bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conservation cores
Authors: Venkatesh Ganesh , Sampson Jack , Goulding Nathan , Garcia Saturnino , Bryksin Vladyslav , Lugo-Martinez Jose , Swanson Steven , Taylor Michael Bedford
Published: March 2010

Growing transistor counts, limited power budgets, and the breakdown of voltage scaling are currently conspiring to create a
utilization wall
that limits the fraction of a chip that can run at full speed at one time. In this regime, specialized, energy-efficient processors can increase parallelism by reducing the per-computation power requirements and allowing more computations to execute under the same power budget. To pursue this goal, this paper introduces
conservation cores
. Conservation cores, or
c-cores
, are specialized processors that focus on reducing energy and energy-delay instead of increasing performance. This focus on energy makes c-cores an excellent match for many applications that would be poor candidates for hardware acceleration (e.g., irregular integer codes). We present a toolchain for automatically synthesizing c-cores from application source code and demonstrate that they can significantly reduce energy and energy-delay for a wide range of applications. The c-cores support patching, a form of targeted reconfigurability, that allows them to adapt to new versions of the software they target. Our results show that conservation cores can reduce energy consumption by up to 16.0x for functions and by up to 2.1x for whole applications, while patching can extend the useful lifetime of individual c-cores to match that of conventional processors.
Joint optimization of idle and cooling power in data centers while maintaining response time
Authors: Ahmad Faraz , Vijaykumar T. N.
Published: March 2010

Server power and cooling power amount to a significant fraction of modern data centers' recurring costs. While data centers provision enough servers to guarantee response times under the maximum loading, data centers operate under much less loading most of the times (e.g., 30-70% of the maximum loading). Previous server-power proposals exploit this under-utilization to reduce the server idle power by keeping active only as many servers as necessary and putting the rest into low-power standby modes. However, these proposals incur higher cooling power due to hot spots created by concentrating the data center loading on fewer active servers, or degrade response times due to standby-to-active transition delays, or both. Other proposals optimize the cooling power but incur considerable idle power. To address the first issue of power, we propose
PowerTrade
, which trades-off idle power and cooling power for each other, thereby reducing the total power. To address the second issue of response time, we propose
SurgeGuard
to overprovision the number of active servers beyond that needed by the current loading so as to absorb future increases in the loading. SurgeGuard is a two-tier scheme which uses well-known over-provisioning at coarse time granularities (e.g., one hour) to absorb the common, smooth increases in the loading, and a novel fine-grain replenishment of the over-provisioned reserves at fine time granularities (e.g., five minutes) to handle the uncommon, abrupt loading surges. Using real-world traces, we show that combining PowerTrade and SurgeGuard reduces total power by 30% compared to previous low-power schemes while maintaining response times within 1.7%.
Butterfly analysis
Authors: Goodstein Michelle L. , Vlachos Evangelos , Chen Shimin , Gibbons Phillip B. , Kozuch Michael A. , Mowry Todd C.
Published: March 2010

Online program monitoring is an effective technique for detecting bugs and security attacks in running applications. Extending these tools to monitor parallel programs is challenging because the tools must account for inter-thread dependences and relaxed memory consistency models. Existing tools assume sequential consistency and often slow down the monitored program by orders of magnitude. In this paper, we present a novel approach that avoids these pitfalls by not relying on strong consistency models or detailed inter-thread dependence tracking. Instead, we only assume that events in the distant past on all threads have become visible; we make no assumptions on (and avoid the overheads of tracking) the relative ordering of more recent events on other threads. To overcome the potential state explosion of considering all the possible orderings among recent events, we adapt two techniques from static dataflow analysis, reaching definitions and reaching expressions, to this new domain of dynamic parallel monitoring. Significant modifications to these techniques are proposed to ensure the correctness and efficiency of our approach. We show how our adapted analysis can be used in two popular memory and security tools. We prove that our approach does not miss errors, and sacrifices precision only due to the lack of a relative ordering among recent events. Moreover, our simulation study on a collection of Splash-2 and Parsec 2.0 benchmarks running a memory-checking tool on a hardware-assisted logging platform demonstrates the potential benefits in trading off a very low false positive rate for (i) reduced overhead and (ii) the ability to run on relaxed consistency models.
ParaLog
Authors: Vlachos Evangelos , Goodstein Michelle L. , Kozuch Michael A. , Chen Shimin , Falsafi Babak , Gibbons Phillip B. , Mowry Todd C.
Published: March 2010

Instruction-grain lifeguards
monitor the events of a running application at the level of individual instructions in order to identify and help mitigate application bugs and security exploits. Because such lifeguards impose a 10-100X slowdown on existing platforms, previous studies have proposed hardware designs to accelerate lifeguard processing. However, these accelerators are either tailored to a specific class of lifeguards or suitable only for monitoring singlethreaded programs.

We present ParaLog, the first design of a system enabling fast online parallel monitoring of multithreaded parallel applications. ParaLog supports a broad class of software-defined lifeguards. We show how three existing accelerators can be enhanced to support online multithreaded monitoring, dramatically reducing lifeguard overheads. We identify and solve several challenges in monitoring parallel applications and/or parallelizing these accelerators, including (i) enforcing inter-thread data dependences, (ii) dealing with inter-thread effects that are not reflected in coherence traffic, (iii) dealing with unmonitored operating system activity, and (iv) ensuring lifeguards can access shared metadata with negligible synchronization overheads. We present our system design for both Sequentially Consistent and Total Store Ordering processors. We implement and evaluate our design on a 16 core simulated CMP, using benchmarks from SPLASH-2 and PARSEC and two lifeguards: a data-flow tracking lifeguard and a memory-access checker lifeguard. Our results show that (i) our parallel accelerators improve performance by 2-9X and 1.13-3.4X for our two lifeguards, respectively, (ii) we are 5-126X faster than the time-slicing approach required by existing techniques, and (iii) our average overheads for applications with eight threads are 51% and 28% for the two lifeguards, respectively.
Specifying and dynamically verifying address translation-aware memory consistency
Authors: Romanescu Bogdan F. , Lebeck Alvin R. , Sorin Daniel J.
Published: March 2010

Computer systems with virtual memory are susceptible to design bugs and runtime faults in their address translation (AT) systems. Detecting bugs and faults requires a clear specification of correct behavior. To address this need, we develop a framework for AT-aware memory consistency models. We expand and divide memory consistency into the physical address memory consistency (PAMC) model that defines the behavior of operations on physical addresses and the virtual address memory consistency (VAMC) model that defines the behavior of operations on virtual addresses. As part of this expansion, we show what AT features are required to bridge the gap between PAMC and VAMC. Based on our AT-aware memory consistency specifications, we design efficient dynamic verification hardware that can detect violations of VAMC and thus detect the effects of design bugs and runtime faults, including most AT related bugs in published errata.
Virtualized and flexible ECC for main memory
Authors: Yoon Doe Hyun , Erez Mattan
Published: March 2010

We present a general scheme for virtualizing main memory error-correction mechanisms, which map redundant information needed to correct errors into the memory namespace itself. We rely on this basic idea, which increases flexibility to increase error protection capabilities, improve power efficiency, and reduce system cost; with only small performance overheads. We augment the virtual memory system architecture to detach the physical mapping of data from the physical mapping of its associated ECC information. We then use this mechanism to develop two-tiered error protection techniques that separate the process of detecting errors from the rare need to also correct errors, and thus save energy. We describe how to provide strong chipkill and double-chip kill protection using existing DRAM and packaging technology. We show how to maintain access granularity and redundancy overheads, even when using ×8 DRAM chips. We also evaluate error correction for systems that do not use ECC DIMMs. Overall, analysis of demanding SPEC CPU 2006 and PARSEC benchmarks indicates that performance overhead is only 1% with ECC DIMMs and less than 10% using standard Non-ECC DIMM configurations, that DRAM power savings can be as high as 27%, and that the system energy-delay product is improved by 12% on average.
Multidimensional transcoding for adaptive video streaming
Authors: Brandt Jens , Wolf Lars , Halvorsen Paal
Published: March 2010

The prominence of digital video on the Internet is rising constantly. Faster Internet connections and more powerful devices make video streaming over the Internet more and more popular. With mobile devices, however, the usability of digital videos that are streamed over a wireless network connection is still limited by the available resources. Mobile devices are often not capable of receiving and decoding high quality video streams from the Internet because of their limited resources as well as due to the limitations of a wireless network connection. The presentation, for instance, of a video stream with 1920x1080 pixels on a screen with a resolution of only 320x240 pixels is not possible without a high amount of processing power at the receiving device. The transmission of such a high quality video stream over a wireless link may additionally consume a large part of the available network capacity, which then may interfere active network connections of other devices. A limited network capacity may additionally prevent the device from decoding and displaying the video stream at all. One solution of these problems is to perform an adaptation of the video stream to the requirements of mobile devices during the transmission of the stream to the client.
Thromboxane prostanoid receptor stimulation induces shedding of the transmembrane chemokine CX3CL1 yet enhances CX3CL1-dependent leukocyte adhesion
Authors: Tole Soumitra , Durkan Anne M. , Huang Yi-Wei , Liu Guang Ying , Leung Alexander , Jones Laura L. , Taylor Jasmine A. , Robinson Lisa A.
Published: March 2010

In atherosclerosis, chemokines recruit circulating mononuclear leukocytes to the vascular wall. A key factor is CX3CL1, a chemokine with soluble and transmembrane species that acts as both a chemoattractant and an adhesion molecule. Thromboxane A2and its receptor, TP, are also critical to atherogenesis by promoting vascular inflammation and consequent leukocyte recruitment. We examined the effects of TP stimulation on processing and function of CX3CL1, using CX3CL1-expressing human ECV-304 cells and primary human vascular endothelial cells. TP agonists promoted rapid shedding of cell surface CX3CL1, which was inhibited by pharmacological inhibitors or specific small interfering RNA targeting tumor necrosis factor-α-converting enzyme (TACE). Because it reduced cell surface CX3CL1, we predicted that TP stimulation would inhibit adhesion of leukocytes expressing the CX3CL1 cognate receptor but, paradoxically, saw enhanced adhesion. We questioned whether the enhanced ability of the remaining membrane-associated CX3CL1 to bind targets was caused by changes in its lateral mobility. Using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, we found that plasmalemmal CX3CL1 was initially tethered but ultimately mobilized by TP agonists. TP stimulation provoked clustering of transmembrane CX3CL1 at sites of contact with adherent leukocytes. These data demonstrate that TP stimulation induces two distinct effects: a rapid cleavage of surface CX3CL1, thereby releasing the soluble chemoattractant, plus mobilization of the remaining transmembrane CX3CL1 to enhance the avidity of interactions with adherent leukocytes. The dual effect of TP allows CX3CL1 to recruit leukocytes to sites of vascular inflammation while enhancing their adhesion once recruited.
Changes in skeletal muscle mitochondria in response to the development of type 2 diabetes or prevention by daily wheel running in hyperphagic OLETF rats
Authors: Rector R. Scott , Uptergrove Grace M. , Borengasser Sarah J. , Mikus Catherine R. , Morris E. Matthew , Naples Scott P. , Laye Matthew J. , Laughlin M. Harold , Booth Frank W. , Ibdah Jamal A. , Thyfault John P.
Published: March 2010

The temporal changes in skeletal muscle mitochondrial content and lipid metabolism that precede type 2 diabetes are largely unknown. Here we examined skeletal muscle mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (MitoFAOX) and markers of mitochondrial gene expression and protein content in sedentary 20- and 40-wk-old hyperphagic, obese Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty (OLETF-SED) rats. Changes in OLETF-SED rats were compared with two groups of rats who maintained insulin sensitivity: age-matched OLETF rats given access to voluntary running wheels (OLETF-EX) and sedentary, nonobese Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO-SED) rats. As expected, glucose tolerance tests revealed insulin resistance at 20 wk that progressed to type 2 diabetes at 40 wk in the OLETF-SED, whereas both the OLETF-EX and LETO-SED maintained whole body insulin sensitivity. At 40 wk, complete MitoFAOX (to CO2), β-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase activity, and citrate synthase activity did not differ between OLETF-SED and LETO-SED but were significantly ( P < 0.05) higher in OLETF-EX compared with OLETF-SED rats. Genes controlling skeletal muscle MitoFAOX (PGC-1α, PPARδ, mtTFA, cytochrome c) were not different between OLETF-SED and LETO-SED at any age. Compared with the OLETF-SED, the OLETF-EX rats had significantly ( P < 0.05) higher skeletal muscle PGC-1α, cytochrome c, and mtTFA mRNA levels at 20 and 40 wk and PPARδ at 40 wk; however, protein content for each of these markers did not differ between groups at 40 wk. Limited changes in skeletal muscle mitochondria were observed during the transition from insulin resistance to type 2 diabetes in the hyperphagic OLETF rat. However, diabetes prevention through increased physical activity appears to be mediated in part through maintenance of skeletal muscle mitochondrial function.
Voluntary wheel running is beneficial to the amino acid profile of lysine-deficient rats
Authors: Nagao Kenji , Bannai Makoto , Seki Shinobu , Kawai Nobuhiro , Mori Masato , Takahashi Michio
Published: March 2010

Rats voluntarily run up to a dozen kilometers per night when their cages are equipped with a running wheel. Daily voluntary running is generally thought to enhance protein turnover. Thus, we sought to determine whether running worsens or improves protein degradation caused by a lysine-deficient diet and whether it changes the utilization of free amino acids released by proteolysis. Rats were fed a lysine-deficient diet and were given free access to a running wheel or remained sedentary (control) for 4 wk. Amino acid levels in plasma, muscle, and liver were measured together with plasma insulin levels and tissue weight. The lysine-deficient diet induced anorexia, skeletal muscle loss, and serine and threonine aminoacidemia, and it depleted plasma insulin and essential amino acids in skeletal muscle. Allowing rats to run voluntarily improved these symptoms; thus, voluntary wheel running made the rats less susceptible to dietary lysine deficiency. Amelioration of the declines in muscular leucine and plasma insulin observed in running rats could contribute to protein synthesis together with the enhanced availability of lysine and other essential amino acids in skeletal muscle. These results indicate that voluntary wheel running under lysine-deficient conditions does not enhance protein catabolism; on the contrary, it accelerates protein synthesis and contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass. The intense nocturnal voluntary running that characterizes rodents might be an adaptation of lysine-deficient grain eaters that allows them to maximize opportunities for food acquisition.
Working under pressure: coronary arteries and the endothelin system
Authors: Nguyen Albert , Thorin-Trescases Nathalie , Thorin Eric
Published: March 2010

Endogenous endothelin-1-dependent (ET-1) tone in coronary arteries depends on the balance between ETAand ETBreceptor-mediated effects and on parameters such as receptor distribution and endothelial integrity. Numerous studies highlight the striking functional interactions that exist between nitric oxide (NO) and ET-1 in the regulation of vascular tone. Many of the cardiovascular complications associated with cardiovascular risk factors and aging are initially attributable, at least in part, to endothelial dysfunction characterized by a dysregulation between NO and ET-1. The contribution of the imbalance between smooth muscle ETA/Band endothelial ETBreceptors to this process is poorly understood. An increased contribution of ET-1 that is associated with a proportional decrease in that of NO accompanies the development of coronary endothelial dysfunction, coronary vasospasm, and atherosclerosis. These data form the basis for the rationale of testing therapeutic approaches counteracting ET-1-induced cardiovascular dysfunction. It remains to be determined whether the beneficial role of endothelial ETBreceptors declines with age and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, revealing smooth muscle ETBreceptors with proconstricting and proinflammatory activities.
Acute hyperglycemia induces rapid, reversible increases in glomerular permeability in nondiabetic rats
Authors: Axelsson Josefin , Rippe Anna , Rippe Bengt
Published: March 2010

This study was performed to investigate the impact of acute hyperglycemia (HG) on the permeability of the normal glomerular filtration barrier in vivo. In anesthetized Wistar rats (250–280 g), the left ureter was catheterized for urine collection, while simultaneously blood access was achieved. Rats received an intravenous (iv) infusion of either 1) hypertonic glucose to maintain blood glucose at 20–25 mM (G; n = 8); 2) hypertonic glucose as in 1) and a RhoA-kinase inhibitor (Y-27632; Rho-G; n = 8); 3) 20% mannitol (MANN; n = 7) or 4) hypertonic (12%) NaCl to maintain plasma crystalloid osmotic pressure (πcry) at ∼320–325 mosmol/l (NaCl; n = 8) or 5) physiological saline (SHAM; n = 8). FITC-Ficoll 70/400 was infused iv for at least 20 min before termination of the experiments, and plasma and urine were collected to determine the glomerular sieving coefficients (θ) for polydisperse Ficoll (molecular radius 15–80 Å) by high-performance size-exclusion chromatography. In G there was a marked increase in θ for Ficoll55-80Å at 20 min, which was completely reversible within 60 min and abrogated by a Rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, while glomerular permeability remained unchanged in MANN and NaCl. In conclusion, acute HG caused rapid, reversible increases in θ for large Ficolls, not related to the concomitant hyperosmolarity, but sensitive to ROCK inhibition. The changes observed were consistent with the formation of an increased number of large pores in the glomerular filter. The sensitivity of the permeability changes to ROCK inhibition strongly indicates that the cytoskeleton of the cells in the glomerular barrier may be involved in these alterations.
Cholinergic Currents in Leg Motoneurons ofCarausius morosus
Authors: Oliveira Eugênio E. , Pippow Andreas , Salgado Vincent L. , Büschges Ansgar , Schmidt Joachim , Kloppenburg Peter
Published: March 2010

We used patch-clamp recordings and fast optical Ca2+imaging to characterize an acetylcholine-induced current ( IACh) in leg motoneurons of the stick insect Carausius morosus. Our long-term goal is to better understand the synaptic and integrative properties of the leg sensory-motor system, which has served extremely successfully as a model to study basic principles of walking and locomotion on the network level. The experiments were performed under biophysically controlled conditions on freshly dissociated leg motoneurons to avoid secondary effects from the network. To allow for unequivocal identification, the leg motoneurons were backfilled with a fluorescent label through the main leg nerve prior to cell dissociation. In 87% of the motoneurons, IAChconsisted of a fast-desensitizing ( IACh1) and a slow-desensitizing component ( IACh2), both of which were concentration dependent, with EC50values of 3.7 × 10−5and 2.0 × 10−5M, respectively. Ca2+imaging revealed that a considerable portion of IACh(∼18%) is carried by Ca2+, suggesting that IACh, besides mediating fast synaptic transmission, could also induce Ca2+-dependent processes. Using specific nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor ligands, we showed that IAChwas exclusively mediated by nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Distinct concentration–response relations of IACh1and IACh2for these ligands indicated that they are mediated by different types of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.
Alteration of Sarcoplasmic ReticulumCa2+Release in Skeletal Muscle from Calpain 3-Deficient Mice
Authors: Dayanithi Govindan , Richard Isabelle , Viero Cédric , Mazuc Elsa , Mallie Sylvie , Valmier Jean , Bourg Nathalie , Herasse Muriel , Marty Isabelle , Lefranc Gérard , Mangeat Paul , Baghdiguian Stephen
Published: March 2010

Mutations ofCa2+-activated proteases (calpains) cause muscular dystrophies. Nevertheless, the specific role of calpains inCa2+signalling during the onset of dystrophies remains unclear. We investigatedCa2+handling in skeletal cells from calpain 3-deficient mice.[Ca2+]iresponses to caffeine, a ryanodine receptor (RyR) agonist, were decreased in −/− myotubes and absent in −/− myoblasts. The −/− myotubes displayed smaller amplitudes of theCa2+transients induced by cyclopiazonic acid in comparison to wild type cells. Inhibition of L-typeCa2+channels (LCC) suppressed the caffeine-induced[Ca2+]iresponses in −/− myotubes. Hence, the absence of calpain 3 modifies the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)Ca2+release, by a decrease of the SR content, an impairment of RyR signalling, and an increase of LCC activity. We propose that calpain 3-dependent proteolysis plays a role in activating support proteins of intracellularCa2+signalling at a stage of cellular differentiation which is crucial for skeletal muscle regeneration.
An Alternative Simulation Method for Calculation of Microgas Flows under Flying Head Sliders
Authors: Shen Ching
Published: March 2010

The precise knowledge of the force and moment generated by the air squeezed under the read‐write slider by the rotating disc is an engineering necessity in designing the air bearing surface slider. This paper reviews methods addressing the thin gas film bearings problem. It firstly reviews briefly the relatively well‐known two methods of calculations of the microgas flows under flying head sliders, the generalized Reynolds equation, having given a number of useful results of slider design, and the DSMC method, which is precise and appropriate for the flow of complex configurations but is restricted to miniature (~micrometer) size sliders. The main purpose of the paper is to introduce to the reader an alternative method, the information preservation (IP) method, for use in simulation of the flows under air bearing surfaces. Some recent results of IP simulation of slider flows published on conference proceedings are introduced here.
Effects of Different Blade Angle Distributions on Centrifugal Compressor Performance
Authors: Röyttä Pekka , Grönman Aki , Jaatinen Ahti , Turunen-Saaresti Teemu , Backman Jari
Published: March 2010

A centrifugal compressor with three different shrouded 2D impellers is studied numerically. All impellers have the same dimensions, and they only differ in channel length and geometry. Noticeable differences in efficiency are observed. Two different turbulence models, Chien′s k‐ε and k‐ω SST, are compared. For this case, k‐ω SST was found more realistic. The hypothesis that pressure losses in a curved duct and
in an impeller passage behave similarly is suggested and found inadequate.
Hormonal and Sex Impact on the Epidemiology of Canine Lymphoma
Authors: Villamil J. Armando , Henry Carolyn J. , Hahn Allen W. , Bryan Jeffrey N. , Tyler Jeff W. , Caldwell Charles W.
Published: March 2010

The Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results data demonstrate that the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma is lower for women, but that the incidence increases after fifty years of age, at which menopause is regularly reached, suggesting that female hormones may be protective for NHL. This study examines the influence of sex on lymphoma risk in a relevant large animal model. Records for dogs in the Veterinary Medical Database were analyzed from 1964 to 2002. Risk ratios were calculated to evaluate associations between sex, neutering status, and lymphoma occurrence. A total of 14,573 cases and 1,157,342 controls were identified. Intact females had a significantly lower risk of developing lymphoma, Odds Ratio 0.69 (0.63–0.74) with aP<.001. We conclude that there is a sex effect on NHL risk in dogs similar to humans. We hypothesize that the hormone levels of intact females lower the risk of NHL. The possibility of a protective role of endogenous estrogens in the etiology of NHL should be investigated.
W-Band Characterization of Grounded Frequency Selective Surface Arrays Composed of Nonequal Slot Length Subarrays
Authors: Islam S. , Stiens J. , Poesen G. , Jaeger I. , De Raedt W. , Vounckx R.
Published: March 2010

We present the design and construction of Frequency Selective Surface arrays composed of two subarrays of different slot lengths. We investigated their response variations with the variation of slot length differences of the elementary sub-arrays. Such nonhomogeneous arrays cannot be simulated with Computer Aided Design (CAD) programs because the boundary conditions are not fulfilled by the simulator. In infinite array simulation, the periodic boundary conditions are prescribed on the walls of the unit cell, whereas in the case of sub-arrays of unequal slot length such boundary conditions are not applicable. The CAD simulation of such combined array gives incorrect values of amplitude and phase responses. In this work, we investigate the characteristics of such complex arrays by using heuristic experimental approach. The results of the experimental approach demonstrate that the resultant reflection amplitude and phase of such complex array depend on the difference of slot lengths (ΔL) of the two sub-arrays.
A Rare Cause of Heart Failure Treated by Heart Transplantation: Noncompaction of the Ventricular Myocardium
Authors: Bordes Julien , Jop Bertrand , Imbert Sandrine , Hraiech Sami , Collard Frédéric , Kerbaul François
Published: March 2010

Noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium is a rare cardiomyopathy due to an arrest of myocardial morphogenesis. The characteristic echocardiographic findings are prominent myocardial trabeculations and deep intertrabecular spaces communicating with the left ventricular cavity. The clinical manifestations include heart failure (HF) signs, ventricular arrhythmias, and cardioembolic events. We describe an illustrative case of noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium associated with bicuspid aortic valve, a 42-year-old male presenting a refractory acute heart failure successfully treated by emergency heart transplantation.
Rituximab Efficacy during a Refractory Polyarteritis Nodosa Flare
Authors: Ribeiro Emmanuel , Cressend Thomas , Duffau Pierre , Grenouillet-Delacre Marieke , Rouanet-Larivière Marie , Vital Anne , Longy-Boursier Maïté , Mercié Patrick
Published: March 2010

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a systemic vasculitis whose severe forms are treated with glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide. Refractory patients are exposed to many complications, notably accelerated atherosclerosis. We report a case report of 71-year-old man followed for polyarteritis nodosa refractory to glucocorticoids and cyclosphosphamide. Systemic vasculitis relapses are followed to accelerated atherosclerosis: severe ischemic lesions led to amputation of lower limbs. Remission of refractory PAN is obtained with rituximab. Disappearance of biological inflammatory is allowed to regression of ischemic lesions in upper limbs. In this situation, we recommend a systematic vascular work-up for patients suffered from refractory vasculitis. On the other hand, therapeutic trials are needed to determine the real efficacy and place of rituximab in the treatment of polyarteritis nodosa.
Biologically Inspired Robotic Arm Control Using an Artificial Neural Oscillator
Authors: Yang Woosung , Kwon Jaesung , Chong Nak Young , Oh Yonghwan
Published: March 2010

We address a neural‐oscillator‐based control scheme to achieve biologically inspired motion generation. In general, it is known that humans or animals exhibit novel adaptive behaviors regardless of their kinematic configurations against unexpected disturbances or environment changes. This is caused by the entrainment property of the neural oscillator which plays a key role to adapt their nervous system to the natural frequency of the interacted environments. Thus we focus on a self‐adapting robot arm control to attain natural adaptive motions as a controller employing neural oscillators. To demonstrate the excellence of entrainment, we implement the proposed control scheme to a single pendulum coupled with the neural oscillator in simulation and experiment. Then this work shows the performance of the robot arm coupled to neural oscillators through various tasks that the arm traces a trajectory. With these, the real‐time closed‐loop system allowing sensory feedback of the neural oscillator for the entrainment property is proposed. In particular, we verify an impressive capability of biologically inspired self‐adaptation behaviors that enables the robot arm to make adaptive motions corresponding to an unexpected environmental variety.
Fuzzy Goal Programming Procedure to Bilevel MultiobjectiveLinear Fractional Programming Problems
Authors: Abo-Sinna Mahmoud A. , Baky Ibrahim A.
Published: March 2010

This paper presents a fuzzy goal programming (FGP) procedure for solving bilevel multiobjective linear fractional programming (BL‐MOLFP) problems. It makes an extension work of Moitra and Pal (2002) and Pal et al. (2003).
In the proposed procedure, the membership functions for the defined fuzzy goals of the decision makers (DMs) objective functions at both levels as well as the membership functions for vector of fuzzy goals of the decision variables controlled by first‐level decision maker are developed first in the model formulation of the problem. Then a fuzzy goal programming model to minimize the group regret of degree of satisfactions of both the decision makers is developed to achieve the highest degree (unity) of each of the defined membership function goals to the extent possible by minimizing their deviational variables and thereby obtaining the most satisfactory solution for both decision makers.
The method of variable change on the under‐ and over‐deviational variables of the membership goals associated with the fuzzy goals of the model is introduced to solve the problem efficiently by using linear goal programming (LGP) methodology. Illustrative numerical example is given to demonstrate the procedure.
Ghrelin in Female and Male Reproduction
Authors: Dupont Joëlle , Maillard Virginie , Coyral-Castel Stéphanie , Ramé Christelle , Froment Pascal
Published: March 2010

Ghrelin and one of its functional receptors, GHS-R1a (Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor 1a), were firstly studied about 15 years. Ghrelin is a multifunctional peptide hormone that affects several biological functions including food intake, glucose release, cell proliferation… Ghrelin and GHS-R1a are expressed in key cells of both male and female reproductive organs in several species including fishes, birds, and mammals suggesting a well-conserved signal through the evolution and a role in the control of fertility. Ghrelin could be a component of the complex series of nutrient sensors such as adipokines, and nuclear receptors, which regulate reproduction in function of the energy stores. The objective of this paper was to report the available information about the ghrelin system and its role at the level of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in both sexes.
REM: Automatic for the People
Authors: Molinari Emilio , Covino Stefano , D′Alessio Francesco , Fugazza Dino , Malaspina Giuseppe , Nicastro Luciano , Stefanon Mauro , Testa Vincenzo , Tosti Gino , Vitali Fabrizio
Published: March 2010

We present the result of a year‐long effort to think, design, build, realize, and manage the robotic, autonomous REM observatory, placed since June 2003 on the cerro La Silla, ESO Chile. The various aspects of the management and control are here surveyed, with the nice ideas and the wrong dead ends we encountered under way. Now REM is offered to the international astronomical community, a real, schedulable telescope, automatic for the People.
Sporadic, Nontrauma-Related, Desmoid Tumor of the Pancreas: A Rare Disease—Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Polistina F. , Costantin G. , D'Amore E. , Ambrosino G.
Published: March 2010

Desmoid tumors (DTs) are neoplasms of fibroblastic origin characterized by lack of a capsule. They are nonmetastatic and locally aggressive. Intraabdominal DTs are often observed in familial adenomatous polyposis and Gardner syndrome or subsequent to localized traumatic injury. Sporadic forms are defined as nontrauma- or nongenetic-related DTs. Isolated, sporadic pancreatic DTs have been considered anecdotal, with only 9 cases described in the literature. We report the case of a 68-year-old man with a case of sporadic cystic DT localized to the pancreatic tail. The tumor was discovered incidentally during computerized tomography performed for an unrelated condition. The patient was asymptomatic; however, biopsy was performed on the clinical suspicion of cystic cancer of the pancreas. Pathology analysis showed fibroblastic proliferation, and the diagnosis of DT was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining for beta-catenin. The patient underwent resection with no further treatment and remain disease-free 60 months after surgery.
Disrupting Ovarian Cancer Metastatic Colonization: Insights from Metastasis Suppressor Studies
Authors: Khan Shaheena , Taylor Jennifer L. , Rinker-Schaeffer Carrie W.
Published: March 2010

Ovarian cancer affects approximately 25,000 women in the United States each year and remains one of the most lethal female malignancies. A standard approach to therapy is surgical cytoreduction, after which the remaining microscopic residual disease is treated with chemotherapy. The vast majority of patients have disease recurrence, underscoring the crucial need for approaches to control the regrowth, or colonization, of tissues after local treatment. Improved therapies require mechanistic information about the process of metastatic colonization, the final step in metastasis, in which cancer cells undergo progressive growth at secondary sites. Studies of metastasis suppressors are providing insights into events controlling metastatic colonization. This paper reviews our laboratory's approach to the identification, characterization, and functional testing of the JNKK1/MKK4 metastasis suppressor in ovarian cancer metastatic colonization. Specifically, we demonstrate that interaction of ovarian caner cells with the omental microenvironment activates JNKK1/MKK4 resulting in decreased proliferation without affecting apoptosis. The potential role of the omental microenvironment, specifically milky spot structures, is also described. It is our goal to provide this work as a usable paradigm that will enable others to study metastasis suppressors in clinical and experimental ovarian cancer metastases.
Ureteroiliac Artery Fistula in a Young Woman with Short Bowel Syndrome for Radiation Enteritis
Authors: Santarpia Lidia , Creta Massimiliano , Bracale Umberto Marcello , Ciccarelli Roberto , Pasanisi Fabrizio , Contaldo Franco , Imbimbo Ciro
Published: March 2010

Ureteral-iliac artery fistula is a rare and potentially life-threatening complication, typically occurring after radiation therapy in already surgically treated cancer patients. This case report describes the diagnostic challenges and the successful management, with the positioning of an intra-arterial prosthesis, of a fistula between the internal iliac artery and the left ureter presenting as massive hematuria in a young woman with history of total colectomy and pelvic radiotherapy for rectal cancer and subsequent wide ileal resections and bilateral ureteral stent positioning for radiation enteritis. Ureteroiliac artery fistulas require a prompt diagnosis and intervention, to avoid life threatening clinical events.
Quantum Entanglement: Separability, Measure, Fidelity of Teleportation, and Distillation
Authors: Li Ming , Fei Shao-Ming , Li-Jost Xianqing
Published: March 2010

Quantum entanglement
plays crucial roles in quantum information
processing. Quantum entangled states have become
the key ingredient in the rapidly expanding
field of quantum information science. Although
the nonclassical nature of entanglement has been
recognized for many years, considerable efforts
have been taken to understand and characterize
its properties recently. In this review, we
introduce some recent results in the theory of
quantum entanglement. In particular separability
criteria based on the Bloch representation,
covariance matrix, normal form and entanglement
witness, lower bounds, subadditivity property of
concurrence and tangle, fully entangled fraction
related to the optimal fidelity of quantum
teleportation, and entanglement distillation will
be discussed in detail.
Evidence for Vertical Transmission of HPV from Mothers to Infants
Authors: Smith Elaine M. , Parker Michael A. , Rubenstein Linda M. , Haugen Thomas H. , Hamsikova Eva , Turek Lubomir P.
Published: March 2010

Few large studies have evaluated concordance based on a broad spectrum of human papillomavirus (HPV) types in oral and genital specimens of mothers and their recently born infants. This information is important in determining whether HPV vaccines administered prior to pregnancy may be useful for preventing vertical transmission. HPV DNA was positive in 30% of mothers and 1.5% of newborns. Maternal/newborn concordance (HPV+/+ or HPV−/−) was 71%. Among HPV DNA+ mothers, only 3% of their infants were DNA+ and only 1 pair had the same HPV type. Among HPV−women, 0.8% of infants were HPV+. HPV DNA detected in hospitalized newborns reflects current infection transmitted to infants during pregnancy or delivery. None of the mother/baby HPV DNA+ concordance pairs detected viral types found in HPV vaccines suggesting that vaccination prior to pregnancy is unlikely to be efficacious in preventing vertical transmission.
ipProjector: Designs and Techniques for Geometry-Based Interactive Applications Using a Portable Projector
Authors: Siriborvornratanakul Thitirat , Sugimoto Masanori
Published: March 2010

We propose an interactive projection system for a virtual studio setup using a single self-contained and portable projection device. The system is named ipProjector, which stands for Interactive Portable Projector. Projection allows special effects of a virtual studio to be seen by live audiences in real time. The portable device supports 360-degree shooting and projecting angles and is easy to be integrated with an existing studio setup. We focus on two fundamental requirements of the system and their implementations. First, nonintrusive projection is performed to ensure that the special effect projections and the environment analysis (for locating the target actors or objects) can be performed simultaneously in real time. Our approach uses Digital Light Processing technology, color wheel analysis, and nearest-neighbor search algorithm. Second, a paired projector-camera system is geometrically calibrated with two alternative setups. The first uses a motion sensor for real-time geometric calibration, and the second uses a beam splitter for scene-independent geometric calibration. Based on a small-scale laboratory setting, experiments were conducted to evaluate the geometric accuracy of the proposed approaches, and an application was built to demonstrate the proposed ipProjector concept. Techniques of special effect rendering are not concerned in this paper.
Mutual Coupling Compensation for Direction-of-Arrival Estimations Using the Receiving-Mutual-Impedance Method
Authors: Lui Hoi Shun , Hui Hon Tat
Published: March 2010

A short review of the receiving-mutual-impedance method (RMIM) for mutual coupling compensation in direction finding applications using linear array is conducted. The differences between the conventional-mutual-impedance method (CMIM) and RMIM, as well as the three different determination methods for receiving mutual impedance (RMI), will be discussed in details. As an example, direction finding with better accuracies is used for demonstrating the superiority of mutual coupling compensation using RMIM.
“RF-SoC”: Integration Trends of On-Chip CMOS Power Amplifier: Benefits of External PA versus Integrated PA for Portable Wireless Communications
Authors: Lie D. Y. C.
Published: March 2010

RFIC integration has seen dramatic progress since the early 1990s. For example, Si-based single-chip products for GSM, WLAN, Bluetooth, and DECT applications have become commercially available. However, RF power amplifiers (PAs) and switches tend to remain off-chip in the context of single-chip CMOS/BiCMOS transceiver ICs for handset applications. More recently, several WLAN/Bluetooth vendors have successfully integrated less demanding PAs onto the transceivers. This paper will focus on single-chip RF-system-on-a-chip (i.e., “RF-SoC”) implementations that include a high-power PA. An analysis of all tradeoffs inherent to integrating higher power PAs is provided. The analysis includes the development cost, time-to-market, power efficiency, yield, reliability, and performance issues. Recent design trends on highly integrated CMOS WiFi transceivers in the literature will be briefly reviewed with emphasis on the RF-SoC product design tradeoffs impacted by the choice between integrated versus external PAs.
Vaccines against Human Carcinomas: Strategies to Improve Antitumor Immune Responses
Authors: Palena Claudia , Schlom Jeffrey
Published: March 2010

Multiple observations in preclinical and clinical studies support a role for the immune system in controlling tumor growth and progression. Various components of the innate and adaptive immune response are able to mediate tumor cell destruction; however, certain immune cell populations can also induce a protumor environment that favors tumor growth and the development of metastasis. Moreover, tumor cells themselves are equipped with various mechanisms that allow them to evade surveillance by the immune system. The goal of cancer vaccines is to induce a tumor-specific immune response that ultimately will reduce tumor burden by tipping the balance from a protumor to an antitumor immune environment. This review discusses common mechanisms that govern immune cell activation and tumor immune escape, and some of the current strategies employed in the field of cancer vaccines aimed at enhancing activation of tumor-specific T-cells with concurrent reduction of immunosuppression.
Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance with Amyloid Deposition in the Lung and Non-Amyloid Eosinophilic Deposition in the Brain: A Case Report
Authors: Abi-Fadel Francois , Desai Nisarg R. , Vatandoust Gita , Said Rabih , Gottesman Aaron , Terjanian Terenig
Published: March 2010

Background. Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is rarely complicated by amyloidosis.Case. A 66-year-old white male presented to the emergency room (ER) after an unwitnessed fall and change in mental status. Patient was awake and alert but not oriented. There was no focal deficit on neurological exam. Past medical history (PMH) included hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, aortic valve replacement (nonmetallic), incomplete heart block controlled by a pacemaker and IgG- IgA type Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance. The MGUS was diagnosed 9 months ago on serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) as patient was referred to the outpatient clinic for hyperglobulinemia on routine blood work. In ER, a head-computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple parenchymal hemorrhagic lesions suspicious for metastases. A CT chest, abdomen and pelvis revealed numerous ground-glass and solid nodules in the lungs. Lower extremity duplex and transesophageal echocardiogram were negative. Serial blood cultures and serologies for cryptococcus and histoplasmosis, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA), antinuclear antibody (ANA), rheumatoid factor (RF), cryoglobulin, and antiglomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) antibodies were all negative. CT guided lung biopsy was positive for Thioflavin T amyloid deposits. Brain biopsy was positive for eosinophilic material (similar to the lungs) but negative for Thioflavin T stain. The patient's clinical status continued to deteriorate with cold cyanotic fingers developing on day 12 and a health care acquired pneumonia, respiratory failure, and fungemia on day 18. On day 29, family withdrew life support and denied any autopsies.Conclusion. Described is an atypical course of MGUS complicated by amyloidosis of the lung and nonamyloid eosinophilic deposition in the brain. As MGUS might be complicated by diseases such as amyloidosis and multiple myeloma, a scheduled follow-up of these patients is always necessary. Further research is needed in order to better define the optimal treatment and management strategies of MGUS and its complications.
Ischemic Stroke of the Artery of Percheron with Normal Initial MRI: A Case Report
Authors: Cassourret Guillaume , Prunet Bertrand , Sbardella Fabrice , Bordes Julien , Maurin Olga , Boret Henry
Published: March 2010

The artery of Percheron is a solitary trunk representing an uncommon anatomic variant that provides bilateral arterial supply to the paramedian thalami and the rostral midbrain. Occlusion of this artery results in bilateral thalamic and mesencephalic infarctions. The clinical diagnosis is difficult because the complex anatomy causes large clinical variability. We report a case of a comatose patient with normal early head-computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. A bilateral paramedian thalamic infarct due to an occlusion of the artery of Percheron was revealed two days later by a new head computed tomography. To our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature of a symptomatic patient presenting an acute Percheron stroke with normal early brain magnetic resonance imaging. Our case indicates that a normal initial magnetic resonance imaging cannot formally eliminate the diagnosis of acute stroke of the artery of Percheron. We discuss the causes of noncontributive brain magnetic resonance imaging at the onset of this acute Percheron stroke and the alternative diagnosis and therapy methods.