Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance and energy aware scheduling simulator for HPC: evaluating different resource selection methods

Today, in an energy‐aware society, job scheduling is becoming an important task for computer engineers and system analysts that may lead to a performance per Watt trade‐off of computing infrastructures. Thus, new algorithms, and a simulator of computing environments, may help information and communications technology and data center managers to make decisions with a solid experimental basis. There are several simulators that try to address performance and, somehow, estimate energy consumption, but there are none in which the energy model is based on benchmark data that have been countersigned by independent bodies such as the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation. This is the reason why we have implemented a performance and energy‐aware scheduling (PEAS) simulator for high‐performance computing. Furthermore, to evaluate the simulator, we propose an implementation of the non‐dominated sorting genetic algorithm‐II (NSGA‐II) algorithm, a fast and elitist multiobjective genetic algorithm, for the resource selection. With the help of the PEAS simulator, we have studied if it is possible to provide an intelligent job allocation policy that may be able to save energy and time without compromising performance. The results of our simulations show a great improvement in response time and power consumption. In most of the cases, NSGA‐II performs better than other ‘intelligent’ algorithms like multiobjective heterogeneous earliest finish time and clearly outperforms the first‐fit algorithm. We demonstrate the usefulness of the simulator for this type of studies and conclude that the superior behavior of multiobjective algorithms makes them recommended for use in modern scheduling systems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chikungunya virus: host pathogen interaction

Chikungunya is a re‐emerging arthropod‐borne viral disease caused by Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) belonging to the Togaviridae family of genus Alphavirus. It is a virus with a single stranded, positive sense RNA, as its genome. It is maintained in a sylvatic and urban cycle involving humans and the mosquito species Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. It has garnered the attention of scientists in the past 5–6 years due to the massive outbreaks in the Indian Ocean region in 2005–2006. It has a major health impact on humans as it causes fever, rashes, arthralgia and myalgia. Polyarthralgia is the most important feature of CHIKV infection which primarily affects the small joints of the wrists and fingers along with the large joints like shoulders and knees. Currently, there are no vaccines or treatment regimens available for CHIKV infection. The molecular mechanism underlying the chronic polyarthralgia observed in patients is not well understood. In this review we have summarized the CHIKV organization, replication, epidemiology, clinical manifestations and pathogenesis with emphasis on the arthralgia. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of the long-term outcomes of patients who underwent laparoscopic versus open surgery for rectal cancer.

PURPOSE Survival data of patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery compared with those who underwent open surgery for rectal cancer are limited. We compared long-term outcomes of laparoscopic surgery with those of open surgery in patients with rectal cancer. METHODS Between April 2007 and December 2013, a series of 879 patients with rectal cancer underwent surgery with curative intent (287 patients via laparoscopic surgery and 592 patients via open surgery). Age, gender, body mass index (BMI), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, clinical stage and type of resection were matched by propensity scoring, and 382 patients (191 patients by laparoscopic surgery and 191 patients by open surgery) were selected for analysis. Intraoperative factors, postoperative data, long-term survival were evaluated. RESULTS There was no significant difference in preoperative data between the two patient groups. Blood loss was significantly lower in the laparoscopy group than in the open group, while operation time was significantly longer in the laparoscopy group than the open group. There were no significant differences in overall survival or recurrence-free survival. The patterns of recurrence were not different between the two groups. CONCLUSION Laparoscopic surgery for patients with rectal cancer produces the same long-term results compared with open surgery in terms of survival and recurrence.
Early restaging gallium scans predict outcome in poor-prognosis patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treated with high-dose CHOP chemotherapy.

PURPOSE This prospective study assessed the predictive value of early restaging gallium (Ga) and computed tomographic (CT) scans in poor-prognosis patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) who were treated with high-dose cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty newly diagnosed patients with bulky (> or = 10 cm) advanced-stage aggressive NHL were treated with a four-cycle high-dose CHOP regimen (22 patients at maximum-tolerated dose [MTD]: cyclophosphamide 4 g/m2, doxorubicin 70 mg/m2, vincristine 2 mg, and prednisone 100 mg orally for 5 days). All patients had chest/abdominal/pelvic CT scans and 10-mCi Ga scans at baseline and following two and four cycles of therapy. Scans were reviewed in a blinded manner for CT-documented rates of response and sizes of residual masses and Ga avidity of residual masses. The results of early (post-cycle 2) and final (post-cycle 4) restaging were subsequently associated with clinical outcome. RESULTS CT-documented rates of response and residual mass sizes were indistinguishable in complete responders who remained continuously disease-free (CR-Cont), complete responders who subsequently relapsed (CR-Rel), and partial responders who then progressed (PR/Prog). In marked contrast, early restaging (post-cycle 2) Ga scans accurately delineated these three categories of patients: CR-Cont 90% Ga-negative (18 of 20 patients) versus CR-Rel 25% Ga-negative (one of four patients) versus PR/Prog 0% Ga-negative (zero of six patients) (P = .000014). At a median follow-up duration of 31 months (range, 21 to 46), 94% of patients who had negative early restaging Ga scans remain free from progression (FFP), whereas only 18% of patients who had positive early restaging Ga scans remain FFP (P = .000007). Early restaging Ga scans were more predictive for FFP than final restaging Ga scans because patients who required four full cycles of therapy to become Ga-negative were more likely to develop recurrent disease. CONCLUSION Early restaging Ga scans delineate patients who are likely to have prolonged disease-free survival from those who fail to respond to intensive induction therapy. Patients whose tumors remain Ga-positive midway through high-dose CHOP therapy have a poor outcome and may be candidates for alternative treatment.
Late onset and increasing expression of the gap junction protein connexin30 in adult murine brain and long‐term cultured astrocytes

In rat brain, expression of the gap junction protein connexin30 increased during the first 3 weeks after birth and reached its maximum after 4 weeks, as shown by analysis with specific connexin30 antibodies. This contrasts with the prenatal onset of connexin43 expression. On cryosections of rat brain, connexin30 immunoreactivity was found near blood vessels and in ependymal as well as in leptomeningeal cells. Expression in the neuropil was first noticed 3 weeks after birth, showing the same spatial pattern of immunoreactivity as connexin43. This late onset of connexin30 expression in astrocytes was also seen in long‐term glial cell cultures, where connexin30 was coexpressed with the astrocytic marker proteins S‐100β and glial fibrillary acid protein. In acute brain slices, connexin30 immunofluorescent signals were detected on processes of functionally identified astrocytes. Thus, our results show that connexin30 is expressed in three different cell types of the rodent brain. The late onset of connexin30 expression in astrocytes suggests that this gap junctional protein fulfills a role in intercellular communication among mature astrocytes. GLIA 25:111–119, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
In Vitro and In Vivo Investigation of the Inhibition of Trypanosoma brucei Cell Growth by Lipophilic Bisphosphonates

ABSTRACT We report the results of a screen of a library of 925 potential prenyl synthase inhibitors against Trypanosoma brucei farnesyl diphosphate synthase (TbFPPS) and against T. brucei, the causative agent of human African trypanosomiasis. The most potent compounds were lipophilic analogs of the bone resorption drug zoledronate, some of which had submicromolar to low micromolar activity against bloodstream form T. brucei and selectivity indices of up to ∼300. We evaluated the effects of two such inhibitors on survival and parasitemia in a T. brucei mouse model of infection and found that survival increased by up to 16 days. We also investigated the binding of three lipophilic bisphosphonates to an expressed TbFPPS using crystallography and investigated the thermodynamics of binding using isothermal titration calorimetry.
Investigation of hypertriglyceridemia in healthy Miniature Schnauzers.

BACKGROUND Idiopathic hypertriglyceridemia has been reported in Miniature Schnauzers (MS). However, studies investigating the prevalence of this disorder in a large population of MS are lacking. HYPOTHESIS Hypertriglyceridemia is prevalent in healthy MS. ANIMALS This study used 192 healthy MS and 38 healthy dogs of other breeds (control dogs). METHODS Serum triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations were measured and statistically compared in both the MS and control group. Dogs were categorized based on their age, and median serum triglyceride concentrations were compared among different age groups. RESULTS A total of 63 (32.8%) of the 192 MS had serum triglyceride concentrations above the reference range. In contrast, of the 38 control dogs, only 2 (5.3%) had serum triglyceride concentrations above the reference range. The median serum triglyceride concentration in MS was 73.5 mg/dL, which was significantly higher as compared to that of the control group (median, 55 mg/dL; P = .0005). Serum cholesterol concentration was above the reference range in 9 (9.0%) of 100 MS and in 2 (5.3%) of the control dogs. Mean serum cholesterol concentrations were not significantly different between the 2 groups (P = .1374). Median serum triglyceride concentrations in MS increased significantly with age (P < .0001), and there was a significant positive correlation between serum triglyceride concentrations and age (Spearman r = 0.47; P < .0001). There was no difference in serum triglyceride concentrations between male and female MS (P = .48). CONCLUSION Healthy MS have a high prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia as compared to healthy dogs of other breeds. Both the prevalence and severity of hypertriglyceridemia increase with age.
Pancreatic tumors: comparison of dual-phase helical CT and endoscopic sonography.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to compare dual-phase helical CT and endosonography for the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic tumors. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Thirty patients with suspected pancreatic tumors underwent endosonography and dual-phase helical CT. A pathologic diagnosis was obtained in all cases with surgery (n = 23) or biopsy (n = 7), resulting in 27 neoplasms. Dual-phase helical CT and endosonographic findings were correlated with surgical and pathologic findings to determine diagnosis and resectability of pancreatic tumors. RESULTS Overall diagnostic sensitivity was 92% for dual-phase helical CT and 100% for endosonography (p = .45). Overall accuracy for staging of pancreatic tumors was 93% for both dual-phase helical CT and endosonography. Overall accuracy for predicting resectability was 90% for both dual-phase helical CT and endosonography. Accuracy of predicting unresectability was 100% for dual-phase helical CT and 86% for endosonography (p > .80). Differences were not considered statistically significant. CONCLUSION Dual-phase helical CT and endoscopic sonography do not differ significantly for diagnosis and assessment of resectability of pancreatic tumors.
Angiogenesis can be reduced without significant reduction of tumor growth.

BACKGROUND High risk neuroblastoma (NB) patients have an overall five-year survival of approximately 50%, indicating the need for new treatment strategies, such as angiogenesis inhibition. MATERIALS AND METHODS The angiogenesis inhibitor TNP-470 (30 mg/kg, every other day, subcutaneously) was given to nude mice with subcutaneous human neuroblastoma xenografts. The plasma concentrations of the angiogenesis stimulators, i.e. vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), were assayed longitudinally. Angiogenesis, proliferation and apoptosis were quantified on tumor tissue slides. RESULTS Upon treatment with TNP-470, angiogenesis was significantly inhibited by the reduction of length and surface area of vessels per tumor volume, without having significant effect on tumor growth, tumor cell proliferation or apoptosis. Plasma concentrations of VEGF-A per tumor volume were significantly increased upon treatment. CONCLUSION Angiogenesis inhibition must reach a threshold before significant tumor cell apoptosis and a reduction of the tumor growth rate occur.
Development of a flexible optical fiber based high resolution integrated PET∕MRI system.

PURPOSE The simultaneous measurement of PET and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an emerging field for molecular imaging research. Although optical fiber based PET∕MRI systems have advantages on less interference between PET and MRI, there is a drawback in reducing the scintillation light due to the fiber. To reduce the problem, the authors newly developed flexible optical fiber bundle based block detectors and employed them for a high resolution integrated PET∕MRI system. METHODS The flexible optical fiber bundle used 0.5 mm diameter, 80 cm long double clad fibers which have dual 12 mm × 24 mm rectangular inputs and a single 24 mm × 24 mm rectangular output. In the input surface, LGSO scintillators of 0.025 mol. % (decay time: ∼31 ns: 0.9 mm × 1.3 mm × 5 mm) and 0.75 mol. % (decay time: ∼46 ns: 0.9 mm × 1.3 mm × 6 mm) were optically coupled in depth direction to form depth-of-interaction detector, arranged in 11 × 13 matrix and optically coupled to the fiber bundle. The two inputs of the bundle are bent for 90°, bound to one, and are optically coupled to a Hamamatsu 1-in. square position sensitive photomultiplier tube. RESULTS Light loss due to the fiber bundle could be reduced and the performance of the block detectors was improved. Eight optical fiber based block detectors (16 LGSO blocks) were arranged in a 56 mm diameter ring to form a PET system. Spatial resolution and sensitivity were 1.2 mm full-width at half-maximum and 1.2% at the central field-of-view, respectively. Sensitivity change was less than 1% for 2 °C temperature changes. This PET system was integrated with a 0.3 T permanent magnet MRI system which has 17 cm diameter hole at the yoke area for insertion of the PET detector ring. There was no observable interference between PET and MRI. Simultaneous imaging of PET and MRI was successfully performed for small animal studies. CONCLUSIONS The authors confirmed that the developed high resolution PET∕MRI system is promising for molecular imaging research.
Surface Type Classification With a Laser Range Finder

This paper presents a system for surface classification using a laser range finder. It is shown that the return intensities and range errors provide sufficient information to distinguish a wide range of surfaces commonly found in a number of environments. A supervised learning scheme (using curves representing the return intensity and range error as a function of angle of incidence) is used to classify the surface type of planar patches. Extensive experimental evidence is presented to demonstrate the potential of the proposed technique. The surface type classification, which uses a typical laser range finder, is targeted for use with autonomous robotic systems in which significantly different interaction is required for each of the various materials present. Results from an on-site experiment demonstrate that the information from the laser range finder is sufficient to identify the different materials (via their surface properties) present in a scene where a bridge structure is being prepared for grit blasting.
Effects of host characteristics and parasite intensity on growth and fecundity of Trichostrongylus retortaeformis infections in rabbits

SUMMARY Host-mediated responses and parasite density-dependent processes can have a major influence on the growth and fecundity of parasitic nematodes. However, host characteristics and parasite intensity consistently change during the course of an infection and these could affect worm length and number of eggs in a non-constant way. We used a free-living population of rabbits naturally infected with Trichostronglyus retortateformis and examined how adult nematode length and the number of eggs in utero were affected by host characteristics (i.e. age, sex, breeding status) and parasite intensity, in a seasonal environment, between 2004 and 2007. Nematode length and number of eggs in utero decreased exponentially with host age; in contrast, parasite intensity increased, peaked in juveniles and decreased in older hosts. These patterns were consistent between rabbit cohorts. A negative relationship was observed between parasite intensity and nematode length, as well as number of eggs. Nematode length was strongly affected by nematode sex and host age, while the number of eggs was mainly influenced by nematode length. The direct influence of host-mediated effects appeared quantitatively more important than parasite density dependence in controlling length and egg production in naturally infected wild rabbits. However, their relative contribution changed during the course of the infection such that, while host immunity still influenced worm numbers, the direct effect of density-dependent interactions contributed the most at high parasite intensities.
The impact of the certainty context on the process of choice

In this study we examine how the introduction of a reference lottery with nonrandom outcomes alters the way in which choices among pairs of lotteries are made, even if it does not alter the choices. We use different domains (some of the lotteries produce gains, other losses) and different contexts (one member of the pair, the reference lottery, may be either risky or certain). In our experiment, the change from gain to loss domain affects choices: subjects are risk averse in the gain domain, but not in the loss domain. On the contrary, the context effect of the certain lottery does not affect choices. However, the introduction of the certainty reference lottery affects two behavioral variables, response time and brain activation, in a dramatic way. This result suggests that the certainty lottery promotes a different process through which preferences are revealed, even if the differences among lotteries may not be large enough to induce different choices.
Prevalence of QT Prolongation in a Type 1 Diabetic Population and Its Association with Autonomic Neuropathy

The prevalence of QT prolongation in a large random sample of Type 1 diabetic patients in Piemonte, Italy and its association with autonomic neuropathy were assessed. Three hundred and seventy‐nine Type 1 diabetic patients (age 15–59) with (94, DAN+) and without (280, DAN‐) autonomic neuropathy and 118 non‐diabetic control subjects participated in the study. QT interval was measured on an ECG recorded at rest and QTc calculated according to Bazett's formula. QTc was greater than 0.440 s in 7.6% (95% CI 2.9–12.3) of control subjects, 25.6% (21.0–30.0) of diabetic patients, 30.8% (21.5–40.1) of DAN+, 23.9% (18.9–28.9) of DAN‐. QTc was greater than 0.460 s (mean + 2SD of QTc in control subjects) in 11.7% (8.5–14.9) of diabetic patients, 18.1% (10.3–25.9) of DAN+, 9.6% (6.2–13.0) of DAN‐. QT was above the 95% upper limit for the control subjects in the plot of measured QT against RR interval in 21.4% (17.3–25.5) of diabetic patients, 26.6% (17.7–35.5) of DAN+, 19.3% (14.7–23.9) of DAN‐. No correlation was found between QT interval and age or disease duration. The prevalence of QT prolongation was higher in diabetic patients than in control subjects and in DAN+ than in DAN‐.
Towards Full Integration of Demand-Side Resources in Joint Forward Energy/Reserve Electricity Markets

This paper proposes a security-constrained forward market clearing algorithm within which the inherent characteristics of demand flexibility are acknowledged when the provision of reserve from the demand side is considered. In the proposed formulation, we co-optimize the cost of scheduling the appropriate resources to guarantee the security of the system and the expected cost of operating under any credible system state. In addition, we consider that consumers can offer to provide spinning reserve capacity deployable by voluntary load reductions in response to contingencies. Due to the load recovery effect (i.e., since energy usage is essentially postponed when demand-side reserve is deployed), in post-contingency states, any voluntary reduction in the load has to be accompanied by a subsequent increase in demand from the initial forecast. We demonstrate that the marginal value of the reserve provided by the demand can only be calculated taking into account the cost of supplying the recovery consumption. Flexible consumers can reduce their payments on average if energy is settled through real-time prices.
An ADPLL with a MASH 1-1-1 ΔΣ Time-digital converter

An all digital phase-locked loop with a frequency range of 2.35 ~ 2.55 GHz is presented. A MASH 1-1-1 ΔΣ time-digital converter is used to quantize phase errors. High resolution and third-order noise-shaping are achieved simultaneously. A digitally controlled oscillator with three-stage tuning bank is used to realize wide frequency range and high frequency resolution. A prototype integrated in 130nm CMOS process exhibits a phase noise of -122 dBc/Hz @1MHz offset at a frequency of 2.48 GHz and a power dissipation of 11 mW under a supply of 1.2 V. The core occupied 0.49 mm2 of area.
Amylin and Glycaemic Regulation: a Possible Role for the Human Amylin Analogue Pramlintide

Clinical studies with the human amylin analogue, pramlintide, suggest that it may help to improve glycaemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus using insulin. This has been demonstrated by reductions in postprandial glycaemic excursion, 24‐h glucose profile and serum fructosamine concentrations following administration of pramlintide for periods of up to 28 days in patients with Type 1 diabetes. Additionally, preliminary studies with pramlintide in patients with Type 2 diabetes using insulin have indicated its ability to reduce postprandial hyperglycaemia in this population. Thus, this data set suggests a potential role for pramlintide as a partner to insulin for the optimization of glycaemic control in patients with diabetes using insulin. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.