Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Runtime rule-reconfigurable high throughput NIPS on FPGA

Most of the intrusion detection and prevention systems (NIDS/NIPS) are utilizing signature based matching which makes use of a stored rule base for distinguishing malicious network traffic. Dynamic rule-base updates has become a requirement due to the increasingly large number of new attack types identified every day, while the downtime associated with rule base updates has become a major drawback in hardware based Network Intrusion Prevention Systems. In addition, the NIPS are facing the challenge of expanding their throughput to cope with the ever growing high bandwidth requirement. This paper presents a novel scalable architecture for a NIPS with stateful packet inspection. The implementation is capable of processing Snort signatures and also analyzing packet streams to detect attacks with TCP segment manipulation. The system ensures run-time rule reconfigurability, which eliminates the risk of downtime due to rule-base updates, providing high throughput with low latency. The architecture is capable of detecting and blocking malicious content passing through a computer network at a line rate of 10 Gbps, working at 200 MHz on a Xilinx VC707 Evaluation board.
Using cloud solution for medical image processing: Issues and implementation efforts

In the healthcare field, medical image processing through cloud computing is a promising technology. In fact, it allows healthcare professionals to process and analyze medical images using remote cloud resources. Furthermore, it provides cost-efficient software as a service, which realizes important cost savings associated with exploiting the local data center and hiring IT staff. Thus, it dramatically decreases the costs of providing medical services. Moreover, this new paradigm allows collaboration between healthcare practitioners. Despite its multiple advantages, shifting to this new paradigm faces various challenges: technical, legal and managerial. Recently, the healthcare sector has been interested in migrating to this technology to improve the quality of medical care. In this study, we provide a deeper insight into the challenges hindering the adoption of this technology. Then, we analyze and compare the current status of the cloud-based medical image processing implementations with security requirements. Moreover, future research directions related to security and performance are outlined in this paper.
Combined Effects of Form- and Meaning-Based Predictability on Perceived Clarity of Speech

The perceptual clarity of speech is influenced by more than just the acoustic quality of the sound; it also depends on contextual support. For example, a degraded sentence is perceived to be clearer when the content of the speech signal is provided with matching text (i.e., form-based predictability) before hearing the degraded sentence. Here, we investigate whether sentence-level semantic coherence (i.e., meaning-based predictability), enhances perceptual clarity of degraded sentences, and if so, whether the mechanism is the same as that underlying enhancement by matching text. We also ask whether form- and meaning-based predictability are related to individual differences in cognitive abilities. Twenty participants listened to spoken sentences that were either clear or degraded by noise vocoding and rated the clarity of each item. The sentences had either high or low semantic coherence. Each spoken word was preceded by the homologous printed word (matching text), or by a meaningless letter string (nonmatching text). Cognitive abilities were measured with a working memory test. Results showed that perceptual clarity was significantly enhanced both by matching text and by semantic coherence. Importantly, high coherence enhanced the perceptual clarity of the degraded sentences even when they were preceded by matching text, suggesting that the effects of form- and meaning-based predictions on perceptual clarity are independent and additive. However, when working memory capacity indexed by the Size-Comparison Span Test was controlled for, only form-based predictions enhanced perceptual clarity, and then only at some sound quality levels, suggesting that prediction effects are to a certain extent dependent on cognitive abilities.
Crystallographic insight into the evolutionary origins of xyloglucan endotransglycosylases and endohydrolases

The xyloglucan endotransglycosylase/hydrolase (XTH) gene family encodes enzymes of central importance to plant cell wall remodeling. The evolutionary history of plant XTH gene products is incompletely understood vis-à-vis the larger body of bacterial endoglycanases in Glycoside Hydrolase Family 16 (GH16). To provide molecular insight into this issue, high-resolution X-ray crystal structures and detailed enzyme kinetics of an extant transitional plant endoglucanase (EG) were determined. Functionally intermediate between plant XTH gene products and bacterial licheninases of GH16, Vitis vinifera EG16 (VvEG16) effectively catalyzes the hydrolysis of the backbones of two dominant plant cell wall matrix glycans, xyloglucan (XyG) and β(1,3)/β(1,4)-mixed-linkage glucan (MLG). Crystallographic complexes with extended oligosaccharide substrates reveal the structural basis for the accommodation of both unbranched, mixed-linked (MLG) and highly decorated, linear (XyG) polysaccharide chains in a broad, extended active-site cleft. Structural comparison with representative bacterial licheninases, a xyloglucan endotranglycosylase (XET), and a xyloglucan endohydrolase (XEH) outline the functional ramifications of key sequence deletions and insertions across the phylogenetic landscape of GH16. Although the biological role(s) of EG16 orthologs remains to be fully resolved, the present biochemical and tertiary structural characterization provides key insight into plant cell wall enzyme evolution, which will continue to inform genomic analyses and functional studies across species.
Genomic profiling identifies GPC5 amplification in association with sarcomatous transformation in a subset of uterine carcinosarcomas

Uterine carcinosarcoma, also known as Malignant Mixed Müllerian Tumour, is a high‐grade biphasic neoplasm composed of sarcomatous elements thought to originate via transdifferentiation from high‐grade endometrial carcinoma. To identify molecular factors contributing to the histogenesis of this tumour, we analyzed DNA extracted from matched carcinoma and sarcoma components from 12 cases of carcinosarcoma by a molecular inversion probe microarray to assess genomic copy number alterations (CNAs) and allelic imbalances. Widespread CNAs were identified in tumours with serous histology in the carcinoma component (9/12), while the remaining three cases with endometrioid carcinoma were near‐diploid. Quantification of the extent of genomic aberrations revealed a significant increase in sarcoma relative to carcinoma in tumours with well‐delineated histologic components. Focal amplification of 13q31.3 was identified in 6/12 profiled tumours, of which four harboured the aberration exclusively in the sarcoma component. This result was verified by fluorescence in situ hybridization against GPC5, the only gene situated within the minimal region of amplification. In a validation cohort composed of 97 carcinosarcomas and other uterine sarcomas, amplification of GPC5 (GPC5/CEP13 ratio ≥ 2.2) was identified in 11/97 (11.3%) cases (9/64 carcinosarcoma, 1/3 rhabdomyosarcoma, 1/21 leiomyosarcoma, 0/8 adenosarcoma, 0/1 undifferentiated endometrial sarcoma) and an additional 4 (2.8%) cases had low level gains (GPC5/CEP13 ratio ≥1.5 but <2.2). The functional relevance of Glypican‐5, the gene product of GPC5, in regulating differentiation and lineage commitment was demonstrated in an endometrial carcinoma cell line in vitro. In conclusion, we identified GPC5 amplification as a molecular event mediating epithelial‐mesenchymal transdifferentiation in a subset of uterine carcinosarcomas.
Speed sensorless predictive current control of a five-phase induction machine

In power electronics, multiphase machines have been recently proposed, where most sensorless algorithms applied to electrical drives are represented through a mathematical representation of the physical system which includes the electrical and mechanical parameters of the motor. However, in electrical drive applications, the rotor current cannot be measured, so it must be estimated. This paper proposes speed sensorless control of a five-phase induction machines by using an inner loop of model-based predictive control and it is obtained from the mathematical model of the machine, using a state-space representation where the two state variables are the stator and rotor currents, respectively. The rotor current is estimated using an optimal reduced order estimator based on a Kalman filter. Simulation results are provided to show the performance of the proposed speed sensorless control algorithm.
Analysis and prediction of the queue length for non-recurring road incidents

The queue length of an incident refers to the number of upstream links (i.e., links in the opposite direction of traffic flow) experiencing congestion due to the incident. In our work, we fuse incident records with traffic speed data from the expressways of Singapore for computing the queue length. Moreover, we propose a hybrid classification-regression model to predict the queue length of the incidents in real-time. At first, the model acts as a binary classifier. If the queue length of an incident is predicted to be higher than a predetermined threshold value, then the congestion is assumed to be impactful. Therefore, in the second step, the model performs regression analysis to predict the queue length of these incidents for fine-tuning. We also analyze the performance of different classification and regression methods in our work. In the classification step, all the methods perform almost equally well, and we can achieve 80%–96% classification accuracy for different threshold values. However, in the regression step, Neural Network outperforms other methods. For the threshold value α = 250 m, the mean absolute percentage error is 65.78%, whereas for α = 1000 m the error value is 18.76%. Furthermore, we cluster the incidents to understand the underlying pattern of the external features and build separate regression models for each cluster of incidents.
PLATEM: a method for mobile applications testing

Mobile applications are becoming more and more pervasive. The increase in the amount of mobile applications is accompanied by a growing demand of quality. Software testing is considered an important activity in this context. The authors propose a method named platform for testing mobile applications (PLATEM) and its supporting tool, named PLATOOL, for assisting developers in the automation of system test. PLATEM and PLAtem supporting TOOL (PLATOOL) are able to deal with events of the mobile applications during the automation of system test. One important aspect of PLATEM and PLATOOL is to take advantage of the association of software quality assurance tests and test-driven design tests. Their initial results indicate a promising approach that can be improved and extended to other mobile platforms.
IL-17A Produced by Innate Lymphoid Cells Is Essential for Intestinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury to the small intestine following clamping of the superior mesenteric artery results in an intense local inflammatory response that is characterized by villous damage and neutrophil infiltration. IL-17A, a cytokine produced by a variety of cells in response to inflammatory cytokines released following tissue injury, has been implicated in IR injury. Using Il17a−/−, Il23r−/−, and Rorc−/− mice and administration of anti–IL-17A and anti–IL-23 neutralizing Abs to wild-type mice, we demonstrate that intestinal IR injury depends on IL-17A and that IL-17A is downstream of the binding of autoantibody to ischemia-conditioned tissues and subsequent complement activation. Using bone marrow chimeras, we demonstrate that the IL-17A required for intestinal IR injury is derived from hematopoietic cells. Finally, by transferring autoantibody-rich sera into Rag2γc−/− and Rag2−/− mice, we demonstrate that innate lymphoid cells are the main producers of IL-17A in intestinal IR injury. We propose that local production of IL-17A by innate lymphoid cells is crucial for the development of intestinal IR injury and may provide a therapeutic target for clinical exploitation.
Maximum-likelihood estimation and presentation for the interaction between treatments in observational studies with a dichotomous outcome

ABSTRACT In observational studies for the interaction between treatments, one needs to estimate and present both the treatment effects and the interaction to learn the significance of the interaction to the treatment effects. In this article, we estimate the treatment effects and the interaction jointly by using only one logistic model and based on maximum-likelihood. We present the interaction by (1) point estimate and confidence interval of the interaction, (2) point estimate and confidence region of (treatment effect, interaction), and (3) point estimate and confidence interval of the interaction when the maximum-likelihood estimate of one treatment effect falls into specified range.
A survey on dielectric elastomer actuators for soft robots

Conventional industrial robots with the rigid actuation technology have made great progress for humans in the fields of automation assembly and manufacturing. With an increasing number of robots needing to interact with humans and unstructured environments, there is a need for soft robots capable of sustaining large deformation while inducing little pressure or damage when maneuvering through confined spaces. The emergence of soft robotics offers the prospect of applying soft actuators as artificial muscles in robots, replacing traditional rigid actuators. Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are recognized as one of the most promising soft actuation technologies due to the facts that: i) dielectric elastomers are kind of soft, motion-generating materials that resemble natural muscle of humans in terms of force, strain (displacement per unit length or area) and actuation pressure/density; ii) dielectric elastomers can produce large voltage-induced deformation. In this survey, we first introduce the so-called DEAs emphasizing the key points of working principle, key components and electromechanical modeling approaches. Then, different DEA-driven soft robots, including wearable/humanoid robots, walking/serpentine robots, flying robots and swimming robots, are reviewed. Lastly, we summarize the challenges and opportunities for the further studies in terms of mechanism design, dynamics modeling and autonomous control.
Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and/or Tourette's Disorder with Clonidine Extended Release

We aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of clonidine extended release (ER) treatment in Korean youth with ADHD and/or Tourette's disorder. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 29 children and adolescents treated with clonidine ER. The effectiveness were retrospectively measured at baseline and after 4 and 12 weeks based on the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) and Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scores. Safety was evaluated at each visit based on spontaneous reports from the subjects or from their parents/guardians. Significant decreases in the CGI-S scores for both ADHD (F=23.478, p<0.001, partial η2=0.540) and tic symptoms (F=15.137, p<0.001, partial η2=0.443) were noted over 12 weeks. The most common adverse event was somnolence (n=9, 31.0%) and life-threatening adverse effects were not observed. Our results provide preliminary evidence for the effectiveness and safety of clonidine ER.
Mental Health Symptoms and Parenting Among Father-Only and Dual Substance Use Disorder Couples

In the present study, we examined associations between fathers’ and mothers’ mental health symptoms as related to their own and their partner’s parenting in couples in which fathers (n = 38 families) or both partners (n = 30 families) had substance use disorder. Each partner reported on symptoms of depression, anxiety, and hostility; children reported on each parent’s parenting behaviors, including acceptance, psychological control, and knowledge of children. Actor–partner interdependence models indicated that when substance-abusing fathers have more symptoms of anxiety and depression, nonsubstance-abusing mothers report greater knowledge of children, whereas nonsubstance-abusing mothers’ mental health symptoms were related to less paternal knowledge of children. In dual substance use disorder couples, mothers’ depressive symptoms were associated with more paternal knowledge of children. These preliminary findings offer select support for family systems theory.
Effects of partial resection of acid-secreting mucosa on plasma gastrin and enterochromaffin-like cells in the rat stomach.

Female rats were subjected to various degrees (50, 75, 90 and 100%) of fundectomy, i.e. resection of the acid-producing part of the stomach, to compare the effects of different degrees of reduction of the amount of acid reaching the antrum. Plasma gastrin was monitored for 10 weeks after the operation. Histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity, histamine concentration and density of enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells in the remaining oxyntic mucosa were determined in the rats subjected to 50 or 75% fundectomy. There was a close correlation between the amount of acid-producing mucosa removed and the plasma gastrin levels, the highest gastrin level being observed in the rats subjected to 100% fundectomy. HDC activity, histamine concentration and ECL cell density seemed to reflect plasma gastrin concentration. These findings indicate that hypergastrinemia induced by surgical removal of acid-producing mucosa in the rat has the same effects on oxyntical mucosal HDC activity, histamine concentration and ECL cell density as hypergastrinemia induced by continuous gastrin infusion or by long-term treatment with effective antisecretagogues.
Elevated Pre-Treatment IL-18 Level is associated with HBeAg Seroconversion in HIV-HBV Coinfection

Background In HBV-infected patients, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion is associated with better outcomes. Interleukin-18 (IL-18) controls hepatitis B replication in a mouse model. However, its role in treatment response in HIV–HBV-coinfected patients is unknown. Methods We enrolled 35 treatment-naive, HBeAg-positive, HIV–HBV-coinfected patients. HBV DNA, HIV RNA, CD4+ T-cell count, HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) quantification (qHBsAg), HBeAg quantification (qHBeAg) and IL-18 levels were measured prior to, at 24 and 48 weeks of HBV-active combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Multivariate Poisson regression models with robust standard errors were used to determine factors associated with HBeAg seroconversion. Results Twenty-one patients received tenofovir (TDF) + lamivudine (3TC) based cART while 14 patients received 3TC-based cART. After 48 weeks of treatment, 10 patients experienced HBeAg seroconversion. Compared with non-seroconverters, seroconverters had higher median HIV RNA (5.22 versus 4.58 log copies/ml; P=0.030), lower median qHBsAg (3.97 versus 4.76 log IU/ml; P=0.011), lower median qHBeAg (1.61 versus 3.01 log PEIU/ml; P=0.004) and marginally higher median IL-18 (2.70 versus 2.53 log pg/ml; P=0.068) prior to ART. In the multivariate regression, higher baseline IL-18 (adjusted relative risk [aRR] 2.99 per 1 log pg/ml increase; P=0.035), high HIV RNA (aRR 1.84 per 1 log copies/ml; P=0.029) and low qHBeAg (aRR 0.71 per 1 log PEIU/ml; P=0.029) were significantly associated with HBeAg seroconversion. Conclusions In HIV–HBV-coinfected patients with HBeAg positivity, higher IL-18 levels, HIV RNA load, as well as low qHBeAg prior to cART were associated with HBeAg seroconversion.
Cardiovascular Health among Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders: An Examination of Health Status and Intervention Approaches

Purpose of the Review. The purpose of this review is to examine the cardiovascular health status of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders by primary risk factor and review current intervention approaches targeting this population. Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in the United States have experienced triple digit percentage increases in population for every decade since 1970. Despite their rapidly increasing numbers, little is known about their cardiovascular health status. Search Methods Used. This article reviews the literature on the demographics, mortality, and prevalence of major cadiovascular risk factors among Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders. Selected intervention programs are also described. Summary of Important Findings. Data on cardiovascular disease mortality for Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders are relatively limited because few states collect ethnically specific mortality statistics. Data on cardiovascular risk factors, particularly smoking and hypertension, for certain Asian American/Pacific Islander groups portend excessive cardiovascular disease burdens. Major Conclusions. Data specific to ethnic groups comprising Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders need to be culled. Also, scientifically valid and linguistically appropriate interventions approved by ethnic community leaders are needed to address Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders.
Mental Health and Behavioral Barriers in Access to Kidney Transplantation: A Canadian Cohort Study

Background A history of mental health (MH) disorders or nonadherence (NA) may be barriers to completing the work-up (WU) and/or undergoing kidney transplantation (KT) but this has not been well documented. In this work, we analyzed the relationship between a history of MH disorders or NA and the likelihood of completing the WU or undergoing KT. Methods Patients referred for KT to the Toronto General Hospital from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2012, and who completed a social work assessment, were included (n = 1769). The association between the history of MH disorders or NA and the time from referral to WU completion or KT were examined using Cox proportional hazards models. Results A history of MH disorders or NA was present in 24% and 18%, respectively. Patients with MH disorders had a 17% lower adjusted hazard of completing the WU within 2 years of referral (HR 0.83; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.71-0.97). Similarly, patients with a history of NA had a 21% lower hazard of completing the WU (hazard ratio [HR], 0.79; 95% CI, 0.66-0.94). The adjusted HR for KT was 0.88 (95% CI, 0.74-1.05) and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.64-0.97) for MH disorders and NA, respectively. Conclusions These findings suggest that a history of MH disorders or NA is a potential barrier to KT. Whether targeted psychosocial support can improve access to KT for these patients requires further study.
Capture-mark-recapture modelling suggests an Endangered status for the Mayotte Island (eastern Africa) population of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins

We evaluated whether the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins around the fast-develop- ing island of Mayotte are threatened. We used opportunistic photo-identification data and cap- ture-mark-recapture models to estimate key demographic parameters and then assessed the con- servation status of the species using the IUCN Red List regional criteria. The population home range was estimated with the minimum convex polygon method as 978 km 2 , the annual abun- dance was estimated from closed population models as 82 ±19 SE individuals and the annual sur- vival rate was estimated using a Cormack-Jolly-Seber model as 0.937 ± 0.059 SE. From the data available, we believe migrations of individuals between Mayotte and its neighbouring islands are likely but would not exceed a few individuals per year. Based on IUCN guidelines for classifica- tion at local scales, we classified Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins around Mayotte as Endangered. We strongly recommend the establishment of a long-term population-monitoring program and the implementation of management measures.