bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Allergen1 regulates polysaccharide structure in Cryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Jain Neena , Cordero Radames J. B. , Casadevall Arturo , Fries Bettina C.
Published: April 2013

Cryptococcus neoformans is an important human, fungal pathogen that sheds polysaccharide (exo‐PS) into host tissues. While shed exo‐PS mediates numerous untoward effects (including promoting increased intracranial pressure), little is known about the regulation of this phenomenon. Since downregulation of the Allergen 1 (ALL1) gene is associated with high ICP, we investigated the relationship between ALL1 expression and exo‐PS structure using a variety of biophysical techniques. The Δall1 mutants of two serotypes produced a shorter exo‐PS with less branching and structural complexity than the parental strains. Consistent with lower branching, these exo‐PSs manifested higher intrinsic viscosity than the parental strains. The Δall1 mutant strains manifested differences in epitope expression and significant resistance to phagocytosis. Exo‐PS of Δall1 mutant exhibited anti‐phagocytic properties. Comparative transcriptome analysis of mutant and parental strain under iron‐deprived conditions indicated a role of ALL1 in iron homeostasis, characterized by differential regulation of genes that mediate iron reduction and transport. Together, our results demonstrate a role of ALL1 in regulating conformational aspects of PS structure and iron homeostasis. These findings provide a mechanism to explain how changes in ALL1 expression influence virulence of switch variants and suggest that structural changes and polymer length are epigenetically regulated.
Knowing That P without Believing That P
Authors: Myers‐Schulz Blake , Schwitzgebel Eric
Published: April 2013

Most epistemologists hold that knowledge entails belief. However, proponents of this claim rarely offer a positive argument in support of it. Rather, they tend to treat the view as obvious and assert that there are no convincing counterexamples. We find this strategy to be problematic. We do not find the standard view obvious, and moreover, we think there are cases in which it is intuitively plausible that a subject knows some proposition P without—or at least without determinately—believing that P. Accordingly, we present five plausible examples of knowledge without (determinate) belief, and we present empirical evidence suggesting that our intuitions about these scenarios are not atypical.
Complex internal architecture of a debris‐flow deposit revealed using ground‐penetrating radar, Cass, New Zealand
Authors: Starheim Colette C.A. , Gomez Christopher , Harrison Justin , Kain Claire , Brewer Nicholas J. , Owen Kirsty , Hadmoko Danang Sri , Purdie Heather , Zawar‐Reza Peyman , Owens Ian , Wassmer Patrick , Lavigne Franck
Published: April 2013

Previous research on debris‐flow deposit structure typically reports little to no visually discernible stratigraphy. The preliminary findings presented here provide evidence for more complex internal deposit architecture with inverse grading and subunits thought to reflect individual flow surges. Ground‐penetrating radar surveys, geospatial data and field observations are used to describe 10 subunits traceable over the 14 lateral radargrams imaging the lower 38 m of the deposit. Additional subunits are depicted further upslope in a longitudinal transect. As well as demonstrating the need for continued investigation of deposit architecture using non‐traditional techniques, these results may help improve future interpretations of post‐event deposits.
Impact of sevoflurane anesthesia on cerebral blood flow in children younger than 2 years
Authors: Rhondali Ossam , Mahr Aurélie , Simonin‐Lansiaux Sabine , De Queiroz Mathilde , Rhzioual‐Berrada Khalid , Combet Sylvie , Cejka Jean‐Christophe , Chassard Dominique
Published: April 2013

Objective/Aim

To assess the impact of sevoflurane and anesthesia‐induced hypotension on cerebral blood flow (CBF) in children younger than 2 years.

Background

Inhalational induction with sevoflurane is the most commonly used technique in young children. However, the effect of sevoflurane on cerebral perfusion has been only studied in adults and children older than 1 year. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of sevoflurane anesthesia on CBF in neonates and infants, using transcranial Doppler (TCD) sonography.

Methods

Children younger than 2 years, ASA I or II, for abdominal or orthopedic surgery were included. Induction of anesthesia was started by sevoflurane 6% and maintained with an expired fraction of sevoflurane 3%. Mechanical ventilation was controlled to maintain an end tidal CO2 around 39 mmHg. CBF was assessed by measuring the velocities (systolic velocity SVmca, diastolic velocity DVmca and mean velocity MVmca) in the proximal segment of the middle cerebral artery (mca) in children awake and then 15 min after induction. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) variation was noted.

Results

One hundred and thirteen children were included. We observed a significant decrease in MAP (−30%). DVmca decreased and pulsatility index increased significantly after induction. Subgroup analysis according to age showed that in infants older than 6 months, despite a significant reduction in MAP, there was no change in CBF velocity (CBFV) as measured by TCD sonography, until MAP dropped below 40% of baseline. In infants younger than 6 months, a significant decrease in MAP was observed which was associated with a significant variation in CBFV. In this population, when CBFV start to decrease, MAP under sevoflurane anesthesia was 38 mmHg or −20% from baseline value.

Conclusion

Our results are in favor of a reduction in CBF after induction with sevoflurane in children younger than 6 months. This population is more sensitive to MAP decrease than older children because of a lower limit of cerebral autoregulation, and this limit may be 38 mmHg with sevoflurane anesthesia.
Prevention of intraoperative hypothermia in neonates and infants: results of a prospective multicenter observational study with a new forced‐air warming system with increased warm air flow
Authors: Witt Lars , Dennhardt Nils , Eich Christoph , Mader Thomas , Fischer Thomas , Bräuer Anselm , Sümpelmann Robert
Published: April 2013

Objectives

Neonates and infants are at the highest risk of developing perioperative hypothermia. A number of methods to prevent hypothermia during pediatric anesthesia are in use, and despite the fact that conventional forced‐air warmers are the most effective devices, they are not always sufficient enough to maintain body temperature. Therefore, recently a new forced‐air warming system with an increased warm air flow was introduced to the market.

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate this new forced‐air warming system in neonates and infants during pediatric anesthesia. We hypothesized that the new blanket alone is sufficient enough to prevent neonates and infants from intraoperative hypothermia.

Methods

Neonates and infants (body weight <10 kg) were enrolled in this prospective multicenter observational study. After admission to the operating room, the children were placed on the new forced‐air warming blanket. Body temperature was measured continuously until admission to the recovery room or pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Results

Hundred and nineteen children with a median body weight of 4.1 kg (range: 0.7–9.8) were enrolled and received their intended treatment. Median body temperature at the induction of anesthesia was 36.5°C (range: 35.3–38.2°C) and increased with the length of the operation up to 37.8°C (37.1–38.2°C) after 180 min. Median body temperature after admission to the recovery room or PICU was 37.2°C (36.0–38.6°C) and remained significantly above baseline (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The new forced‐air warming system as a sole warming device is effective in preventing perioperative hypothermia during pediatric anesthesia in neonates and infants.
Marker‐assisted introgression of bacterial blight and blast resistance into IR 58025B, an elite maintainer line of rice
Authors: Hari Yadla , Srinivasarao Kommoju , Viraktamath Basavaraj C. , Hari Prasad Arremsetty S. , Laha Gouri S. , I. Ahmed Mohammed , Natarajkumar Podishetty , Sujatha Kalidindi , Srinivas Prasad Madamshetty , Pandey Manish , Ramesha Mugalodi S. , Neeraja Chirravuri N. , Balachandran Sena M. , S. Rani Nallathigal , Kemparaju Balachandra , Madhan Mohan Kolluru , Sama Venkata S. A. K. , Shaik Hajira , Balachiranjeevi Chintavaram , Pranathi Karnati , Ashok Reddy Gajjala , Madhav Maganti S. , Sundaram Raman M.
Published: April 2013

IR 58025A is a very popular wild‐abortive cytoplasmic male sterile (WA‐CMS) line of rice and is extensively used for hybrid rice breeding. However, IR 58025A and many hybrids derived from it possess mild aroma (undesirable in some parts of India) and are highly susceptible to bacterial blight (BB) and blast diseases. To improve IR 58025A for BB and blast resistance, we have introgressed a major dominant gene conferring resistance against BB (i.e. Xa21) and blast (i.e. Pi54) into IR 58025B, the maintainer line of IR 58025A. An introgression line of Samba Mahsuri (i.e. SM2154) possessing Xa21 and Pi54 genes in homozygous condition and fine‐grain type was used as donor parent, and backcross breeding strategy was adopted for targeted introgression of the resistance genes. PCR‐based molecular markers tightly linked to Xa21 and Pi54 were used for selection of BB‐ and blast‐resistant lines, while closely linked markers were used for identification of backcross‐derived plants devoid of Rf4 and aroma. At BC2F5, four backcross‐derived lines possessing resistance against BB and blast, devoid of aroma, high yield, short plant stature, long‐slender grain type and with recurrent parent genome recovery ranging from 88.8% to 98.6% were selected and advanced for further evaluation. The improved versions of IR 58025B, viz. SB54‐11‐143‐9‐44‐5, SB54‐11‐143‐9‐44‐98, SB54‐11‐143‐9‐44‐111 and SB54‐11‐143‐9‐44‐171, behaved as perfect maintainers when test‐crossed with WA‐CMS lines. Agronomically superior lines of improved IR 58025B are being converted to CMS line through backcrossing for developing high‐yielding and biotic stress‐resistant rice hybrids.
Bernard–Soulier syndrome caused by a hemizygous GPIbβ mutation and 22q11.2 deletion
Authors: Kunishima Shinji , Imai Tsuyoshi , Kobayashi Ryoji , Kato Motohiro , Ogawa Seishi , Saito Hidehiko
Published: April 2013

Background

Bernard–Soulier syndrome (BSS) is a rare autosomal recessive bleeding disorder characterized by giant platelets, thrombocytopenia, and a prolonged bleeding time, which is caused by homozygous mutations in the GPIbα, GPIbβ, or GPIX genes. The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is caused by a microdeletion on chromosome 22, which includes the GPIbβ gene, and is characterized by abnormal development of the pharyngeal apparatus and heart. Thus, patients with 22q11.2DS are obligate carriers for BSS.

Methods

We evaluated two infants with BSS and performed the genetic analysis of the GPIbα, GPIbβ, or GPIX genes, and investigated the segregation of the mutation within the families. The status of the 22q11.2 deletion was examined by fluorescence in situ hybridization and single‐nucleotide polymorphism array copy number analysis.

Results

DNA sequencing analysis revealed that the infants were compound heterozygous for a hemizygous mutation in the GPIbβ gene (p.Trp148X and p.Leu97Phe, respectively) and 22q11.2 deletion in the other chromosome. Both infants had the common 3Mb 22q11.2 deletion but did not show major phenotypic features of 22q11.2DS, such as developmental delay, cardiac defects, dysmorphic facial features, palatal anomalies, hypocalcemia, and immune deficiency. The 22q11.2DS would not have become clear if detailed molecular genetic analyses of BSS had not been performed.

Conclusions

Our cases illustrate that a suspicion of 22q11.2 deletion is warranted in pediatric BSS patients with a mutation in the GPIbβ gene, even without remarkable symptoms.
Feeding interval and postprandial intestinal blood flow in premature infants
Authors: Maruyama Kenichi , Fujiu Toru , Inoue Takahiro , Koizumi Aya , Inoue Fumitaka
Published: April 2013

Background

The feeding interval is an important factor in enteral feeding of premature infants. We investigated postprandial intestinal blood flow in stable very‐low‐birthweight infants fed at 2‐h and 3‐h intervals.

Methods

We used pulsed wave Doppler ultrasound to measure blood flow velocity of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) before feeding and at 15, 30, 45, and 60 min after feeding. Measurements were made on the day of starting enteral nutrition (1 or 2 days of age), and at 3 and 5 days of age. A total of 21 studies were performed in seven infants fed every 2 h, and 54 studies were performed in 18 infants fed every 3 h.

Results

In infants fed every 2 h, SMA blood flow velocity increased from before feeding to 30 min after feeding and then decreased at 60 min after feeding. In infants fed every 3 h, SMA blood flow velocity increased after feeding, reaching a peak at 30 min. The correlation coefficients between the volume of milk per feed and the postprandial increase in time‐averaged mean blood flow velocity were 0.398 (P = 0.074, n = 21) and 0.597 (P = 0.000, n = 54) in infants fed at 2‐h and 3‐h intervals, respectively.

Conclusions

SMA blood flow velocity significantly increased after feeding in infants fed at 2‐h and 3‐h intervals. The volume of milk per feed might affect the postprandial increase in SMA blood flow velocity.
Nonsuicidal Self‐Injury among Adolescents: A Training Priority for Primary Care Providers
Authors: Taliaferro Lindsay A. , Muehlenkamp Jennifer J. , Hetler Joel , Edwall Glenace , Wright Catherine , Edwards Anne , Borowsky Iris W.
Published: April 2013

Primary care providers were surveyed to determine how prepared they feel to address nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI) among adolescents, their interest in training on NSSI, and factors associated with routinely asking about NSSI when providing health supervision. Participants included family medicine physicians (n = 260), pediatricians (n = 127), family nurse practitioners (n = 96), and pediatric nurse practitioners (n = 54). Almost 50% felt unprepared to address NSSI, and over 70% wanted training in this area. Overall, relative to other areas of mental health care, clinicians felt least prepared to address and wanted more training on NSSI. Just 27% reported they routinely inquired about NSSI during health supervision. Factors associated with routinely asking about NSSI were identifying as female (OR = 2.37; 95% CI = 1.25–4.49), feeling better prepared to address NSSI (OR = 1.51; 95% CI = 1.04–2.20), and more frequently using a psychosocial interview to identify adolescents in distress (OR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.02–1.48). Teaching clinicians to assess NSSI within a psychosocial interview may increase screening for and identification of the behavior among adolescents in primary care.
One mind: Enacting the Christian congregation among the Auhelawa, Papua New Guinea
Authors: Schram Ryan
Published: April 2013

This article examines the relationship between Christian worship and the production of religious identity among Auhelawa speakers of Normanby Island, Papua New Guinea. Auhelawa people live in a society in which a locally developed form of Christianity has emerged from a long engagement with missionaries. In the colonial era, missionaries spoke in terms of light and darkness to mediate their contradictory aims of both authentic personal conversion and total social change. Today Auhelawa believe that their society has been changed, and that this change entails a new way of thinking as well as acting, though like the missionaries they also struggle to express the relationship between the two. Viewing themselves as already converted, Auhelawa today use an ideology of ‘one mind’—unity in purpose which is subjectively felt and outwardly expressed—to resolve how their collective worship relates to individual belief. This framing of ritual, embedded in church prayer and music, however, is always incomplete. I argue this not only points to an important step in the process of formation of congregations, but also suggests why Christianity globally is both unitary yet also so strikingly diverse.
Night, sight, and feeling safe: An exploration of aspects of Warlpiri and Western sleep
Authors: Musharbash Yasmine
Published: April 2013

Sleeping leaves those asleep ‘blind’ and hence oblivious to potential or real danger. Such dangers are heightened further and more feared at night, the main time for sleep. In this article, I link ideas about sleep and nighttime social practices with questions about vision. My aim is to tease out some of the meanings implied in cross‐culturally distinct solutions to the protection of sleepers at night. I proceed by contrasting ethnographic data from the remote Aboriginal settlement of Yuendumu, Northern Territory, with select elements of the cultural history of Euro‐American sleep. Through ethnographic vignettes, I illuminate how people at Yuendumu commonly arrange themselves in yunta, or rows of sleepers, at night, and how some sleepers awake regularly during the night to ensure the others’ safety. I contrast this with Euro‐American ways of providing a sense of safety to the sleeper through practices of domestic fortification. My comparison revolves around the notion of sight, which in the Euro‐American West is clearly linked to ideas of knowledge, and at Yuendumu, as I demonstrate, imbued with a sense of care. I conclude by relating the gained insights to participant observation as anthropological method.
miR396 affects mycorrhization and root meristem activity in the legume Medicago truncatula
Authors: Bazin Jérémie , Khan Ghazanfar Abbas , Combier Jean‐Philippe , Bustos‐Sanmamed Pilar , Debernardi Juan Manuel , Rodriguez Ramiro , Sorin Céline , Palatnik Javier , Hartmann Caroline , Crespi Martin , Lelandais‐Brière Christine
Published: April 2013

The root system is crucial for acquisition of resources from the soil. In legumes, the efficiency of mineral and water uptake by the roots may be reinforced due to establishment of symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi and interactions with soil rhizobia. Here, we investigated the role of miR396 in regulating the architecture of the root system and in symbiotic interactions in the model legume Medicago truncatula. Analyses with promoter–GUS fusions suggested that the mtr‐miR396a and miR396b genes are highly expressed in root tips, preferentially in the transition zone, and display distinct expression profiles during lateral root and nodule development. Transgenic roots of composite plants that over‐express the miR396b precursor showed lower expression of six growth‐regulating factor genes (MtGRF) and two bHLH79‐like target genes, as well as reduced growth and mycorrhizal associations. miR396 inactivation by mimicry caused contrasting tendencies, with increased target expression, higher root biomass and more efficient colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. In contrast to MtbHLH79, repression of three GRF targets by RNA interference severely impaired root growth. Early activation of mtr‐miR396b, concomitant with post‐transcriptional repression of MtGRF5 expression, was also observed in response to exogenous brassinosteroids. Growth limitation in miR396 over‐expressing roots correlated with a reduction in cell‐cycle gene expression and the number of dividing cells in the root apical meristem. These results link the miR396 network to the regulation of root growth and mycorrhizal associations in plants.
Review of radiation damage in GaN-based materials and devices
Authors: Pearton Stephen J. , Deist Richard , Ren Fan , Liu Lu , Polyakov Alexander Y. , Kim Jihyun
Published: April 2013

A review of the effectsof proton,neutron, γ-ray, and electron irradiation on GaN materials and devices is presented. Neutron irradiation tends to create disordered regions in the GaN, while the damage from the other forms of radiation is more typically point defects. In all cases, the damaged region contains carrier traps that reduce the mobility and conductivity of the GaN and at high enough doses, a significant degradation of device performance. GaN is several orders of magnitude more resistant to radiation damage than GaAs of similar doping concentrations. In terms of heterostructures, preliminary data suggests that the radiation hardness decreases in the order AlN/GaN > AlGaN/GaN > InAlN/GaN,consistent with the average bond strengths in the Al-based materials.
Evaluating noise reduction techniques while considering anatomical noise in dual‐energy contrast‐enhanced mammography
Authors: Allec Nicholas , Abbaszadeh Shiva , Scott Chris C. , Karim Karim S. , Lewin John M.
Published: April 2013

Purpose:

The authors describe modifications to previously developed cascaded systems analysis to include the anatomical noise in evaluation of dual‐energy noise reduction techniques. Previous models have ignored the anatomical noise in theoretical analysis of noise reduction techniques. The inclusion of anatomical noise leads to more accurate estimation of potential noise reduction improvements and optimization.

Methods:

The model is applied to dual‐energy contrast‐enhanced mammography. The effect of linear noise reduction filters on the anatomical noise is taken into account using cascaded systems analysis. The noise model is included in the ideal observer detectability for performance evaluation of the noise reduction techniques.

Results:

Dual‐energy image noise with and without including the effect of anatomical noise in noise reduction technique analysis is reported. The theoretical model is compared with clinical images from a previous dual‐energy contrast enhanced mammography clinical study and good agreement is observed. The results suggest that the inclusion of anatomical noise in the evaluation and comparison of noise reduction techniques is highly warranted for more accurate analysis.

Conclusions:

This work establishes a useful extension to dual‐energy cascaded systems analysis for maximizing image quality using noise reduction techniques. The extension includes the effect of linear image filtering, such as that used for noise reduction, on anatomical noise. The results suggest that the inclusion of anatomical noise in the evaluation of noise reduction techniques can lead to more accurate optimization, noise, and performance estimations.
Genetics and Phosphoproteomics Reveal a Protein Phosphorylation Network in the Abscisic Acid Signaling Pathway in
Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Umezawa Taishi , Sugiyama Naoyuki , Takahashi Fuminori , Anderson Jeffrey C. , Ishihama Yasushi , Peck Scott C. , Shinozaki Kazuo
Published: April 2013

A systems approach reveals how the SnRK2 family of kinases mediates abscisic acid signaling.
Turing and Wolpert Work Together During Limb Development
Authors: Miura Takashi
Published: April 2013

Two theoretical models of pattern formation are reconciled through quantitative analysis and modeling of limb development.
Phylogeny influences the relationships linking key ecological thermal metrics for North American freshwater fish species
Authors: Hasnain Sarah S. , Shuter Brian J. , Minns Charles K.
Published: April 2013

Habitat temperature is a major determinant of performance and activity in fish. We summarize published studies of 173 North American freshwater fish species to examine the interrelationships among thermal response metrics associated with three types of individual performance: growth (optimal growth temperature (OGT), final temperature preferendum (FTP)), survival (upper incipient lethal temperature (UILT), critical thermal maximum (CTMax)), and reproduction (optimum spawning temperature (OS), optimum egg development temperature (OE)). We found that all metrics were highly correlated, especially those associated with a specific performance type. Differences in thermal metrics were also significantly linked to traditional thermal guild classifications, spawning season, and strategy. We found an overall decline in correlation strength when we used phylogenetically independent contrasts to control for the effect of phylogeny. This decline was much greater for growth and survival metrics than for reproduction. This suggests that the role of evolutionary history in determining thermal sensitivity at the species level varies greatly across the range of performance types that can be used to characterize the behaviour of an individual.
COST SHARING IN NETWORKS: SOME OPEN QUESTIONS
Authors: MOULIN HERVÉ
Published: April 2013

The fertile application of cooperative game techniques to cost sharing problems on networks has so far concentrated on the Stand Alone core test of fairness and/or stability, and ignored many combinatorial optimization problems where this core can be empty. I submit there is much room for an axiomatic discussion of fair division in the latter problems, where Stand Alone objections are not implementable. But the computational complexity of optimal solutions is still a very severe obstacle to this approach.
A review on the dielectric materials for high energy-storage application
Authors: Hao Xihong
Published: April 2013

With the fast development of the power electronics, dielectric materials with high energy-storage density, low loss, and good temperature stability are eagerly desired for the potential application in advanced pulsed capacitors. Based on the physical principals, the materials with higher saturated polarization, smaller remnant polarization, and higher electrical breakdown field are the most promising candidates. According to this rule, so far, four kinds of materials, namely antiferroelectrics, dielectric glass-ceramics, relaxor ferroelectric and polymer-based ferroelectrics are thought to be more likely used in next-generation pulsed capacitors, and have been widely studied. Thus, this review serves to give an overall summary on the state-of-the-art progress on electric energy-storage performance in these materials. Moreover, some general future prospects are also provided from the existed theoretical and experimental results in this work, in order to propel their application in practice.
Reconstruction of relief objects from archeological line drawings
Authors: Kolomenkin Michael , Leifman George , Shimshoni Ilan , Tal Ayellet
Published: April 2013

This article addresses the problem of automatic reconstruction of a 3D relief object from a line drawing. Our main application is reconstruction of archaeological artifacts based on line drawings. The problem is challenging due to five reasons: the small number of orthogonal views of the object, the sparsity of the strokes, their ambiguity, their large number, and their interrelations. We partition the reconstruction problem into two subproblems. First, we reconstruct the underlying smooth base of the object from the silhouette. Assuming that the variation of bases belonging to the same class of objects is relatively small, we create the base by modifying a similar base retrieved from a database. Second, we reconstruct the relief on top of the base. Our approach can reconstruct the relief from a complex drawing that consists of many interrelated strokes. Rather than viewing the interdependencies as a problem, we show how they can be exploited to automatically generate a good initial interpretation of the line drawing. Even though our algorithm is generic, its strength is demonstrated by the reconstruction of artifacts from manual drawings taken from real archaeological reports. These drawings are highly challenging, since artists created very complex and detailed descriptions of artifacts regardless of any considerations concerning their future use for shape reconstruction.
A camera flash projector-based reconstruction system for digital preservation of artifacts
Authors: Mv Rohith , Somanath Gowri , Norris Debra , Gutierrez Jennifer , Kambhamettu Chandra
Published: April 2013

Computer vision techniques have been applied for rapid and accurate structure recovery in many fields. Most methods perform poorly in areas containing little or no texture and in the presence of repetitive patterns. We present a portable, cost-effective pattern projector system powered by the flash of a camera, to aid the reconstruction of such areas. No calibration is required between the camera-projector, projector-scene, or pattern. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our system on various representative surfaces like stone, metal, clay, porcelain, and natural fibers, with different inherent colors/textures. A pipeline is presented to automatically generate textured, true-scale metric models, that can be used for quantitative studies or visualization. The practicability of our system is explored in the specific area of digital archiving of historically significant objects. We show results from field trips to 12th century temples at Belur and Halebidu in South India and objects from the Wintherthur museum, Delaware, USA.
BonnRoute
Authors: Gester Michael , Müller Dirk , Nieberg Tim , Panten Christian , Schulte Christian , Vygen Jens
Published: April 2013

We present the core elements of BonnRoute: advanced data structures and algorithms for fast and high-quality routing in modern technologies. Global routing is based on a combinatorial approximation scheme for min-max resource sharing. Detailed routing uses exact shortest path algorithms, based on a shape-based data structure for pin access and a two-level track-based data structure for long-distance connections. All algorithms are very fast. Compared to an industrial router (on 32 nm and 22 nm chips), BonnRoute is over two times faster, has 5 % less netlength, 20 % less vias, and reduces detours by more than 90 %.
Embedded interaction
Authors: Luff Paul , Jirotka Marina , Yamashita Naomi , Kuzuoka Hideaki , Heath Christian , Eden Grace
Published: April 2013

A concern with “embodied action” has informed both the analysis of everyday action through technologies and also suggested ways of designing innovative systems. In this article, we consider how these two programs, the analysis of everyday embodied interaction on the one hand, and the analysis of technically-mediated embodied interaction on the other, are interlinked. We draw on studies of everyday interaction to reveal how embodied conduct is embedded in the environment. We then consider a collaborative technology that attempts to provide a coherent way of presenting life-sized embodiments of participants alongside particular features of the environment. These analyses suggest that conceptions of embodied action should take account of the interactional accomplishment of activities and how these are embedded in the material environment.
Using memory profile analysis for automatic synthesis of pointers code
Authors: Ben-Asher Yosi , Rotem Nadav
Published: April 2013

One of the main advantages of high-level synthesis (HLS) is the ability to synthesize circuits that can access multiple memory banks in parallel. Current HLS systems synthesize parallel memory references based on explicit array declarations in the source code. We consider the need to synthesize not only array references but also memory operations targeting pointers and dynamic data structures. This paper describes Automatic Memory Partitioning, a method for automatically synthesizing general data structures (arrays and pointers) into multiple memory banks for increased parallelism and performance. We use source code instrumentation to collect memory traces in order to detect linear memory access patterns. The memory traces are used to split data structures into disjoint memory regions and determine which segments may benefit from parallel memory access. We present an algorithm for allocating memory segments into multiple memory banks. Experiments show significant improvements in performance while conserving the number of memory banks.
MORPHEUS
Authors: Voros Nikolaos S. , Hübner Michael , Becker Jürgen , Kühnle Matthias , Thomaitiv Florian , Grasset Arnaud , Brelet Paul , Bonnot Philippe , Campi Fabio , Schüler Eberhard , Sahlbach Henning , Whitty Sean , Ernst Rolf , Billich Enrico , Tischendorf Claudia , Heinkel Ulrich , Ieromnimon Frank , Kritharidis Dimitrios , Schneider Axel , Knaeblein Joachim , Putzke-Röming Wolfram
Published: April 2013

Recently, system designers are facing the challenge of developing systems that have diverse features, are more complex and more powerful, with less power consumption and reduced time to market. These contradictory constraints have forced technology providers to pursue design solutions that will allow design teams to meet the above design targets. In that respect, this paper introduces an innovative technology platform, called MORPHEUS, which intents to provide complete design framework for dealing with the aforementioned challenges. MORPHEUS consists of a state of the art architecture that encompasses heterogeneous reconfigurable accelerators for implementing on the same hardware architecture applications with varying characteristics and a tool chain that, through a software oriented approach, eases the implementation of highly complex applications with heterogeneous characteristics. The proposed approach has been tested and evaluated through state of the art cases studies borrowed from complementary application domains.
Providing DoS resistance for signature-based broadcast authentication in sensor networks
Authors: Dong Qi , Liu Donggang , Ning Peng
Published: April 2013

Recent studies have demonstrated that it is feasible to perform public key cryptographic operations on resource-constrained sensor platforms. However, the significant energy consumption introduced by public key operations makes any public key-based protocol an easy target of Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks. For example, if digital signature schemes such as ECDSA are used directly for broadcast authentication without further protection, an attacker can simply broadcast fake messages and force the receiving nodes to perform a huge number of unnecessary signature verifications, eventually exhausting their battery power. This paper shows how to mitigate such DoS attacks when digital signatures are used for broadcast authentication in sensor networks. Specifically, this paper first presents two filtering techniques, the
group-based filter
and the
key chain-based filter
, to handle the DoS attacks against signature verification. Both methods can significantly reduce the number of unnecessary signature verifications when a sensor node is under DoS attacks. This paper then combines these two filters and proposes a hybrid solution to further improve the performance.
A rule-based quasi-static scheduling approach for static islands in dynamic dataflow graphs
Authors: Falk Joachim , Zebelein Christian , Haubelt Christian , Teich Jürgen
Published: April 2013

In this article, an efficient rule-based clustering algorithm for
static dataflow subgraphs
in a dynamic dataflow graph is presented. The clustered static dataflow actors are
quasi-statically scheduled
, in such a way that the global performance in terms of latency and throughput is improved compared to a dynamically scheduled execution, while avoiding the introduction of deadlocks as generated by naive static scheduling approaches. The presented clustering algorithm outperforms previously published approaches by a faster computation and more compact representation of the derived quasi-static schedule. This is achieved by a
rule-based
approach, which avoids an explicit enumeration of the state space. A formal proof of the correctness of the presented clustering approach is given. Experimental results show significant improvements in both, performance and code size, compared to a state-of-the-art clustering algorithm.
Joint variable partitioning and bank selection instruction optimization for partitioned memory architectures
Authors: Liu Tiantian , Xue Chun Jason , Li Minming
Published: April 2013

About 55% of all CPUs sold in the world are 8-bit microcontrollers or microprocessors which can only access limited memory space without extending address buses. Partitioned memory with bank switching is a technique to increase memory size without extending address buses. Bank Selection Instructions (BSLs) need to be inserted into the original programs to modify the bank register to point to the desired banks. These BSLs introduce both code size and execution time overheads. In this paper, we partition variables into different banks and insert BSLs at different positions of programs so that the overheads can be minimized. Minimizing speed (execution time) overhead and minimizing space (code size) overhead are two objectives investigated in this paper. A multi-copy approach is also proposed to store multiple copies of several variables on different banks when the memory space allows. It takes the read/write properties of variables into consideration and achieves more BSL overhead reduction. Experiments show that the proposed algorithms can reduce BSL overheads effectively compared to state-of-the-art techniques.
Write activity reduction on non-volatile main memories for embedded chip multiprocessors
Authors: Hu Jingtong , Xue Chun Jason , Zhuge Qingfeng , Tseng Wei-Che , Sha Edwin H.-M.
Published: April 2013

Recent advances in circuit and semiconductor technologies have pushed Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) technologies into a new era. These technologies exhibit appealing properties such as low power consumption, non-volatility, shock-resistivity, and high density. However, there are challenges to which we need answers in the road of applying non-volatile memories as main memory in embedded computer systems. First, when compared with DRAM, NVMs have a limited number of write/erase cycles. Second, write activities on NVM are more expensive than DRAM memory in terms of energy consumption and access latency. Both challenges will benefit from the reduction of the write activities on the NVMs.

In this paper, we target embedded Chip Multiprocessors (CMPs) with Scratch Pad Memory (SPM) and non-volatile main memory. We introduce scheduling, data migration, and recomputation techniques to reduce the number of write activities on NVMs. Experimental results show that the proposed methods can reduce the number of writes by 58.46% on average, which means that the NVM can last 2.8 times as long as before. For Phase Change Memory (PCM), the lifetime is extended from 2.5 years to about 7 years on average and 15 years at the most. Also, the finish time of the tested programs is reduced by an average of 38.07%, and the energy consumption is reduced by an average of 51.23%.
Detection of harmful schizophrenic statements in esterel
Authors: Yun Jeong-Han , Kim Chul-Joo , Kim Seonggun , Choe Kwang-Moo , Han Taisook
Published: April 2013

In imperative synchronous languages, a statement is called schizophrenic if it is executed more than once in a single clock. When a schizophrenic statement is translated into a circuit, the circuit can behave abnormally because of the multiple executions. To solve the problems caused by schizophrenic statements, compilers duplicate the statements to avoid multiple executions. Esterel is an imperative synchronous language. Schizophrenic statements in Esterel are considered to occur due to the instantaneous reentrance of local signal declarations or parallel statements. However, if the corresponding circuit of a schizophrenic statement behaves normally, it is harmless and thus curing is not necessary. In this paper, we identify the conditions under which a schizophrenic statement of the Esterel program must be cured during circuit translation. We also propose an algorithm to detect schizophrenic statements that have to be cured on the control flow graphs (CFGs) of source codes. Our algorithm detects all schizophrenic statements that have to be cured and results in fewer false alarms on the benchmark programs used in the previous work. It is simple and based on the CFG of a program, implying that it can be merged into existing compilers easily.
Energy-efficient and high-performance software architecture for storage class memory
Authors: Baek Seungjae , Choi Jongmoo , Lee Donghee , Noh Sam H.
Published: April 2013

Recently, interest in incorporating Storage Class Memory (SCM), which blurs the distinction between memory and storage, into mainstream computing has been increasing rapidly. In this paper, we address the emerging questions regarding the use of SCM. Based on an embedded platform that employs FeRAM, a type of SCM, we present our findings. In summary, by introducing SCM, power efficiency improves while performance is degraded. We also show that such performance degradations may be removed with operating system level schemes that fully exploit the characteristics of SCM. Finally, we present permanent computing that supports lightweight system on/off capabilities by using SCM.
High-performance and low-energy buffer mapping method for multiprocessor DSP systems
Authors: Lee Dongwon , Wolf Marilyn , Bhattacharyya Shuvra S.
Published: April 2013

When implementing digital signal processing (DSP) applications onto multiprocessor systems, one significant problem in the viewpoints of performance is the memory wall. In this paper, to help alleviate the memory wall problem, we propose a novel, high-performance buffer mapping policy for SDF-represented DSP applications on bus-based multiprocessor systems that support the shared-memory programming model. The proposed policy exploits the bank concurrency of the DRAM main memory system according to the analysis of hierarchical parallelism. Energy consumption is also a critical parameter, especially in battery-based embedded computing systems. In this paper, we apply a synchronization back-off scheme on the top of the proposed high-performance buffer mapping policy to reduce energy consumption. The energy saving is attained by minimizing the number of non-essential synchronization transactions. We measure throughput and energy consumption on both synthetic and real benchmarks. The simulation results show that the proposed buffer mapping policy is very useful in terms of performance, especially in memory-intensive applications where the total execution time of computational tasks is relatively small compared to that of memory operations. In addition, the proposed synchronization back-off scheme provides a reduction in the number of synchronization transactions without degrading performance, which results in system energy saving.
Market-based resource allocation for distributed data processing in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Zimmerman Andrew T. , Lynch Jerome P. , Ferrese Frank T.
Published: April 2013

In recent years, improved wireless technologies have enabled the low-cost deployment of large numbers of sensors for a wide range of monitoring applications. Because of the computational resources (processing capability, storage capacity, etc.) collocated with each sensor in a wireless network, it is often possible to perform advanced data analysis tasks autonomously and in-network, eliminating the need for the post-processing of sensor data. With new parallel algorithms being developed for in-network computation, it has become necessary to create a framework in which all of a wireless network's scarce resources (CPU time, wireless bandwidth, storage capacity, battery power, etc.) can be best utilized in the midst of competing computational requirements. In this study, a market-based method is developed to autonomously distribute these scarce network resources across various computational tasks with competing objectives and/or resource demands. This method is experimentally validated on a network of wireless sensing prototypes, where it is shown to be capable of Pareto-optimally allocating scarce network resources. Then, it is applied to the real-world problem of rupture detection in shipboard chilled water systems.
Mohawk
Authors: Jayaraman Karthick , Tripunitara Mahesh , Ganesh Vijay , Rinard Martin , Chapin Steve
Published: April 2013

Verifying that access-control systems maintain desired security properties is recognized as an important problem in security. Enterprise access-control systems have grown to protect tens of thousands of resources, and there is a need for verification to scale commensurately. We present techniques for abstraction-refinement and bound-estimation for bounded model checkers to automatically find errors in Administrative Role-Based Access Control (ARBAC) security policies. ARBAC is the first and most comprehensive administrative scheme for Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) systems. In the abstraction-refinement portion of our approach, we identify and discard roles that are unlikely to be relevant to the verification question (the abstraction step). We then restore such abstracted roles incrementally (the refinement steps). In the bound-estimation portion of our approach, we lower the estimate of the diameter of the reachability graph from the worst-case by recognizing relationships between roles and state-change rules. Our techniques complement one another, and are used with conventional bounded model checking. Our approach is sound and complete: an error is found if and only if it exists. We have implemented our technique in an access-control policy analysis tool called
Mohawk
. We show empirically that
Mohawk
scales well to realistic policies, and provide a comparison with prior tools.
TLB Improvements for Chip Multiprocessors
Authors: Lustig Daniel , Bhattacharjee Abhishek , Martonosi Margaret
Published: April 2013

Translation Lookaside Buffers (TLBs) are critical to overall system performance. Much past research has addressed uniprocessor TLBs, lowering access times and miss rates. However, as Chip MultiProcessors (CMPs) become ubiquitous, TLB design and performance must be reevaluated. Our article begins by performing a thorough TLB performance evaluation of sequential and parallel benchmarks running on a real-world, modern CMP system using hardware performance counters. This analysis demonstrates the need for further improvement of TLB hit rates for both classes of application, and it also points out that the data TLB has a significantly higher miss rate than the instruction TLB in both cases.

In response to the characterization data, we propose and evaluate both Inter-Core Cooperative (ICC) TLB prefetchers and Shared Last-Level (SLL) TLBs as alternatives to the commercial norm of private, per-core L2 TLBs. ICC prefetchers eliminate 19% to 90% of Data TLB (D-TLB) misses across parallel workloads while requiring only modest changes in hardware. SLL TLBs eliminate 7% to 79% of D-TLB misses for parallel workloads and 35% to 95% of D-TLB misses for multiprogrammed sequential workloads. This corresponds to 27% and 21% increases in hit rates as compared to private, per-core L2 TLBs, respectively, and is achieved this using even more modest hardware requirements.

Because of their benefits for parallel applications, their applicability to sequential workloads, and their readily implementable hardware, SLL TLBs and ICC TLB prefetchers hold great promise for CMPs.