Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MiyakoDori: A Memory Reusing Mechanism for Dynamic VM Consolidation

In Infrastructure-as-a-Service datacenters, the placement of Virtual Machines (VMs) on physical hosts are dynamically optimized in response to resource utilization of the hosts. However, existing live migration techniques, used to move VMs between hosts, need to involve large data transfer and prevents dynamic consolidation systems from optimizing VM placements efficiently. In this paper, we propose a technique called “memory reusing” that reduces the amount of transferred memory of live migration. When a VM migrates to another host, the memory image of the VM is kept in the source host. When the VM migrates back to the original host later, the kept memory image will be “reused”, i.e. memory pages which are identical to the kept pages will not be transferred. We implemented a system named MiyakoDori that uses memory reusing in live migrations. Evaluations show that MiyakoDori significantly reduced the amount of transferred memory of live migrations and reduced 87% of unnecessary energy consumption when integrated with our dynamic VM consolidation system.
Using Visual Attention to Evaluate Collaborative Control Architectures for Human Robot Interaction

Collaborative control architectures assist human users in performing tasks, without undermining their capabilities or curtailing the natural development of their skills. In this study, we evaluate our collaborative control architecture by investigating the visual attention patterns of robotic wheelchair users. Our initial hypothesis stated that the user would require less visual attention for driving, whilst they are being assisted by the collaborative system, thus allowing them to concentrate on higher level cognitive tasks, such as planning. However, our analysis of eye gaze patterns—as recorded by a head mounted eye tracking system—supports the opposite conclusion: that patterns of saccadic activation increase and become more chaotic under the assisted mode. Our findings highlight the necessity for techniques that assist the user in forming an appropriate mental model of the collaborative control architecture.
Interaction Between Stampede Runtime and Operating Systems

Emerging application domains such as interactive vision, animation, and multimedia collaboration display dynamic scalable parallelism, and high computational requirements, making them good candidates for executing on parallel architectures such as SMPs and clusters of SMPs. The necessity to reason about program behavior along the time dimension is an important characteristic of these types of applications. Stampede is a cluster programming system that is designed to meet many of the challenges in such applications. Stampede supports time-sequenced data items, and thus facilitates temporally correlating data items from different streams. The system performs automatic garbage collection of data items no longer needed by any application thread. The Stampede system has been built as a runtime library on top of standard operating systems. In this paper, we study the interaction between the Stampede runtime system and the underlying operating system. The study is conducted on two identical hardware platforms running Solaris and Linux, respectively. A cycle accurate event logging facility using the CPU cycle counter is at the core of this study. There are several interesting insights coming from this study. First, memory allocation does not take up a significant amount of the execution time despite the interactive and dynamic nature of the application domain. Second, the Stampede runtime does not pose a significant overhead over raw messaging for structuring such applications. Third, the results suggest that the thread scheduler on Linux may be more responsive than the one on Solaris. Fourth, the messaging layer spends quite a bit of time in synchronization operations.
Acid Ceramidase (AC)—A Key Enzyme of Sphingolipid Metabolism—Correlates With Better Prognosis in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Acid ceramidase (AC), a key enzyme of sphingolipid metabolism, seems to play an important role in cancer progression. The objective of this study was to explore the expression of AC in ovarian cancer and its impact on prognosis. Expression analysis of AC in n=112 ovarian cancer patients was performed by immunohistochemical analysis of primary paraffin-embedded tumor samples. The results were scored on the basis of the staining intensity and percentage of positive tumor cells, resulting in an immunoreactive score from 0 to 12. These results were correlated to clinical and pathologic characteristics and survival. AC expression correlated significantly only with FIGO stage (0.047). In serous carcinoma, low level of AC was independently associated with reduced progression-free survival and overall survival of 12.0 mo [95% confidence interval (CI), 5.78–18.23] versus 18.1 mo (95% CI, 11.61–24.59; P=0.008) and 35.7 mo (95% CI, 22.24–47.16) versus 58.7 mo (95% CI, 36.48–80.91; P=0.032), respectively. In multivariate analysis, AC presents as an independent prognostic factor for progression-free survival (hazard ratio 1.88; 95% CI, 1.13–3.11; P=0.015). AC is a prognostic factor in epithelial ovarian cancer. Low AC expression can be associated with tumor progression in carcinoma of the ovaries. These results are in contrast to the concept of AC as a promoter for cancer progression. Nevertheless, they are supported by the lately discovered tumor-suppressing function of sphingosine, the enzymatic product of AC.
An algorithm for high-precision edge location of cannon barrel image based on human visual characteristics

A novel algorithm for high-precision edge location based on human visual properties is proposed considering characteristics of cannon barrel images, which improves the observation effect of spying bore images and diminishes the target image ambiguity caused by background and noise. The variable gray scale area method is applied according to the image feature diversity between the target and background/noise. The accuracy of edge detection and location is higher than 0.01 pixel when being applied for engineering. The imperfect images are correspondingly enhanced, and the target is thus shown clearly, which is convenient for observation by human eyes and actual measurement. The algorithm is more general-purpose and adaptive to different barrel image processing, and it can significantly inhibit noise for its glossy and enhanced effect.
Reconstruction of block-sparse signals by using an l2/p-regularized least-squares algorithm

A new algorithm for the reconstruction of so called block-sparse signals in a compressive sensing framework is presented. The algorithm is based on minimizing an ℓ2/p-norm regularized l2 error. The minimization is carried out by using a sequential conjugate-gradient algorithm where the line search involved is carried out using a technique based on Banach's fixed-point theorem. Simulation results are presented which show that for large-size data the proposed algorithm yields improved reconstruction performance and requires a reduced amount of computation relative to several known algorithms.
Validation of Inference Procedures for Gene Regulatory Networks

The availability of high-throughput genomic data has motivated the development of numerous algorithms to infer gene regulatory networks. The validity of an inference procedure must be evaluated relative to its ability to infer a model network close to the ground-truth network from which the data have been generated. The input to an inference algorithm is a sample set of data and its output is a network. Since input, output, and algorithm are mathematical structures, the validity of an inference algorithm is a mathematical issue. This paper formulates validation in terms of a semi-metric distance between two networks, or the distance between two structures of the same kind deduced from the networks, such as their steady-state distributions or regulatory graphs. The paper sets up the validation framework, provides examples of distance functions, and applies them to some discrete Markov network models. It also considers approximate validation methods based on data for which the generating network is not known, the kind of situation one faces when using real data.
Effects of Organized Physical Activity on Selected Health Indices among Women Older than 55 Years

The main aim of this study was to determine health benefits among women older than 55 years who participated in organized, group-based physical activity (OPA). Thirty-five women aged 65.0 ± 7.3 years volunteered for this study. The classical and nonclassical cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors were measured before and after a 2-week OPA camp in a remote location and 3 months of OPA. Self-guided physical activity was analyzed 18 months after OPA. Two-week effects included significant decreases in body mass index, waist and hip circumferences, resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) and resting heart rate, improved exercise capacity (EC), improved low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), cholesterol, and other atherogenic lipid indices (ALI), and a reduction in 10-year estimated risk of death from CVD. Three-month effects included a further decrease in systolic BP, improvements in EC and HDL-C, and maintenance of lower levels of ALI, as well as lower CVD risk. The implementation of the OPA programme had a positive impact on somatic features, exercise capacity, biochemical indices, and risk for death from CVD. The presented programme can be regarded as an effective element of primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases among women older than 55 years.
Identification of YPL014W (Cip1) as a novel negative regulator of cyclin‐dependent kinase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Cyclin‐dependent kinases drive cell division cycle progression in eukaryotic cells. In the model eukaryotic organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae (budding yeast), a single cyclin‐dependent kinase, Cdk1, is essential and sufficient to drive the cell cycle. Misregulated CDK activity induces unscheduled proliferation as well as genomic instability, which are hallmarks of the cancer. Here, we report a novel Cdk1‐interacting protein, YPL014W, which we name Cip1 (for Cdk1‐interacting protein 1). Our results show that Cip1 specifically interacts with G1/S‐phase Cln2–Cdk1 complex but not with S‐phase Clb5–Cdk1 or M‐phase Clb2–Cdk1 complexes. Also Cip1 phosphorylation is cell cycle regulated in a S‐phase Cdk1‐dependent manner. Over‐expression of Cip1 blocks cell cycle progression in G1 and stabilizes the S‐phase Cdk1 inhibitor Sic1 in vivo. In addition, disruption of CIP1 (cip1Δ) leads to faster G1/S‐phase transition compared to wild‐type cells. Moreover, Cip1 inhibits Cln2–CDK activity both in vivo and in vitro. Our finding proves Cip1 as a novel negative regulator of cyclin‐dependent kinase in S. cerevisiae.
Cognitive rehabilitation of neuropsychological deficits and mild cognitive impairment: a review of the literature

Neuropsychological rehabilitation is related to the treatment or optimization of disabilities, handicaps and cognitive deficiencies including emotional, behavioral and personality alterations, aiming at the best cognitive, neurobiological and social re-adaptation. Objective The main aim of this paper is to review scientific studies published over the last five years on cognitive training with rehabilitation, focusing on elderly subjects with cognitive complaints and patients diagnosed with MCI. Methods Data were generated from Medline, PsychoInfo and EMBASE including publications from 2002 to 2007 using the search terms “Mild Cognitive Impairment”, “Cognitive Complaints”, ”Rehabilitation” and “Intervention Studies”. Data collection criteria were restricted to the quality of evidence Class I. Results Eight articles out of sixty eight previously selected were chosen because of their randomized studies, including techniques of cognitive rehabilitation in patients with cognitive complaints, MCI and neuropsychological training. Conclusions The studies showing generalization of rehabilitation techniques to practical real life situations and use of an errorless learning approach were considered more effective in terms of maintaining treatment follow up, although further studies are recommended.
An Improved Hybrid Model for Order Quantity Allocation and Supplier Risk Exposure

This paper investigates the risk exposure arising from the supplier evaluation criteria of cost, quality, delivery, and flexibility. An integrated method of Fuzzy Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory FDEMATEL and Fuzzy Analytical Network Process FANP, which is able to address interaction and feedback effects between the criteria and subjectivity in the decision rating, is used to generate the importance weights of the objectives for a network relationship problem. Different weights of the objectives are then incorporated into a Fuzzy Multi-Objective Programming FMOP model for determining the optimal order quantity allocated to the suppliers. The proposed method provides a more realistic decision making scenario by considering different importance weights of criteria from individual priority. Therefore, it provides a practical method to solve the real world problems. The validity of the proposed method is illustrated by a case study from a trading company.
Efficiency of Airborne Sample Analysis Platform (ASAP) bioaerosol sampler for pathogen detection

The threat of bioterrorism and pandemics has highlighted the urgency for rapid and reliable bioaerosol detection in different environments. Safeguarding against such threats requires continuous sampling of the ambient air for pathogen detection. In this study we investigated the efficacy of the Airborne Sample Analysis Platform (ASAP) 2800 bioaerosol sampler to collect representative samples of air and identify specific viruses suspended as bioaerosols. To test this concept, we aerosolized an innocuous replication-defective bovine adenovirus serotype 3 (BAdV3) in a controlled laboratory environment. The ASAP efficiently trapped the surrogate virus at 5 × 103 plaque-forming units (p.f.u.) [2 × 105 genome copy equivalent] concentrations or more resulting in the successful detection of the virus using quantitative PCR. These results support the further development of ASAP for bioaerosol pathogen detection.
The endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial lung biopsy in peripheral pulmonary lesions.

BACKGROUND Peripheral pulmonary lesions are technically challenging with conventional bronchoscopy in obtaining tissue diagnosis. The recently developed small-caliber ultrasonographic probe can be introduced via the working channel of a flexible bronchoscope to localize peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) prior to transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB). The endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial lung biopsy (EBUS-TBLB) is a new diagnostic method for the diagnosis of pulmonary lesions in our center. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the diagnostic yield of EBUS-TBLB in pulmonary lesions. STUDY DESIGN A prospective cross-sectional study. MATERIAL AND METHOD We enrolled 152 patients with pulmonary lesions that were beyond the segmental bronchus and had no evidence of endobronchial lesion, who underwent bronchoscopy in our center. With EBUS assisted, transbronchial lung biopsy was performed after localizing and measuring distance from the tip of bronchoscope to the lesion. The diagnostic yield was calculated. RESULTS The pulmonary lesions were visible on EBUS image in 98.7% of cases. The overall diagnostic yield of EBUS-TBLB was 66.4%. The diagnostic yield in the infiltrative and mass lesions were 86.4% and 63.1%, respectively. The lesions which EBUS probe located within it were diagnosed by EBUS-TBLB about 74.8%. The benign and malignant lesions were diagnosed by EBUS-TBLB about 81.1% and 58.6%, respectively. The average EBUS time was 3.55 +/- 2.29 minutes. No complication of EBUS and transbronchial lung biopsy were observed in this study. CONCLUSION EBUS-TBLB is a safe procedure for diagnosing pulmonary lesions. Our results indicate that the EBUS-TBLB improves the diagnostic yield compared to conventional brochoscopy.
The Arabidopsis Transcription Factor ANAC032 Represses Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Response to High Sucrose and Oxidative and Abiotic Stresses

Production of anthocyanins is one of the adaptive responses employed by plants during stress conditions. During stress, anthocyanin biosynthesis is mainly regulated at the transcriptional level via a complex interplay between activators and repressors of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes. In this study, we investigated the role of a NAC transcription factor, ANAC032, in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis during stress conditions. ANAC032 expression was found to be induced by exogenous sucrose as well as high light (HL) stress. Using biochemical, molecular and transgenic approaches, we show that ANAC032 represses anthocyanin biosynthesis in response to sucrose treatment, HL and oxidative stress. ANAC032 was found to negatively affect anthocyanin accumulation and the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis (DFR, ANS/LDOX) and positive regulatory (TT8) genes as demonstrated in overexpression line (35S:ANAC032) compared to wild-type under HL stress. The chimeric repressor line (35S:ANAC032-SRDX) exhibited the opposite expression patterns for these genes. The negative impact of ANAC032 on the expression of DFR, ANS/LDOX and TT8 was found to be correlated with the altered expression of negative regulators of anthocyanin biosynthesis, AtMYBL2 and SPL9. In addition to this, ANAC032 also repressed the MeJA- and ABA-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis. As a result, transgenic lines overexpressing ANAC032 (35S:ANAC032) produced drastically reduced levels of anthocyanin pigment compared to wild-type when challenged with salinity stress. However, transgenic chimeric repressor lines (35S:ANAC032-SRDX) exhibited the opposite phenotype. Our results suggest that ANAC032 functions as a negative regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana during stress conditions.
OMA: A Multi-channel MAC Protocol with Opportunistic Media Access in Wireless Sensor Networks

To tackle control channel saturation problems, this paper proposes OMA, an asynchronous duty cycle based multi-channel MAC protocol with opportunistic media access for wireless sensor networks. By adopting opportunistic media access, OMA effectively alleviates, if not completely eliminates, control channel saturation problems. More importantly, OMA is fully distributed with no requirements of time synchronization or multi-radio. Therefore, OMA is very easy to be implemented in resource-constrained sensor nodes. Via the theoretical analysis, the opportunistic probability with which a node opportunistically access the control channel is obtained. To validate the effectiveness of opportunistic media access, extensive simulations and real test bed experiments were conducted. The simulation and experimental results show that when the number of channels is large or the network loads are heavy, OMA improves energy efficiency and throughput significantly compared with other works in the literature.
Cost-Effective Remote Mirroring Using the iSCSI Protocol

This paper presents a performance study of the iSCSI protocol in the context of remote mirroring. We first integrate our caching technology called DCD (disk caching disk) into a standard iSCSI target device to form a high performance storage system for mirroring purpose. Performance measurements are then carried out using this storage system as well as standard iSCSI targets as mirroring devices. We consider remote mirroring on a LAN (local area network) and on a commercial WAN (wide area network). The workloads used in our measurements include popular benchmarks such as PostMark and IoMeter, and real-world I/O traces. Our measurement results show that iSCSI is a viable approach to cost-effective remote mirroring for organizations that have moderate amount of data changes. In particular, our DCDenhanced iSCSI target can greatly improve performance of remote mirroring.
Psychoeducational Recommendations: Perceptions of School Psychologists and Classroom Teachers

This study is a qualitative examination of the perceptions of school psychologists and regular classroom teachers on various issues regarding the implementation of recommendations from psychoeducational assessments. Fifteen school psychologists and 25 teachers were interviewed for the study. Findings indicated that recommendations can be categorized into four main types that vary in terms of their implementability as perceived by psychologists, and their helpfulness and ease of implementation to teachers. Findings also revealed that participants found it difficult to provide a valid estimate of the proportion of recommendations actually implemented. Both teachers and psychologists identified the following factors that affect recommendation implementation: practical considerations, consultation practices, teacher personality, knowledge and attitudes, format for presenting recommendations, and type of referral problem. Psychologists also identified psychologist variables, quality of relationships and rapport, and teacher theoretical orientation as factors. Teachers stated that child variables, specificity of recommendations, and support from colleagues, parents, and the psychologist are key factors influencing implementation.
The Role of miRNA-34a as a Prognostic Biomarker for Cirrhotic Patients with Portal Hypertension Receiving TIPS

Background Circulating miRNA-34a is increased in blood of patients with different liver diseases when compared to healthy controls. However, the origin of miRNA-34a and its possible relationship with hemodynamics and outcome in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension is unknown. We analyzed the levels of miRNA-34a in cirrhotic patients with severe portal hypertension. Methods We included 60 cirrhotic patients receiving TIPS for prevention of rebleeding and/or therapy-refractory ascites. miRNA-34a levels were measured using qPCR and normalized by SV-40 in the portal and hepatic venous blood of these patients taken at TIPS procedure. Hemodynamic and clinical parameters were assessed before TIPS and during follow-up. Results Levels of miRNA-34a were higher in the hepatic vein than in the portal vein. Circulating miRNA-34a in the hepatic vein correlated with ALT, CHE and sodium excretion after TIPS. miRNA-34a showed no correlation with portal pressure, but its levels in the portal vein correlated inversely with the congestion index. Interestingly, the levels of miRNA-34a in the portal and hepatic vein showed inverse correlation with arterial pressure. Furthermore, levels of miRNA-34a in the hepatic vein had a predictive value for survival, but MELD, creatinine at short-time follow-up 14 days after TIPS-insertion and portal pressure after TIPS performed better. Conclusion This study demonstrates for the first time, that miRNA-34a may originate to a large extent from the liver. Even though higher levels of miRNA-34a are possibly associated with better survival at long-term follow-up in cirrhotic patients with severe portal hypertension receiving TIPS, classical prognostic parameters predict the survival better.