Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SoftPower: fine-grain power estimations using performance counters

We present and evaluate a surrogate model, based on hardware performance counter measurements, to estimate computer system power consumption. Power and energy are especially important in the design and operation of large data centers and of clusters used for scientific computing. Tradeoffs are made between performance and power consumption, this needs to be dynamic because activity varies over time. While it is possible to instrument systems for fine-grain power monitoring, such instrumentation is costly and not commonly available. Furthermore, the latency and sampling periods of hardware power monitors can be large compared to time scales at which workloads can change and dynamic power controls can operate. Given these limitations, we argue that surrogate models of the kind we present here can provide low-cost and accurate estimates of power consumption to drive on-line dynamic control mechanisms and for use in off-line tuning. In this brief paper, we discuss a general approach to building system power estimation models based on hardware performance counters. Using this technique, we then present a model for an Intel Core i7 system that has an absolute estimation error of 5.32 percent (median) and acceptable data collection overheads on varying workloads, CPU power states (frequency and voltage), and number of active cores. Since this method is based on event sampling of hardware counters, one can make a tradeoff between estimation accuracy and data-collection overhead.
Modeling molecular motors

The authors present general considerations and simple models for the operation of isothermal motors at small scales, in asymmetric environments. Their work is inspired by recent observations on the behavior of molecular motors in the biological realm, where chemical energy is converted into mechanical energy. A generic Onsager-like description of the linear (close to equilibrium) regime is presented, which exhibits structural differences from the usual Carnot engines. Turning to more explicit models for a single motor, the authors show the importance of the time scales involved and of the spatial dependence of the motor{close_quote}s chemical activity. Considering the situation in which a large collection of such motors operates together. The authors exhibit new features among which are dynamical phase transitions formally similar to paramagnetic-ferromagnetic and liquid-vapor transitions. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Global Transcriptional Response to Heat Shock of the Legume Symbiont Mesorhizobium loti MAFF303099 Comprises Extensive Gene Downregulation

Rhizobia, the bacterial legume symbionts able to fix atmospheric nitrogen inside root nodules, have to survive in varied environmental conditions. The aim of this study was to analyse the transcriptional response to heat shock of Mesorhizobium loti MAFF303099, a rhizobium with a large multipartite genome of 7.6 Mb that nodulates the model legume Lotus japonicus. Using microarray analysis, extensive transcriptomic changes were detected in response to heat shock: 30% of the protein-coding genes were differentially expressed (2067 genes in the chromosome, 62 in pMLa and 57 in pMLb). The highest-induced genes are in the same operon and code for two sHSP. Only one of the five groEL genes in MAFF303099 genome was induced by heat shock. Unlike other prokaryotes, the transcriptional response of this Mesorhizobium included the underexpression of an unusually large number of genes (72% of the differentially expressed genes). This extensive downregulation of gene expression may be an important part of the heat shock response, as a way of reducing energetic costs under stress. To our knowledge, this study reports the heat shock response of the largest prokaryote genome analysed so far, representing an important contribution to understand the response of plant-interacting bacteria to challenging environmental conditions.
Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Model for Biodistribution of Radiolabeled Peptides in Patients with Neuroendocrine Tumours

Objective(s): The objectives of this work was to assess the benefits of the application of Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models in patients with different neuroendocrine tumours (NET) who were treated with Lu-177 DOTATATE. The model utilises clinical data on biodistribution of radiolabeled peptides (RLPs) obtained by whole body scintigraphy (WBS) of the patients. Methods: The blood flow restricted (perfusion rate limited) type of the PBPK model for biodistribution of radiolabeled peptides (RLPs) in individual human organs is based on the multi-compartment approach, which takes into account the main physiological processes in the organism: absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME). The approach calibrates the PBPK model for each patient in order to increase the accuracy of the dose estimation. Datasets obtained using WBS in four patients have been used to obtain the unknown model parameters. The scintigraphic data were acquired using a double head gamma camera in patients with different neuroendocrine tumours who were treated with Lu-177 DOTATATE. The activity administered to each patient was 7400 MBq. Results: Satisfactory agreement of the model predictions with the data obtained from the WBS for each patient has been achieved. Conclusion: The study indicates that the PBPK model can be used for more accurate calculation of biodistribution and absorbed doses in patients. This approach is the first attempt of utilizing scintigraphic data in PBPK models, which was obtained during Lu-177 peptide therapy of patients with NET.
Compact Modeling Solutions for Oxide-Based Resistive Switching Memories (OxRAM)

Emerging non-volatile memories based on resistive switching mechanisms attract intense R&D efforts from both academia and industry. Oxide-based Resistive Random Acces Memories (OxRAM) gather noteworthy performances, such as fast write/read speed, low power and high endurance outperforming therefore conventional Flash memories. To fully explore new design concepts such as distributed memory in logic, OxRAM compact models have to be developed and implemented into electrical simulators to assess performances at a circuit level. In this paper, we present compact models of the bipolar OxRAM memory based on physical phenomenons. This model was implemented in electrical simulators for single device up to circuit level. J. Low Power Electron. Appl. 2014, 4 2
An Overview of MOA, a Multi-Class Overload Architecture for Real-time Database Systems: Framework and Algorithms

Conventional database management systems are not suitable for real-time applications. To address this need, we have designed, implemented and evaluated a novel architecture of a real-time database management system. The architecture includes a real-time control layer which provides sophisticated admission control, scheduling and overload management. We consider a multi-class transaction workload consisting of high, medium and low importance classes. The proposed algorithms are dynamic and make transactions with higher importance have small miss deadline percentage. Simulation results show that our architecture can achieve a significant performance even in overload situations.
The Redbay Ambrosia Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) uses Stem Silhouette Diameter as a Visual Host-Finding Cue

ABSTRACT The redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus Eichhoff) is an invasive pest and vector of the pathogen that causes laurel wilt disease in Lauraceous tree species in the eastern United States. This insect uses olfactory cues during host finding, but use of visual cues by X. glabratus has not been previously investigated and may help explain diameter-related patterns in host tree mortality. The objective of this study was to determine whether X. glabratus females visually detect silhouettes of tree stems during host finding and are more likely to land on large diameter stems than smaller ones. Three field experiments were conducted in which stem silhouettes (black cylinders or standing nonhost pines) of varying diameters and identical capture surface areas were baited with essential oil lures. The Log10-transformed number of X. glabratus trapped per week increased as a function of silhouette diameter in 2011 and 2012, using artificial silhouette diameters ranging 2–18 and 3–41 cm, respectively. When lures and capture surfaces were attached to standing pines ranging 4–37 cm in diameter, a positive relationship between Log10(X. glabratus trap catch) and stem diameter was modeled using nonlinear quadratic plateau regression and indicated a diameter above which visual attraction was not enhanced; however, there was not a maximum diameter for enhanced X. glabratus attraction that was generally consistent across all experiments. These results 1) indicate that X. glabratus incorporates visual information during host finding, 2) help explain diameter-related patterns of redbay (Persea borbonia (L.) Sprengel) mortality observed during laurel wilt epidemics, and 3) are applicable to the management of this forest pest.
Autotransplantation of Human Carotid Body Cell Aggregates for Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease

OBJECTIVEIn this study, we assessed the feasibility of autotransplantation of carotid body (CB) cell aggregates into the striatum for the treatment of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). METHODSSix patients with advanced PD underwent bilateral autotransplantation of CB cell aggregates into the striatum. They were evaluated clinically preoperatively and for 18 months after surgery according to the recommendations of the Core Assessment Program for Intracerebral Transplantation. RESULTSNo major complications or adverse events resulted from the cell implantation or surgical procedures. During the course of the study, there was no significant aggravation of dyskinesia or decline in cognitive function in any of the patients. Five of the six patients who underwent transplantation manifested a measurable degree of clinical improvement evidenced by standardized clinical rating scales for PD. A decrease in the blinded Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part III in the “off” state, the main measure of transplant efficacy in our study, was found to be maximal (between 26 and 74%) at 6 months after surgery. At 1 year, clear reductions in the blinded Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part III were maintained in three patients (24, 38, and 52%, respectively). Modest improvement was seen in two patients (13 and 17%), and the sole patient who showed no improvement had the most fibrosis in the CB. The age of the patient and the state of the CB tissue were adversely correlated with clinical improvement after CB autotransplantation. CONCLUSIONThis pilot study indicates that CB autograft transplantation is a relatively simple, safe, and viable therapeutical approach for the treatment of patients with advanced PD. More studies are needed to optimize the procedure and to assess its general applicability for the treatment of patients with PD.
TractsTool: Testing Model Transformations based on Contracts

Model transformations play an important role in Model-Driven Engineering (MDE), and as their size and complexity grow, there is an increasing need to count on tool support for testing their correctness. In this work, we present TractsTool, a tool for specifying and testing several different kinds of model transformations, e.g., model-to-model, model-to-text, and text-to-model transformations, based on contracts.
Fetal alcohol exposure alters neurosteroid levels in the developing rat brain

Neurosteroids are modulators of neuronal function that may play important roles in brain maturation. We determined whether chronic prenatal ethanol exposure altered neurosteroid levels in the developing brain. Rat dams were exposed to: (i) a 5% ethanol‐containing liquid diet that produces peak maternal blood alcohol levels near the legal intoxication limit (approximately 0.08 g/dL); (ii) an isocaloric liquid diet containing maltose‐dextrin instead of ethanol with pair‐feeding; (iii) rat chow ad libitum. Neurosteroid levels were assessed in offspring brains using radioimmunoassay or gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry techniques. A prenatal ethanol exposure‐induced increase in pregnenolone sulfate levels, but not dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels, was evident at the earliest time point studied (embryonic day 14). This effect lasted until post‐natal day 5. Levels of other neurosteroids were assessed at embryonic day 20; pregnenolone levels, but not allopregnanolone levels, were elevated. Pregnenolone sulfate levels were not altered in the maternal brain. Neither pregnenolone nor pregnenolone sulfate levels were significantly altered in the fetal liver, placenta and maternal blood, indicating that the effect of ethanol is not secondary to accumulation of peripherally‐produced steroids. Fetal ethanol exposure has been shown to decrease both cellular and behavioral responsiveness to neurosteroids, and our findings provide a plausible explanation for this effect.
Developing as Consumers

To introduce three perspectives used by marketing researchers and practitioners to explain how children develop as consumers : o a classic developmental-stage based perspective which focuses on the progressive acquisition of economic knowledge by children o a widespread process-centered model which aims at explaining how children interact with socialization agents to acquire economic abilities o a more recent framework drawing on cultural psychological theory that suggests that children are immersed in the realm of mass consumption culture To discuss the cornerstone elements of these three models and the contrasting explanations they propose about the learning processes through which children develop as consumers To delineate new research avenues in order to account for the creative capacities of children when they participate in joint consumption activities
Faceted Search in Business Intelligence on the Cloud

Faceted search is a new concept in search engines for implementing a feature of direct search queries using guided navigation among the search results. In this concept, the search results are grouped and ranked under facets that guide a user on the dimensions through which the search results can be viewed. It has been implemented on web based query systems by integrating with semantic search engines (like Google, Yahoo and Bing). However, there is a significant opportunity of implementing faceted search in business intelligence (BI) frameworks to include direct searching features through BI dashboards and custom reporting interfaces. In this paper, a technology positioning map for implementing faceted search in BI framework on cloud computing has been presented. BI on the cloud is based on massively parallel processing of hardware and database resources and an XML based service oriented architecture in which the data warehouses and OLAP cubes are formed using XML data files. The architecture has been expanded to include a DOM parser and a DTD mapping system that will parse the 2D XML views (pulled from cubes formed by many-to-many XML files) and extract the database fields to be stored in a facet repository as per pre-established metadata rules. Whenever an OLAP query is invoked by a user (using a decision map), a query coordinator will fetch the relevant 2D OLAP views and group them under facets fetched from the facet repository taking the services of a metadata coordinator. The user can make use of the facets to create direct queries, generate the targeted dashboards, and hence reduce searching time.
DASMI: exchanging, annotating and assessing molecular interaction data

Motivation: Ever increasing amounts of biological interaction data are being accumulated worldwide, but they are currently not readily accessible to the biologist at a single site. New techniques are required for retrieving, sharing and presenting data spread over the Internet. Results: We introduce the DASMI system for the dynamic exchange, annotation and assessment of molecular interaction data. DASMI is based on the widely used Distributed Annotation System (DAS) and consists of a data exchange specification, web servers for providing the interaction data and clients for data integration and visualization. The decentralized architecture of DASMI affords the online retrieval of the most recent data from distributed sources and databases. DASMI can also be extended easily by adding new data sources and clients. We describe all DASMI components and demonstrate their use for protein and domain interactions. Availability: The DASMI tools are available at http://www.dasmi. de/ and http://ipfam.sanger. ac.uk/graph. The DAS registry and the DAS 1.53E specification is found at http://www.dasregistry. org/. Contact: mario.albrecht@mpi-inf.mpg. de Supplementary information: Supplementary data and all figures in color are available at Bioinformatics online.
Why Hate the Good Guy? Antisocial Punishment of High Cooperators Is Greater When People Compete To Be Chosen

When choosing social partners, people prefer good cooperators (all else being equal). Given this preference, people wishing to be chosen can either increase their own cooperation to become more desirable or suppress others’ cooperation to make them less desirable. Previous research shows that very cooperative people sometimes get punished (“antisocial punishment”) or criticized (“do-gooder derogation”) in many cultures. Here, we used a public-goods game with punishment to test whether antisocial punishment is used as a means of competing to be chosen by suppressing others’ cooperation. As predicted, there was more antisocial punishment when participants were competing to be chosen for a subsequent cooperative task (a trust game) than without a subsequent task. This difference in antisocial punishment cannot be explained by differences in contributions, moralistic punishment, or confusion. This suggests that antisocial punishment is a social strategy that low cooperators use to avoid looking bad when high cooperators escalate cooperation.
Ieee Transactions on Wireless Communications, Accepted for Publication 1 a Qos-aware Underwater Optimization Framework for Inter-vehicle Communication Using Acoustic Directional Transducers

—Underwater acoustic communications consume a significant amount of energy due to the high transmission power (10 − 50 W) and long data packet transmission times (0.1 − 1 s). Mobile Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) can conserve energy by waiting for the 'best' network topology configuration, e.g., a favorable alignment, before starting to communicate. Due to the frequency-selective underwater acoustic ambient noise and high medium power absorption – which increases exponentially with distance – a shorter distance between AUVs translates into a lower transmission loss and a higher available bandwidth. By leveraging the predictability of AUV trajectories, a novel solution is proposed that optimizes communications by delaying packet transmissions in order to wait for a favorable network topology (thus trading end-to-end delay for energy and/or throughput). In addition, the solution proposed – which is implemented and compared with geographic routing solutions and delay-tolerant networking solutions using an emulator that integrates underwater acoustic WHOI Micro-Modems – exploits the frequency-dependent radiation pattern of underwater acoustic transducers to reduce communication energy consumption by adjusting the transducer directivity on the fly.
Simulation of Earthing Systems Under High Impulse Conditions

Several models of earthing systems under high impulse conditions, which are in satisfactory agreement to the experimental results, have been proposed. However, these models do not consider for the effects of current rise time as the voltage levels were increased. It was observed that the current impulse shape exhibited two current peaks with some time delays; where the times t1 and t2 are the time to the first and second current peak respectively. Both time delays were found to be lower for higher conductivity soil and also to decrease with voltage magnitudes. A model of earthing systems was also proposed, which consisting of the capacitance in parallel with the non-linear resistance. However, this nonlinear resistance function cannot reproduce the dependence of current time-to-peak on voltage magnitudes. This present paper attempts to address this shortfall and to extend an earlier work. An improved equivalent circuit for earthing systems under impulse conditions has been proposed, which considers the effect of a decreasing time-to-current peak as the amplitude of the current/voltage increases. Some models of earthing systems under high impulse conditions developed in previous work are also presented in this paper. This allows a better understanding on the characteristics and the parameters of the soil under high impulse conditions
Classification-based Policy Iteration with a Critic

In this paper, we study the effect of adding a value function approximation component (critic) to rollout classification-based policy iteration (RCPI) algorithms. The idea is to use a critic to approximate the return after we truncate the rollout trajectories. This allows us to control the bias and variance of the rollout estimates of the action-value function. Therefore, the introduction of a critic can improve the accuracy of the rollout estimates, and as a result, enhance the performance of the RCPI algorithm. We present a new RCPI algorithm, called direct policy iteration with critic (DPI-Critic), and provide its finite-sample analysis when the critic is based on the LSTD method. We empirically evaluate the performance of DPI-Critic and compare it with DPI and LSPI in two benchmark reinforcement learning problems.
Lean on Diffusion Theory to Make Ideas-Communities Fly - the Case of DATEV

Internal ideas communities are becoming important instruments for companies, as they are virtual places where employees solve organizational issues, develop new products, services, and business opportunities. The engagement in such communities is voluntary and users are asked to invest their expertise, creativity, and their time to develop ideas. This makes it important to continuously acquire new members and to motivate the community to generate valuable content. However, recent literature does not provide adequate approaches for implementing ideas communities in a structured way. Thus, we conducted a single-case study analysing the implementation of DATEV’s ideas community, which is considered by DATEV as a successfully implemented community. We found that the implementation approach of DATEV has similarities with the diffusion theory by Leonard-Barton. Leonard-Barton’s theory consists of three key principles for implementing innovations in organizations: User Involvement, Sponsors and Champions, Mutual Adaptation of Organization and Technology. Based on the analysis of the DATEV approach by applying the theory by Leonard-Barton, we enrich existing literature about community building and management approaches. Furthermore, we present measures for implementing virtual communities using the example of an internal ideas community.