Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SCIMA-SMP: on-chip memory processor architecture for SMP

In this paper, we propose a processor architecture with programmable on-chip memory for a high-performance SMP (symmetric multi-processor) node named SCIMA-SMP (Software Controlled Integrated Memory Architecture for SMP) with the intent of solving the performance gap problem between a processor and off-chip memory. With special instructions which enable the explicit data transfer between on-chip memory and off-chip memory, this architecture is able to control the data transfer timing and its granularity by the application program, and the SMP bus is utilized efficiently compared with traditional cache-only architecture. Through the performance evaluation based on clock-level simulation for various HPC applications, we confirmed that this architecture largely reduces the bus access cycle by avoiding redundant data transfer and controlling the granularity of the data movement between on-chip and off-chip memory.
The expression of myogenic regulatory factors and muscle growth factors in the masticatory muscles of dystrophin-deficient (MDX) mice

The activities of myogenic regulatory factors (MRF) and muscle growth factors increase in muscle that is undergoing regeneration, and may correspond to some specific changes. Little is known about the role of MRFs in masticatory muscles in mdx mice (the model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy) and particularly about their mRNA expression during the process of muscle regeneration. Using Taqman RT-PCR, we examined the mRNA expression of the MRFs myogenin and MyoD1 (myogenic differentiation 1), and of the muscle growth factors myostatin, IGF1 (insulin-like growth factor) and MGF (mechanogrowth factor) in the masseter, temporal and tongue masticatory muscles of mdx mice (n = 6 to 10 per group). The myogenin mRNA expression in the mdx masseter and temporal muscle was found to have increased (P < 0.05), whereas the myostatin mRNA expressions in the mdx masseter (P < 0.005) and tongue (P < 0.05) were found to have diminished compared to those for the controls. The IGF and MGF mRNA amounts in the mdx mice remained unchanged. Inside the mdx animal group, gender-related differences in the mRNA expressions were also found. A higher mRNA expression of myogenin and MyoD1 in the mdx massterer and temporal muscles was found in females in comparison to males, and the level of myostatin was higher in the masseter and tongue muscle (P < 0.001 for all comparisons). Similar gender-related differences were also found within the control groups. This study reveals the intermuscular differences in the mRNA expression pattern of myogenin and myostatin in mdx mice. The existence of these differences implies that dystrophinopathy affects the skeletal muscles differentially. The finding of gender-related differences in the mRNA expression of the examined factors may indicate the importance of hormonal influences on muscle regeneration.
A refined method for the meta‐analysis of controlled clinical trials with binary outcome

For the meta‐analysis of controlled clinical trials with binary outcome a test statistic for testing an overall treatment effect is proposed, which is based on a refined estimator for the variance of the treatment effect estimator usually used in the random‐effects model of meta‐analysis. In simulation studies it is shown that the proposed test keeps the prescribed significance level much better than the commonly used tests in the fixed‐effects and random‐effects model, respectively. Moreover, when using the test it is not necessary to choose between fixed effects and random effects approaches in advance. The proposed method applies in the same way to the analysis of a controlled multi‐centre study with binary outcome, including a possible interaction between drugs and centres. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Predictors of recurrence following an initial episode of transverse myelitis

Objective: This study sought to identify factors that increased the risk of recurrence after an initial transverse myelitis (TM) presentation. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of 192 patients initially presenting with TM of unknown etiology. Patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis during the first myelitis episode were excluded. Demographic and laboratory data were analyzed for associations with recurrence. Results: One hundred ten of 192 patients (57%) eventually developed recurrent symptoms: 69 (63%) neuromyelitis optica (NMO) or NMO spectrum disorder, 34 (31%) non-NMO recurrent TM, and 7 (6%) systemic autoimmune disease. Multiple independent risk factors for recurrence were identified: African American race (risk ratio 1.60, p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval 1.26–2.03; similarly noted hereafter), female sex (1.88, p = 0.007, 1.19–2.98), longitudinally extensive myelitis at onset (1.34, p = 0.036, 1.01–1.78), Sjogren syndrome antigen A (1.89, p = 0.003, 1.44–2.48), vitamin D insufficiency (4.00, p < 0.001, 1.60–10.0), antinuclear antibody titer ≥1:160 (1.69, p = 0.006, 1.23–2.32), and the presence of inflammatory markers (e.g., immunoglobulin G index) in the CSF (2.14, p < 0.001, 1.44–3.17). Conclusions: Sex, race, and serologic biomarkers warrant consideration when assessing risk of TM recurrence. Male sex and Caucasian American race were independently associated with risk of monophasic idiopathic TM. Recurrence risk in female and African American patients appears driven by a greater likelihood of developing NMO or NMO spectrum disorder.
High-performance nMOSFET with in-situ phosphorus-doped embedded Si:C (ISPD eSi:C) source-drain stressor

For the first time, embedded Si:C (eSi:C) was demonstrated to be a superior nMOSFET stressor compared to SMT or tensile liner (TL) stressors. eSi:C nMOSFET showed higher channel mobility and drive current over our best poly-gate 45 nm-node nMOSFET with SMT and tensile liner stressors. In addition, eSi:C showed better scalability than SMT plus tensile liner stressors from 380 nm to 190 nm poly-pitches.
Geometric Optimization Problems over Sliding Windows

We study the problem of maintaining a (1+e)-factor approximation of the diameter of a stream of points under the sliding window model In one dimension, we give a simple algorithm that only needs to store $O(\frac{1}{\epsilon}{\rm log}R)$ points at any time, where the parameter R denotes the “spread” of the point set This bound is optimal and improves Feigenbaum, Kannan, and Zhang's recent solution by two logarithmic factors We then extend our one-dimensional algorithm to higher constant dimensions and, at the same time, correct an error in the previous solution In high nonconstant dimensions, we also observe a constant-factor approximation algorithm that requires sublinear space Related optimization problems, such as the width, are also considered in the two-dimensional case.
In Vivo Disruption of TGF-β Signaling by Smad7 in Airway Epithelium Alleviates Allergic Asthma but Aggravates Lung Carcinogenesis in Mouse

Background TGF-β has been postulated to play an important role in the maintenance of epithelial homeostasis and the development of epithelium-derived cancers. However, most of previous studies are mainly focused on the function of TGF-β in immune cells to the development of allergic asthma and how TGF-β signaling in airway epithelium itself in allergic inflammation is largely unknown. Furthermore, the in vivo TGF-β function specifically in the airway epithelium during lung cancer development has been largely elusive. Methodology/Principal Findings To evaluate the in vivo contribution of TGF-β signaling in lung epithelium to the development of allergic disease and lung cancer, we generated a transgenic mouse model with Smad7, an intracellular inhibitor of TGF-β signaling, constitutively expressed in mouse airway Clara cells using a mouse CC10 promoter. The mice were subjected to the development of OVA-induced allergic asthma and urethane-induced lung cancer. The Smad7 transgenic animals significantly protected from OVA-induced asthma, with reduced airway inflammation, airway mucus production, extracellular matrix deposition, and production of OVA-specific IgE. Further analysis of cytokine profiles in lung homogenates revealed that the Th2 cytokines including IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13, as well as other cytokines including IL-17, IL-1, IL-6, IP10, G-CSF, and GM-CSF were significantly reduced in the transgenic mice upon OVA induction. In contrast, the Smad7 transgenic animals had an increased incidence of lung carcinogenesis when subjected to urethane treatment. Conclusion/Significance These studies, therefore, demonstrate for the first time the in vivo function of TGF-β signaling specifically in airway epithelium during the development of allergic asthma and lung cancer.
Multi-criteria Reinforcement Learning

We consider multi-criteria sequential decision making problems where the vector-valued evaluations are compared by a given, xed total ordering. Conditions for the optimality of stationary policies and the Bellman optimality equation are given. The analysis requires special care as the topology introduced by pointwise convergence and the order-topology introduced by the preference order are in general incompatible. Reinforcement learning algorithms are proposed and analyzed. Preliminary computer experiments connrm the validity of the derived algorithms. It is observed that in the medium-term multi-criteria RL often converges to better solutions (measured by the rst criterion) than their single-criterion counterparts. These type of multi-criteria problems are most useful when there are several optimal solutions to a problem and one wants to choose the one among these which is optimal according to another xed criterion. Example applications include alternating games, when in addition to maximizing the probability of win, the decision maker also minimizes the expected number of steps to win in states when it is possible to win, while in states when it is not possible to win it tries to play for time. Another application comes from specifying desired behaviors for robots in terms of a list of ordered, parallel sub-goals, e.g., a football playing robot's primary goal could be to shoot goals, while it's subordinate, parallel goal could be to keep clear of opponents as much as possible.
p38-MAPK Signals Survival by Phosphorylation of Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 in Human Neutrophils

Neutrophil apoptosis occurs both in the bloodstream and in the tissue and is considered essential for the resolution of an inflammatory process. Here, we show that p38–mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) associates to caspase-8 and caspase-3 during neutrophil apoptosis and that p38-MAPK activity, previously shown to be a survival signal in these primary cells, correlates with the levels of caspase-8 and caspase-3 phosphorylation. In in vitro experiments, immunoprecipitated active p38-MAPK phosphorylated and inhibited the activity of the active p20 subunits of caspase-8 and caspase-3. Phosphopeptide mapping revealed that these phosphorylations occurred on serine-364 and serine-150, respectively. Introduction of mutated (S150A), but not wild-type, TAT-tagged caspase-3 into primary neutrophils made the Fas-induced apoptotic response insensitive to p38-MAPK inhibition. Consequently, p38-MAPK can directly phosphorylate and inhibit the activities of caspase-8 and caspase-3 and thereby hinder neutrophil apoptosis, and, in so doing, regulate the inflammatory response.
Referral Criteria for Special Education: General Education Teachers’ Perspectives in Canada and the United States of America

General education classroom teachers initiate the referral process of students who later become identified with a disability. With recent changes in educational assessment and programming (i.e., Response to Intervention [RTI] within the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act [IDEIA] [2004] and Canadian legislation, such as Ontario's Education Quality and Accountability [EQAO] Office Act [1996]), this study examined the psychometric properties of referral criteria used by teachers when referring students for special education services. The sample (N=97) consisted of Canadian and American general education classroom teachers from rural, suburban, and inner-city school districts. Exploratory factor analysis identified that the 15 referral criteria can be reduced into two subscales, inattention and aptitude, and, collectively, they accounted for 50% of the common variance in teachers’ ratings of referral criteria. Suggestions for future research are also discussed.
OnlineDoubleMaxMinOver: a simple approximate time and information efficient online Support Vector Classification method

We present the OnlineDoubleMaxMinOver approach to ob- tain the Support Vectors in two class classification problems. With its linear time complexity and linear convergence the algorithm achieves a competitive speed. We approach the problem of the impossibility of per- fect non trivial online Support Vector Learning by parameterising the ex- actness. Even in the case of linearly inseparable data within the feature space the method converges to a solution expressible by a finite amount of information while observing an arbitrarily large number of input vec- tors. The results of the online method are comparable to the batch ones, occasionally even better.
Developmental expression patterns of Tbx1, Tbx2, Tbx5, and Tbx20 in Xenopus tropicalis

T‐box genes have diverse functions during embryogenesis and are implicated in several human congenital disorders. Here, we report the identification, sequence analysis, and developmental expression patterns of four members of the T‐box gene family in the diploid frog Xenopus tropicalis. These four genes—Tbx1, Tbx2, Tbx5, and Tbx20—have been shown to influence cardiac development in a variety of organisms, in addition to their individual roles in regulating other aspects of embryonic development. Our results highlight the high degree of evolutionary conservation between orthologs of these genes in X. tropicalis and other vertebrates, both at the molecular level and in their developmental expression patterns, and also identify novel features of their expression. Thus, X. tropicalis represents a potentially valuable vertebrate model in which to further investigate the functions of these genes through genetic approaches. Developmental Dynamics 235:1623–1630, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Key blog distillation: ranking aggregates

Searchers on the blogosphere often have a need to identify other key bloggers with similar interests to their own. However, a main difference of this blog distillation task from normal adhoc or Web document retrieval is that each blog can be seen as an aggregate of its constituent posts. On the other hand, we show that the task is similar to the expert search task, where a person's expertise is derived from the aggregate of their publications or emails. In this paper, we investigate several aspects of blog retrieval: Firstly, we experiment whether a blog should be represented as a whole unit, or as by considering each of its posts as indicators of its relevance, showing that expert search techniques can be adapted for blog search; Secondly, we examine whether indexing only the XML feed provided by each blog (and which is often incomplete) is sufficient, or whether the full-text of each blog post should be downloaded; Lastly, we use approaches to detect the central or recurring interests of each blog to increase the retrieval effectiveness of the system. Using the TREC 2007 Blog dataset, the results show that our proposed expert search paradigm is indeed useful in identifying key bloggers, achieving high retrieval effectiveness.
Semantic Decision Support for Information Fusion Applications

La these s'inscrit dans le domaine de la representation des connaissances et la modelisation de l'incertitude dans un contexte de fusion d'informations. L'idee majeure est d'utiliser les outils semantiques que sont les ontologies, non seulement pour representer les connaissances generales du domaine et les observations, mais aussi pour representer les incertitudes que les sources introduisent dans leurs observations. Nous proposons de representer ces incertitudes au travers d'une meta-ontologie (DS-ontology) fondee sur la theorie des fonctions de croyance. La contribution de ce travail porte sur la definition d'operateurs d'inclusion et d'intersection semantique et sur lesquels s'appuie la mise en œuvre de la theorie des fonctions de croyance, et sur le developpement d'un outil appele FusionLab permettant la fusion d'informations semantiques a partir du developpement theorique precedent. Une application de ces travaux a ete realisee dans le cadre d'un projet de surveillance maritime.
An Empirical Study on Lean and Agile Methods in Global Software Development

Nowadays, many individuals and teams involved on projects are already using agile development techniques as part of their daily work. However, we have much less experience in how to scale and manage agile practices in distributed software development. Distributed and global development-that requiring attention to many technical, organizational, and cultural issues as the teams interact to cooperatively delivery the solution. Alongside, very large team sizes, teams of teams, and more complex management structures forcing additional attention to coordination and management. At this level, there is an increasing need to standardize best practices to avoid reinvention and miscommunication across artifacts and processes. Complexity issues in enterprise software delivery can have significant impact on the adoption of agile approaches. As a consequence, agile strategies will typically need to be evaluated, tailored, and perhaps combined with traditional approaches to suit the particular context. The characteristics of software products and software development processes open up new possibilities that are different from those offered in other domains to achieve leanness and flexibility. Whilst Lean principles are universal, a further understanding of the techniques required to apply such principles from a software development angle. Thus, the aim of this research is to identify, how can combination of Lean and Agile practices facilitate to scale and manage distributed software development.
"A Gift with Strings Attached": Parents' Experiences of Teenagers' Mobile Phone Text Messaging

While the rapid adoption of mobile technology became global, the rate at which young people adopted it was even bigger. Most studies focussed on the experiences of the teenagers. In this study the aim of the study was to explore parents' experiences of their teenagers' text messages. A qualitative exploratory research design was adopted. The population was parents/guardians (males and females) of teenagers (boys and girls) attending high schools in Cape Town South Africa. Available and snowball sampling were used. All participants were recruited in the Southern Suburbs and Cape Flats of the Cape Metropolitan Area. In total 11 parents were interviewed using an interview guideline. The interviews were transcribed, independently coded and thematically analysed. The results show that mobile phones are no ordinary gifts. They are given with strings attached. Once in teenagers' hands, the devices serve both communication and monitoring purposes. It comes with a set of given or negotiated rules and new expectations. The study also emphasises the importance of a trusting relationship with teenagers, respecting their privacy, and the disengagement process from their parents. The importance of positive relationships and open communication as well as negotiated rules in the management of the mobile phone is recommended.
Running Control of Quadruped Robot Based on the Global State and Central Pattern

For a real-time quadruped robot running control, there are many important objectives to consider. In this paper, the running control architecture based on global states, which describe the cyclic target motion, and central pattern is proposed. The main goal of the controller is how the robot can have robustness to an unpredictable environment with reducing calculation burden to generate control inputs. Additional goal is construction of a single framework controller to avoid discontinuities during transition between multi-framework controllers and of a training-free controller. The global state dependent neuron network induces adaptation ability to an environment and makes the training-free controller. The central pattern based approach makes the controller have a single framework, and calculation burden is resolved by extracting dynamic equations from the control loop. In our approach, the model of the quadruped robot is designed using anatomical information of a cat, and simulated in 3D dynamic environment. The simulation results show the proposed single framework controller is robustly performed in an unpredictable sloped terrain without training.
Automatic localization and correction of line segmentation errors

Text line segmentation is a basic step in any OCR system. Its failure deteriorates the performance of OCR engines. This is especially true for the Indian languages due to the nature of scripts. Many segmentation algorithms are proposed in literature. Often these algorithms fail to adapt dynamically to a given page and thus tend to yield poor segmentation for some specific regions or some specific pages. In this work we design a text line segmentation post processor which automatically localizes and corrects the segmentation errors. The proposed segmentation post processor, which works in a "learning by examples" framework, is not only independent to segmentation algorithms but also robust to the diversity of scanned pages. We show over 5% improvement in text line segmentation on a large dataset of scanned pages for multiple Indian languages.
Comparison of IRES and F2A-Based Locus-Specific Multicistronic Expression in Stable Mouse Lines

Efficient and stoichiometric expression of genes concatenated by bi- or multi-cistronic vectors has become an invaluable tool not only in basic biology to track and visualize proteins in vivo, but also for vaccine development and in the clinics for gene therapy. To adequately compare, in vivo, the effectiveness of two of the currently popular co-expression strategies - the internal ribosome entry site (IRES) derived from the picornavirus and the 2A peptide from the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FDMV) (F2A), we analyzed two locus-specific knock-in mouse lines co-expressing SRY-box containing gene 9 (Sox9) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) linked by the IRES (Sox9IRES-EGFP) or the F2A (Sox9F2A-EGFP) sequence. Both the constructs expressed Sox9 and EGFP proteins in the appropriate Sox9 expression domains, with the IRES construct expressing reduced levels of EGFP compared to that of the F2A. The latter, on the other hand, produced about 42.2% Sox9-EGFP fusion protein, reflecting an inefficient ribosome ‘skipping’ mechanism. To investigate if the discrepancy in the ‘skipping’ process was locus-dependent, we further analyzed the FLAG3-Bapx1F2A-EGFP mouse line and found similar levels of fusion protein being produced. To assess if EGFP was hindering the ‘skipping’ mechanism, we examined another mouse line co-expressing Bagpipe homeobox gene 1 homolog (Bapx1), Cre recombinase and EGFP (Bapx1F2A-Cre-F2A-EGFP). While the ‘skipping’ was highly efficient between Bapx1 and Cre, the ‘skipping’ between Cre and EGFP was highly inefficient. We have thus demonstrated in our comparison study that the efficient and close to equivalent expression of genes linked by F2A is achievable in stable mouse lines, but the EGFP reporter may cause undesirable inhibition of the ‘skipping’ at the F2A sequence. Hence, the use of other reporter genes should be explored when utilizing F2A peptides.