Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A fast and resource efficient FPGA implementation of secret sharing for storage applications

Outsourcing data into the cloud gives wide benefits and opportunities to customers. Beside these advantages, new challenges such as confidentiality and accessibility have to be addressed. One approach to overcome these challenges is by applying secret sharing in a distributed storage setting, known as cloud of clouds approach. For this purpose we present a new hardware architecture of a wide parametrizable secret sharing core. Performance metrics for various applied bit-widths of secret words are given, which are crucial for benefits of higher level protocols in the cloud of clouds approach. Additionally, a complete system which is able to operate in a network environment is presented. The achieved throughputs are in the order of Gbit/s. It is significantly faster than similar comparable hardware architectures and orders of magnitude higher than software implementations.
Disruptive Improvisations: Making Use of Non-Deterministic Art Practices in HCI

The goal of this one-day workshop is to open space for disruptive techniques and strategies to be used in the making, prototyping, and conceptualizations of the artifacts and systems developed and imagined within HCI. Specifically, this workshop draws on strategies from art, speculative design, and activism, as we aim to productively "trouble" the design processes behind HCI. We frame these explorations as "disruptive improvisations" - tactics artists and designers use to make the familiar strange or creatively problematize in order to foster new insights. The workshop invites participants to inquire through making and take up key themes as starting points to develop disruptive improvisations for design. These include modesty, scarcity, uselessness, no-technology, and failure. The workshop will produce a zine workbook or pamphlet to be distributed during the conference to bring visibility to the role these tactics of making in a creative design practices.
Testing the Münch hypothesis of long distance phloem transport in plants

Long distance transport in plants occurs in sieve tubes of the phloem. The pressure flow hypothesis introduced by Ernst Münch in 1930 describes a mechanism of osmotically generated pressure differentials that are supposed to drive the movement of sugars and other solutes in the phloem, but this hypothesis has long faced major challenges. The key issue is whether the conductance of sieve tubes, including sieve plate pores, is sufficient to allow pressure flow. We show that with increasing distance between source and sink, sieve tube conductivity and turgor increases dramatically in Ipomoea nil. Our results provide strong support for the Münch hypothesis, while providing new tools for the investigation of one of the least understood plant tissues. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.15341. 001
Overview of the state of the art in embedded machine learning

Nowadays, the main challenges in embedded machine learning are related to artificial neural networks. Inspired by the biological neural networks, artificial neural networks are able to solve complex problems, by performing a tremendous amount of relatively simple parallel computations. Embedding such networks in autonomous devices raises the issues of energy efficiency, resource usage and accuracy. The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the efforts made in recent years to implement artificial neural network architectures suitable for embedded applications.
Controlling Meta-Model Extensibility in Model-Driven Engineering

Model-driven engineering (MDE) considers the systematic use of models in software development. A model must be specified through a well-defined modeling language with precise syntax and semantics. In MDE, this syntax is defined by a meta-model. While meta-models tend to be fixed, there are several scenarios that require the customization of existing meta-models. For example, standards of the object management group (OMG) like the knowledge discovery meta-model (KDM) or the diagram definition (DD) are based on the extension of base meta-models according to certain rules. However, these rules are not “operational” but are described in natural language and therefore not supported by tools. Although modeling is an activity regulated by meta-models, currently there are no commonly accepted mechanisms to regulate how meta-models can be extended. Hence, in order to solve this problem, we propose a mechanism that allows specifying customization and extension rules for meta-models, as well as a tool that makes it possible to customize the meta-models according to such rules. The tool is based on the Eclipse modeling framework, has been implemented as an Eclipse plugin, and has been validated to guide the extension of OMG standard meta-models, such as KDM and DD.
Quasi-Continuous Second-Order Sliding Mode Control of Buck Converter

Aiming at the chattering problem of conventional sliding mode control systems for dc–dc converters, a quasi-continuous second-order sliding mode (QSOSM) control scheme for buck converters has been presented in the paper. It will be shown that the QSOSM controller is practically a continuous function of the states everywhere except the origin. And thus the chattering problem existing in conventional sliding mode can be practically solved due to the fact that the states cannot be stabilized to the origin from engineering point of view. Theoretical analysis also shows that the closed loop system of the buck converter is globally finite-time stable. Finally, the theoretical considerations have been verified by simulation and experimentation. Specifically, the comparisons between QSOSM controller and PID controller show that the former one provides a better robustness.
Research on query analysis and optimization based on spark

With the rapid development of the Internet and the explosive growth of information, the traditional technical frame-work can not meet the needs of massive data processing. In this environment, the research and development of big data platform came into being. Compared to Hadoop MapReduce programming model, the Spark computing framework has a better applicability by introducing RDD (Elastic Distributed Data Set) and memory-based computing model. SparkSQL is an api that integrates relational processing and Sparks functional programming. It provides a better choice for handing massive structured data. However, for the most complex and costly inter-table correlation queries in traditional query, Spark SQL's performance is poor. To some extent, it has affected the application of Spark. This paper first introduces the technical background of Spark architecture, Optimizer Catalyst, and then expounds the factors causing low query performance. Then, a design scheme of cost optimization and predicate pushdown is proposed based on Spark SQL. The proposed scheme is based on scalable Catalyst, which improves the performance degradation due to improper selection of table association algorithm and the triggering of shuffle. Finally, the Spark cluster test environment is built to verify the feasibility and performance improvement of the proposed scheme.
The European mountain cryosphere: a review of its current state, trends, and future challenges

Abstract. The mountain cryosphere of mainland Europe is recognized to have important impacts on a range of environmental processes. In this paper, we provide an overview on the current knowledge on snow, glacier, and permafrost processes, as well as their past, current, and future evolution. We additionally provide an assessment of current cryosphere research in Europe and point to the different domains requiring further research. Emphasis is given to our understanding of climate–cryosphere interactions, cryosphere controls on physical and biological mountain systems, and related impacts. By the end of the century, Europe's mountain cryosphere will have changed to an extent that will impact the landscape, the hydrological regimes, the water resources, and the infrastructure. The impacts will not remain confined to the mountain area but also affect the downstream lowlands, entailing a wide range of socioeconomical consequences. European mountains will have a completely different visual appearance, in which low- and mid-range-altitude glaciers will have disappeared and even large valley glaciers will have experienced significant retreat and mass loss. Due to increased air temperatures and related shifts from solid to liquid precipitation, seasonal snow lines will be found at much higher altitudes, and the snow season will be much shorter than today. These changes in snow and ice melt will cause a shift in the timing of discharge maxima, as well as a transition of runoff regimes from glacial to nival and from nival to pluvial. This will entail significant impacts on the seasonality of high-altitude water availability, with consequences for water storage and management in reservoirs for drinking water, irrigation, and hydropower production. Whereas an upward shift of the tree line and expansion of vegetation can be expected into current periglacial areas, the disappearance of permafrost at lower altitudes and its warming at higher elevations will likely result in mass movements and process chains beyond historical experience. Future cryospheric research has the responsibility not only to foster awareness of these expected changes and to develop targeted strategies to precisely quantify their magnitude and rate of occurrence but also to help in the development of approaches to adapt to these changes and to mitigate their consequences. Major joint efforts are required in the domain of cryospheric monitoring, which will require coordination in terms of data availability and quality. In particular, we recognize the quantification of high-altitude precipitation as a key source of uncertainty in projections of future changes. Improvements in numerical modeling and a better understanding of process chains affecting high-altitude mass movements are the two further fields that – in our view – future cryospheric research should focus on.
Dynamics of a Laser-induced Bubble Near a Convex Free Surface

This paper experimentally documents the behavior of a laser-induced bubble near a convex paraboloidal free surface with different vertical radius of curvatures, generated in a rotating cylindrical water flask. The shape of the free surface plays a key role on bubble behaviors when bubble collapses. Due to the strong influence of the free surface, the bubble forms a microjet outwards the free surface when it collapses. And the nondimensional bubble collapse time, Tc/Tc’, is smaller than 1, where Tc is the bubble collapse time and Tc’ is the Rayleigh time of bubble collapse with an equivalent maximum radius. As the relative distance between the bubble center and the free surface, h/Rmax, decreases, Tc/Tc’ decreases, which is different with the bubble behavior near a flat rigid boundary, where h is the distance between the bubble center and the flat free surface or the convex free surface center, Rmax is bubble equivalent maximum radius. Compared with the bubble dynamics near a flat free surface, the bubble near a convex free surface presents a milder collapse behavior. Tc/Tc’ increases with the nondimensional radius of curvature of the free surface center, rs/Rmax, decreases, where rs is the vertical radius of curvature of the free surface, which is different from the bubble behavior near a curved rigid boundary. It implies that the convex shape of free surface reduces the Kelvin impulse, and the strength of the microjet when bubble collapses decreases with a decreasing rs/Rmax. Meanwhile the convex free surface provides a focusing mechanism to the splash on the free surface when bubble collapses. The splash gets a higher velocity when rs/Rmax decreases.
Effects of school meals with weekly fish servings on vitamin D status in Danish children: secondary outcomes from the OPUS (Optimal well-being, development and health for Danish children through a healthy New Nordic Diet) School Meal Study

Abstract Children's vitamin D intake and status can be optimised to meet recommendations. We investigated if nutritionally balanced school meals with weekly fish servings affected serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and markers related to bone in 8- to 11-year-old Danish children. We conducted an explorative secondary outcome analysis on data from 784 children from the OPUS School Meal Study, a cluster-randomised cross-over trial where children received school meals for 3 months and habitual lunch for 3 months. At baseline, and at the end of each dietary period, 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), osteocalcin (OC), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), bone mineral content (BMC), bone area (BA), bone mineral density (BMD), dietary intake and physical activity were assessed. School meals increased vitamin D intake by 0·9 (95 % CI 0·7, 1·1) μg/d. No consistent effects were found on 25(OH)D, BMC, BA, BMD, IGF-1 or OC. However, season-modified effects were observed with 25(OH)D, i.e. children completing the school meal period in January/February had higher 25(OH)D status (5·5 (95 % CI 1·8, 9·2) nmol/l; P = 0·004) than children completing the control period in these months. A similar tendency was indicated in November/December (4·1 (95 % CI –0·12, 8·3) nmol/l; P = 0·057). However, the effect was opposite in March/April (–4·0 (95 % CI –7·0, –0·9) nmol/l; P = 0·010), and no difference was found in May/June (P = 0·214). Unexpectedly, the school meals slightly increased PTH (0·18 (95 % CI 0·07, 0·29) pmol/l) compared with habitual lunch. Small increases in dietary vitamin D might hold potential to mitigate the winter nadir in Danish children's 25(OH)D status while higher increases appear necessary to affect status throughout the year. More trials on effects of vitamin D intake from natural foods are needed.
Reliability Evaluation of Communication-Constrained Protection Systems Using Stochastic-Flow Network Models

In smart grids, even the substation-located local protection schemes are built on communication networks. By relaying, the transmission performance of information flow may have a major influence on decision-making actions, and the general binary-state description of each component cannot indicate the deterioration degree of the information performance. This paper introduces the stochastic-flow network (SFN) to model flow-limited protection systems, and makes comprehensive improvement to form a practicable reliability assessment approach. The proposed model focuses on the multi-state of constrained capacities passing through critical components and the flow demand at the protective relays. The analysis method is established on classifying components multi-states by Markov chain principle, defining the availability and reliability of the protection system under a SFN model, and using the improved depth-first search to get all lower boundary points for demand level ${d}$ , then fulfilling the reliability index calculation via valid states and corresponding probability distribution. Finally, according to the current protection arrangement in intelligent substations, six typical protective structures are developed into the SFN models. The reliability assessment and especially the key influence factors to relaying performance are presented.
Are Growing Pains Related to Vitamin D Deficiency? Efficacy of Vitamin D Therapy for Resolution of Symptoms

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] status of children with growing pains and to evaluate the efficacy of vitamin D treatment on the resolution of pain symptoms. Subjects and Methods: One hundred and twenty children with growing pains were included in a prospective cohort study. Serum 25(OH)D and bone mineral levels were measured in all subjects at the time of enrollment. The pain intensity of those with vitamin D deficiency was measured using a pain visual analog scale (VAS). After a single oral dose of vitamin D, the pain intensity was remeasured by means of the VAS at 3 months. The 25(OH)D levels and VAS scores before and after oral vitamin D administration were compared by means of a paired Student's t test. Results: In the 120 children with growing pains, vitamin D insufficiency was noted in 104 (86.6%). Following vitamin D supplementation, the mean 25(OH)D levels increased from 13.4 ± 7.2 to 44.5 ± 16.4 ng/ml, the mean pain VAS score decreased from 6.8 ± 1.9 to 2.9 ± 2.5 cm (a mean reduction of -3.8 ± 2.1, p < 0.001) and the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion: Supplementation with oral vitamin D resulted in a significant reduction in pain intensity among these children with growing pains who had hypovitaminosis D.
Frequency and luminance-dependent blood flow and K+ ion changes during flicker stimuli in cat optic nerve head.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate whether blood flow in the cat optic nerve head (ONH) is related to increased neuronal activity elicited by diffuse luminance flickering light stimulation. METHODS ONH blood flow was measured by laser Doppler flowmetry in anesthetized cats during 1 to 3 minutes of flickering light stimulation at controlled luminance and frequency (n = 227 measurements in 18 cats) using either a conventional visual stimulator (repetitive short flashes) or a sinusoidally varying light stimulator. Potassium ion concentration ([K+]) changes in the vitreous humor immediately in front of the optic disk were measured with neutral carrier K+ ionophore liquid membrane microelectrodes. Effects of varying flicker frequency (2 to 80 Hz) at constant luminance were quantified. Effects of luminance were quantified by varying the modulation depth of the stimulus at constant frequency. RESULTS Both ONH blood flow and [K+] increased during flicker stimulus with an average slope of 0.305% +/- 0.064% (SE)/microM [K+] (257 measurements in 18 cats). The peak ONH blood flow increase was 59% +/- 11% above baseline at 33.3 +/- 3.1 Hz. The peak [K+] increase was 188 +/- 42 microM above baseline at 38.3 +/- 3.3 Hz. Both ONH blood flow and [K+] changes had similar bandpass characteristics with frequency, first increasing, then dropping off at higher frequencies (122 measurements in 10 cats). Both frequency responses were described by power law functions (y = af"). Luminance responses for both ONH blood flow and [K+] changes could be fit by a modified Hill model and were 50% of maximum at light modulation depths of 21.2% +/- 4.6% and 22.5% +/- 3.7%, respectively (53 measurements in 5 cats). CONCLUSIONS Increases in ONH blood flow were correlated with changes in [K+]. Both responses were remarkably similar, with no significant differences in the frequency for peak responses in ONH blood flow or [K+], in low- and high-frequency power law exponents of the two responses, or in the 50% response to light modulation. The results are consistent with close coupling of neuronal activity and ONH blood flow.
Alcohol, moods and male-female differences: daily interactive voice response over 6 months.

AIMS The goal of this study was to better understand the predictive relationship in both directions between negative (anger, sadness) and positive (happiness) moods and alcohol consumption using daily process data among heavy drinkers. METHODS Longitudinal daily reports of moods, alcohol use and other covariates such as level of stress were assessed over 180 days using interactive voice response telephone technology. Participants were heavy drinkers (majority meeting criteria for alcohol dependence at baseline) recruited through their primary care provider. The sample included 246 (166 men, 80 women) mostly Caucasian adults. Longitudinal statistical models were used to explore the varying associations between number of alcoholic drinks and mood scores the next day and vice versa with gender as a moderator. RESULTS Increased alcohol use significantly predicted decreased happiness the next day (P < 0.005), more strongly for females than males. Increased anger predicted higher average alcohol use the next day for males only (P < 0.005). CONCLUSION This daily process study challenges the notion that alcohol use enhances positive mood for both males and females. Our findings also suggest a strong association between anger and alcohol use that is specific to males. Thus, discussions about the effects of drinking on one's feeling of happiness may be beneficial for males and females as well as anger interventions may be especially beneficial for heavy-drinking males.
Water relations of plants in the field: some comments on the measurement of selected parameters

Methods for the analysis of water status and transport in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum are briefly enumerated, with some personal comments on their reliability when used on plants growing in the field. These methods have provided us with a coherent system of data essentially free from major contradictions to the cohesion theory of water transport. It is shown that recent attempts at replacing the xylem tensions postulated by this theory with hypothetical osmotic transport mechanisms in order to accommodate data from the xylem pressure probe are not consistent with the bulk of results and furthermore are implausible in view of the energetic expenditure required.
A study on trust factors in a multimedia service environment

As information and communication technologies evolve, it becomes easier to enjoy multimedia content on multimedia service platforms via the web. Interactions between entities on social multimedia service platforms such as YouTube and Facebook “Watch” are different from those on platforms that have been used earlier. A user who exploits the multimedia service platforms can not only consume multimedia content, but also act as a multimedia generator by producing or uploading multimedia content. In the situation, multimedia content that has not been properly validated can be supplied and consumed indiscriminately. Under this circumstance, utilizing the concept of trust can be a good solution to establish a healthy multimedia service environment. In this paper, we suggest considerable trust relationships in a multimedia service environment. For each trust relationship, we propose sets of influential trust factors that can be inferred from data and metadata. To show the possibility of measurement for the influential trust factors, we describe how the data and metadata can be exploited.
Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors as a new treatment for diabetes mellitus.

CONTEXT Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) expressed in the proximal renal tubules accounts for about 90% of the reabsorption of glucose from tubular fluid. Genetic defects of SGLT2 result in a benign familial renal glucosuria. Pharmacological agents that block SGLT2 are being tested as potential treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION A Pubmed search was used to identify all relevant articles on the physiology of SGLTs as well as published preclinical and clinical experimental studies with SGLT2 inhibitors; a reference search of all retrieved articles was also undertaken. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS SGLT2 is almost exclusively expressed in the proximal renal tubules. Preclinical studies with selective SLGT2 inhibitors show dose-dependent glucosuria and lowering of blood glucose in models of type 2 diabetes. Preliminary clinical studies of up to 3-month duration show dose-dependent lowering of glycosylated hemoglobin up to 0.9% along with modest weight loss. Side effects include an increase in genital fungal infection compared to placebo, increased urine volume (300-400 ml/24 h), and evidence of volume depletion consistent with mild diuretic effect. CONCLUSION SGLT2 inhibitors are showing promise as a useful addition to the current therapeutic options in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Results of ongoing phase III clinical trials are awaited and will determine whether the risk-benefit ratio will allow approval of this new class of drug for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus.