve-point and those problems with both valve-point and multiple-fuel effect, several important conclusions can be achieved, including 1) for the low scale ELD problem with valve-point only, the selection of EAs is more important than CHTs; 2) for the large scale problems, CHTs play crucial roles; 3) the appropriate combination of EA and CHT is helpful to achieve better performance. This study is also expected to provide solid basis for further strengthening the robustness of EAs for ELD optimization. It is also interesting to observe that the experimental results obtained in this paper are much better than those of the previous effective ELD optimization algorithms.
Organization of telomere sequences in birds: evidence for arrays of extreme length and for in vivo shortening

Telomeres are the specialized ends of chromosomes consisting of highly conserved repeat (5′-TTAGGG-3′)n sequences. Lack of information regarding the existence of an in vivo telomere clock function in birds, conflicting data regarding telomere array length in the chicken model, and the paucity of molecular telomere information for other avian species led us to study telomere array organization within and among 18 species and subspecies of birds. Most of the species contained between 2% and 4% telomere sequence per diploid genome. Arrays spanning 0.5–10 kb (Class I) and 10–40 kb (Class II) were observed in all of the species studied. Extremely long arrays, ranging from hundreds of kilobases to 1–2 Mb (Class III) were observed in all except two raptor species, the northern goshawk and American bald eagle. In chicken, there was evidence for shortening of the Class II arrays in vivo, based on intraindividual comparisons of somatic versus germline tissues in birds of different ages; terminally differentiated erythrocyte arrays were, on average, 2.3 kb shorter than sperm (germline) arrays. This study provides the first evidence for the existence of telomere arrays significantly larger than have been described for any vertebrate species to date and for developmentally programmed in vivo telomere shortening in the Aves taxa. The novel finding of megabase-sized telomere arrays may be an important feature of avian karyotypes that contain a large number of very small genetic units, the microchromosomes.
Improving Non-minimal and Adaptive Routing Algorithms in Slim Fly Networks

Interconnection networks must meet the communication demands of current High-Performance Computing systems. In order to interconnect efficiently the end nodes of these systems with a good performance-to-cost ratio, new network topologies have been proposed in the last years that leverage high-radix switches, such as Slim Fly. Adversarial traffic patterns, however, may reduce severely the performance of Slim Fly networks when using only minimal-path routing. In order to mitigate the performance degradation in these scenarios, Slim Fly networks should configure an oblivious or adaptive non-minimal routing. The non-minimal routing algorithms proposed for Slim Fly usually rely on Valiant's algorithm to select the paths, at the cost of doubling the average path-length, as well as the number of Virtual Channels (VCs) required to prevent deadlocks. Moreover, Valiant may introduce additional inefficiencies when applied to Slim Fly networks, such as the "turn-around problem" that we analyze in this work. With the aim of overcoming these drawbacks, we propose in this paper two variants of the Valiant's algorithm that improve the non-minimal path selection in Slim Fly networks. They are designed to be combined with adaptive routing algorithms that rely on Valiant to select non-minimalpaths, such as UGAL or PAR, which we have adapted to the Slim Fly topology. Through the results from simulation experiments, we show that our proposals improve the network performance and/or reduce the number of required VCs to prevent deadlocks, even in scenarios with adversarial traffic.
The Study on the Influence of Family Economic Factors on Family Happiness:Evidences from Beijing

Based on data collected from Beijing in 2014,this paper used the equal ratio method to standardize the family members' happiness scores and calculated the mean score of each family to measure the family happiness.Then influential factors of family happiness were analyzed from two aspects of income situation and housing condition by using multiple linear regression.The findings indicated that both of the absolute income and the relative income had significant effect on family happiness.Compared with the property value of housing,the inhabitable value of housing had a more significant influence on family happiness.
Association of Abnormal Ovarian Reserve Parameters With a Higher Incidence of Aneuploid Blastocysts

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the relationship between hormonal parameters of diminished ovarian reserve and the incidence of aneuploid blastocysts. METHODS: This prospective cohort trial was performed in a private in vitro fertilization clinic. Three hundred seventy-two patients underwent in vitro fertilization with blastocyst biopsy and aneuploidy screening of all 23 chromosome pairs. Patients were divided into groups based on baseline hormonal ovarian reserve. Group 1 included normal ovarian reserve (n=279) and group 2 included diminished ovarian reserve with day 2 or 3 follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) more than 10 milli-international units/mL, antimüllerian hormone 1 ng/mL or less (n=93), or both. Patients with diminished ovarian reserves were further subdivided into three groups. Group A included FSH more than 10 milli-international units and antimüllerian hormone 1 ng/mL or less (n=25); group B included FSH more than 10 milli-international units/mL and antimüllerian hormone more than 1 ng/mL (n=34); and group C included antimüllerian hormone 1 ng/mL or less and day 3 FSH less than 10 milli-international units/L (n=34). RESULTS: Group 2 (diminished ovarian reserve) had a higher percentage of aneuploid blastocysts (66% compared with 51.7%; P<.05) and all aneuploid blastocyst cycles (35.1% compared with 14.3%; P<.001) than group 1 (normal ovarian reserve). However, implantation rates after transfer of euploid blastocysts were similar (69% compared with 61.7%; not significant). The highest percentage of aneuploid blastocysts among diminished ovarian reserve patients was in group A (abnormal FSH and antimüllerian hormone) compared with groups B and C (77.2% compared with 58.5% compared with 58.8%; P<.05). Implantation rates also were no different among the diminished ovarian reserve subgroups (68% compared with 71% compared with 66.7%; not significant). CONCLUSIONS: Infertility patients with hormonal evidence of diminished ovarian reserve have a significantly higher percentage of aneuploid blastocysts. The combination of abnormal serum FSH and antimüllerian hormone correlated with the greatest rate of embryonic aneuploidy. Regardless of ovarian reserve parameters, transfer of euploid blastocysts resulted in equivalent implantation potential. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II
PERFORMANCE OF BEEF HEIFERS OF VARIOUS GENETIC GROUPS , SUPPLEMENTED OR NOT , IN COASTCROSS PASTURES

The objective of this study was to determine whether the performance of beef heifers of different genetic groups was affected by breed x nutritional environment interactions. Sixty four weaned heifers, 16 per genetic group: 1⁄2 Angus + 1⁄2 Nellore (AN), 1⁄2 Canchim + 1⁄2 Nellore (CN), 1⁄2 Simmental + 1⁄2 Nellore (SN) and pure Nellore (NE), were used with or without 3.0 kg of concentrate.animal . day in a fertilized coastcross pasture under rotational grazing system. There were effects of genetic group and supplementation (P<0.05) on the weight and age at first estrus, but there was no interaction between them. In a rotational grazing system with 4000 kg of available dry matter per hectare with 13% of crude protein, the crossbred AN, supplemented or not, was more precocious (111 days) than Nellore heifers, showing the first estrus at 356 days of age and 324 kg of live weight.
Expression patterns of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) comprise a family of structurally similar proteins, five of which are widely studied in the context of cancer: IAP‐1/MIHC/cIAP2, IAP‐2/MIHB/cIAP1, livin/ML‐IAP/KIAP, survivin, and XIAP/MIHA/hILP. IAPs are overexpressed by most neoplasms, promote tumour cell survival after a wide variety of apoptotic stimuli, and frequently have gene and/or protein expression patterns associated with a relatively poor prognosis. However, many IAPs are also expressed by normal tissues, can facilitate apoptotic cell death, and have expression patterns associated with a relatively favourable prognosis in some cases. The result is that the precise role(s) of IAPs in human tumours is not exactly known. It has been previously reported that IAP‐1 is overexpressed in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) and is responsible for a large degree of the resistance of cultured MPM cells to cisplatin. Given the high homology of IAP family members, it is likely that other IAPs will be important in MPM. In the present study, the gene and protein expression patterns of IAP‐1, IAP‐2, survivin, livin, and XIAP have been determined in MPM cell lines (n = 9) and a large number of MPM tumours using high‐density oligonucleotide microarrays (n = 40) and an MPM tissue array (n = 66). Human tumours were linked to clinical data and it was found that IAP‐1 and survivin mRNA expression patterns were associated with a relatively shorter patient survival, while those of XIAP and livin were associated with a relatively longer patient survival. Abundant protein for all IAPs was also detected in MPM tumours, where they were expressed primarily in the cytoplasm. Only IAP‐1 and livin protein was expressed in the nucleus of MPM tumours. These results provide the rationale for additional study of this gene family in MPM and cancer in general. Copyright © 2007 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Categorization of services for seeking information in biomedical literature: a typology for improvement of practice

Biomedical researchers have to efficiently explore the scientific literature, keeping the focus on their research. This goal can only be achieved if the available means for accessing the literature meet the researchers' retrieval needs and if they understand how the tools filter the perpetually increasing number of documents. We have examined existing web-based services for information retrieval in order to give users guidance to improve their everyday practice of literature analysis. We propose two dimensions along which the services may be categorized: categories of input and output formats; and categories of behavioural usage. The categorization would be helpful for biologists to understand the differences in the input and output formats and the tasks they fulfil in information-retrieval activities. Also, they may inspire future bioinformaticians to further innovative development in this field.
Gender differences in recurrent coronary events; the FINMONICA MI register.

BACKGROUND Male gender is an established risk factor for first myocardial infarction, but some studies have suggested that among myocardial infarction survivors, women fare worse than men. Therefore, we examined the long-term prognosis of incident myocardial infarction survivors in a large, population-based MI register, addressing gender differences in mortality as well as the number of events and time intervals between recurrent events. METHODS AND RESULTS Study subjects included 4900 men and women, aged 25-64 years, with definite or probable first myocardial infarctions who were alive 28 days after the onset of symptoms. At first myocardial infarction, women were older and more likely to be hypertensive or diabetic than men, and had a greater proportion of probable vs definite events. After adjustment for age and geographic region, men had 1.74 times the risk of fatal coronary heart disease relative to women (hazard ratio=1.63 and 1.55 for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality, respectively) over an average of 5.9 years of follow-up. Number and time intervals between any recurrent event--fatal and non-fatal--did not differ by gender. CONCLUSION These data suggest that men are far more likely to have a fatal recurrent event than women despite comparable numbers of events.
Comparison of early invasive and conservative strategies in patients with unstable coronary syndromes treated with the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor tirofiban.

BACKGROUND There is continued debate as to whether a routine, early invasive strategy is superior to a conservative strategy for the management of unstable angina and myocardial infarction without ST-segment elevation. METHODS We enrolled 2220 patients with unstable angina and myocardial infarction without ST-segment elevation who had electrocardiographic evidence of changes in the ST segment or T wave, elevated levels of cardiac markers, a history of coronary artery disease, or all three findings. All patients were treated with aspirin, heparin, and the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor tirofiban. They were randomly assigned to an early invasive strategy, which included routine catheterization within 4 to 48 hours and revascularization as appropriate, or to a more conservative (selectively invasive) strategy, in which catheterization was performed only if the patient had objective evidence of recurrent ischemia or an abnormal stress test. The primary end point was a composite of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and rehospitalization for an acute coronary syndrome at six months. RESULTS At six months, the rate of the primary end point was 15.9 percent with use of the early invasive strategy and 19.4 percent with use of the conservative strategy (odds ratio, 0.78; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.62 to 0.97; P=0.025). The rate of death or nonfatal myocardial infarction at six months was similarly reduced (7.3 percent vs. 9.5 percent; odds ratio, 0.74; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.54 to 1.00; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS In patients with unstable angina and myocardial infarction without ST-segment elevation who were treated with the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor tirofiban, the use of an early invasive strategy significantly reduced the incidence of major cardiac events. These data support a policy involving broader use of the early inhibition of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa in combination with an early invasive strategy in such patients.
Levetiracetam: Antiepileptic Properties and Protective Effects on Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Experimental Status Epilepticus

Summary: Purpose: To assess the anticonvulsant activity of the novel antiepileptic drug, levetiracetam (LEV) in a model of self‐sustaining limbic status epilepticus, and to measure the consequence of LEV treatment on the pattern of mitochondrial dysfunction known to occur after status epilepticus (SE).
The Use of Carbapenems in the Treatment of Serious Infections

Inadequate initial antimicrobial treatment in serious infections leads to increased mortality. Achieving adequate treatment is increasingly difficult because of the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. The carbapenems are potent, broad-spectrum antibiotics that have been shown to be safe and efficacious therapies in the treatment of serious infections. This review is intended to compare the 4 major members of the carbapenem class, which include imipenem, meropenem, ertapenem, and doripenem, with other widely used antimicrobial agents in the intensive care unit (ICU). The carbapenems are potent, broad-spectrum antibiotics that have been shown to be safe and efficacious therapies in the treatment of serious infections. They provide better gram-negative coverage than other β-lactams and are stable against extended-spectrum β-lactamases and AmpC β-lactamases, making them effective in the treatment of many MDR bacteria. The newly approved carbapenem, doripenem, may help preserve the utility of the carbapenem class.