Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High-level modeling and synthesis for embedded FPGAs

The fast evolving applications in modern digital signal processing have an increasing demand for components which have high computational power and energy efficiency without compromising the flexibility. Embedded FPGA, which is the customized FPGA with heterogeneous fine-grained application specific operations and routing resources, has shown significantly improved efficiency in terms of throughput, power dissipation and chip area for the target application domain. On the other hand, the complexity of such architecture makes it difficult to perform an efficient architecture exploration and application synthesis without tool support. In this work, we propose a framework for the design of embedded FPGA (eFPGA) architectures, which is extended from an existing framework for Coarse-Grained Reconfigurable Architectures (CGRAs). The framework is composed of a high-level modeling formalism for eFPGAs to explore the mapping space, and a retargetable application synthesis flow. To enable fast design space exploration, a force-directed placement algorithm is proposed. Finally, we demonstrate the efficacy of this framework with demanding application kernels.
Title Early detection of neurodegeneration in brain ischemia bymanganese-enhanced MRI

This study aims to employ in vivo manganeseenhanced MRI (MEMRI) to detect neurodegenerative changes in two models of brain ischemia, photothrombotic cortical injury (PCI) and transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rodents. After systemic Mn injection to both ischemic models, a close pattern of T1-weighted hyperintensity was observed throughout different brain regions in comparison to the distribution of GFAP, MnSOD and GS immunoreactivities, whereby conventional MRI could hardly detect such. In addition, the infarct volumes in the posterior parts of the brain had significantly reduced after Mn injection to the MCAO model. It is suggested that exogenous Mn injection may provide enhanced MEMRI detection of oxidative stress and gliosis early after brain ischemia. Manganese may also mediate infarctions at remote brain regions in transient focal cerebral ischemia before delayed secondary damage takes place.
Doppel-induced cerebellar degeneration in transgenic mice

Doppel (Dpl) is a paralog of the mammalian prion protein (PrP); it is abundant in testes but expressed at low levels in the adult central nervous system. In two Prnp-deficient (Prnp0/0) mouse lines (Ngsk and Rcm0), Dpl overexpression correlated with ataxia and death of cerebellar neurons. To determine whether Dpl overexpression, rather than the dysregulation of genes neighboring the Prn gene complex, was responsible for the ataxic syndrome, we placed the mouse Dpl coding sequence under the control of the Prnp promoter and produced transgenic (Tg) mice on the Prnp0/0-ZrchI background (hereafter referred to as ZrchI). ZrchI mice exhibit neither Dpl overexpression nor cerebellar degeneration. In contrast, Tg(Dpl)ZrchI mice showed cerebellar granule and Purkinje cell loss; the age of onset of ataxia was inversely proportional to the levels of Dpl protein. Crosses of Tg mice overexpressing wild-type PrP with two lines of Tg(Dpl)ZrchI mice resulted in a phenotypic rescue of the ataxic syndrome, while Dpl overexpression was unchanged. Restoration of PrP expression also rendered the Tg(Dpl) mice susceptible to prion infection, with incubation times indistinguishable from non-Tg controls. Whereas the rescue of Dpl-induced neurotoxicity by coexpression of PrP argues for an interaction between the PrP and Dpl proteins in vivo, the unaltered incubation times in Tg mice overexpressing Dpl in the central nervous system suggest that Dpl is unlikely to be involved in prion formation.
Using action research to improve health and the work environment for 3500 municipal bus drivers

During the past five decades occupational researchers have documented that bus drivers’ health is worse than in almost any other profession. The authors suggest that the reason there has not been any successful attempt to change this situation is because the focus until now on removing statistically associated external risk factors has been too narrow. The article describes a project whose purpose was to improve the health and well‐being of 3500 Copenhagen bus drivers. At the end, more than 200 interventions were implemented. The authors adopted a new approach of combining epidemiological results and qualitative methodologies, creating a broader explanatory foundation for action, linked by repetitive processes of critical reflection, which was central to defining problems, explaining causes, developing sufficiently effective interventions and measuring effects. The project revealed the importance of several new and potentially preventable factors involving such issues as lifestyle, private stressors and inappropriate management. During the project period an evaluative framework was developed to explore and measure the complex effects of multiple interventions. Three years after the interventions were launched, follow‐ups revealed remarkable improvements such as reductions in stress and body pains, an increase in satisfaction, and improvements in management and the drivers’ cabin. This article is the story of a methodological journey, from classical epidemiology to an approach combining the strengths of survey (broad coverage), qualitative methods (in‐depth focus) followed by critical reflections and ending with action research.
Regulation of Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4AII by MyoD during Murine Myogenic Cell Differentiation

Gene expression during muscle cell differentiation is tightly regulated at multiple levels, including translation initiation. The PI3K/mTOR signalling pathway exerts control over protein synthesis by regulating assembly of eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 4F, a heterotrimeric complex that stimulates recruitment of ribosomes to mRNA templates. One of the subunits of eIF4F, eIF4A, supplies essential helicase function during this phase of translation. The presence of two cellular eIF4A isoforms, eIF4AI and eIF4AII, has long thought to impart equivalent functions to eIF4F. However, recent experiments have alluded to distinct activities between them. Herein, we characterize distinct regulatory mechanisms between the eIF4A isoforms during muscle cell differentiation. We find that eIF4AI levels decrease during differentiation whereas eIF4AII levels increase during myofiber formation in a MyoD-dependent manner. This study characterizes a previously undefined mechanism for eIF4AII regulation in differentiation and highlights functional differences between eIF4AI and eIF4AII. Finally, RNAi-mediated alterations in eIF4AI and eIF4AII levels indicate that the myogenic process can tolerate short term reductions in eIF4AI or eIF4AII levels, but not both.
Spectral change detection

Digital change detection is the computerized process of identifying changes in the state of an object, or other earth-surface features, between different dates. During the last years, a large number of change detection methods have evolved that differ widely in refinement, robustness and complexity. This study aims to develop a program to detect and delineate landscape changes automatically over multiple scales using a formulation of spectral classifiers. The procedure calculates, for each pixel, SAM, SCM or Euclidian distance value between the spectra at time t1 and t2. By considering a high threshold value, it is possible to define points with the same spectral behavior and probably without alteration during the period. In particular, this method allows for the automatic identification of invariant points to calibrate remote-sensing images, without visual interpretation data. Users' program establishes the spectral change detection (SCD) method (SAM-SCD, SCM- SCD and Euclidian Distance-SCD). Thus, the program allows to work simultaneously with the collection of temporal images. This realization is an important task in landscape analysis and remote sensing.
Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) acts as a potent mucosal adjuvant for HIV-1 gp140 vaccination in mice

The development of a successful vaccine against HIV is likely to require the induction of strong and long‐lasting humoral immune responses at the mucosal portal of virus entry. Hence, the design of a vaccine strategy able to induce mucosal antibodies and in particular specific IgA, may be crucial to providing immune protection. Nasal immunisation is known to induce specific IgG and IgA responses in the cervicovaginal mucosa; however, there is an urgent need for the development of safe, effective and accessible mucosal adjuvants for nasal application in humans. To reduce the potential for adverse events associated with some nasal adjuvants, we have assessed whether the B‐cell‐activating cytokines APRIL, BAFF and TSLP enhance humoral immune responses to HIV‐1 gp140. Following intranasal immunisation, TSLP but not APRIL or BAFF induced strong humoral responses both in serum and mucosa. The adjuvant effect of TSLP on humoral responses was similar to that of cholera toxin (CT). The use of TSLP as an adjuvant skewed both the cellular and humoral immune responses towards Th2 cells. This is the first time that TSLP has been demonstrated to have a positive effect as a mucosal adjuvant, and specifically to promote mucosal and systemic responses to HIV gp140.
A relationship between protein stability and protein function.

Enzymes are thought to use their ordered structures to facilitate catalysis. A corollary of this theory suggests that enzyme residues involved in function are not optimized for stability. We tested this hypothesis by mutating functionally important residues in the active site of T4 lysozyme. Six mutations at two catalytic residues, Glu-11 and Asp-20, abolished or reduced enzymatic activity but increased thermal stability by 0.7-1.7 kcal.mol-1. Nine mutations at two substrate-binding residues, Ser-117 and Asn-132, increased stability by 1.2-2.0 kcal.mol-1, again at the cost of reduced activity. X-ray crystal structures show that the substituted residues complement regions of the protein surface that are used for substrate recognition in the native enzyme. In two of these structures the enzyme undergoes a general conformational change, similar to that seen in an enzyme-product complex. These results support a relationship between stability and function for T4 lysozyme. Other evidence suggests that the relationship is general.
Embedding Cartesian Products of Graphs into de Bruijn Graphs

Given a Cartesian productG=G1× ? ×Gm(m? 2) of nontrivial connected graphsGiand then-dimensional baseBde Bruijn graphD=DB(n), it is investigated whether or notGis a spanning subgraph ofD. Special attention is given to graphsG1× ? ×Gmwhich are relevant for parallel computing, namely, to Cartesian products of paths (grids) or cycles (tori). For 2-dimensional de Bruijn graphsD, we present a theorem stating that certain structural assumptions on the factorsG1, ? ,Gmensure thatG1× ? ×Gmis a spanning subgraph ofD. As corollaries, we obtain results improving previous results of Heydemannet al.(J. Parallel Distrib. Comput.23 (1994), 104? 111) on embedding grids and tori into de Bruijn graphs. Specifically, we obtain that (i) any gridG=G1× ? ×Gmis a spanning subgraph ofD=DB(2) provided that |G| = |D|, and (ii) any torusG=G1× ? ×Gmis a spanning subgraph ofD=DB(2) provided that |G| = |D| and that theGiare cycles of even length ? 4. We show that these results have consequences for the casen> 2, too: for evenn, we apply our results to obtain embeddings of grids and toriGinto de Bruijn graphsDB(n) with dilationn/2, where the baseBis a fixed integer ? 2, andnis big enough to ensure |G| ? |DB(n)|. We also contrast our results forn= 2 with nonexistence results forn? 3 and briefly describe experimental results in the area of parallel image processing.
Drawing mixed emotions: Sequential or simultaneous experiences?

With a view to measuring subjective experience of mixed emotions, we designed an Analogical Emotional Scale (AES). This scale permits the analysis of how, at the subjective level, the emotions evolve from the beginning to the end of the experience, allowing discrimination between simultaneous mixed emotional experiences (i.e., two emotions taking place at the same time) and sequential mixed emotional experiences (i.e., two emotions switching rapidly back and forth). In Study 1 we asked participants to recall a naturally occurring situation, in Study 2 we induced simple vs. mixed emotions in a controlled situation, and in Study 3 we manipulated the structure of emotional stimuli, sequential versus simultaneous. The results showed that the combined use of rating scales and the AES permits us to obtain a more accurate estimation of the actual presence of simultaneous mixed emotional experiences.
Does BIC Estimate and Forecast Better than AIC

We test two questions: (i) Is the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) more parsimonious than Akaike Information Criterion (AIC)? , and (ii) Is BIC better than AIC for forecasting purposes? By using simulated data, we provide statistical inference of both hypotheses individually and then jointly with a multiple hypotheses testing procedure to control better for type-I error. Both testing procedures deliver the same result: The BIC shows an in- and out-of-sample superiority over AIC only in a long-sample context.
Sexuality and the ethics of body modification: Theorizing the situated relationships among gender, sexuality and the body

Drawing from our qualitative, in-depth interviews of 35 professionals who write referral letters for “gender transition,” we explore how practitioners’ decisions to approve, delay or refuse access to body modifications speak to the centrality of normative concepts of sexuality and the social function of bodies in the cultural politics of gender identity. We argue that practitioners construct what we call an ethic of body modification that tends toward reducing the body to its symbolic function—as a representation of the subject’s true gender and a basis for sexual identity. We also discuss the views of a minority of practitioners who resist this tendency by creating an alternative path for body modification independent from identity claims. We conclude by discussing the cultural/political implications of pseudo-scientific discourses that assume gender identity is natural, stable and universal, whereas bodies are flexible and malleable social representations.
Fast Software-managed Code Decompression

Compressing the instructions of an embedded program is important for cost-sensitive low-power controloriented embedded computing. Several hardware decompression architectures have been proposed. In this paper, we present a method of decompressing programs using software. One interesting aspect of our method is that it relies on using a software-managed instruction cache under control of the decompressor. In addition, our solution is an order of magnitude faster than a previous software-managed decompression system.
Creative industries in the netherlands: structure, development, innovativeness and effects on urban growth

Abstract. Creativity is central in stimulating economic growth in cities, regions and advanced capitalist economies in general. There is, of course, no one‐to‐one relation of the number of firms in creative industries to economic growth. Innovation is a key mechanism explaining the relationship of creative industries with economic performance. Based on an empirical study in the Netherlands we explore the effect of creative industries on innovation, and ultimately on employment growth in cities. In the Netherlands the three specific domains of creative industries ‐ arts, media and publishing, and creative business services ‐ make up 9 per cent of the business population. Drawing on survey data we find that firms in creative industries are indeed relatively innovative. Yet substantial differences are found across the three domains: firms in the arts domain are clearly less innovative, most likely due to a different (less market‐oriented) dominant ideology. In addition, firms in creative industries located in urban areas are more innovative than their rural counterparts. We go on to analyse how the concentration of creative industries across cities is connected with employment growth. With the exception of the metropolitan city of Amsterdam, we find no measurable spill‐over effect from creative industries. The presence of the creative class (in all kinds of industries other than creative ones) appears to be a much stronger driver of employment growth than creative industries.
Cervical Carcinogenesis and Immune Response Gene Polymorphisms: A Review

The local immune response is considered a key determinant in cervical carcinogenesis after persistent infection with oncogenic, high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. Genetic variation in various immune response genes has been shown to influence risk of developing cervical cancer, as well as progression and survival among cervical cancer patients. We reviewed the literature on associations of immunogenetic single nucleotide polymorphism, allele, genotype, and haplotype distributions with risk and progression of cervical cancer. Studies on HLA and KIR gene polymorphisms were excluded due to the abundance on literature on that subject. We show that multiple genes and loci are associated with variation in risk of cervical cancer. Rather than one single gene being responsible for cervical carcinogenesis, we postulate that variations in the different immune response genes lead to subtle differences in the effectiveness of the antiviral and antitumour immune responses, ultimately leading to differences in risk of developing cervical cancer and progressive disease after HPV infection.
On Doing Theology and Buddhology: A Spectrum of Christian Proposals

This essay addresses the following questions: "Can/should Buddhists and Christians do theology/Buddhology together? If no, why not? If yes, why and how? " As a Pen- tecostal Christian systematician and comparativist, I review a number of volumes recently published in the field in light of these queries 1 and situate them across a typological spectrum. 2 I will conclude by providing my own constructive theological response. 3
Diversity of self-managed co-housing initiatives in France

Defining what is understood as habitat participatif (participative or co-housing) in France comes up against regulatory ambiguities and a diversity of regional contexts and micro-local situations. Taking as its starting point a survey carried out in the city of Grenoble, which has a long tradition of cooperation and participatory politics, the article analyzes this diversity to identify the common characteristics of co-housing projects and to attempt to define an ‘ideal type’. The cases are described in relation to the social changes of the twentieth century in order to illustrate the long history of the projects, which are based on a range of ideological principles, but are always characterized by three core concepts: sharing, environmental awareness, and citizen participation.
New Molecular Quantitative PCR Assay for Detection of Host-Specific Bifidobacteriaceae Suitable for Microbial Source Tracking

ABSTRACT Bifidobacterium spp. belong to the commensal intestinal microbiota of warm-blooded animals. Some strains of Bifidobacterium show host specificity and have thus been proposed as host-specific targets to determine the origin of fecal pollution. Most strains have been used in microbial-source-tracking (MST) studies based on culture-dependent methods. Although some of these approaches have proved very useful, the low prevalence of culturable Bifidobacterium strains in the environment means that molecular culture-independent procedures could provide practical applications for MST. Reported here is a set of common primers and four Bifidobacterium sp. host-associated (human, cattle, pig, and poultry) probes for quantitative-PCR (qPCR) assessment of fecal source tracking. This set was tested using 25 water samples of diverse origin: urban sewage samples, wastewater from four abattoirs (porcine, bovine, and poultry), and water from a river with a low pollution load. The selected sequences showed a high degree of host specificity. There were no cross-reactions between the qPCR assays specific for each origin and samples from different fecal origins. On the basis of the findings, it was concluded that the host-specific qPCRs are sufficiently robust to be applied in environmental MST studies.
Combining Evolutionary Algorithms and Neural Networks

Originally, EANNs were designed to replace learning with evolution, not to integrate the two mechanisms. Basically, many situations call for ANNs with memory, which requires recurrent links. Unfortunately, recurrent topologies make classic supervised learning via backpropagation very difficult. Disregarding recurrence, supervised learning is still inappropriate for most robotic applications, since omniscent teachers cannot provide the correct answer/response for each situation, particularly when a typical robot samples the environment (via it sensors) and reacts several times per second.
Inhibition of CYP21A2 enzyme activity caused by novel missense mutations identified in Brazilian and Scandinavian patients.

BACKGROUND Most patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency carry CYP21A1P-derived mutations, but an increasing number of novel and rare mutations have been reported in disease-causing alleles. OBJECTIVE Functional effects of three novel (p.G56R, p.L107R, p.L142P) and one recurrent (p.R408C) CYP21A2 mutations were investigated. The degree of enzyme impairment caused by p.H62L alone or combined to p.P453S was also analyzed. DESIGN The study included 10 Brazilian and two Scandinavian patients. To determine the deleterious role of each mutant protein, in vitro assays were performed in transiently transfected COS-1 cells. For a correct genotype-phenotype correlation, the enzymatic activities were evaluated toward the two natural substrates, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and progesterone. RESULTS Low levels of residual activities obtained for p.G56R, p.L107R, p.L142P, and p.R408C mutants classified them as classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia mutations, whereas the p.H62L showed an activity within the range of nonclassical mutations. Apparent kinetic constants for p.H62L confirmed the nonclassical classification as the substrate binding capacity was within the same magnitude for mutant and normal enzymes. A synergistic effect was observed for the allele bearing the p.H62L+p.P453S combination because it caused a significant reduction in the enzymatic activity. CONCLUSIONS We describe the functional analysis of five rare missense mutations identified in Brazilian and Scandinavian patients. The p.G56R, p.L107R, and p.L142P are reported for the first time. Most probably these novel mutations are closer to null than the p.I172N, but for the p.G56R, that might not be the case, and the p.H62L is definitely a nonclassical mutation.
Systemic–Developmental Supervision

Supervision models for marriage and family counseling student interns primarily focus on the use of traditional systemic techniques. In addition, a supervisee’s level of development may not be considered when utilizing systemic tools. Furthermore, the supervisory relationship has been identified as a significant indicator of quality supervision, including characteristics such as warmth, empathy, and a nonjudgmental perspective from the supervisor. This article presents systemic–developmental supervision (SDS) to promote supervisees’ professional growth through self-awareness and skills acquisition. As such, a focus on the supervisory relationship through integration of two developmental models of supervision and systemic supervision techniques is discussed, along with the practical applications of SDS, strengths, limitations, and recommendations for future research.