Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Alternative Fast Packet I/O with Native System Calls

This paper proposes an alternative high-speed packet I/O that enables user-space applications to receive and transmit packets at high speeds using the read() and write() system call families. Recent high-speed packet I/O frameworks have opened up new application designs optimized for network performance. However, they have two obstacles to implementing applications: restraints on programming models and limitations on NICs. These frameworks provide applications with APIs to access packets in kernel space without memory copies instead of well-generalized APIs, such as the socket API. Thus, the applications would be tightly coupled with the framework-specific APIs, and would be forced to adopt the APIs' programming models. Moreover, typical frameworks require specific NICs, which the frameworks support for their optimization. In contrast, the proposed packet I/O, called hpio, adapts native system calls for the packet I/O API and works with native device drivers. These advantages offer developers an easy way to implement various high-speed applications. Our measurement results demonstrate that hpio achieved over 40 Mpps with 60-byte packets, although it involves memory copies on system calls and no optimization of packet buffers.
A Closer Look at NFV Execution Models

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) advocates running service function chains (SFCs) on commodity servers as software, thereby providing a new level of flexibility to the deployment and management of network services. However, as we move from 10/40 Gbps to 100/400 Gbps line rates, it is challenging to build an NF execution framework that can deliver high performance at the maximum line speed using commodity servers, while providing scalability and flexibility afforded by software. In this paper, we investigate a fundamental problem of any NFV framework, i.e. how to execute SFCs on commodity servers by examining and comparing the performance of two execution models: the pipeline and run-to-completion models. In particular, we investigate how the multi-core server architecture affects the performance of SFC execution models by conducting extensive experiments on a testbed and shed new insights on the design and optimization of SFC execution models.
Visualization of putting trajectories in live golf broadcasting

We developed a system for visualizing golf putting trajectories that can be used in live broadcasting. The trajectory computer graphics (CGs) in a golf putting scene are useful for visualizing the results of past plays and the shape of the green. In addition, displaying past trajectories that were shot near the position of the next player helps TV viewers predict the ball movement of the next play. Visualizing the putting trajectories in this way offers TV viewers a new style of watching live golf tournaments and helps make the programs more understandable and exiting.
State-Based Programming in PQL

Complex Event Processing (CEP) has become increasingly popular within organizations. The financial industry used to be the sole beneficiary of the CEP capabilities, however nowadays we see it increasingly being adopted by non-financial companies, especially for Business Activity Monitoring software (BAM). One of the most distinctive features of CEP is pattern matching. In this field, pattern matching should not be mistaken for the pattern matching in character strings, nor pattern matching from the functional programming paradigm. Rather, it specifies temporal relationships between events, such as sequences, restrictions of event occurrences, just to name a few. On the other hand, one feature which has yet to be widely adopted amongst the CEP engines is entity state and lifecycle modeling, i.e., the ability to correlate events into instances of an entity, where each entity will have di↵erent states and transitions representing its lifecycle. The objective of this work is to investigate and implement this type of functionality in Feedzai Pulse’s query language PQL.
How Swift Guanxi Influences Product Evaluation and Repurchase Intention: An Analysis of C2C Buyer's Perceptions in Taiwan

Our study aims to investigate the effects of the buyer-seller swift guanxi facets in the buyer's product evaluation, which in turn facilitate the repurchase intention in online social commerce context. This study conducts a questionnaire survey and utilizes Partial Least Square (PLS) path model to examine how the buyer's product evaluation moderate the link between buyer-seller swift guanxi and repurchase intention. The result reveals that the positive effects of buyer-seller swift guanxi facets on buyer's perceived product quality and value except the effect of reciprocal favors. Furthermore, the reciprocal favors tends to decrease buyer's perception of product quality and repurchase intention. Besides, the buyer's product evaluation plays a mediating role between swift guanxi and repurchase intention in online social commerce context. All measures were self-reported by participants and more response should be collected. In the future, comparing the dyadic perspectives to explore theoretical, practical implications is also needed. Moreover, researcher should incorporate more contingent variables to examine the effect of swift guanxi.
Research on Unbalanced Current Compensation Control Strategy Based on Neutral Point Clamp Converter

The use of distributed generation systems has led to serious power quality problems in low-voltage distribution networks. Low voltage distribuion network power quality needs to be valued. In this paper, a multi-function power converter (MPC) device with balanced three-phase asymmetrical current, reactive power compensation, power factor improvement and harmonic elimination is proposed. The paper introduces a MPC topology which has three-level inverter with a neutral point clamped (NPC) and a voltage balancer (VBC). A new control method combining the network current reference algorithm and PQ decoupling is given in this paper. Finally, the 100kW simulation system is built to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy, which can effectively solve the power quality problems in the low voltage distribution network by using MPC. Some simulation and experimental results are illustrated to show the prototype device’s performance.
KnowPulse: A Web-Resource Focused on Diversity Data for Pulse Crop Improvement

KnowPulse (https://knowpulse.usask.ca) is a breeder-focused web portal for pulse breeders and geneticists. With a focus on diversity data, KnowPulse provides information on genetic markers, sequence variants, phenotypic traits and germplasm for chickpea, common bean, field pea, faba bean, and lentil. Genotypic data is accessible through the genotype matrix tool, displayed as a marker-by-germplasm table of genotype calls specific to germplasm chosen by the researcher. It is also summarized on genetic marker and sequence variant pages. Phenotypic data is visualized in trait distribution plots: violin plots for quantitative data and histograms for qualitative data. These plots are accessible through trait, germplasm, and experiment pages, as well as through a single page search tool. KnowPulse is built using the open-source Tripal toolkit and utilizes open-source tools including, but not limited to, species-specific JBrowse instances, a BLAST interface, and whole-genome CViTjs visualizations. KnowPulse is constantly evolving with data and tools added as they become available. Full integration of genetic maps and quantitative trait loci is imminent, and development of tools exploring structural variation is being explored.
A Mathematical Approach to Correlating Objective Spectro-Temporal Features of Non-linguistic Sounds With Their Subjective Perceptions in Humans

Non-linguistic sounds (NLSs) are a core feature of our everyday life and many evoke powerful cognitive and emotional outcomes. The subjective perception of NLSs by humans has occasionally been defined for single percepts, e.g., their pleasantness, whereas many NLSs evoke multiple perceptions. There has also been very limited attempt to determine if NLS perceptions are predicted from objective spectro-temporal features. We therefore examined three human perceptions well-established in previous NLS studies (“Complexity,” “Pleasantness,” and “Familiarity”), and the accuracy of identification, for a large NLS database and related these four measures to objective spectro-temporal NLS features, defined using rigorous mathematical descriptors including stimulus entropic and algorithmic complexity measures, peaks-related measures, fractal dimension estimates, and various spectral measures (mean spectral centroid, power in discrete frequency ranges, harmonicity, spectral flatness, and spectral structure). We mapped the perceptions to the spectro-temporal measures individually and in combinations, using complex multivariate analyses including principal component analyses and agglomerative hierarchical clustering.
Pellino-1 Regulates Immune Responses to Haemophilus influenzae in Models of Inflammatory Lung Disease

Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a frequent cause of lower respiratory tract infection in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Pellino proteins are a family of E3 ubiquitin ligases that are critical regulators of TLR signaling and inflammation. The aim of this study was to identify a role for Pellino-1 in airway defense against NTHi in the context of COPD. Pellino-1 is rapidly upregulated by LPS and NTHi in monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) isolated from individuals with COPD and healthy control subjects, in a TLR4 dependent manner. C57BL/6 Peli1−/− and wild-type (WT) mice were subjected to acute (single LPS challenge) or chronic (repeated LPS and elastase challenge) airway inflammation followed by NTHi infection. Both WT and Peli1−/− mice develop airway inflammation in acute and chronic airway inflammation models. Peli1−/− animals recruit significantly more neutrophils to the airway following NTHi infection which is associated with an increase in the neutrophil chemokine, KC, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid as well as enhanced clearance of NTHi from the lung. These data suggest that therapeutic inhibition of Pellino-1 may augment immune responses in the airway and enhance bacterial clearance in individuals with COPD.
On DC-link voltage stabilization of shunt active filters

In this paper the control of DC-link voltage in shunt active filters is studied. The main control objective in this kind of active power filters is to inject a proper current in the electric mains in order to compensate for harmonic distortion generated by nonlinear loads. According to this purpose, the proposed stabilizing algorithm allows the DC-link voltage to properly oscillate within the admissible range when load currents are compatible with the energy stored in the capacitor. Differently, when a transient disturb pushes the DC-link voltage near the bounds, the controller increases its action in order to avoid unnecessary turn-off by hardware/software protection. This solution leads to an improved reliability of the shunt active filter Key-words: Active power filters, AC/DC converters, DC-link voltage regulation
Limits of 4-Wire 3-Level NPC topology for Hybrid Energy Storage System and power quality improvement in microgrids

In this paper, the limits of a 4-Wire 3-Level Neutral Point Clamped (4W-3L-NPC) inverter used as the only interface to integrate a renewable energy source and a Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS) into a microgrid are under inv estigation. The power flow management of the DC side is based on a Second Order Sliding Mode Controller that aims to realize a frequency decoupling of load and renewable energy disturbance . The investigation focuses on the power flow division ca p bilities among a vanadium redox flow battery and a lithium ion batery composing the HESS. Both simulations and experiments will support the limits analysis as well as the proposed control strategy. Keywords— Hybrid Energy Storage System, Multilevel Inv erter, Microgrids, Renewable Energy Source, Distributed Gener ation.
HMGB 1 facilitates repair of mitochondrial DNA damage and extends the lifespan of mutant ataxin-1 knockin mice

Mutant ataxin-1 (Atxn1), which causes spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), binds to and impairs the function of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a crucial nuclear protein that regulates DNA architectural changes essential for DNA damage repair and transcription. In this study, we established that transgenic or virus vector-mediated complementation with HMGB1 ameliorates motor dysfunction and prolongs lifespan in mutant Atxn1 knock-in (Atxn1-KI) mice. We identified mitochondrial DNA damage repair by HMGB1 as a novel molecular basis for this effect, in addition to the mechanisms already associated with HMGB1 function, such as nuclear DNA damage repair and nuclear transcription. The dysfunction and the improvement of mitochondrial DNA damage repair functions are tightly associated with the exacerbation and rescue, respectively, of symptoms, supporting the involvement of mitochondrial DNA quality control by HMGB1 in SCA1 pathology. Moreover, we show that the rescue of Purkinje cell dendrites and dendritic spines by HMGB1 could be downstream effects. Although extracellular HMGB1 triggers inflammation mediated by Toll-like receptor and receptor for advanced glycation end products, upregulation of intracellular HMGB1 does not induce such side effects. Thus, viral delivery of HMGB1 is a candidate approach by which to modify the disease progression of SCA1 even after the onset.
Tsunamis and sea level rise in the North and Baltic Sea and potential consequences for nuclear facilities

Weather-related hazards are among the most frequent causes for disturbances of critical infrastructures. Flooding, tsunamis and sea level rise are examples of major threats to all types of nuclear facilities located at the seaside or at rivers. We report about exemplary investigations concerning weather-related hazards for the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Climate change is expected to increase the already known threats but, in the long term, may also lead to new kinds of hazards. A possible future climate evolution, e.g. from warm (interglacial) to cold (glacial) periods, is not only a topic for seaside industrial facilities but also of concern in the long term safety assessment of deep geological nuclear waste repositories, in particular for high level waste, on the Baltic sea. Iancu Alexandra, Berg Heinz-Peter Tsunamis and sea rise in North and Baltic Sea and potential consequences for nuclear facilities 56 and low temperatures, periods of drought, strong rainfall resulting in flash floods or storms. Already today extreme weather and climate changes are evidence of severe challenges to the critical infrastructures. Some recent examples of events from hydrological external hazards and their potential safety significance for nuclear power plants are discussed in [33]. In the foreseeable future, climates change may lead to a further increase in frequency and intensity of weather-related hazards, creating further challenges which could become even more demanding for the infrastructures. Therefore, modelling climate weather change process including extreme weather hazards is an important task and respective activities are ongoing. In the assessment of the long-term safety functionality of a nuclear waste disposal facility, it is necessary to take into account natural processes that could affect it or modify its geological environment. Predicting climate system evolution on time-scales of several hundred thousand years up to even one million years is very challenging, since it relies on estimating the extremes within which climate and related processes may vary with reasonable confidence. Extremely high sea levels are an important issue not only for nuclear power plants but also for other national infrastructure and activities, and have to be taken into account in construction and planning in general. Moreover, besides nuclear power plants and other industrial facilities, floods from rivers, estuaries and the sea threaten many millions of people in Europe. Flooding is the most widely distributed of all natural hazards across Europe, causing distress and damage wherever it happens. 2. Tusunami events in the North and Baltic
Loughborough University Institutional Repository Enabling heterogeneous network function chaining

Today’s data center operators deploy network policies in both physical (e.g., middleboxes, switches) and virtualized (e.g., virtual machines on general purpose servers) network function boxes (NFBs), which reside in different points of the network, to exploit their efficiency and agility respectively. Nevertheless, such heterogeneity has resulted in a great number of independent network nodes that can dynamically generate and implement inconsistent and conflicting network policies, making correct policy implementation a difficult problem to solve. Since these nodes have varying capabilities, services running atop are also faced with profound performance unpredictability. In this paper, we propose a Heterogeneous netwOrk Policy Enforcement (HOPE) scheme to overcome these challenges. HOPE guarantees that network functions (NFs) that implement a policy chain are optimally placed onto heterogeneous NFBs such that the network cost of the policy is minimized. We first experimentally demonstrate that the processing capacity of NFBs is the dominant performance factor. This observation is then used to formulate the Heterogeneous Network Policy Placement problem, which is shown to be NP-Hard. To solve the problem efficiently, an online algorithm is proposed. Our experimental results demonstrate that HOPE achieves the same optimality as Branch-and-bound optimization but is 3 orders of magnitude more efficient.
Parametric spatial audio recording and reproduction based on playback-setup-defined beamformers

Signal-independent spatial audio rendering techniques utilize recordings of spaced microphone signals, which are either linearly combined or fed directly to loudspeakers or headphones. On the other side, there are the parametric techniques, which are signal-dependent, and estimate a set of parameters that is then used for then rendering. These parameters can be for example direction of arrival or a direct/ambience decomposition of the sound field. Such systems require a low number of microphones and are very efficient in reproducing arbitrary sound scenes but they might suffer from parameter estimation errors, which leads to reproduction artifacts. A beamformer-based parametric method is shown in this work, which, instead of estimating intermediate sound-field related parameters, estimates directly the perceptually relevant parameters of the reproduction setup. The rendering setup can be either a 3-dimensional loudspeaker array or headphones. The target beamformers for the loudspeaker setup is a set of panning functions and for headphones a set of HRTFs. The system is based on two sets of beamformers for the parametric analysis and synthesis of a sound field. A set of narrow and potentially noisy beamformers is used for the analysis stage to estimate the target setup parameters such as inter-channel coherences and energies and a second set of beamformers which are noise robust is used as the source signal. The advantages of the proposed method are the reproduction of multiple instantaneous sound sources, the improvement of the single channel audio quality in the reproduction and the use of compact microphone arrays.
NEW CORRELATION FOR THE MIXING OF WASTEWATER SLUDGE

Treatment the sewage sludge is a major problem in preserving a clean environment. In this study we develop a model that allows the prediction of the net power consumption at the stirring of sludge proceeding from wastewater treatment. Its novelty consists in describing the mixing power not only as a function of Reynolds number and some geometrical dimensions ratios but also as a function on the fluid’s consistency, expressed as the dry matter fraction in the sludge.
A Study of Punctuation Handling for Speech-to-speech Translation

This paper is devoted to finding out proper methods of handling punctuation when translating unpunctuated text output from automatic speech recognition systems. Three methods of handling punctuation and two machine translation (MT) systems were studied on a Japanese-to-English parallel corpus of about 5 million sentence pairs. BLEU calculated without punctuation was employed as measurement of translation quality in order to reflect the quality of synthesized speech output. Experimental results show that, for both phrase-based MT systems and pre-ordering phrase-based MT systems, methods of predicting punctuation with either a hidden n-gram model or a monolingual machine translation systems yield translation systems which are close in quality to the one using oracle punctuation, and better than ignoring punctuation.
Simulation Technology of Configurable Airborne Electromechanical Equipment Based on QEMU

Airborne electromechanical systems have the characteristics of high complexity, reliability and costs, therefore a lot of simulation is needed. In order to make software developers simulate a variety of devices and conduct semi-physical simulation or digital simulation under the same framework. In this paper, the virtual simulation technology is used to achieve the configurable simulation of airborne electromechanical devices, and simulation devices are used to build a simulation platform. In QEMU virtual machine the simulation of equipment front-end interface is realized in order to use real device driver, a thread is used to simulate the device function, finally, the data is transferred to data transmission module to simulate multiple data exchange methods of equipment. In the device function simulation module dynamic loading technology is used. Using C and Lua hybrid programming method to realize the equipment function of flexible and configurable. The experimental results show that only need to modify the configuration script the different simulation of airborne electromechanical equipment can be achieved.
Selecting Sources that Define a Stable Celestial Reference Frame with the Allan Variance

The ICRF2 was adopted by the IAU in 2009 and was based on the positions of 3,414 radio sources determined by VLBI. Discussions on the next realization of the ICRF (ICRF3) have been underway within the IAU and IVS since 2012. VLBI has made significant advances since ICRF2. From the latest GSFC solution, we extract a set of sources that defines a stable celestial reference frame, as shown by Feissel-Vernier 2003 [1] using tools such as the Allan variance and the drift of the position time series. This method also allows us to highlight a set of the least stable sources that may need special handling.