Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hilbert Transform-Based Workload Prediction and Dynamic Frequency Scaling for Power-Efficient Video Encoding

With the popularity of mobile devices with embedded video cameras, real-time video encoding on hand-held devices becomes increasingly popular. Reducing the power consumption during real-time video encoding to suspend the battery life with the same encoding performance is very important to improve the quality of service. Although some workload estimation techniques have been developed for video decoding to reduce power consumption for video playback applications, they present inefficiency in being transferred to video encoding directly because the compressed information cannot be retrieved before encoding and the future input video content is often nondeterministic. In this paper, a workload estimation scheme targeting video encoding applications is proposed. Based on the definition of video encoding workload and the analysis of the features, a Hilbert transform-based workload estimation model is proposed to predict the overall variation trend in the encoding workload to overcome the workload fluctuations and the nondeterministic content variations, e.g., burst motion. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated on two H.264/AVC encoders on PC and an embedded platform by encoding different video contents at different bit-rates. The proposed algorithm provides a negligible deadline missing ratio around 4.8%, which is much lower than the previous solutions, together with platform and content robustness. Compared with the previous solutions, the proposed algorithm provides up to 61.69% power reduction under the same performance constraint.
Risk of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Events in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis: A Population-Based Cohort Study

BACKGROUND:Hyperlipidemia is a common finding among patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). However, whether this results in higher rates of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in PBC patients compared with the general population is unclear.METHODS:We compared the risk of developing myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and transient ischemic attack (TIA) in a cohort of people with PBC with a general population control cohort matched on age, sex, and general practice (GP). Subjects were selected from the General Practice Research Database (GPRD). Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox regression.RESULTS:Nine hundred thirty PBC patients (88% female) were compared with 9,202 controls. During a total of about 43,700 person-years of follow-up, 244 MIs, 591 strokes, and 221 TIAs were identified. Incidence rates per 1,000 person-years for MI, stroke, and TIA during the study period were 5.9 (3.9–9.0), 13.8 (10.5–18.2), and 3.5 (2.0–6.0) for PBC cohorts and 5.6 (4.9–6.4), 14.0 (12.9–15.2), and 5.3 (4.6–6.0) for control cohorts, respectively. HRs in PBC cohort compared with the control cohort were for any vascular event 0.99 (95% CI 0.77–1.27) MI 1.04 (95% CI 0.67–1.62), stroke 0.98 (95% CI 0.73–1.31), and TIA 0.66 (95% CI 0.38–1.16). Adjustment for confounders did not change the results substantially.CONCLUSIONS:PBC was not associated with an increased risk of MI, stroke, or TIA in this cohort. Therefore, strategies for the prevention of vascular events in PBC patients should be similar to those in the general population.
Synthetic Aperture Hitchhiker Imaging

We introduce a novel synthetic-aperture imaging method for radar systems that relies on sources of opportunity. We consider receivers that fly along arbitrary, but known, flight trajectories and develop a spatio-temporal correlation-based filtered-backprojection-type image reconstruction method. The method involves first correlating the measurements from two different receiver locations. This leads to a forward model where the radiance of the target scene is projected onto the intersection of certain hyperboloids with the surface topography. We next use microlocal techniques to develop a filtered-backprojection-type inversion method to recover the scene radiance. The method is applicable to both stationary and mobile, and cooperative and noncooperative sources of opportunity. Additionally, it is applicable to nonideal imaging scenarios such as those involving arbitrary flight trajectories, and has the desirable property of preserving the visible edges of the scene radiance. We present an analysis of the computational complexity of the image reconstruction method and demonstrate its performance in numerical simulations for single and multiple transmitters of opportunity.
Effects of Postgraduate Medical Education "Boot Camps" on Clinical Skills, Knowledge, and Confidence: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND Throughout their medical education, learners face multiple transition periods associated with increased demands, producing stress and concern about the adequacy of their skills for their new role. OBJECTIVE We evaluated the effectiveness of boot camps in improving clinical skills, knowledge, and confidence during transitions into postgraduate or discipline-specific residency programs. METHODS Boot camps are in-training courses combining simulation-based practice with other educational methods to enhance learning and preparation for individuals entering new clinical roles. We performed a search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and ERIC using boot camp and comparable search terms. Inclusion criteria included studies that reported on medical education boot camps, involved learners entering new clinical roles in North American programs, and reported empirical data on the effectiveness of boot camps to improve clinical skills, knowledge, and/or confidence. A random effects model meta-analysis was performed to combined mean effect size differences (Cohen's d) across studies based on pretest/posttest or comparison group analyses. RESULTS The search returned 1096 articles, 15 of which met all inclusion criteria. Combined effect size estimates showed learners who completed boot camp courses had significantly "large" improvements in clinical skills (d = 1.78; 95% CI 1.33-2.22; P < .001), knowledge (d = 2.08; 95% CI 1.20-2.96; P < .001), and confidence (d = 1.89; 95% CI 1.63-2.15; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Boot camps were shown as an effective educational strategy to improve learners' clinical skills, knowledge, and confidence. Focus on pretest/posttest research designs limits the strength of these findings.
Analysis of the Velocity Tracking Control Problem for the 3D Evolutionary Navier-Stokes Equations

The velocity tracking problem for the evolutionary Navier--Stokes equations in three dimensions is studied. The controls are of distributed type and are submitted to bound constraints. The classical cost functional is modified so that a full analysis of the control problem is possible. First and second order necessary and sufficient optimality conditions are proved. A fully discrete scheme based on a discontinuous (in time) Galerkin approach, combined with conforming finite element subspaces in space, is proposed and analyzed. Provided that the time and space discretization parameters, $\tau$ and $h,$ respectively, satisfy $\tau \leq Ch^2$, the $L^2(\Omega_T)$ error estimates of order $O(h)$ are proved for the difference between the locally optimal controls and their discrete approximations. Finally, combining these techniques and the approach of Casas, Herzog, and Wachsmuth [SIAM J. Optim. , 22 (2012), pp. 795--820], we extend our results to the case of $L^1(\Omega_T)$ type functionals that allow sparse c.
Microbial Adhesion in Flow Displacement Systems

SUMMARY Flow displacement systems are superior to many other (static) systems for studying microbial adhesion to surfaces because mass transport and prevailing shear conditions can be adequately controlled and notoriously ill-defined slight rinsing steps to remove so-called “loosely adhering organisms” can be avoided. In this review, we present the basic background required to calculate mass transport and shear rates in flow displacement systems, focusing on the parallel plate flow chamber as an example. Critical features in the design of flow displacement systems are discussed, as well as different strategies for data analysis. Finally, selected examples of working with flow displacement systems are given for diverse biomedical applications.
On the Integrability of String Theory in AdS_5 x S^5

Integrability occupies an increasingly important role in direct tests of the AdS/CFT correspondence. Integrable structures have appeared in both planar N=4 super Yang-Mills theory and type IIB superstring theory on AdS_5 x S^5. A generalized statement of the AdS/CFT conjecture has therefore emerged in which, in addition to string energies corresponding to gauge theory anomalous dimensions, an infinite tower of higher charges on each side of the duality should also be equated. Demonstrations of this larger equivalence have been successful in certain regimes. To test this correspondence in a more stringent setting, the bosonic sector of the fully quantized string theory on AdS_5 x S^5 is expanded about the pp-wave limit to sextic order in fields, or to O(1/J^2), where J is the (large) angular momentum of string states boosted along an equatorial geodesic in the S^5 subspace. To avoid issues of renormalization, the analysis is restricted to zeroth order in the modified 't Hooft coupling where consistency conditions demand that integrability be realized. The string theory, however, fails to meet these conditions. This signals a potential problem with higher-order corrections in the large-J expansion around the pp-wave limit.
Accurate Detection of Rifampicin-Resistant Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Strains

In 2013 alone, the death rate among the 9.0 million people infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) worldwide was around 14%, which is unacceptably high. An empiric treatment of patients infected with TB or drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB) strain can also result in the spread of MDR-TB. The diagnostic tools which are rapid, reliable, and have simple experimental protocols can significantly help in decreasing the prevalence rate of MDR-TB strain. We report the evaluation of the 9G technology based 9G DNAChips that allow accurate detection and discrimination of TB and MDR-TB-RIF. One hundred and thirteen known cultured samples were used to evaluate the ability of 9G DNAChip in the detection and discrimination of TB and MDR-TB-RIF strains. Hybridization of immobilized probes with the PCR products of TB and MDR-TB-RIF strains allow their detection and discrimination. The accuracy of 9G DNAChip was determined by comparing its results with sequencing analysis and drug susceptibility testing. Sequencing analysis showed 100% agreement with the results of 9G DNAChip. The 9G DNAChip showed very high sensitivity (95.4%) and specificity (100%).
ATM is involved in cell‐cycle control through the regulation of retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation

Ataxia telangiectasia mutated protein (ATM) is a member of the phosphatidylinositol‐3 kinase (PI3K) family, which has a role in the cellular response to DNA double‐strand breaks (DSBs). In the present study, we evaluated the role of ATM in cell‐cycle control in dopaminergic rat neuroblastoma B65 cells. For this purpose, ATM activity was either inhibited pharmacologically with the specific inhibitor KU‐55933, or the ATM gene was partially silenced by transfection with small interfering RNA (siRNA). Our data indicate that although ATM inhibition did not affect the cell cycle, both treatments specifically decreased the levels of cyclin A and retinoblastoma protein (pRb), phosphorylated at Ser780. Furthermore, ATM inhibition decreased the active form of p53, which is phosphorylated at Ser15, and also decreased Bax and p21 expression. Using H2O2 as a positive control of DSBs, caused a rapid pRb phosphorylation, this was prevented by KU‐55933 and siRNA treatment. Collectively, our data demonstrate how a new molecular network on ATM regulates the cell cycle through the control of pRb phosphorylation. These findings support a new target of ATM. J. Cell. Biochem. 110: 210–218, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prediction of Media Credibility in Egypt's Post-Revolution Transitional Phase

A survey was conducted following the 2011 revolution in Egypt to assess peoples’ attitudes toward media channels during the pre-election transitional period. Factors that might influence news credibility perceptions, such as media reliance, political attitudes, and non-mediated sources were included in the study. Television was rated the highest in credibility, followed by newspapers and the Internet. Those who use the Internet rated online newspapers, news portals and Facebook postings highly. State media continues to have high credibility among less educated and less wealthy Egyptians, the majority of voters. Reliance on online sources proved to be a strong predictor of credibility, while reliance on traditional media did not have the same result. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that several demographics proved to be a predictor of whether a medium is judged as credible. Political attitudes were found to be a weak predictor of credibility.
Transcriptome Profiling Reveals the Regulatory Mechanism Underlying Pollination Dependent and Parthenocarpic Fruit Set Mainly Mediated by Auxin and Gibberellin

Background Fruit set is a key process for crop production in tomato which occurs after successful pollination and fertilization naturally. However, parthenocarpic fruit development can be uncoupled from fertilization triggered by exogenous auxin or gibberellins (GAs). Global transcriptome knowledge during fruit initiation would help to characterize the molecular mechanisms by which these two hormones regulate pollination-dependent and -independent fruit set. Principal Findings In this work, digital gene expression tag profiling (DGE) technology was applied to compare the transcriptomes from pollinated and 2, 4-D/GA3-treated ovaries. Activation of carbohydrate metabolism, cell division and expansion as well as the down-regulation of MADS-box is a comprehensive regulatory pathway during pollination-dependent and parthenocarpic fruit set. The signaling cascades of auxin and GA are significantly modulated. The feedback regulations of Aux/IAAs and DELLA genes which functioned to fine-tune auxin and GA response respectively play fundamental roles in triggering fruit initiation. In addition, auxin regulates GA synthesis via up-regulation of GA20ox1 and down-regulation of KNOX. Accordingly, the effect of auxin on fruit set is mediated by GA via ARF2 and IAA9 down-regulation, suggesting that both pollination-dependent and parthenocarpic fruit set depend on the crosstalk between auxin and GA. Significance This study characterizes the transcriptomic features of ovary development and more importantly unravels the integral roles of auxin and GA on pollination-dependent and parthenocarpic fruit set.
Limited-Feedback Modified Block Diagonalization for Multiuser MIMO Downlink with Time-Varying Channels

Block diagonalization (BD) is a low-complexity linear precoding scheme for multiuser MIMO (MU-MIMO) down-link, which can completely eliminate multi-user interference with perfect channel state information (CSI) at the transmitter. Under the assumption of block fading channels, BD with fixed amount of feedback is interference-limited. In this paper, we first introduce a low-complexity CSI feedback scheme, by exploiting the temporal correlation of practical channels, to improve the efficiency of feedback. Then, a modified BD algorithm is proposed to further utilize the channel correlation in time domain. Combined with the CSI feedback scheme, the modified BD algorithm handles the interference-limiting problem in a wide range of SNR with a fixed, small number of feedback bits.
Genome Replication and Progeny Virion Production of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Mutants with Temperature-Sensitive Lesions in the Origin-Binding Protein

ABSTRACT Genome replication of herpes simplex viruses (HSV) in cultured cells is thought to be started by the action of the virus-encoded origin-binding protein (OBP). In experiments using two HSV-1 mutants with temperature-sensitive lesions in the helicase domain of OBP, we demonstrated that this function is essential during the first 6 hours of the lytic cycle. Once DNA synthesis has started, this function is no longer required, suggesting that origin-driven initiation of viral DNA replication is a single event rather than a continuous process.
Identifying Natural Substrates for Dipeptidyl Peptidases 8 and 9 Using Terminal Amine Isotopic Labeling of Substrates (TAILS) Reveals in Vivo Roles in Cellular Homeostasis and Energy Metabolism

Background: Biological roles for intracellular dipeptidyl peptidases 8 and 9 are unknown. Results: By degradomics, 29 new in vivo substrates were identified (nine validated) for DP8/DP9, including adenylate kinase 2 and calreticulin. Conclusion: These substrates indicate roles for DP8 and DP9 in metabolism and energy homeostasis. Significance: Being the first proteomics screen for DP8/DP9 substrates, unexpected new cellular roles were revealed. Dipeptidyl peptidases (DP) 8 and 9 are homologous, cytoplasmic N-terminal post-proline-cleaving enzymes that are anti-targets for the development of DP4 (DPPIV/CD26) inhibitors for treating type II diabetes. To date, DP8 and DP9 have been implicated in immune responses and cancer biology, but their pathophysiological functions and substrate repertoire remain unknown. This study utilizes terminal amine isotopic labeling of substrates (TAILS), an N-terminal positional proteomic approach, for the discovery of in vivo DP8 and DP9 substrates. In vivo roles for DP8 and DP9 in cellular metabolism and homeostasis were revealed via the identification of more than 29 candidate natural substrates and pathways affected by DP8/DP9 overexpression. Cleavage of 14 substrates was investigated in vitro; 9/14 substrates for both DP8 and DP9 were confirmed by MALDI-TOF MS, including two of high confidence, calreticulin and adenylate kinase 2. Adenylate kinase 2 plays key roles in cellular energy and nucleotide homeostasis. These results demonstrate remarkable in vivo substrate overlap between DP8/DP9, suggesting compensatory roles for these enzymes. This work provides the first global investigation into DP8 and DP9 substrates, providing a number of leads for future investigations into the biological roles and significance of DP8 and DP9 in human health and disease.
A New Framework For Query Optimization In Multidatabase System Environment

Due to the changing business environment, the need arises to integrate the pre-existing database system in federated way. A great effort had been done to enhance the performance of the Multidatabase management system (MDBMS). The most critical issue considered in this area is the query optimization that can be considered as the backbone of any successful database. Reviewing the most recent related work developed in the query optimization show that, a major challenge for global query optimization in a Multidatabase system is that some required local information about local database components (DBCs) such as local cost model may not be available at the global level due to local autonomy. The main objective of this paper is to introduce a framework that manages a communication between the MDBMS and the DBCs which will be the base to achieving its main goal of solving Query optimization problem.
WOMEN, SCIENCE, AND ACADEMIA

In the study of gender and society, science is a strategic analytic research site—because of the hierarchical nature of gendered relations, generally, and the hierarchy of science, particularly. Academic science, especially, is crucial to, and revealing of, status in science and society. This article focuses on three questions: What is the status of women in scientific careers and the role of graduate education in these careers? What are the implications for the analysis of gender? Where can we intervene, and how? In addressing these questions, the arguments concentrate on the social and organizational context of science and its relationship to gender and status.
BDI: A New Decidable First-order Clause Class

BDI (Bounded Depth Increase) is a new decidable first-order clause class. It strictly includes known classes such as PVD. The arity of function and predicate symbols as well as the shape of atoms is not restricted in BDI. Instead the shape of ”cycles” in resolution inferences is restricted such that the depth of generated clauses may increase but is still finitely bound. The BDI class is motivated by real world problems where function terms are used to represent record structures. We show that the hyper-resolution calculus modulo redundancy elimination terminates on BDI clause sets. Employing this result to the ordered resolution calculus, we can also prove termination of ordered resolution on BDI, yielding a more efficient decision procedure.
Observable degree analysis using unscented information filter for nonlinear estimation systems

Observability and observable degree, which are derived from modern control theory and relative to control and estimation performances, are both important concepts for state estimation. For linear time-invariant systems, judgement of observability and evaluation of observable degree are irrelevant to filtering process and parameters. Thereby, it has limited application ability. Different from linear systems, observability and observable degree becomes more complex and are seldom studied deeply and integrally for nonlinear systems. Due to the complexity of nonlinear filtering, the observable degree depends strongly on filtering process, filter class and associated parameters. Thereby, we study the observable degree analysis of nonlinear estimation systems by using unscented information filter (UIF). A way to evaluate observable degree using singular value decomposition (SVD) of observability matrix is presented based on the UIF and the influencing factors are deeply analyzed. Moreover, differences of observable degree analysis are distinctly discussed between linear and nonlinear systems. The results reveal that evaluation of the observable degree for nonlinear systems can be affected by filtering estimate at last time, initial estimate and filter's parameters such as covariances of process and measurement noises. Some simulations are demonstrated to validate the results.
Buffer overflows: attacks and defenses for the vulnerability of the decade

Buffer overflows have been the most common form of security vulnerability for the last ten years. More over, buffer overflow vulnerabilities dominate the area of remote network penetration vulnerabilities, where an anonymous Internet user seeks to gain partial or total control of a host. If buffer overflow vulnerabilities could be effectively eliminated, a very large portion of the most serious security threats would also be eliminated. In this paper, we survey the various types of buffer overflow vulnerabilities and attacks, and survey the various defensive measures that mitigate buffer overflow vulnerabilities, including our own StackGuard method. We then consider which combinations of techniques can eliminate the problem of buffer overflow vulnerabilities, while preserving the functionality and performance of existing systems.
Digital PWM controller for SIDO switching converter with time-multiplexing scheme

Based on digital controllers offering significant advantages in DC-DC converters, this paper proposes a digital PWM controller for single-inductor dual-output (SIDO) switching converter operating in discontinuous-conduction mode (DCM). By adopting time-multiplexing (TM) scheme, this converter provides two independent supply voltages using only one inductor, which is suitable for portable devices and system-on-chip (SoC) integration. All design issues of each block including analog-to-digital converter (ADC), digital compensator and digital pulse width modulator (DPWM) are discussed. To save chip area, single look-up table based compensator and modified hybrid DPWM are developed. Simulation results are shown to verify the validity of the proposed work.