Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design consideration for efficient network interface supporting the Large Receive Offload with embedded RISC

The Ethernet speed has increased to 40-100 Gbps since the release of IEEE P802.3ba. In this paper, we have extended the Intel's Large Receive Offload Linux software driver function to process the UDP/IP packets and to manage the out-of-order packets as well as design a scalable programmable Network Interface-based RISC core to support these functions in the Network Interface. The processing methodology and cycle processing of UDP packets inside the Network Interface are also discussed. Besides, the three-pipeline RISC's performance and data movements for high communication rates up to 100 Gbps have been measured too. The results presented herein show that an 800 MHz cost-effective embedded processor core can provide the required efficiency of the network interface to support a wide range of transmission line speeds, up to 100 Gbps. Furthermore, we have found several techniques that can contribute to packet processing and work with fewer headers and data transferring in a network interface.
Can MRI Replace CT in Evaluating Semicircular Canal Dehiscence?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patients with symptoms of semicircular canal dehiscence often undergo both CT and MR imaging. We assessed whether FIESTA can replace temporal bone CT in evaluating patients for SC dehiscence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 112 consecutive patients (224 ears) with vestibulocochlear symptoms who underwent concurrent MR imaging and CT of the temporal bones between 2007 and 2009. MR imaging protocol included a FIESTA sequence covering the temporal bone (axial 0.8-mm section thickness, 0.4-mm spacing, coronal/oblique reformations; 41 patients at 1.5T, 71 patients at 3T). CT was performed on a 64-row multidetector row scanner (0.625-mm axial acquisition, with coronal/oblique reformations). Both ears of each patient were evaluated for dehiscence of the superior and posterior semicircular canals in consensual fashion by 2 neuroradiologists. Analysis of the FIESTA sequence and reformations was performed first for the MR imaging evaluation. CT evaluation was performed at least 2 weeks after the MR imaging review, resulting in a blinded comparison of CT with MR imaging. CT was used as the reference standard to evaluate the MR imaging results. RESULTS: For SSC dehiscence, MR imaging sensitivity was 100%, specificity was 96.5%, positive predictive value was 61.1%, and negative predictive value was 100% in comparison with CT. For PSC dehiscence, MR imaging sensitivity was 100%, specificity was 99.1%, positive predictive value was 33.3%, and negative predictive value was 100% in comparison with CT. CONCLUSIONS: MR imaging, with a sensitivity and negative predictive value of 100%, conclusively excludes SSC or PSC dehiscence. Negative findings on MR imaging preclude the need for CT to detect SC dehiscence. Only patients with positive findings on MR imaging should undergo CT evaluation.
Compassion Fatigue: An Application of the Concept to Informal Caregivers of Family Members with Dementia

Introduction. Compassion fatigue is a concept used with increasing frequency in the nursing literature. The objective of this paper is to identify common themes across the literature and to apply these themes, and an existing model of compassion fatigue, to informal caregivers for family members with dementia. Findings. Caregivers for family members with dementia may be at risk for developing compassion fatigue. The model of compassion fatigue provides an informative framework for understanding compassion fatigue in the informal caregiver population. Limitations of the model when applied to this population were identified as traumatic memories and the emotional relationship between parent and child, suggesting areas for future research. Conclusions. Research is needed to better understand the impact of compassion fatigue on informal caregivers through qualitative interviews, to identify informal caregivers at risk for compassion fatigue, and to provide an empirical basis for developing nursing interventions for caregivers experiencing compassion fatigue.
Consumption of dietary salt measured by urinary sodium excretion and its association with body weight status in healthy children and adolescents

Abstract Objective Highly processed foods such as convenience foods usually have a high salt content and therefore might indirectly act as adipogenic due to an increasing consumption of sugar-containing beverages (SCB). We examined the association between dietary salt and body weight status. Design We used data on urinary Na excretion as an indicator of dietary salt and BMI standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) and percentage body fat (%BF) of children and adolescents participating in the DONALD (Dortmund Nutritional and Anthropometric Longitudinally Designed) Study. Setting Dortmund, Germany. Subjects Children and adolescents (n 364) who had at least two 24 h urine samples and two dietary records in the observational period between 2003 and 2009 were considered in our data analysis. Results Repeated-measures regression models revealed that urinary Na was positively associated with BMI-SDS (+0·202 SDS/g Na excretion at baseline; P < 0·001) and %BF (+1·303 %BF/g Na excretion at baseline; P < 0·01) at baseline in boys and girls. These associations remained significant after adjustment for SCB consumption and total energy intake. Furthermore, there was a positive trend between baseline Na excretion and the individual change in %BF in the study period (+0·364 increase in %BF/g Na excretion at baseline), which was confirmed after inclusion of SCB consumption or total energy intake. There was no significant association between the change in Na excretion and the concurrent change of either BMI-SDS or %BF in any model. Conclusions Our results suggest that a high intake of processed salty foods could have a negative impact on body weight status in children and adolescents independently from their consumption of SCB.
Dual Band Pentagonal Microstrip Antenna for Wi-Fi Applications

The proposed antenna is formed by a patch rectangular antenna with an inner pentagonal one, built on FR-4, due its low cost and availability. There were considered 2.4 and 5.8 GHz as the operation frequencies, considering linear polarization in order to apply them to Wi-Fi equipments. The pentagonal patches were designed considering them as equivalents with the corresponding circular resonators. The simulations are realized using CADFEKO, software based on the Moment Method (MoM). The proofs were realized considering the designed antennas as replacement ones on a router. Simulated input return loss show a good agreement with the operation frequencies design. It has been demonstrated that the dual antenna operate satisfactorily in the 2.4 and 5.8 GHz frequency ranges, showing its feasibility to use it for Wi-Fi applications. Experimental results are compared to predictions from a software package confirming monopolar radiation in two bands at 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz.
Article Title: Does Warm-Up Have a Beneficial Effect on 100m Freestyle?

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of warm-up on 100m swimming performance. Methods: Twenty competitive swimmers (with a training frequency of 8.0 ± 1.0 sessions per week) performed two maximal 100m freestyle trials on separate days, with and without prior warm-up, in a counterbalanced and randomized design. The warm up distance totalled 1000m and replicated the swimmers usual pre competition warm up strategy. Performance (time), physiological (capillary blood lactate concentrations), psychophysiological (perceived exertion) and biomechanical variables (distance per stroke, stroke frequency and stroke index) were assessed on both trials. Results: 100m performance was fastest in the warm-up condition (67.15 ± 5.60 vs. 68.10 ± 5.14s; p=0.01), although three swimmers swum faster without warm-up. Critical to this was the 1 st 50m lap (32.10 ± 2.59 vs. 32.78 ± 2.33s; p<0.01) where the swimmers presented higher distance per stroke (2.06 ± 0.19 vs. 1.98 ± 0.16m; p=0.04) and swimming efficiency compared with the no warm-up condition (stroke index: 3.46 ± 0.53 vs. 3.14 ± 0.44 m
Efficient prototype filter realizations for cosine-modulated filter banks

This paper presents efficient realizations of prototype filters for biorthogonal cosine-modulated filter banks with arbitrary overall system delay. The implementation is based on lifting schemes. The lifting coefficients will be approximated such that the filter operations can be realized by a few shift and add operations. Since the lifting scheme is robust against coefficient quantization we do not loose the perfect reconstruction (PR) property of the filter bank when doing this approximation. The original and the approximated prototype filters are compared in terms of complexity and stopband attenuation.
A Recommendation-Based Book-Exchange System Without Using Wish Lists

We introduce EasyEx, a recommendation-based book exchange system which identifies potential exchanges for a user solely based on the user’s item list. EasyEx is novel, since it effectively identifies books that are likely appealing to users, and optimizes book-exchange cycles to increase serendipity, instead of simply swapping books on users’ wish lists as performed by existing item-exchange algorithms. Experimental results have verified that EasyEx offers users recommended books that satisfy their interests and contributes to the itemexchange mechanism with a new design methodology.
ComparativeAnalysis of Automated Image-Tagging Techniques

Smart phones with cameras having powerful built-in sensors tend to meet at a point towards the problem of automatic image-tagging. So such an out-of-band approach is valuable, especially with increasing device density and greater sophistication in sensing and learning algorithms. This paper shows that automatic tagging of images with relevant tags is possible by using a combination of the capture of location, the date/time when the image was captured, and an image category. Comparison of various automatic image-tagging approaches has been done so as to develop a new system with a dynamic approach for using multiple images when possible, and fewer images when not many relevant images are found.
A Practical Approach for Target Tracking in Sparsely Deployed Binary Sensor Network

In this paper we propose a novel real time approach to localize and track a target using sparsely (non-overlapping) deployed binary sensors. Each of these sensors reports 1-bit information regarding a target's presence or absence within its sensing range. Our technique estimates the distance covered by a target on the basis of the time it spends in the sensing region. The trajectory of the target is approximated by a piece-wise linear path, where each piece is an estimated tangent segment to a pair of circular sensing range of two adjacent sensors that sense the target. The formulation of the problem as estimates of tangent segments allows us to convert the original problem into a quadratic programming problem. We compare the results of the proposed method with that of the other existing methods and demonstrate that even with a sparse deployment, our approach tracks the target with competitive accuracy.
Evaluating the effectiveness of metamorphic testing on edge detection programs

Programmer's errors in implementing edge detection algorithms could induce faults in edge detection programs. We study Sobel edge detection programs in C and evaluate the effectiveness of Metamorphic Testing technique in detecting faulty edge detection programs. We found that the fault detection effectiveness varies for different metamorphic relations used for testing. Contrary to common believe that faults in image processing programs can be detected with any non-trivial image as test input, our experiment results show that there exists subtle fault that can only be detected when images with certain properties are used as test inputs. Based on these results, we propose general guides for using metamorphic testing to detect faults in edge detection programs.
Load Balancing Mechanisms in Data Center Networks

We consider network traffic load balancing mechanisms in data center networks with scale-out topologies such as folded Clos or fat-tree networks. We investigate the flow-level Valiant Load Balancing (VLB) technique that uses randomization to deal with highly volatile data center network traffics. Through extensive simulation experiments, we show that flow-level VLB can be significantly worse than the ideal packet-level VLB for non-uniform traffics in data center networks. We propose two alternate load balancing mechanisms that utilize the realtime network state information to achieve load balancing. Our experimental results indicate that these techniques can improve the performance over flow-level VLB in many situations.
Is Caregiver Gender Important for Boys and Girls? Gender-Specific Child–Caregiver Interactions and Attachment Relationships

Abstract Outcomes of studies with exclusively or predominantly female caregivers suggest that boys in child care are involved with interactions, attachment relationships, and care of lower quality than girls. We investigated to what extent child gender (N = 38, 19 boys) and caregiver gender (N = 38, 19 males) is associated with child–caregiver interactions and attachment relationships. Children’s involvement and caregivers’ sensitive and stimulation behaviors were observed using systematic observations of semistructured play. Children’s secure attachment with caregivers was observed using the Attachment Q-Sort. Research Findings: Male and female caregivers showed similar sensitive behaviors toward boys and girls, and children had similar levels of secure attachment with male and female caregivers. Female caregivers had a tendency to stimulate boys more than girls, and this behavior was associated with a lower secure attachment in boys. Girls’ involvement with the caregiver was associated with male and female caregivers’ sensitive behavior and with male but not female caregivers’ stimulation. Conversely, boys’ involvement with the caregiver was elicited by sensitive but not stimulating behavior of male caregivers but not by female caregivers. Practice or Policy: Boys and girls can have equally positive interactions and attachment relationships with both male and female caregivers.
Oxymoron: Making Fine-Grained Memory Randomization Practical by Allowing Code Sharing

The latest effective defense against code reuse attacks is fine-grained, per-process memory randomization. However, such process randomization prevents code sharing since there is no longer any identical code to share between processes. Without shared libraries, however, tremendous memory savings are forfeit. This drawback may hinder the adoption of fine-grained memory randomization. We present Oxymoron, a secure fine-grained memory randomization technique on a per-process level that does not interfere with code sharing. Executables and libraries built with Oxymoron feature 'memory-layout-agnostic code', which runs on a commodity Linux. Our theoretical and practical evaluations show that Oxymoron is the first solution to be secure against just-in-time code reuse attacks and demonstrate that fine-grained memory randomization is feasible without forfeiting the enormous memory savings of shared libraries.
The Chloroplast Genome of Hyoscyamus niger and a Phylogenetic Study of the Tribe Hyoscyameae (Solanaceae)

The tribe Hyoscyameae (Solanaceae) is restricted to Eurasia and includes the genera Archihyoscyamus, Anisodus, Atropa, Atropanthe, Hyoscyamus, Physochlaina, Przewalskia and Scopolia. Even though the monophyly of Hyoscyameae is strongly supported, the relationships of the taxa within the tribe remain unclear. Chloroplast markers have been widely used to elucidate plant relationships at low taxonomic levels. Identification of variable chloroplast intergenic regions has been developed based on comparative genomics of chloroplast genomes, but these regions have a narrow phylogenetic utility. In this study, we present the chloroplast genome sequence of Hyoscyamus niger and make comparisons to other solanaceous plastid genomes in terms of gene order, gene and intron content, editing sites, origins of replication, repeats, and hypothetical open reading frames. We developed and sequenced three variable plastid markers from eight species to elucidate relationships within the tribe Hyoscyameae. The presence of a horizontally transferred intron in the mitochondrial cox1 gene of some species of the tribe is considered here a likely synapomorphy uniting five genera of the Hyoscyameae. Alternatively, the cox1 intron could be a homoplasious character acquired twice within the tribe. A homoplasious inversion in the intergenic plastid spacer trnC-psbM was recognized as a source of bias and removed from the data set used in the phylogenetic analyses. Almost 12 kb of plastid sequence data were not sufficient to completely resolve relationships among genera of Hyoscyameae but some clades were identified. Two alternative hypotheses of the evolution of the genera within the tribe are proposed.
Blocking IGF Signaling in Adult Neurons Alleviates Alzheimer's Disease Pathology through Amyloid-β Clearance

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a frequent and irreversible age-related neurodegeneration without efficient treatment. Experimental AD in mice responds positively to decreased insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) signaling, a pathway also implicated in aging. Here we aimed to protect the aging brain from devastating amyloid pathology by making specifically adult neurons resistant to IGF signaling. To achieve that, we knocked out neuronal IGF-1R during adulthood in APP/PS1 mice. We found that mutants exhibited improved spatial memory and reduced anxiety. Mutant brains displayed fewer amyloid plaques, less amyloid-β (Aβ), and diminished neuroinflammation. Surprisingly, adult neurons undergoing IGF-1R knock-out reduced their apical soma and developed leaner dendrites, indicative of remarkable structural plasticity entailing condensed forebrain neuroarchitecture. Neurons lacking IGF-1R in AD showed less accumulation of Aβ-containing autophagic vacuoles. At the same time, plasma Aβ levels were increased. Our data indicate that neuronal IGF-1R ablation, via preserved autophagic compartment and enhanced systemic elimination, offers lifelong protection from AD pathology by clearing toxic Aβ. Neuronal IGF-1R, and possibly other cell size-controlling pathways are promising targets for AD treatment. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We found compelling evidence in vivo that Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression is significantly delayed when insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling is blocked in adult neurons. To show that, we built a novel mouse model, combining inducible neuron-specific IGF-1R knock-out with AD transgenics. Analysis of the experimental AD phenotype revealed less abundant amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides, fewer plaques, and diminished neuroinflammation in mutants with inactivated IGF signaling, together with clearly preserved behavioral and memory performances. We present for the first time evidence that IGF signaling has profound effects on neuronal proteostasis and maintenance of cell morphology in vivo. Our results indicate in a model highly pertinent to translational research that neuronal IGF resistance may represent a pathophysiologically relevant mechanism of the brain for preventing Aβ accumulation.
Loughborough University Institutional Repository A continuum of weakly coupled oscillatory McKean neurons

Abstract The McKean model of a neuron possesses a one dimensional fast voltage-like variable and a slow recovery variable. A recent geometric analysis of the singularly perturbed system has allowed an explicit construction of its phase response curve [S Coombes 2001 Phase-locking in networks of synaptically coupled McKean relaxation oscillators, Physica D, Vol 160, 173-188]. Here we use tools from coupled oscillator theory to study weakly coupled networks of McKean neurons. Using numerical techniques we show that the McKean system has traveling wave phase-locked solutions consistent with that of a network of more biophysically detailed Hodgkin-Huxley neurons.
Therapeutic Effects of Coenzyme Q10 and Remacemide in Transgenic Mouse Models of Huntington's Disease

There is substantial evidence that bioenergetic defects and excitotoxicity may play a role in the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease (HD). Potential therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases in which there is reduced energy metabolism and NMDA-mediated excitotoxicity are the administration of the mitochondrial cofactor coenzyme Q10 and the NMDA antagonist remacemide. We found that oral administration of either coenzyme Q10 or remacemide significantly extended survival and delayed the development of motor deficits, weight loss, cerebral atrophy, and neuronal intranuclear inclusions in the R6/2 transgenic mouse model of HD. The combined treatment, using coenzyme Q10 and remacemide together, was more efficacious than either compound alone, resulting in a ∼32 and 17% increase in survival in the R6/2 and N171–82Q mice, respectively. Magnetic resonance imaging showed that combined treatment significantly attenuated ventricular enlargement in vivo. These studies further implicate defective energy metabolism and excitotoxicity in the R6/2 and N171–82Q transgenic mouse models of HD and are of interest in comparison with the outcome of a recent clinical trial examining coenzyme Q10 and remacemide in HD patients.
Consistency for L₂boosting and matching pursuit with trees and tree-type basis functions

We present new consistency results in regression and classification for L2Boosting, a powerful variant of boosting with the squared error loss function. For any dimension of the predictor, a square-integrable regression or an arbitrary conditional probability function, potentially discontinuous, can be consistently estimated with L2Boosting using tree-type learners. We also discuss close connections to matching pursuits for basis functions in signal processing and demonstrate differences between tree and rectangle indicator basis functions. Depending on the signal to noise ratio, one of them will be better than the other and we thus get additional flexibility to tune boosting to high or low noise problems.
DSP based PWM generation for high switching frequency voltage source inverter

This paper presents real time implementation of DSP based PWM control algorithm for 3 phase 4-leg IGBT voltage source inverter. This method is also useful for application in voltage source inverters for adjustable-speed ac drives. PWM method is used to reduce the harmonic content in the output voltage applied to induction motor. The pulses were generated using Texas Instruments TMS 320F28335 DSP controller and that triggers the inverter. Results of input and output of the inverter were captured using Digital Storage Oscilloscope. The performance of DSP architecture allows an approach to reduce the complete system costs of digital motion control applications.
A Kernel Defined over Qualitative Spaces of Orders of Magnitude

This paper lies within the domain of learning algorithms based on kernels of Support Vector Machines. A kernel is constructed over the discrete structure of absolute orders of magnitude spaces. This kernel is based on an explicit function, defined from the space of k-tuples of qualitative labels to a feature space, which captures the remoteness between the components of the patterns by using certain weights exponentially. A simple example that allows interpreting the kernel in terms of proximity of the patterns is presented.