Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Alloy: Parallel-serial memory channel architecture for single-chip heterogeneous processor systems

A single-chip heterogeneous processor integrates both CPU and GPU on the same chip, demanding higher memory bandwidth. However, the current parallel interface (e.g., DDR3) can increase neither the number of (memory) channels nor the bit rate of the channels without paying high package and power costs. In contrast, the high-speed serial interface (HSI) can offer much higher bandwidth for the same number of pins and lower power consumption for the same bandwidth than the parallel interface. This allows us to integrate more channels under a pin and/or package power constraint but at the cost of longer latency for memory accesses and higher static energy consumption in particular for idle channels. In this paper, we first provide a deep understanding of recent HSI exhibiting very distinct characteristics from past serial interfaces in terms of bit rate, latency, energy per bit transfer, and static power consumption. To overcome the limitation of using only parallel or serial interfaces, we second propose a hybrid memory channel architecture-Alloy consisting of low-latency parallel and high-bandwidth serial channels. Alloy is assisted by our two proposed techniques: (i), a memory channel partitioning technique adoptively maps physical (memory) pages of latency-sensitive (CPU) and bandwidth-consuming (GPU) applications to parallel and serial channels, respectively, and (ii) a power management technique reduces the static energy consumption of idle serial channels. On average, Alloy provides 21% and 32% higher performance for CPU and GPU, respectively, while consuming total memory interface energy comparable to the baseline parallel channel architecture for diverse mixes of co-running CPU and GPU applications.
Study on the Effect of Diamond Grain Size on Wear of Polycrystalline Diamond Compact Cutter

Drilling operation is one of the most crucial step in oil and gas industry as it proves the availability of oil and gas under the ground. Polycrystalline Diamond Compact (PDC) bit is a type of bit which is gaining popularity due to its high Rate of Penetration (ROP). However, PDC bit can easily wear off especially when drilling hard rock. The purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between the grain sizes of the diamond and wear rate of the PDC cutter using simulation-based study with FEA software (ABAQUS). The wear rates of a PDC cutter with a different diamond grain sizes were calculated from simulated cuttings of cutters against granite. The result of this study shows that the smaller the diamond grain size, the higher the wear resistivity of PDC cutter.
Modelling Temporal Structures in Video Event Retrieval using an AND-OR Graph

One of the challenges in Video Event Retrieval, the field in which (a sequence of frames with) high-level events are retrieved from a set of videos, is to model the temporal structure. One way to incorporate this information is using ANDOR graphs, which is a type of graphical model consisting of layers with AND nodes and OR nodes. We introduce new nodes, such as the BEFORE and WHILE node, for AND-OR graphs to explicitly model temporal information. The advantage of these nodes is that the graph is insightful and transparent for a user. Additionally, the graph can both be created by a user or with the use of training examples. We perform initial experiments on a video surveillance dataset named VIRAT, which contains temporally inverse events with the same concepts, such as entering and exiting a building. We compare performance to state of the art Support Vector Machine and Hidden Markov Model methods. We show that our proposed graph with WHILE and BEFORE nodes outperforms the state of the art methods.
AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Activation during Cardioplegia-Induced Hypoxia/Reoxygenation Injury Attenuates Cardiomyocytic Apoptosis via Reduction of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Cardioplegic-induced H/R injury results in cardiomyocytic apoptosis. AMPK has been shown to reduce ER stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR). Whether AMPK activation can attenuate cardiomyocytic apoptosis after cardioplegia-induced H/R injury is unknown. Cardiomyocytes were exposed to simulated ischemia by incubation in a hypoxic chamber with intermittent cold cardioplegia solution infusion at 20-minute intervals and subsequently reoxygenated in a normoxic environment. Various doses of AMPK activators (AICAR or metformin) were given 2 days before H/R injury. The cardiomyocytes were harvested after reoxygenation for subsequent examination. With both AMPK activators, the antiapoptotic genes of ER stress and UPR, the subsequent production of proapoptotic proteins was attenuated, and the antiapoptotic proteins were elevated. The activity of the apoptotic effectors of ER stress was also reduced with AMPK activation. Moreover, TUNEL staining showed that AMPK activation significantly reduced the percentage of apoptotic cardiomyocytes after cardioplegia-induced H/R injury. Our results revealed that AMPK activation during cardioplegia-induced H/R injury attenuates cardiomyocytic apoptosis, via enhancement of antiapoptotic and reduction of proapoptotic responses, resulting from lessening ER stress and the UPR. AMPK activation may serve as a future pharmacological target to reduce H/R injury in the clinical setting.
Cross-lingual Propagation for Morphological Analysis

Multilingual parallel text corpora provide a powerful means for propagating linguistic knowledge across languages. We present a model which jointly learns linguistic structure for each language while inducing links between them. Our model supports fully symmetrical knowledge transfer, utilizing any combination of supervised and unsupervised data across language barriers. The proposed non-parametric Bayesian model effectively combines cross-lingual alignment with target language predictions. This architecture is a potent alternative to projection methods which decompose these decisions into two separate stages. We apply this approach to the task of morphological segmentation, where the goal is to separate a word into its individual morphemes. When tested on a parallel corpus of Hebrew and Arabic, our joint bilingual model effectively incorporates all available evidence from both languages, yielding significant performance gains.
Stochastic service guarantees for continuous data on multi-zone disks

Continuous data types like video and audio require the real-time delivery of data fragments fmm a server’s disks to the client at which the data is displayed. This paper develops a stochastic model for analyzing the rate at which data fragments arrive too late at the client and thus cause display “glitches”. The model is based on deriving the Laplace-Stieltjes transform of the service time distribution for batched disk service under a multi-user load of concurrently served continuous-data streams, and applying Chemoff bounds to the tail of the service time distribution and the resulting distribution of the glitch rate per stream. The results from the model provide the basis for configuring a server and exerting an admission contxol such that the admitted streams suffer no mom than a specified (small) rate of glitches with a specified (very high) probability. The model cunsiders variable display bandwidth both across different streams and within a single stream, and also the variable transfer rate of modern multi-zone disks. The accuracy of the model is validated by detailed simulations.
A first look on the effects and mitigation of VoIP SPIT flooding in 4G mobile networks

The fourth generation of mobile networks is considered a technology-opportunistic and user-centric system. Part of its new architecture, 4G networks will implement an evolved packet core. Although this will provide various critical advantages, it will however expose telecom networks to serious IP-based attacks. One often adopted solution to mitigate such attacks is based on a centralized security architecture. This centralized approach nonetheless, requires large processing resources to handle large amount of traffic, which may result in a significant over dimensioning problem in the centralized nodes causing this approach to fail from achieving its security task. In this paper, we primarily contribute by presenting a first look on the DoS effects of VoIP SPIT flooding on 4G mobile networks. We further contribute by proposing a distributed architecture on the mobile network infrastructure that is secure, efficient and cost-effective.
Sensory Processing of Linguistic Pitch as Reflected by the Mismatch Negativity

Objective: To assess the extent to which acoustic and phonetic change-detection processes contribute to the mismatch negativity (MMN) to linguistic pitch contours. Design: MMN was elicited from Mandarin and English speakers using a passive oddball paradigm. Two oddball conditions were constructed. In one condition (T1/T2i), the Mandarin high-level tone (T1) was compared with a convex high-rising tone (inverted T2, henceforth referred to as T2i) that occurs as a contextual variant of T1 in running speech. In the other (T2/T2i), the concave high-rising tone (T2) was compared with T2i. Phonetically, T1/T2i represents a within-category contrast for native speakers, whereas T2/T2i represents a between-category contrast. The between-category pair (T2/T2i), however, is more similar acoustically than the within-category pair (T1/T2i). In an attention-demanding behavioral paradigm, the same speakers also performed an auditory discrimination task to determine the perceptual distinctiveness of the two tonal pairs. Results: Results revealed that the Chinese group, relative to the English, showed larger MMN responses and earlier peak latencies for both conditions, indicating experience-dependent enhancement in representing linguistically relevant pitch contours. At attentive stages of processing, however, the Chinese group was less accurate than the English in discriminating the within-category contrast (T1–T2i). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that experience-dependent neural effects at early preattentive stages of processing may be driven primarily by acoustic features of pitch contours that occur in natural speech. At attentive stages of processing, perception is strongly influenced by tonal categories and their relations to one another. The MMN is a useful index for examining long-term plasticity to linguistically relevant acoustic features.
Monitoring of Damage in Sunflower and Maize Parcels Using Radar and Optical Time Series Data

The objective of this paper is to monitor the temporal behaviour of geometrical structural change of cropland affected by four different types of damage: weed infection, Western Corn Rootworm (WCR), storm damage, and drought by time series of different type of optical and quad-pol RADARSAT2 data. Based on our results it is established that ragweed infection in sunflower can be well identified by evaluation of radar (mid-June) and optical (mid-August) satellite images. Effect of drought in sunflower is well recognizable by spectral indices derived from optical as well as “”-component of Shannon entropy () from radar satellite images acquired during the first decade of July. Evaluation of radar and optical satellite images acquired between the last decade of July and mid-August proven to be the most efficient for detecting damages in maize fields caused by either by WCR or storm. Components of Shannon entropy are proven to have significant role in identification. Our project demonstrates the potential in integrated usage of polarimetric radar and optical satellite images for monitoring several types of agricultural damage.
Assignment1 of the protein kinase homolog of YAK1 (HIPK3) to human chromosome band 11p13 by in situ hybridization

HIPK3 (alias PKY), a human protein kinase homolog of the yeast gene YAK1, was recently cloned from a multidrug-resistant cell line, KB-V1 (Begley et al., 1997). The function of HIPK3 is still unclear. However, similarity to the yeast Yak1 gene suggests that HIPK3 may be involved in cell cycle regulation. Mouse and rat counterparts of HIPK3, and ANPK, respectively, were also recently cloned. HIPK3 is a member of the nuclear homeodomain-interacting protein kinase (HIPK) family, which functions as co-repressors of homeodomain transcription factors (Kim et al., 1998). On the other hand, overexpression of the rat ANPK enhances androgen receptor-dependent transcription suggesting its role as a steroid receptor regulator (Moilanen et al., 1998).
Experimental Validation in Large-Scale Systems: a Survey of Methodologies

The increasing complexity of available infrastructures with specific features (caches, hyperthreading, dual core, etc.) or with complex architectures (hierarchical, parallel, distributed, etc.) makes it extremely difficult to build analytical models that allow for a satisfying prediction. Hence, it raises the question on how to validate algorithms if a realistic analytic analysis is not possible any longer. As for some many other sciences, the one answer is experimental validation. Nevertheless, experimentation in Computer Science is a difficult subject that today still opens more questions than it solves: What may an experiment validate? What is a ``\emph{good experiment}''? How to build an experimental environment that allows for ``\emph{good experiments}''? etc. In this paper we will provide some hints on this subject and show how some tools can help in performing ``\emph{good experiments}'', mainly in the context of parallel and distributed computing. More precisely we will focus on four main experimental methodologies, namely real-scale experiments (with an emphasis on PlanetLab and Grid'5000), Emulation (with an emphasis on Wrekavoc) simulation (with an emphasis on SimGRID and GridSim) and benchmarking. We will provide a comparison of these tools and methodologies from a quantitative but also qualitative point of view.
An efficient implementation of SELF, a dynamically-typed object-oriented language based on prototypes

We have developed and implemented techniques that double the performance of dynamically-typed object-oriented languages. Our SELF implementation runs twice as fast as the fastest Smalltalk implementation, despite SELF's lack of classes and explicit variables.To compensate for the absence of classes, our system uses implementation-levelmaps to transparently group objects cloned from the same prototype, providing data type information and eliminating the apparent space overhead for prototype-based systems. To compensate for dynamic typing, user-defined control structures, and the lack of explicit variables, our system dynamically compilesmultiple versions of a source method, eachcustomized according to its receiver's map. Within each version the type of the receiver is fixed, and thus the compiler can statically bind andinline all messages sent toself.Message splitting andtype prediction extract and preserve even more static type information, allowing the compiler to inline many other messages. Inlining dramatically improves performance and eliminates the need to hard-wire low-level methods such as+, ==, andifTrue:. Despite inlining and other optimizations, our system still supports interactive programming environments. The system traverses internal dependency lists to invalidate all compiled methods affected by a programming change. The debugger reconstructs inlined stack frames from compiler-generated debugging information, making inlining invisible to the SELF programmer.
Adaptive Responses to Oxidative Stress in the Filamentous Fungal Shiraia bambusicola

Shiraia bambusicola can retain excellent physiological activity when challenged with maximal photo-activated hypocrellin, which causes cellular oxidative stress. The protective mechanism of this fungus against oxidative stress has not yet been reported. We evaluated the biomass and hypocrellin biosynthesis of Shiraia sp. SUPER-H168 when treated with high concentrations of H2O2. Hypocrellin production was improved by nearly 27% and 25% after 72 h incubation with 10 mM and 20 mM H2O2, respectively, while the inhibition ratios of exogenous 20 mM H2O2 on wild S. bambusicola and a hypocrellin-deficient strain were 20% and 33%, respectively. Under exogenous oxidative stress, the specific activities of catalase, glutathione reductase, and superoxide dismutase were significantly increased. These changes may allow Shiraia to maintain normal life activities under oxidative stress. Moreover, sufficient glutathione peroxidase was produced in the SUPER-H168 and hypocrellin-deficient strains, to further ensure that S. bambusicola has excellent protective abilities against oxidative stress. This study creates the possibility that the addition of high H2O2 concentrations can stimulate fungal secondary metabolism, and will lead to a comprehensive and coherent understanding of mechanisms against oxidative stresses from high hydrogen peroxide concentrations in the filamentous fungal Shiraia sp. SUPER-H168.
Asymmetric Supercapacitors Assembled by Dual Spinel Ferrites@Graphene Nanocomposites as Electrodes

Spinel-type ferrites are potential active materials for their highly theoretical capacity as electrodes of supercapacitors. Here, CoFe2O4@graphene nanocomposites were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method and worked as cathode material. It was found that the performance of the electrode depended on the weight ratio of ferrites to graphene. The specific capacitance could be significantly increased to 579 F g–1 at 1 A g–1 when the content of graphene was 40% in the composite. Next an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was fabricated by using the as-prepared Fe3O4@graphene nanocomposites as anode material. The ASC with 1.7 V working voltage delivered a high specific capacitance of 114.0 F g–1 and a promising energy density of 45.5 Wh kg–1 at a power density of 840 W kg–1, along with a highly cycling stability of 91% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles. It provided a new change to fabricate high performance ASCs using spinel ferrite-based graphene nanocomposites as electrodes.
A new SMA mix design approach for optimisation of stone-on-stone effect

Traditionally Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) is empirically designed, which could not guaranty an adequate stone-on-stone effect. To overcome this drawback, a research study was carried out having in view to develop a new SMA mix design approach for the optimisation of the stone-on-stone effect, based on new findings. To this end, the study included not only the evaluation of volumetric characteristics of SMA test specimens, but also the characteristics of coarse aggregates (CA) test specimens, prepared using different aggregate compaction methods: (i) bulk particles’ specimens (compaction not applied), (ii) dry-rodded compaction, (iii) Proctor compaction and (iv) steel roller compaction. Bituminous mixtures’ specimens were prepared by impact compaction using the Marshall compactor. In this context, the following test specimens’ characteristics were assessed: air void content of compacted coarse aggregates (VCA), void in the coarse aggregate of compacted SMA (VCAMIX), air void content (porosity, Vv), voids filled with bituminous binder (VFB) and workability of nine different SMA. Results showed that pre-established grading envelopes did not allow the design or optimisation of the stone-on-stone effect. On the other hand, the new analytical mix design approach, complemented by the coarse aggregate Proctor compaction (55 blows per each layer, in a total of 5 equal layers), provides an alternative to current SMA mix design methods, since it: (i) is easy and cheap to perform, (ii) is time less consuming, and (iii) allows to obtain an air void and particle breakage more similar to the field.
Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Profiles in Renal Tumors of Various Histological Subtypes and Non-Tumorous Renal Tissues

Objective: The aim of this study is to clarify genome-wide DNA methylation profiles in renal tumors of various histological subtypes. Methods: Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) array-based methylated CpG island amplification was performed using tissue samples of 17 patients with papillary renal cell carcinomas (RCCs), chromophobe RCCs and oncocytomas, and the results were compared with those from 51 patients with clear cell RCCs. Results: Unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis based on DNA methylation status clustered type 1 and type 2 papillary RCCs into different subclasses. Although chromophobe RCCs and oncocytomas were clustered into the same subclass, the DNA methylation status of 21 BAC clones was able to discriminate chromophobe RCCs from oncocytomas. The number of BAC clones showing DNA methylation alteration in non-tumorous renal tissue from patients with chromophobe RCCs and oncocytomas was smaller than that from patients with clear cell RCCs. Biphasic accumulation of DNA methylation alterations was observed in non-tumorous renal tissue from all 68 patients, and patients showing such alterations on more BAC clones had a poorer outcome than patients showing them on fewer BAC clones. Conclusions: DNA methylation profiles determining the histological subtypes of renal tumors developing in individual patients and/or patient outcome may be already established in non-tumorous renal tissue at the precancerous stage.
Gas and dust in the inner disk of the Herbig Ae star MWC 758

We investigate the origin of the near-infrared emission of the Herbig Ae star MWC 758 on sub-astronomical unit (AU) scales using spectrally dispersed low resolution (R = 35) AMBER/VLTI interferometric observations in the H (1.7 µm) and K (2.2 µm) bands. We find that the K band visibilities and closure phases are consistent with the presence of a dusty disk inner rim located at the dust evaporation distance (0.4 AU) while the bulk of the H band emission arises within 0.1 AU from the central star. Comparing the observational results with theoretical model predictions, we suggest that the H band emission is dominated by an hot gaseous accretion disk.
An ant colony optimization approach to the traveling tournament problem

The traveling tournament problem has proven to be a difficult problem for the ant colony optimization metaheuristic, with past approaches showing poor results. This is due to the unusual problem structure and feasibility constraints. We present a new ant colony optimization approach to this problem, hybridizing it with a forward checking and conflict-directed backjumping algorithm while using pattern matching and other constraint satisfaction strategies. The approach improves on the performance of past ant colony optimization approaches, finding better quality solutions in shorter time, and exhibits results comparable to other state-of-the-art approaches.