Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A PIM (Processor-In-Memory) for Computer Graphics : Data Partitioning and Placement Schemes

— The demand for higher performance graphics continues to grow because of the incessant desire towards realism. And, rapid advances in fabrication technology have enabled us to build several processor cores on a single die. Hence, it is important to develop single chip parallel architectures for such data-intensive applications. In this paper, we propose an efficient PIM architectures tailored for computer graphics which requires a large number of memory accesses. We then address the two important tasks necessary for maximally exploiting the parallelism provided by the architecture, namely, partitioning and placement of graphic data, which affect respectively load balances and communication costs. Under the constraints of uniform partitioning, we develop approaches for optimal partitioning and placement, which significantly reduce search space. We also present heuristics for identifying near-optimal placement, since the search space for placement is impractically large despite our optimization. We then demonstrate the effectiveness of our partitioning and placement approaches via analysis of example scenes; simulation results show considerable search space reductions, and our heuristics for placement performs close to optimal – the average ratio of communication overheads between our heuristics and the optimal was 1.05. Our uniform partitioning showed average load-balance ratio of 1.47 for geometry processing and 1.44 for rasterization, which is reasonable.
Phosphatidylinositol monophosphate-binding interface in the oomycete RXLR effector AVR3a is required for its stability in host cells to modulate plant immunity

The oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans causes potato late blight, one of the most economically damaging plant diseases worldwide. P. infestans produces AVR3a, an essential modular virulence effector with an N-terminal RXLR domain that is required for host-cell entry. In host cells, AVR3a stabilizes and inhibits the function of the E3 ubiquitin ligase CMPG1, a key factor in host immune responses including cell death triggered by the pathogen-derived elicitor protein INF1 elicitin. To elucidate the molecular basis of AVR3a effector function, we determined the structure of Phytophthora capsici AVR3a4, a close homolog of P. infestans AVR3a. Our structural and functional analyses reveal that the effector domain of AVR3a contains a conserved, positively charged patch and that this region, rather than the RXLR domain, is required for binding to phosphatidylinositol monophosphates (PIPs) in vitro. Mutations affecting PIP binding do not abolish AVR3a recognition by the resistance protein R3a but reduce its ability to suppress INF1-triggered cell death in planta. Similarly, stabilization of CMPG1 in planta is diminished by these mutations. The steady-state levels of non–PIP-binding mutant proteins in planta are reduced greatly, although these proteins are stable in vitro. Furthermore, overexpression of a phosphatidylinositol phosphate 5-kinase results in reduction of AVR3a levels in planta. Our results suggest that the PIP-binding ability of the AVR3a effector domain is essential for its accumulation inside host cells to suppress CMPG1-dependent immunity.
Fever Literacy and Fever Phobia

Objective. To identify the percentage of parents who define the threshold for fever between 38.0°C and 38.3°C, which has not been reported previously, and to describe parental attitudes toward fever and antipyretic use. Study Design. Thirteen-question survey study of caregivers. Results. Overall, 81% of participants defined the threshold for fever as <38.0°C, 0% correctly defined fever between 38.0°C and 38.3°C, and 19% defined fever as >38.3°C. Twenty percent of children brought to clinic for a chief complaint of fever were never truly febrile. Ninety-three percent of participants believed that high fever can cause brain damage. For a comfortable-appearing child with fever, 89% of caregivers reported that they would give antipyretics and 86% would schedule a clinic visit. Conclusion. Our finding that 0% of parents correctly defined fever is both surprising and unsettling, and it should inform future discussions of fever between parents and clinicians.
Arrhythmic risk stratification of post-myocardial infarction patients.

Post-myocardial infarction risk stratification, especially arrhythmic risk stratification, is an issue that has still not been wholly addressed in modern clinical cardiology. In the past 10 years, arrhythmic risk stratification has been approached mainly by evaluating frequency and complexity of premature ventricular contractions, detected on Holter monitoring, often in association with determination of percent ejection fraction. This methodology has been proven to be limited and fallacious according to the Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial I and II (CAST I,II) results, in which suppression of premature ventricular contractions or premature ventricular beats throughout by antiarrhythmic drugs resulted in an increase in both cardiac and arrhythmic mortality. Only amiodarone as an antiarrhythmic drug, as proven in the recent European Myocardial Infarct Amiodarone Trial (EMIAT) and Canadian Amiodarone Myocardial Infarction Trial (CAMIAT), was effective in reducing arrhythmic mortality without affecting cardiac mortality, in patients selected mainly because of a reduced ejection fraction, with and without premature ventricular contractions. Conversely, it is well known that beta-blockers are effective in preventing sudden death in post-acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients, thus reducing cardiac and arrhythmic mortality. Conversely, in other institutions, risk stratification in post-AMI patients has been performed by electrophysiologic study obtained, without any previous noninvasive arrhythmic risk stratification, in all post-AMI patients. In recent years, many other noninvasive electrocardiology parameters, such as late potentials (signal-averaged electrocardiography), heart rate variability, baroreflex sensitivity, and, more recently, T-wave alternance, have been shown to be useful, but they are associated with a low specificity in the noninvasive identification of patients at high risk for arrhythmic mortality. Conversely, in the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillation Implantation Trial (MADIT), electrophysiology confirmed that inducibility of ventricular tachycardia shows high specificity and a high predictive value for arrhythmic events. Nevertheless, the MADIT study population is not comparable to a cohort of consecutive patients who have recently had a myocardial infarction. In this setting, the highest risk of arrhythmic events can be observed in patients with depressed percent ejection fraction (< 35%) and in the first 6 months after AMI. Today, the most convincing approach seems to be the one combining both noninvasive risk stratification parameters (e.g., premature ventricular beats > 10/h or reduced heart rate variability < 70 ms or a positive signal-averaged electrocardiogram) followed by a further arrhythmic risk stratification, obtained through electrophysiologic study. Several published and ongoing trials that utilize various arrhythmic risk stratification techniques as part of their protocol are reviewed.
Environmental Sampling for Spores of Bacillus anthracis

On November 11, 2001, following the bioterrorism-related anthrax attacks, the U.S. Postal Service collected samples at the Southern Connecticut Processing and Distribution Center; all samples were negative for Bacillus anthracis. After a patient in Connecticut died from inhalational anthrax on November 19, the center was sampled again on November 21 and 25 by using dry and wet swabs. All samples were again negative for B. anthracis. On November 28, guided by information from epidemiologic investigation, we sampled the site extensively with wet wipes and surface vacuum sock samples (using HEPA vacuum). Of 212 samples, 6 (3%) were positive, including one from a highly contaminated sorter. Subsequently B. anthracis was also detected in mail-sorting bins used for the patient’s carrier route. These results suggest cross-contaminated mail as a possible source of anthrax for the inhalational anthrax patient in Connecticut. In future such investigations, extensive sampling guided by epidemiologic data is imperative.
A Novel Hybrid Crossover based Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm for Optimization Problem

Artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm has proved its importance in solving a number of problems including engineering optimization problems. ABC algorithm is one of the most popular and youngest member of the family of population based nature inspired meta-heuristic swarm intelligence method. ABC has been proved its superiority over some other Nature Inspired Algorithms (NIA) when applied for both benchmark functions and real world problems. The performance of search process of ABC depends on a random value which tries to balance exploration and exploitation phase. In order to increase the performance it is required to balance the exploration of search space and exploitation of optimal solution of the ABC. This paper outlines a new hybrid of ABC algorithm with Genetic Algorithm. The proposed method integrates crossover operation from Genetic Algorithm (GA) with original ABC algorithm. The proposed method is named as Crossover based ABC (CbABC). The CbABC strengthens the exploitation phase of ABC as crossover enhances exploration of search space. The CbABC tested over four standard benchmark functions and a popular continuous optimization problem.
De Novo Protein Synthesis Is Required for Lytic Cycle Reactivation of Epstein-Barr Virus, but Not Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus, in Response to Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors and Protein Kinase C Agonists

ABSTRACT The oncogenic human gammaherpesviruses, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), are latent in cultured lymphoma cells. We asked whether reactivation from latency of either virus requires de novo protein synthesis. Using Northern blotting and quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR, we measured the kinetics of expression of the lytic cycle activator genes and determined whether abundance of mRNAs encoding these genes from either virus was reduced by treatment with cycloheximide (CHX), an inhibitor of protein synthesis. CHX blocked expression of mRNAs of EBV BZLF1 and BRLF1, the two EBV lytic cycle activator genes, when HH514-16 Burkitt lymphoma cells were treated with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, sodium butyrate or trichostatin A, or a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine. CHX also inhibited EBV lytic cycle activation in B95-8 marmoset lymphoblastoid cells by phorbol ester phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (TPA). EBV lytic cycle induction became resistant to CHX between 4 and 6 h after application of the inducing stimulus. KSHV lytic cycle activation, as assessed by ORF50 mRNA expression, was rapidly induced by the HDAC inhibitors, sodium butyrate and trichostatin A, in HH-B2 primary effusion lymphoma cells. In HH-B2 cells, CHX did not inhibit, but enhanced, expression of the KSHV lytic cycle activator gene, ORF50. In BC-1, a primary effusion lymphoma cell line that is dually infected with EBV and KSHV, CHX blocked EBV BRLF1 lytic gene expression induced by TPA and sodium butyrate; KSHV ORF50 mRNA induced simultaneously in the same cells by the same inducing stimuli was resistant to CHX. The experiments show, for the cell lines and inducing agents studied, that the EBV BZLF1 and BRLF1 genes do not behave with “immediate-early” kinetics upon reactivation from latency. KSHV ORF50 is a true “immediate-early” gene. Our results indicate that the mechanism by which HDAC inhibitors and TPA induce lytic cycle gene expression of the two viruses differs and suggest that EBV but not KSHV requires one or more proteins to be newly synthesized between 4 and 6 h after application of an inducing stimulus.
Use Of Xpert For The Diagnosis Of Pulmonary Tuberculosis In Severely Malnourished Hospitalized Malawian Children

Background : Pulmonary tuberculosis contributes to increased morbidity and mortality in severely malnourished children in endemic settings. Despite high clinical suspicion, few tuberculosis prevalence estimates exist in malnourished African children. Diagnostics such as Xpert MTB/RIF may help to determine pulmonary tuberculosis prevalence, however its performance in severely malnourished children is largely unknown. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study evaluating Xpert compared to smear microscopy and liquid culture on induced sputums among severely malnourished children (aged 6 to 60 months) at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. From February 1 to May 30, 2012, children who met World Health Organization 2006 guidelines for severe acute malnutrition were evaluated using clinical symptoms, tuberculin skin tests, chest radiographs, and induced sputums. National Institute of Health (NIH) consensus case definitions were used to estimate tuberculosis prevalence. Results: Three hundred severely malnourished children (median age 18.5 months, IQR 12.1-25.6) had one induced sputum performed; 295 (98.3%) received two. Fifty-two (17.6%) were HIV-infected. Over 25% had tuberculosis exposure with 48/297 (16.2%) reporting contact and 40/287 (13.9%) with positive TST. Two (0.7%) patients had confirmed tuberculosis by Xpert and culture, but only one had positive smear microscopy. Twenty (6.7%) patients fulfilled probable and 97 (66%) met possible tuberculosis NIH case definitions. Overall mortality was 9.7%. Conclusions: Microbiologic confirmation likely underestimates the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis in severely malnourished children. In our study, Xpert on induced sputums did not increase case finding. Future studies are needed using Xpert among targeted groups of severely malnourished children and on non-sputum specimens.
A MEMS Condenser Microphone for Consumer Applications

This paper describes the design, fabrication, testing, and characterization of a MEMS microphone fabricated at Analog Devices. The device consists of a polysilicon diaphragm suspended over a single crystal silicon backplate fabricated on silicon on insulator (SOI) wafers. The MEMS microphone has been successfully fabricated and tested in an anechoic chamber. The microphone is fabricated using a process that is compatible with inexpensive high volume production using unit processes that are currently used to fabricate inertial sensors. Details of the design, fabrication, and electrical and acoustic characterization of the microphone will be presented.
The Role of Foveal and Peripheral Visual Fields in Body Sway Control

This study investigated the role of the foveal and peripheral visual fields in body sway control while standing upright. The subjects were 55 healthy adults. There were three visual conditions: presentation of a fixation point (foveal visual information) with cross-shaped vertical and horizontal lines stretching to the limits of the subject's viewing range (peripheral visual information), called the FP-condition; presentation of a fixation point only (F-condition); and the absence of visual information with the subject's eyes shut (N-condition). Three types (lateral, fore-aft, and total) of magnitude of body sway (MBS) were calculated. (1) For both total and fore-aft body sways, the MBS of the N-condition was significantly larger than those of other conditions. The MBS of the FP-condition was nearly equal to that of the F-condition. (2) For lateral body sway, the MBS of the N-condition was significantly larger than those of other conditions. The MBS of the F-condition was significantly larger than that of the FP-condition.
Does regionalization of acute care surgery decrease mortality?

BACKGROUND During the initial development of an Emergency General Surgery (EGS) service, severity of illness (SOI) can be expected to be high and should decrease as the service matures. We hypothesize that a matured regional EGS service would show decreasing mortality and length of stay (LOS) over time. METHODS We performed a retrospective study of a prospectively collected EGS registry data from 2004 to 2009. Patients were included if they had been discharged from the EGS service and were stratified by year of discharge. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, shock, peritonitis, perforation, and acute renal failure were used as markers of SOI. Patients were defined as high acuity if they had one or more of these SOI markers. Differences in mortality, LOS, intensive care unit admissions, SOI, charges, and distance were compared across and between years using nonparametric statistical tests (Fisher's exact, Wilcoxon rank-sum, and Kruskal-Wallis tests). RESULTS A total of 3,439 patients met study criteria. The mean age was 47 years ± 17.5 years. The majority of the patients were female (1,813, 47.3%). The overall LOS was 6.4 days ± 9.4 days (median, 4 days). In all, 2,331 (67.8%) of the patients underwent operation. Over the course of the study period, the SOI indicators stabilized at between 13% and 17% of the patient population with at least one indicator. During that time period, mortality steadily decreased from 4.9% to 1.3% (p < 0.5). CONCLUSION Despite consistently high SOI, a dedicated and matured EGS service demonstrated a decrease in mortality and LOS.
Acknowledgement based Intrusion-Detection System for MANETS

In the next generation of wireless communication systems, there will be a need for the quick deployment of independent mobile users. notable examples include establishing survivable, efficient, flush communication for emergency/ recover operations, defeat relief efforts, and Army networks. Such network scenarios cannot count on centralized and organized connectivity, and can be make up as applications of Mobile Ad Hoc Networks. The primary challenge in building a MANET is equipping each device to continuously maintain the information required to properly route traffic. An intrusion detection system (IDS) is a device or software application that monitors network or system activities for malicious activities or policy violations and produces reports to a management station. IDS come in a variety of “flavors” and approach the goal of detecting suspicious traffic in different ways. The self configuring ability of nodes in MANET made it popular among critical mission applications like army use or emergency recovery. However, the open medium and wide distribution of nodes make MANET vulnerable to malicious attackers. In this case, it is decisive to develop efficient intrusion-detection mechanisms to protect MANET from attacks. By using technology support we are cut in hardware costs, we are witnessing a current trend of expanding MANETs into industrial applications. To adjust to such trend, we strongly believe that it is vital to address its potential security problem. In this paper, we propose and implement a new intrusion-detection system named Enhanced Adaptive Acknowledgment (EAACK) specially made for MANETs. Compared to contemporary approaches, Enhanced Adaptive ACK demonstrates higher malicious-behavior-detection rates in certain circumstances while does not greatly affect the network performances
Acute hyperglycemia and the innate immune system: Clinical, cellular, and molecular aspects

Objective:To extract from the biomedical literature the reported effects of acute hyperglycemia on the major components of the innate immune system and to describe the clinical benefits of strict blood glucose control in certain patients. Data Source and Selection:A Medline/PubMed search (1966 to July 2004) with manual cross-referencing was conducted, including all relevant articles investigating the effects of acutely elevated glucose levels on innate immunity. All publication types, languages, or subsets were searched. Data Extraction and Synthesis:Original and selected review articles, short communications, letters to the editor, and chapters of selected textbooks were extracted. Most recent and relevant clinical trials were reviewed for the introductory section to provide the clinical background to this topic. The selected bench laboratory articles were then divided into three main categories based on the timing of events: a) the early phase of the innate immune reaction; b) the cytokine network; and c) the phagocytic phase. The most obvious findings related to hyperglycemia included reduced neutrophil activity (e.g., chemotaxis, formation of reactive oxygen species, phagocytosis of bacteria), despite accelerated diapedesis of leukocytes into peripheral tissue, as well as specific alterations of cytokine patterns with increased concentrations of the early proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6. Furthermore, a reduction of endothelial nitric oxide formation takes place, thus decreasing microvascular reactivity to dilating agents such as bradykinin, and complement function (e.g., opsonization, chemotaxis) is impaired, despite elevations of certain complement factors. Conclusions:Acute, short-term hyperglycemia affects all major components of innate immunity and impairs the ability of the host to combat infection, even though certain distinctive proinflammatory alterations of the immune response can be observed under these conditions.
Antioxidant properties of aqueous extracts from selected lamiaceae species grown in Turkey.

Water-soluble extracts from black thyme (Thymbra spicata L.), savory (Satureja cuneifolia Ten.), Spanish oregano (Coridothymus capitatus (L.) Reichb. f. ), sweet marjoram (Majorana hortensis Moench), Syrian oregano (Origanum syriacum L.), Toka oregano (Origanum minutiflorum O. Schwarz et P. H. Davis), and Turkish oregano (Origanum onites L.) were screened for antioxidant properties in a battery of six in vitro assays. Total phenol content and qualitative-quantitative compositional analyses were also carried out. The extracts demonstrated varying degrees of efficacy in each screen. The savory extract was the most effective at reducing iron(III), scavenging 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals, inhibiting ascorbate-iron(III)-catalyzed hydroxyl radical-mediated brain phospholipid peroxidation, and site-specific hydroxyl radical-mediated 2-deoxy-d-ribose degradation. The Syrian oregano extract was the most effective chelator of iron(II), while Spanish and Turkish oregano extracts were the most effective inhibitors of nonsite-specific hydroxyl radical-mediated 2-deoxy-d-ribose degradation. All the extracts contained Folin-Ciocalteu reagent-reactive substances, which was confirmed by the presence of polar phenolic analytes (i.e., hydroxybenzoates, hydroxycinnamates, and flavonoids).