Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
VFRM: Flash Resource Manager in VMware ESX Server

One popular approach of leveraging Flash technology in the virtual machine environment today is using it as a secondary-level host-side cache. Although this approach delivers I/O acceleration for a single VM workload, it might not be able to fully exploit the outstanding performance of Flash and justify the high cost-per-GB of Flash resources. In this paper, we present the design for VMware Flash Resource Manager (VFRM), which aims to maximize the utilization of Flash resources with minimal CPU, memory and I/O cost for managing and operating Flash. It borrows the ideas of heating and cooling from thermodynamics to identify the data blocks that benefit most from being put on Flash, and lazily and asynchronously migrates the data blocks between Flash and spinning disks. Experimental evaluation of the prototype shows that VFRM achieves better cost-effectiveness than traditional caching solutions, and costs orders of magnitude less memory and I/O bandwidth.
A comparative investigation of device-specific mechanisms for exploiting HPC accelerators

A variety of computational accelerators have been greatly improved in recent years. Intel's MIC (Many Integrated Core) and both GPU architectures, NVIDIA's Kepler and AMD's Graphics Core Next, all represent real innovations in the field of HPC. Based on the single unified programing interface OpenCL, this paper reports a careful study of a well thought-out selection of such devices. A micro-benchmark suite is designed and implemented to investigate the capability of each accelerator to exploit parallelism in OpenCL. Our results expose the relationship between several programing aspects and their possible impact on performance. Instruction level parallelism, intra-kernel vector parallelism, multiple-issue, work-group size, instruction scheduling and a variety of other aspects are explored, highlighting their interaction that must be carefully considered when developing applications for heterogeneous architectures. Evidence-based findings related to microarchitectural features as well as performance characteristics are cross-checked with reference to the compiled code being executed. In conclusion, a case study involving a real application is presented as a part of the verification process of statements.
Endothelial expression of human cytochrome P450 epoxygenases lowers blood pressure and attenuates hypertension‐induced renal injury in mice

Renal cytochrome P450 (CYP)‐derived epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) regulate sodium transport and blood pressure. Although endothelial CYP‐derived EETs are potent vasodilators, their contribution to the regulation of blood pressure remains unclear. Consequently, we developed transgenic mice with endothelial expression of the human CYP2J2 and CYP2C8 epoxygenases to increase endothelial EET biosynthesis. Compared to wild‐type littermate controls, an attenuated afferent arteriole constrictor response to endothelin‐1 and enhanced dilator response to acetylcholine was observed in CYP2J2 and CYP2C8 transgenic mice. CYP2J2 and CYP2C8 transgenic mice demonstrated modestly, but not significantly, lower mean arterial pressure under basal conditions compared to wild‐type controls. However, mean arterial pressure was significantly lower in both CYP2J2 and CYP2C8 transgenic mice during coadministration of N‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester and indomethacin. In a separate experiment, a high‐salt diet and subcutaneous angiotensin II was administered over 4 wk. The angiotensin/high‐salt‐induced increase in systolic blood pressure, proteinuria, and glomerular injury was significantly attenuated in CYP2J2 and CYP2C8 transgenic mice compared to wild‐type controls. Collectively, these data demonstrate that increased endothelial CYP epoxygenase expression attenuates afferent arteriolar constrictor reactivity and hypertension‐induced increases in blood pressure and renal injury in mice. We conclude that endothelial CYP epoxygenase function contributes to the regulation of blood pressure. —Lee, C. R. , Imig, J. D. , Edin, M. E. , Foley, J., DeGraff, L. M. , Bradbury, J. A. , Graves, J. P., Lih, F. B. , Clark, J., Myers, P., Perrow, A. L. , Lepp, A. N. , Kannon, M. A. , Ronnekleiv, O. K. , Alkayed, N.J., Falck, J. R. , Tomer, K B. , Zeldin, D. C. Endothelial expression of human cytochrome P450 epoxygenases lowers blood pressure and attenuates hypertension‐induced renal injury in mice. FASEB J. 24, 3770–3781 (2010). www.fasebj. org
The nature of anhedonia and avolition in patients with first-episode schizophrenia

Background Patients with schizophrenia have intact ability to experience emotion, but empirical evidence suggests that they fail to translate emotional salience into effortful behaviour. Previous research in patients with chronic schizophrenia suggests that working memory is important in integrating emotion and behaviour. This study aimed to examine avolition and anhedonia in patients with first-episode schizophrenia and clarify the role of working memory in emotion–behaviour coupling. Method We recruited 72 participants with first-episode schizophrenia and 61 healthy controls, and used a validated emotion-inducing behavioural paradigm to measure participants' affective experiences and how experienced emotion coupled with behaviour. Participants were given the opportunity to expend effort to increase or decrease their exposure to emotion-inducing photographs. Participants with schizophrenia having poor working memory were compared with those with intact working memory in their liking and emotion–behaviour coupling. Results Patients with first-episode schizophrenia experienced intact ‘in-the-moment’ emotion, but their emotion was less predictive of the effort expended, compared with controls. The emotion–behaviour coupling was significantly weaker in patients with schizophrenia with poor working memory than in those with intact working memory. However, compared with controls, patients with intact working also showed substantial emotion–behaviour decoupling. Conclusions Our findings provide strong evidence for emotion–behaviour decoupling in first-episode schizophrenia. Although working memory deficits contribute to defective translation of liking into effortful behaviour, schizophrenia alone affects emotion–behaviour coupling.
Effects of external strain on the regulation of microtubule sliding induced by outer arm dynein of sea urchin sperm flagella

ABSTRACT Oscillatory bending movement of eukaryotic flagella is powered by orchestrated activity of dynein motor proteins that hydrolyse ATP and produce microtubule sliding. Although the ATP concentration within a flagellum is kept uniform at a few millimoles per litre level, sliding activities of dyneins are dynamically coordinated along the flagellum in accordance with the phase of bending waves. Thus at the organellar level the dynein not only generates force for bending but also modulates its motile activity by responding to bending of the flagellum. Single molecule analyses have suggested that dynein at the molecular level, even if isolated from the axoneme, could alter the modes of motility in response to mechanical strain. However, it still remains unknown whether the coordinated activities of multiple dyneins can be modulated directly by mechanical signals. Here, we studied the effects of externally applied strain on the sliding movement of microtubules interacted with an ensemble of dynein molecules adsorbed on a glass surface. We found that by bending the microtubules with a glass microneedle, three modes of motility that have not been previously characterized without bending can be induced: stoppage, backward sliding and dissociation. Modification in sliding velocities was also induced by imposed bending. These results suggest that the activities of dyneins interacted with a microtubule can be modified and coordinated through external strain in a quite flexible manner, and that such a regulatory mechanism may be the basis of flagellar oscillation. Summary: Microtubule sliding produced by dynein molecules on glass can be modified flexibly under application of mechanical signals. This self-regulatory activity of dynein would be the basis of flagellar oscillation.
Preliminary Validation of the Rating of Outcome Scale and Equivalence of Ultra-Brief Measures of Well-Being

Three brief psychotherapy outcome measures were assessed for equivalence. The Rating of Outcome Scale (ROS), a 3-item patient-reported outcome measure, was evaluated for interitem consistency, test–retest reliability, discriminant validity, repeatability, sensitivity to change, and agreement with the Outcome Rating Scale (ORS) and Outcome Questionnaire (OQ) in 1 clinical sample and 3 community samples. Clinical cutoffs, reliable change indices, and Bland-Altman repeatability coefficients were calculated. Week-to-week change on each instrument was compared via repeated-measures-corrected effect size. Community-normed T scores and Bland-Altman plots were generated to aid comparisons between instruments. The ROS showed good psychometric properties, sensitivity to change in treatment, and discrimination between outpatients and nonpatients. Agreement between the ROS and ORS was good, but neither the agreement between these nor that between ultrabrief instruments and the OQ were as good as correlations might suggest. The ROS showed incremental advantages over the ORS: improvements in concordance with the OQ, better absolute reliability, and less oversensitivity to change. The ROS had high patient acceptance and usability, and scores showed good reliability, cross-instrument validity, and responsiveness to change for the routine monitoring of clinical outcomes.
Identification of ground targets from sequential high-range-resolution radar signatures

An approach to identifying targets from sequential high-range-resolution (HRR) radar signatures is presented. In particular, a hidden Markov model (HMM) is employed to characterize the sequential information contained in multiaspect HRR target signatures. Features from each of the HRR waveforms are extracted via the RELAX algorithm. The statistical models used for the HMM states are formulated for application to RELAX features, and the expectation-maximization (EM) training algorithm is augmented appropriately. Example classification results are presented for the ten-target MSTAR data set.
Measurement of Mechanical Properties of Solid Fuels and Advanced Composite Materials Related to Short-Time High Acceleration Generated by Lorentz Rail Accelerators

The technology of electromagnetic driven Lorentz rail accelerators (LRAs) has been significantly improved in the last years. Due to the extreme acceleration in LRA systems, there are high demands regarding the mechanical stresses. It is assumed that materials can withstand stresses exceeding the nominal limits related to static conditions if they are applied for a short time. To assess the short-time material strength of a hydroxyl-terminated-polybutadiene rocket fuel grain, experiments shall be carried out using the High-Enthalpy Shock Tunnel Göttingen of the German Aerospace Center in Göttingen as a high-acceleration test facility. In the first step, different samples of the rocket fuel grain and composite materials are tested under high acceleration and analyzed by a visual check. In this paper, first of all, different samples of the rocket fuel grain and composite materials are tested under high acceleration and analyzed by a visual check. In the second step, onboard electronics mounted on the piston are developed to collect the data of the strain and the deformation of the composite/fuel grain and to directly measure the acceleration. With this electronically enhanced specimen, another test is carried out, and measurement data are acquired. The evaluated experiments shall provide useful information to design a hybrid rocket engine for a small launcher, capable to be launched from an LRA.
A Potent Immunogenic General Cancer Vaccine That Targets Survivin, an Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins

We reported previously a HLA-A24-restricted antigenic peptide, survivin-2B80-88 (AYACNTSTL), recognized by CD8+ CTL. This peptide was derived from survivin protein, an inhibitor of apoptosis proteins, expressed in a variety of tumors, such as adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. In this report, we provide further evidence that survivin-2B80-88 peptide might serve as a potent immunogenic cancer vaccine for various cancer patients. Overexpression of survivin was detected in surgically resected primary tumor specimens of most breast and colorectal cancers and some gastric cancers as assessed by immunohistochemical study. HLA-A24/survivin-2B80-88 tetramer analysis revealed that there existed an increased number of CTL precursors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of HLA-A24+ cancer patients, and in vitro stimulation of PBMCs from six breast cancer patients with survivin-2B80-88 peptide could lead to increases of the CTL precursor frequency. Furthermore, CTLs specific for this peptide were successfully induced from PBMCs in all 7 (100%) patients with breast cancers, 6 of 7 (83%) patients with colorectal cancers, and 4 of 7 (57%) patients with gastric cancers. These data indicate that survivin expressed in tumor tissues is antigenic in cancer patients, and survivin-2B80-88-specific CTLs are present in PBMCs of various cancer patients. Our study raises the possibility that this peptide may be applicable as a general cancer vaccine to a large proportion of HLA-A24+ cancer patients.
Applying E-S-QUAL Scale to Analysis the Factors Affecting Consumers to Use Internet Banking Services

In order to measuring internet banking customer perceived e-service quality and study on relationship with customer loyalty in China. This study use Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Malhotra’s E-S-QUAL scales to design the research model of this research. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data collected from banks’ customers in China. The main findings are as follows: 1) the research supported that the four e-SERVQUAL dimensions–efficiency, fulfillment, system availability and privacy are the determinants of Chinese internet banking e-service quality. 2) e-service quality has a positive effect on perceived value, e-customer satisfaction. 3) E-service quality has both direct effect on e-loyalty and indirect effect on e-loyalty through perceived value and e-customer satisfaction.
Parametrically deformable contour models

Segmentation using boundary finding is enhanced both by considering the boundary as a whole and by using model-based shape information. Flexible constraints, in the form of a probabilistic deformable model, are applied to the problem of segmenting natural objects whose diversity and irregularity of shape makes them poorly represented in terms of fixed features of forms. The parametric model is based on the elliptic Fourier decomposition of the boundary. The segmentation problem is solved as an optimization problem, where the best match between the boundary (as defined by the parameter vector) and the image data is found. Initial experimentation shows good results on a variety of images. <<ETX>>
Monitoring of prestressed concrete structures with optical fiber sensors

Monitoring of buildings - especially of bridges- gets more and more important. The reasons for this arethe increase of the heavy goods traffic, of air pollutionand in precipitations, de-icing salts and the fact thatprices for traditional maintenance and repairs are goingup.The bridge Schiessbergstrasse in Leverkusen represents anew generation of building structures having a perfectsolution for this kind of problems: prestressing with"intelligent tendons", monitoring of the stress strainbehaviour of the concrete, chemical sensors, and - in thecase of the bridge Schiessbergstrasse additonally areinforcement with epoxy coating and foil sealing withpolyurethane of the bridge deck.
The ATP-Dependent HslVU/ClpQY Protease Participates in Turnover of Cell Division Inhibitor SulA in Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli mutants lacking activities of all known cytosolic ATP-dependent proteases (Lon, ClpAP, ClpXP, and HslVU), due to double deletions [ΔhslVU and Δ(clpPX-lon)], cannot grow at low (30°C) or very high (45°C) temperatures, unlike those carrying either of the deletions. Such growth defects were particularly marked when the deletions were introduced into strain MG1655 or W3110. To examine the functions of HslVU and other proteases further, revertants that can grow at 30°C were isolated from the multiple-protease mutant and characterized. The revertants were found to carry a suppressor affecting eitherftsZ (encoding a key cell division protein) orsulA (encoding the SulA inhibitor, which binds and inhibits FtsZ). Whereas the ftsZ mutations were identical to a mutation known to produce a protein refractory to SulA inhibition, thesulA mutations affected the promoter-operator region, reducing synthesis of SulA. These results suggested that the growth defect of the parental double-deletion mutant at a low temperature was due to the accumulation of excess SulA without DNA-damaging treatment. Consistent with these results, SulA in the double-deletion mutant was much more stable than that in the Δ(clpPX-lon) mutant, suggesting that SulA can be degraded by HslVU. As expected, purified HslVU protease degraded SulA (fused to the maltose-binding protein) efficiently in an ATP-dependent manner. These results suggest that HslVU as well as Lon participates in the in vivo turnover of SulA and that HslVU becomes essential for growth when the Lon (and Clp) protease level is reduced below a critical threshold.
Pharmacologic Prophylaxis of Portal Venous System Thrombosis after Splenectomy: A Meta-Analysis

Portal venous system thrombosis (PVST) is a life-threatening complication of splenectomy. A meta-analysis was conducted to explore the role of pharmacologic prophylaxis of PVST after splenectomy. Overall, 359 papers were initially identified via the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases. Eight of them were eligible. The incidence of PVST after splenectomy was significantly lower in patients who received the preventive measures than in those who did not (odds ratio [OR]: 0.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.22–0.47, P < 0.00001). Subgroup analyses demonstrated that the significant difference remained in studies including patients with portal hypertension (n = 6), but not in those including patients with hematological diseases (n = 2); the significant difference remained in studies using any type of prophylactic drugs (anticoagulants [n = 6], thrombolytics [n = 1], and prostaglandin E1 [n = 1]); the significant difference remained in nonrandomized studies (n = 5), but not in randomized studies (n = 3). The risk of bleeding was similar between the two groups (OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.10–4.04, P = 0.64). In conclusion, pharmacologic prophylaxis might decrease the incidence of PVST after splenectomy in patients with portal hypertension and did not increase the risk of bleeding. However, the effect of pharmacologic prophylaxis of PVST in patients with hematological diseases remained questioned.
Neuropsychological profile in Chinese patients with Parkinson's disease and normal global cognition according to Mini-Mental State Examination Score.

OBJECT Cognitive impairments have been reported to be more common in non-demented patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and education levels play an important role in intelligence. The studies on cognitive impairments in Chinese PD patients with higher education levels and normal global cognition according to Mini-Mental State Examination Score (MMSE) have not been reported. METHODS We enrolled 69 consecutive PD patients with over 6 years education levels and a MMSE score above 24 (of 30) and performed a battery of neuropsychological scales. RESULTS There are extensive cognitive domain impairments in PD patients with "normal" global cognitive according to MMSE. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a highly sensitive scale to screen cognitive impairments in PD. CONCLUSION The cutoff score of 28 on the MMSE screening for cognitive impairment in Chinese PD patients with high education levels may be more appropriate.
Transformation approach from KAOS goal models to BPMN models using refinement patterns

It is important to make sure that software satisfies stakeholders' requirements. However, as software has been getting more large-scale and complicated in recent years, it has certainly become more difficult to satisfy requirements. Even if there are goal-oriented requirements analysis approaches as techniques to systematically satisfy stakeholders' requirements, it is still difficult to maintain consistency of goal models and other requirements artifacts. In this paper, we propose a transformation approach that transforms models of KAOS, a well-known goal modeling methodology, into preliminary BPMN models by using refinement pattern of KAOS in a systematic way. It can assure consistency between systematically defined user's requirements and their realization process.
Using data compression to enhance the security of identification document

Forging the special documents such as driver's license, visa and passport, has reached unprecedented level in recent years. In order to stop such crimes, various methods have been presented. One typical way is to do human identification if face picture is present in the documents. But it's often found that criminals modify the face picture in the documents, thus card validation purely based on face picture may also not be reliable. In this paper we present a novel method for such document authentication problem, we propose to do face image compression and store the data as barcode in an identification document, both of the barcode and original photo are printed in the document. By comparing the face image scanned from the document and the picture reconstructed from barcode, using different image processing methods to enhance the image and Gabor wavelet features, we can make a decision whether the document is valid or not
Segmentation of High Angular Resolution Diffusion MRI Using Sparse Riemannian Manifold Clustering

We address the problem of segmenting high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) data into multiple regions (or fiber tracts) with distinct diffusion properties. We use the orientation distribution function (ODF) to model diffusion and cast the ODF segmentation problem as a clustering problem in the space of ODFs. Our approach integrates tools from sparse representation theory and Riemannian geometry into a graph theoretic segmentation framework. By exploiting the Riemannian properties of the space of ODFs, we learn a sparse representation for each ODF and infer the segmentation by applying spectral clustering to a similarity matrix built from these representations. In cases where regions with similar (resp. distinct) diffusion properties belong to different (resp. same) fiber tracts, we obtain the segmentation by incorporating spatial and user-specified pairwise relationships into the formulation. Experiments on synthetic data evaluate the sensitivity of our method to image noise and to the concentration parameters, and show its superior performance compared to alternative methods when analyzing complex fiber configurations. Experiments on phantom and real data demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed method in segmenting simulated fibers and white matter fiber tracts of clinical importance.