Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Application-Level Correctness and its Impact on Fault Tolerance

Traditionally, fault tolerance researchers have required architectural state to be numerically perfect for program execution to be correct. However, in many programs, even if execution is not 100% numerically correct, the program can still appear to execute correctly from the user's perspective. Hence, whether a fault is unacceptable or benign may depend on the level of abstraction at which correctness is evaluated, with more faults being benign at higher levels of abstraction, i.e. at the user or application level, compared to lower levels of abstraction, i.e. at the architecture level. The extent to which programs are more fault resilient at higher levels of abstraction is application dependent. Programs that produce inexact and/or approximate outputs can be very resilient at the application level. We call such programs soft computations, and we find they are common in multimedia workloads, as well as artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. Programs that compute exact numerical outputs offer less error resilience at the application level. However, we find all programs studied in this paper exhibit some enhanced fault resilience at the application level, including those that are traditionally considered exact computations - e.g., SPECInt CPU2000. This paper investigates definitions of program correctness that view correctness from the application's standpoint rather than the architecture's standpoint. Under application-level correctness, a program's execution is deemed correct as long as the result it produces is acceptable to the user. To quantify user satisfaction, we rely on application-level fidelity metrics that capture user-perceived program solution quality. We conduct a detailed fault susceptibility study that measures how much more fault resilient programs are when defining correctness at the application level compared to the architecture level. Our results show for 6 multimedia and AI benchmarks that 45.8% of architecturally incorrect faults are correct at the application level. For 3 SPECInt CPU2000 benchmarks, 17.6% of architecturally incorrect faults are correct at the application level. We also present a lightweight fault recovery mechanism that exploits the relaxed requirements on numerical integrity provided by application-level correctness to reduce checkpoint cost. Our lightweight fault recovery mechanism successfully recovers 66.3% of program crashes in our multimedia and AI workloads, while incurring minimum runtime overhead
Efficient Beacon Collision Detection/Avoidance Mechanism in WLAN-Based Mesh Networks

Every node in wireless multi-hop mesh networks periodically transmits its own beacon and then monitors the existence or activity of other nodes by checking their beacons. So, the loss of beacon message in wireless multi-hop mesh networks causes the inefficient network overhead. This paper proposed a dynamic beacon collision detection and avoidance (BCDA) mechanism that can actively adapt to beacon collision status due to node movement. Each node checks the collision status by comparing the received beacon timing information from neighboring nodes with that of its own. It is shown from the performance evaluations that the proposed BCDA mechanism provides the decrease of beacon collision ratio and the throughput enhancement.
Final Report : Neuromuscular Control of Rapid Linear Accelerations in Fish Report Title

Number of Papers published in peer-reviewed journals: Final Report: Neuromuscular Control of Rapid Linear Accelerations in Fish Report Title In this project, we measured muscle activity, body movements, and flow patterns during linear acceleration in the bluegill sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus. Animals with flexible bodies, like fishes, face a tradeoff for rapid movements. To produce high forces, they must make high amplitude movements of their fins, tails, or other propulsors, which requires that the propulsors be flexible to bend to high amplitude. However, the reaction forces from the environment are then large, which requires that the propulsors be stiff to resist these forces. Indeed, when we measured wake flow patterns, we found that the momentum flux was higher during acceleration, corresponding to high forces. Bluegill use their muscles to both produce power for rapid movements, but also to appear to use them to stiffen their bodies. During acceleration, but not during steady swimming, muscle tends to become active as it is being stretched, and muscle on the left and right side of the body are active simultaneously; both of these effects should increase body stiffness. These results suggest that fish, and perhaps other soft-bodied organisms, can actively modulate the effective stiffness of their bodies in order to accelerate rapidly while also being able to swim efficiently. (a) Papers published in peer-reviewed journals (N/A for none) Enter List of papers submitted or published that acknowledge ARO support from the start of the project to the date of this printing. List the papers, including journal references, in the following categories: (b) Papers published in non-peer-reviewed journals (N/A for none) Received Paper
Alterations in airway inflammation and lung function during corticosteroid therapy for atopic asthma.

INTRODUCTION Although corticosteroid therapy for asthma improves lung function and reduces airway inflammation, the relation between these two events is unclear. This article investigates associations between changes in bronchial inflammation and lung function during high-dose inhaled corticosteroid therapy for asthma. METHODS Nine subjects with atopic asthma received high-dose inhaled fluticasone propionate (FP), 2,000 microg/d for 8 weeks. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy with endobronchial biopsies, spirometry, and histamine provocation challenge were performed on each subject at baseline, after 2 weeks, and again after 8 weeks of therapy. Spearman rank correlation coefficients between changes in parameters of bronchial inflammation and lung function were computed. RESULTS As expected, significant down-regulation of airway inflammation and improvements in lung function were observed after both short-term and long-term therapy with high-dose inhaled FP. During corticosteroid therapy, changes in lymphocyte and macrophage numbers in bronchial biopsy specimens were closely correlated. Changes in EG1+ eosinophils were associated with changes in EG2+ eosinophils after 8 weeks of therapy. Although changes in airway inflammation and changes in lung function were not closely associated after 2 weeks of therapy, changes in eosinophils (EG1) in bronchial biopsy specimens correlated with changes in bronchodilator response (r = 0.77, p = 0.016) after 8 weeks of therapy. CONCLUSION In patients with atopic asthma, changes in bronchial eosinophils and lung function during steroid therapy are closely related but do not occur simultaneously.
Acute reactive and regenerative changes in mature cortical axons following injury

Live-imaging brain slice techniques were utilized to study the acute changes in transected adult mammalian neocortical neuronal processes. Transected distal axons, but not axon segments directly emerging from the cell body or dendrites, undergo rapid morphological changes leading to attempted sprouting within hours after injury. The stereotypical response involved an initial retraction of the severed axon segments, followed by rapid stabilization. Subsequently, the cut-end underwent extensive swelling, forming large singular or multiple bulb-like structures. Two to three hours after transection, sprout-like protuberances emanated from the swollen bulbs. These axonal sprouts were highly dynamic, with many showing increased length over time and a capacity to change direction. These results indicate that damaged mature axons have an intrinsic capacity to react adaptively and attempt regeneration.
Does the sequence of pulmonary vasculature ligation have any oncological impact during an anatomical lung resection for non-small-cell lung cancer?

A best evidence topic in thoracic surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was 'in patients with primary lung carcinoma, does the sequence of pulmonary vasculature ligation during anatomical lung resection influence the oncological outcomes? ' A total of 48 papers were found using the reported search, of which 7 represented the best evidence to answer the question. The authors, journal, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes and results of these papers are tabulated. Among six prospective studies included, five of them randomized patients to either pulmonary vein or artery occlusion first during anatomical lung resection, while one study was retrospective. Two reports did not find any difference between pulmonary vein and artery occlusion first during long-term follow-up in terms of either disease recurrence (51 vs 53%, P = 0.7), or 5-year overall survival (54 vs 50%, P = 0.82). One report did not find any difference with regard to circulating tumour cells either after thoracotomy (5.0 vs 3.9, P = 0.4), or after the completion of lobectomy (38.0 vs 70.0, P = 0.23). One report found a higher expression of CD44v6 (P = 0.008) and CK19 (P = 0.05) in patients undergoing pulmonary arterial occlusion first. One report found that pulmonary vein occlusion before that of the pulmonary arterial branches has a favourable outcome on circulating carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) mRNA in the peripheral blood, while another one did not find a significant difference in circulating levels of CEA mRNA (P = 0.075) and CK19 mRNA (P = 0.086) with either method. Another study reported no correlation between circulating pin1 mRNA levels in peripheral blood after the completion of the resection and the sequence of ligation of pulmonary vessels (9.95 ± 0.91 vs 14.71 ± 1.64, P > 0.05). Based on the two studies assessing the long-term outcome of patients with primary lung cancer undergoing anatomical curative resection, the sequence of ligation of pulmonary vessels does not seem to influence the oncological outcomes or survival. However, the other studies focusing on the influence of these techniques on circulating tumour cells or their molecular products report conflicting results the clinical consequences of which cannot be predicted.
Enhancement of Image Retrieval by Using Colour, Texture and Shape Features

Content based image retrieval technique is done by three primitive methods namely through colour, shape and texture. This paper provides specified path to use these primitive features to retrieve the desired image. The technique by which we obtain the required image is CBIR. In CBIR first the HSV colour space is quantified to obtain the colour histogram and texture features. Using these components a feature matrix is formed. Then this matrix is mapped with the characteristic of global colour histogram and local colour histogram, which are analysed and compared. For the cooccurrence matrix between the local image and the images in the database to retrieve the image. For extracting shape feature gradient method is used here. Based on this principle, CBIR system uses colour, texture and shape fused features to retrieve desired image from the large database and hence provides more efficiency or enhancement in image retrieval than the single feature retrieval system which means better image retrieval results.
Preventive screening of women who use complementary and alternative medicine providers.

BACKGROUND Many women use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Although CAM use has been associated with reductions in conventionally recommended pediatric preventive care (e.g., vaccination), little is known about associations between CAM use and receipt of recommended preventive screening in women. METHODS Using Washington State insurance data from 2000 to 2003, the authors generated clustered logistic regression models, examining associations between provider-based CAM use and receipt of screening tests for Chlamydia trachomatis, breast cancer, and cervical cancer: (1) contrasting women who used CAM providers only (alternative use) and women who used both conventional and CAM providers (complementary use) with women who used conventional care only and (2) testing associations between screening and use of four specific CAM provider types-naturopathic physicians, chiropractors, massage therapists, and acupuncturists. RESULTS Both alternative and complementary use was associated with reduced Chlamydia screening. Cancer screening increased with complementary use but decreased with alternative use of CAM. Use of naturopathy was associated with decreased mammography, whereas all four CAM therapies were positively associated with Papanicolaou testing. CONCLUSIONS When used in conjunction with conventional care, use of provider-based CAM may signal high interest in various types of health-promoting behavior, including cancer screening. Negative associations between CAM and Chlamydia screening and between naturopathy and mammography require additional study. Interventions with CAM providers and their patients, aimed at improving rates of conventionally recommended screening, might encourage greater focus on preventive care, an important task when CAM providers serve as women's only contact with the healthcare system.
Early Predictive Biomarkers for Lesion After Transient Cerebral Ischemia

Background and Purpose— Despite the improving imaging techniques, it remains challenging to predict the outcome early after transient cerebral ischemia. The aim of this study was thus to identify early metabolic biomarkers for outcome prediction. Methods— We modeled transient ischemic attacks and strokes in mice. Using high-field MR spectroscopy, we correlated early changes in the neurochemical profile of the ischemic striatum with histopathologic alterations at a later time point. Results— A significant increase in glutamine was measured between 3 hours and 8 hours after all ischemic events followed by reperfusion independently of the outcome and can thus be considered as an indicator of recent transient ischemia. On the other hand, a reduction of the score obtained by summing the concentrations of N-acetyl aspartate, glutamate, and taurine was a good predictor of an irreversible lesion as early as 3 hours after ischemia. Conclusions— We identified biomarkers of reversible and irreversible ischemic damage, which can be used in an early predictive evaluation of stroke outcome.
Reduction of ferredoxin or oxygen by flavin‐based electron bifurcation in Megasphaera elsdenii

Over 50 years ago, it was reported that, in the anaerobic rumen bacterium Megasphaera elsdenii, the reduction of crotonyl‐CoA to butyryl‐CoA by NADH involved an electron transferring flavoprotein (Etf) as mediator [Baldwin RL, Milligan LP (1964) Biochim Biophys Acta 92, 421–432]. Purification and spectroscopic characterization revealed that this Etf contained 2 FAD, whereas, in the Etfs from aerobic and facultative bacteria, one FAD is replaced by AMP. Recently we detected a similar system in the related anaerobe Acidaminococcus fermentans that differed in the requirement of additional ferredoxin as electron acceptor. The whole process was established as flavin‐based electron bifurcation in which the exergonic reduction of crotonyl‐CoA by NADH mediated by Etf + butyryl‐CoA dehydrogenase (Bcd) was coupled to the endergonic reduction of ferredoxin also by NADH. In the present study, we demonstrate that, under anaerobic conditions, Etf + Bcd from M. elsdenii bifurcate as efficiently as Etf + Bcd from A. fermentans. Under the aerobic conditions used in the study by Baldwin and Milligan and in the presence of catalytic amounts of crotonyl‐CoA or butyryl‐CoA, however, Etf + Bcd act as NADH oxidase producing superoxide and H2O2, whereas ferredoxin is not required. We hypothesize that, during bifurcation, oxygen replaces ferredoxin to yield superoxide. In addition, the formed butyryl‐CoA is re‐oxidized by a second oxygen molecule to crotonyl‐CoA, resulting in a stoichiometry of 2 NADH consumed and 2 H2O2 formed. As a result of the production of reactive oxygen species, electron bifurcation can be regarded as an Achilles’ heel of anaerobes when exposed to air.
A model for generating tourist itineraries

A challenge in the recommender systems currently available for the tourism domain is how to suggest tourist itineraries in a specific geographical area (city or region). The proposed theoretical model allows items of intangible cultural heritage (events) such as processions, festivals, special markets, etc. to be characterized and correlated. The model features both a set of functions characterizing the events and a space-time relation that defines whether two events are correlated. The model allows itineraries to be constructed by computing the transitive closure of the space-time relation on the set of events. It can be used to construct itineraries at different grain sizes. This capacity makes the model scalable and easily applicable in the development of several applications. It has been implemented in a first order logic knowledge base in order to make an empirical evaluation of the model.
Biosynthesis of Cr(III) nanoparticles from electroplating wastewater using chromium-resistant Bacillus subtilis and its cytotoxicity and antibacterial activity

Abstract The aim of this study was to synthesize and characterize Cr(III) nanoparticles using wastewater from electroplating industries and chromium-resistant Bacillus subtilis. Formation of Cr(III) nanoparticles was confirmed by UV–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy at 300 nm. The size of the nanoparticles varied from 4 to 50 nm and energy dispersive spectroscopy profile shows strong Cr peak approximately at 4.45 and 5.2 keV. The nanoparticles inhibited the growth of pathogenic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The cytotoxic effect of the synthesized Cr(III) nanoparticle was studied using HEK 293 cells, and the cell viability was found to decrease with increasing concentration of Cr(III) nanoparticles.
Mixed-Criticality on Multicore ( MC 2 ) : A Status Report

The MC (mixed-criticality on multicore) framework has been proposed and implemented in LITMUS, a realtime extension to Linux. The implemented MC framework has been used in several research efforts pertaining to multiprocessor real-time systems. This paper describes the current status of work on MC. There are currently two MC branches. We describe the features of each branch and report on current progress in unifying these branches.
Overcoming the insider: reducing employee computer crime through Situational Crime Prevention

Information security has become increasingly important for organizations, given their dependence on ICT. Not surprisingly, therefore, the external threats posed by hackers and viruses have received extensive coverage in the mass media. Yet numerous security surveys also point to the 'insider' threat of employee computer crime. In 2006, for example, the Global Security Survey by Deloitte reports that 28% of respondent organizations encountered considerable internal computer fraud. This figure may not appear high, but the impact of crime perpetrated by insiders can be profound. Donn Parker argues that 'cyber-criminals' should be considered in terms of their criminal attributes, which include skills, knowledge, resources, access and motives (SKRAM). It is as a consequence of such attributes, acquired within the organization, that employers can pose a major threat. Hence, employees use skills gained through their legitimate work duties for illegitimate gain. A knowledge of security vulnerabilities can be exploited, utilising resources and access are provided by companies. It may even be the case that the motive is created by the organization in the form of employee disgruntlement. These criminal attributes aid offenders in the pursuit of their criminal acts, which in the extreme can bring down an organization. In the main, companies have addressed the insider threat through a workforce, which is made aware of its information security responsibilities and acts accordingly. Thus, security policies and complementary education and awareness programmes are now commonplace for organizations. That said, little progress has been made in understanding the insider threat from an offender's perspective. As organizations attempt to grapple with the behavior of dishonest employees, criminology potentially offers a body of knowledge for addressing this problem. It is suggested that Situational Crime Prevention (SCP), a relative newcomer to criminology, can help enhance initiatives aimed at addressing the insider threat. In this article, we discuss how recent criminological developments that focus on the criminal act, represent a departure from traditional criminology, which examines the causes of criminality. As part of these recent developments we discuss SCP. After defining this approach, we illustrate how it can inform and enhance information security practices. In recent years, a number of criminologists have criticised their discipline for assuming that the task of explaining the causes of criminality is the same as explaining the criminal act. Simply to explain how people develop a criminal disposition is only half the equation. What is also required is an explanation of how crimes are perpetrated. Criminological approaches, which focus on the criminal act, would appear to offer more to information security practitioners than their dispositional counterparts. Accordingly, the SCP approach can offer additional tools for practitioners in their fight against insider computer crime.
Maximizing submodular set functions subject to multiple linear constraints

The concept of submodularity plays a vital role in combinatorial optimization. In particular, many important optimization problems can be cast as submodular maximization problems, including maximum coverage, maximum facility location and max cut in directed/undirected graphs. In this paper we present the first known approximation algorithms for the problem of maximizing a nondecreasing submodular set function subject to multiple linear constraints. Given a d-dimensional budget vector [EQUATION], for some d ≥ 1, and an oracle for a non-decreasing submodular set function f over a universe U, where each element e ∈ U is associated with a d-dimensional cost vector, we seek a subset of elements S ⊆ U whose total cost is at most [EQUATION], such that f(S) is maximized. We develop a framework for maximizing submodular functions subject to d linear constraints that yields a (1 - e)(1 - e−1)-approximation to the optimum for any e > 0, where d > 1 is some constant. Our study is motivated by a variant of the classical maximum coverage problem that we call maximum coverage with multiple packing constraints. We use our framework to obtain the same approximation ratio for this problem. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time the theoretical bound of 1 - e−1 is (almost) matched for both of these problems.