Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biodiversity of Active and Inactive Bacteria in the Gut Flora of Wood-Feeding Huhu Beetle Larvae (Prionoplus reticularis)

ABSTRACT Huhu grubs (Prionoplus reticularis) are wood-feeding beetle larvae endemic to New Zealand and belonging to the family Cerambycidae. Compared to the wood-feeding lower termites, very little is known about the diversity and activity of microorganisms associated with xylophagous cerambycid larvae. To address this, we used pyrosequencing to evaluate the diversity of metabolically active and inactive bacteria in the huhu larval gut. Our estimate, that the gut harbors at least 1,800 phylotypes, is based on 33,420 sequences amplified from genomic DNA and reverse-transcribed RNA. Analysis of genomic DNA- and RNA-derived data sets revealed that 71% of all phylotypes (representing 95% of all sequences) were metabolically active. Rare phylotypes contributed considerably to the richness of the community and were also largely metabolically active, indicating their participation in digestive processes in the gut. The dominant families in the active community (RNA data set) included Acidobacteriaceae (24.3%), Xanthomonadaceae (16.7%), Acetobacteraceae (15.8%), Burkholderiaceae (8.7%), and Enterobacteriaceae (4.1%). The most abundant phylotype comprised 14% of the active community and affiliated with Dyella ginsengisoli (Gammaproteobacteria), suggesting that a Dyella-related organism is a likely symbiont. This study provides new information on the diversity and activity of gut-associated microorganisms that are essential for the digestion of the nutritionally poor diet consumed by wood-feeding larvae. Many huhu gut phylotypes affiliated with insect symbionts or with bacteria present in acidic environments or associated with fungi.
Review of 1027 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

OBJECTIVE To determine the clinical and laboratory features of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. PATIENTS AND METHODS Records of all patients in whom multiple myeloma was initially diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn, from January 1, 1985, to December 31, 1998, were reviewed. RESULTS Of the 1027 study patients, 2% were younger than 40 years, and 38% were 70 years or older. The median age was 66 years. Anemia was present initially in 73% of patients, hypercalcemia (calcium level > or = 11 mg/dL) in 13%, and a serum creatinine level of 2 mg/dL or more in 19%. The beta2-microglobulin level was increased in 75%. Serum protein electrophoresis revealed a localized band in 82% of patients, and immunoelectrophoresis or immunofixation showed a monoclonal protein in 93%. A monoclonal light chain was found in the urine in 78%. Nonsecretory myeloma was recognized in 3% of patients, whereas light-chain myeloma was present in 20%. Conventional radiographs showed an abnormality in 79%. The plasma cell labeling index was 1% or more in 34% of patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that age, plasma cell labeling index, low platelet count, serum albumin value, and the log of the creatinine value were the most important prognostic factors. CONCLUSION The median duration of survival was 33 months and did not improve from 1985 through 1998.
The framework and implementation of Virtual Network Marathon

In this paper, we present an exergame called VNM (Virtual Network Marathon). The VNM employs devised treadmills for immersive virtual running in local network or on Internet, which are embedded with various sensors for collecting the body performance data and connected with computers or Set-Top Box (STB) to synchronously control the player's avatar in the virtual game environment. VNM is implemented on a novel ISCAL model (Immersion, Scientificalness, Competitiveness, Adaptability and Learning) model for exergames design, The exercise time and intensity strictly conform to the physical exercise guidelines of the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), and a novel demonstration-based non-player modeling technique is employed to simulate the marathon race crowd. The VNM also allows players to learn the Chinese culture and the Olympic knowledge in the tour mode during or after the running exercise. The user study of VNM indicates that the proposed ISCAL model can be successfully applied in the exergame design.
On the Dynamics of Reform Resistance: Why and How Bureaucratic Organizations Resist Shared Service Center Reforms

ABSTRACT Across the globe, governments are engaging in Shared Service Center (SSC) models to rationalize their internal overhead processes. Scholarship is increasingly recognizing the challenges that governments face when embarking on an SSC reform. This study examines one of the most prevalent, yet undertheorized, risks: the role of resisting organizations that are pressured to engage in an SSC model. A context-sensitive and narrative approach is used to describe and explain the origins, nature, and consequences of organizational resistance against SSC reform proposals. Our findings demonstrate the interplay between organizational resistance, institutional features and contextual opportunities and constraints for resistance, the interaction of which produced a dynamic that dramatically affected the process and content of the reform under study.
Policies to Expand Digital Skills for the Machine Age

A new technological epoch is underway – the so-called Machine Age –reflecting advances in artificial intelligence, digitalisation and Big Data. Some commentators have claimed that this epoch is different from previous ones in that it will produce large-scale technological unemployment, while others argue the contrary. Only time will judge who is right on this crucial debate. But the Machine Age will lead to major shifts in the demand and supplies of skills, especially digital skills. In this paper, I review the available crosscountry evidence on the distribution of such digital skills across the adult populations within and across a large sample of OECD countries. I also review the evidence on participation rates in adult learning. Finally, I outline how education, training and labour market policies could help expand the supply of digital skills.
Female lions can identify potentially infanticidal males from their roars

Despite evidence from several bird, fish and mammal species that listeners can discriminate between the vocalizations of familiar and unfamiliar adult conspecifics, direct links between discriminatory abilities and fitness benefits have been difficult to identify. In free-ranging populations of African lions (Panthera leo), females with cubs face a substantial threat from one particular category of unfamiliar individuals: infanticidal males. Here we use playback experiments to demonstrate that females with cubs can distinguish immediately between roars from their own resident males (the fathers of the cubs) and those from unfamiliar, potentially infanticidal males. Although they remain relaxed when played roars from resident males, they immediately become agitated on hearing unfamiliar males and retreat rapidly with their cubs if the latter have reached about 4.5 months of age. These responses are not simply a function of the roarers being unfamiliar, for when played the roars of unfamiliar females, females with cubs consistently approach the loudspeaker. Furthermore, females often move towards the cubs in response to playbacks of unfamiliar males but not in response to playbacks of unfamiliar females or resident males. Our results suggest how females with cubs might, by quickly detecting and categorizing unfamiliar intruders within their territory, protect their cubs from infanticidal males and expel intruding females. Distinguishing between individuals on the basis of their vocal characteristics could therefore confer direct fitness benefits on discriminating lionesses.
FogR: A highly reliable and intelligent computation offloading on the Internet of Things

Cloud Computing is inevitably going to meet the challenges of an unprecedented scale of Internet of Things. Fog Computing was introduced as a consequential and partial augmentation of Cloud Computing where the latter, by design, struggles to deal with the demand for, among many others, lower latency, decentralized management, and resiliency, especially in the case of unreliable connectivity to the Cloud. Fog Computing takes place at the edge of the network around a resource-poor Fog Node, and the network of user devices, sensors, and actuators connected to it, which may support Fog-aware applications hosted on them, referred to as Droplets. In search of a language independent Remote Procedure Call middleware between Fog Node and the Droplets, we found that besides executing tasks, Droplets can be built context-aware and participatory to the Fog Node's decision-making process while offloading computation tasks, observing the premises of Fog as stated above. We developed FogR, a lightweight and reliable architecture that can construct a more intelligent Fog network for computation offloading. We also show how enabling intelligence distribution of such nature can be applied in the case of Smart Traffic System of the future to respond reliably to an emergency.
Shopping for schools or shopping for peers: public schools and catchment area segregation

Abstract Market theory positions the consumer as a rational choice actor, making informed schooling choices on the basis of ‘hard’ evidence of relative school effectiveness. Yet there are concerns that parents simply choose schools based on socio-demographic characteristics, thus leading to greater social segregation and undercutting the potential of choice to drive quality improvements. In this paper, we explore segregation by examining catchment areas for a range of public high schools in a specific middle-class urban area. We focus on socio-demographic characteristics, including levels of income, country of birth and religion affiliation, in order to explore residential segregation according to public high school catchment areas. Our data suggest distinct residential segregation between catchment areas for each public school within our data-set, particularly for the schools deemed to be popular and rejected, that may pose risks for broader equity concerns. We argue that, in contrast to market theory, even more affluent and active choosers are not equipped with information on the programmatic quality of their different school options, but instead may be relying on socio-demographic characteristics of schools – through surrogate information about the urban spaces that the schools occupy – in order to choose peer groups, if not programmes, for their children.
Individualized developmental care for the very low-birth-weight preterm infant. Medical and neurofunctional effects.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effectiveness of individualized developmental care in reducing medical and neurodevelopmental sequelae for very low-birth-weight infants. DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. SETTING Newborn intensive care unit. PATIENTS Thirty-eight singleton preterm infants, free of known congenital abnormalities, weighing less than 1250 g, born before 30 weeks' gestation, mechanically ventilated within 3 hours of delivery and for more than 24 hours in the first 48 hours, randomly assigned to a control or an experimental group. INTERVENTION Caregiving by nurses specifically trained in individualized developmental care; observation and documentation of the infants' behavior within 12 hours of admission, and subsequently every 10th day; developmental care recommendations and ongoing clinical support for the nurses and parents based on regular observation of the infant by developmental specialists; and the availability of special caregiving accessories. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Medical outcome, including average daily weight gain; number of days the infant required mechanical ventilation, oxygen, gavage tube feeding, and hospitalization; severity of retinopathy of prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, pneumothorax, and intraventricular hemorrhage; pediatric complications; age at discharge; and hospital charges. Neurodevelopmental outcome, including Assessment of Preterm Infants' Behavior scale and quantified electroencephalography (2 weeks after due date); and Bayley Scales of Infant Development and Kangaroo Box Paradigm (9 months after due date). RESULTS The infants in the experimental group had a significantly shorter duration of mechanical ventilation and supplemental oxygen support; earlier oral feeding; reduced incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage, pneumothorax, and severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia; improved daily weight gain; shorter hospital stays; younger ages at hospital discharge; and reduced hospital charges compared with the infants in the control group. At 2 weeks after their due dates, these infants also showed improved autonomic regulation, motor system functioning, self-regulatory abilities, and visual evoked potential measures; and at 9 months, they had improved Bayley Mental and Psychomotor Developmental Index scores, as well as Kangaroo Box Paradigm scores. CONCLUSION Very low-birth-weight preterm infants may benefit from individualized developmental care in the neonatal intensive care unit in terms of medical and neurodevelopmental outcome.
Predictors of prognosis and risk of acute renal failure in bacterial endocarditis.

BACKGROUND The epidemiology, criteria for diagnosis and treatment of bacterial endocarditis has changed substantially in the past 2 decades, yet little attention has been given to the changing etiologies of renal insufficiency and the predictors of renal failure or the relationship between renal failure and mortality in patients with bacterial endocarditis. OBJECTIVE To study the risk factors for the development of acute renal failure and death among patients with definite bacterial endocarditis. SETTING Tertiary referral university medical center. METHODS Retrospective chart review of 204 consecutive episodes of definite bacterial endocarditis as defined by the Duke criteria. Logistic regression was used to identify clinical and biochemical predictors of death and the development of acute renal failure. RESULTS Two hundred and four episodes of endocarditis identified in 185 patients were evaluated. The overall mortality for the group was 20%. The presence of prosthetic valve endocarditis and thrombocytopenia was associated with increased risk of death in hospital. One third of the patients developed acute renal failure (defined as a serum Cr of 2 mg/dl or above). The presence of acute renal failure increased the odds (OR) of dying by 5 (p = 0.0001). Clinical and biochemical variables at presentation that were significantly associated by univariate analysis with the risk of developing acute renal failure were: increased age, a history of hypertension, thrombocytopenia, the presence of Staphylococcus aureus, and prosthetic valve infection. Age (OR 2.9, p = 0.002) and the degree of thrombocytopenia (OR 0.2, p = 0.0001) were independently associated with an increased risk of developing acute renal failure. Patients who developed acute renal failure as a result of septic syndrome or following cardiac surgery had a higher mortality when compared to other causes of acute renal failure. CONCLUSION Acute renal failure associated with bacterial endocarditis remains a frequent clinical problem that is often associated with a fatal outcome. Patients with increased age, and the degree of thrombocytopenia were independent risk factors for developing acute renal failure.
A novel texture mapping algorithm for planar meshes

Presently automatic texture mapping is a hot topic in computer graphics filed. Most previous automatic texture mapping algorithms have suffered from been too slow or could only use a limit set of feature points of the model. We introduce in this paper a new constrained-based method for automatic texture mapping that deal with these problems for planar meshes. Our critical improvements include generalizing feature point to feature curve to fit some application (eg. river, road modeling, etc.) and also simplified computation through efficient weighted of texture mapping. We generalize by parameterizing each vertex at two passes. Firstly we compute all the possible mapping along the feature curve consecutively where every triangle that consists of the computed vertex and two points in the curve can be deduced a conformal mapping result with minimum deformations. Then we combine all the possible mapping using normalization distribution to get the final one. Our results show that this texture mapping algorithm makes a great mapping for the planar meshes.
A tool designed to facilitate structured programming

An algorithmic language interpreter is presented which provides users of various technical backgrounds a convenient way to describe algorithms and simultaneously focus on problem-solving concepts: problem analysis, algorithm development, and the computer implementation of the algorithm. The interpreter permits the use of decision tables as a means of expressing complex logic. In view of the significance of structured programming in today's environment (and that of the future), the language processor allows three logical constructs: sequential, IF. THEN.ELSE. , and the DO WHILE construct. The use of GO TOs is only allowed to transfer control from one table to another. Hence, several tables/subtables (each may contain 1 decision table) may be required for the description of an algorithm. Examples are presented to illustrate how the language interpreter enhances programming organization and thereby facilitates structured programming.
Topical Ranibizumab inhibits inflammatory corneal hem‐ and lymphangiogenesis

Purpose: Ranibizumab (Lucentis®) is a Fab‐Fragment of a recombinant, humanized, monoclonal VEGF (anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor) antibody. This study analyzed the ability of topical Ranibizumab to inhibit lymphangiogenesis in addition to hemangiogenesis after acute corneal inflammation in vivo. In addition, the effect of Ranibizumab on the proliferation of human lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) and blood endothelial cells (BECs) in vitro was studied.
The Multi-level Homologous Logic and Prospective Research Concept on the Effects of Creativity and Ambidextrous Leadership on Innovative Performance

The aim of the paper is to develop a conceptual research framework with regard to the relationships between creativity, ambidextrous leadership and innovative performance incorporating a multi-level homologous perspective. The aim has been achieved through critical extensive literature studies. The overarching key finding is that the effects of creativity and ambidextrous leadership on innovative performance may be examined within a multi-level homologous approach illustrating the associations among creativity, creative performance, and organizational performance at the individual, team, and organizational performance. The first section presents a general overview of the creativity phenomenon, namely creativity conceptualization as well as antecedents and effects at individual, team, and organizational level. The creativity with regard to ambidextrous leadership has been highlighted in the second section. Then, creativity, ambidextrous leadership and innovative performance in terms of a multi-level homologous research concept (specifically, a model, propositions, and measurement tools proposed) have been illustrated in the third section. Final remarks and research directions have been posed in the last section.
Remaining useful life estimation of rolling bearings based on sparse representation

This paper proposes a novel methodology of rolling bearings remaining useful life (RUL) estimation based on sparse representation theory. By analyzing the inner relationships among monitored data, three particular properties of remaining useful life estimation tasks are concluded as the key prior knowledge: monotonicity and continuity of RUL evaluation show the relationships of monitored data and the evaluated RUL; similarity of adjacent monitored data lays the foundation of data driven RUL evaluation methodologies. These properties are then integrated into dictionary learning and sparse coding of sparse representation progress to build a remaining useful life estimation model. In the dictionary learning step, monotonicity and similarity are integrated through a matrix operator to learn more effective and concise dictionary; in the sparse coding step, new sparse model is proposed involving continuity and similarity. In the last step, the life ratio of training set to testing set is calculated through a Hough voting with sparse codes acquired from sparse coding step. With this ratio, the useful life of testing set can be calculated. So, the RUL of the testing set can be evaluated through useful life subtracting the running duration. Experiments are conducted on the ball bearing data provided by FEMTO-ST Institute and the results show the efficiency of our methodologies.
Persistence and load of high‐risk HPV are predictors for development of high‐grade cervical lesions: A longitudinal French cohort study

Oncogenic HPV types are the major cause of worldwide cervical cancer, but only a small proportion of infected women will develop high‐grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or cancer (CIN2/3+). We performed a prospective study including 781 women with normal, atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) or low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LGSIL) cytology, and infected or not by high‐risk (HR) HPV tested by Hybrid Capture II. Women were followed up every 6 months for a median period of 22 months. Among the HR‐HPV‐positive women at entry, more than half cleared their virus in 7.5 months; the clearance rate was greater for low viral loads than for high loads and also was higher in women with an initial ASCUS/LGSIL smear than in women with normal cytology. The incidence of cytologic abnormalities strongly depended on baseline viral load and HR‐HPV persistence. Maintenance of cytologic abnormalities was associated with the outcome of HR‐HPV status (negative
Transforming Growth Factor-β1: A Possible Signal Molecule for Posthemorrhagic Hydrocephalus?

Posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus remains a complication of preterm birth for which we lack a clear understanding and a curative therapy. Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is a cytokine that upregulates the production by fibroblasts of extracellular matrix proteins. We hypothesized that TGF-β might be released into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after intraventricular hemorrhage and play a role in posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus. Total TGF-β1 and TGF-β2 were measured by immunoassay in CSF samples from 12 normal preterm infants, nine preterm infants with transient posthemorrhagic ventricular dilation, and 10 infants who subsequently developed permanent hydrocephalus. Five infants received intraventricular tissue plasminogen activator, and two infants were treated by drainage irrigation and fibrinolytic therapy. Median TGF-β1 in normal CSF was 0.495 ng/mL. In infants with transient posthemorrhagic ventricular dilation, median initial CSF TGF-β1 was 2.1 ng/mL. Infants who subsequently had permanent hydrocephalus had median initial CSF TGF-β1, 9.7 ng/mL (differences between groups p< 0.01). Intraventricular recombinant tissue plasminogen activator was followed by a rise in CSF TGF-β1 (p = 0.0007). Drainage irrigation and fibrinolytic therapy was followed by a fall in CSF TGF-β1. TGF-β2 was detected in CSF and showed similar trends, but the CSF concentration of TGF-β1 was more than 20 times higher. These findings support the hypothesis that TGF-β1 is released into CSF after intraventricular hemorrhage and may play an important part in hydrocephalus. The results help to explain the failure of intraventricular fibrinolytic therapy.