Dataflow Program Analysis and Refactoring Techniques for Design Space Exploration: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 Decoder Implementation Case Study

This paper presents a methodology to perform design space exploration of complex signal processing systems implemented using the CAL dataflow language. In the course of space exploration, critical path in dataflow programs is first presented, and then analyzed using a new strategy for computational load reduction. These techniques, together with detecting design bottlenecks, point to the most efficient optimization directions in a complex network. Following these analysis, several new refactoring techniques are introduced and applied on the dataflow program in order to obtain feasible design points in the exploration space. For a MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 decoder software and hardware implementation, the multi-dimensional space can be explored effectively for throughput, resource, and frequency, with real-time decoding range from QCIF to HD resolutions

Service Orientation and the Smart Grid state and trends

The energy market is undergoing major changes, the most notable of which is the transition from a hierarchical closed system toward a more open one highly based on a “smart” information-rich infrastructure. This transition calls for new information and communication technologies infrastructures and standards to support it. In this paper, we review the current state of affairs and the actual technologies with respect to such transition. Additionally, we highlight the contact points between the needs of the future grid and the advantages brought by service-oriented architectures.

Design space exploration strategies for FPGA implementation of signal processing systems using CAL dataflow program

This paper presents some strategies for design space exploration of FPGA-based signal processing systems that are specified using the CAL dataflow language. The actor- oriented, high-level of abstraction provided by CAL allows flexible exploration and consequently results in a wide range of feasible design implementations. We have applied and ex- tended the existing techniques for refactoring and pipelining actors and actions by means of critical path analysis, and in- troduced some new buffering techniques based on heuristics. The combinations of these techniques have been applied on the CAL specification of the MPEG-4 video decoder, and synthesized to HDL for evaluation in the design implementa- tion space. Results show that using our configuration for the exploration of 48 design points, a throughput range of roughly 8x has been achieved, for slice, block RAM, frequency, and latency range of 1.3x, 2.5x, 2.5x, and 2.9x respectively

The NAC domain-containing protein, GmNAC6, is a downstream component of the ER stress- and osmotic stress-induced NRP-mediated cell-death signaling pathway

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a major signaling organelle, which integrates a variety of responses against physiological stresses. In plants, one such stress-integrating response is the N-rich protein (NRP)-mediated cell death signaling pathway, which is synergistically activated by combined ER stress and osmotic stress signals. Despite the potential of this integrated signaling to protect plant cells against different stress conditions, mechanistic knowledge of the pathway is lacking, and downstream components have yet to be identified.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the present investigation, we discovered an NAC domain-containing protein from soybean, GmNAC6 (<it>Glycine max </it>NAC6), to be a downstream component of the integrated pathway. Similar to <it>NRP-A </it>and <it>NRP-B, GmNAC6 </it>is induced by ER stress and osmotic stress individually, but requires both signals for full activation. Transient expression of <it>GmNAC6 </it>promoted cell death and hypersensitive-like responses <it>in planta</it>. <it>GmNAC6 </it>and <it>NRPs </it>also share overlapping responses to biotic signals, but the induction of <it>NRPs </it>peaked before the increased accumulation of GmNAC6 transcripts. Consistent with the delayed kinetics of <it>GmNAC6 </it>induction, increased levels of <it>NRP-A </it>and <it>NRP-B </it>transcripts induced promoter activation and the expression of the <it>GmNAC6 </it>gene.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Collectively, our results biochemically link GmNAC6 to the ER stress- and osmotic stress-integrating cell death response and show that GmNAC6 may act downstream of the NRPs.</p

Adult diagnosis of Swyer-James-MacLeod syndrome: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Swyer-James-MacLeod syndrome or unilateral hyperlucent lung syndrome is a rare entity associated with postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans occurring in childhood. It is characterized by hypoplasia and/or agenesis of the pulmonary arteries resulting in pulmonary parenchyma hypoperfusion.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>Here we report the case of a 53-year-old Caucasian woman with Swyer-James-MacLeod syndrome found in the differential diagnosis workup for a new onset of heart failure, secondary to pulmonary arterial hypertension complicated by a patent ductus arteriosus.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Typically, this disorder is diagnosed in childhood after evaluation for recurrent respiratory infections, but sometimes an indolent course means diagnosis is not made until adulthood.</p

Comparative performance evaluation of hepatitis C virus genotyping based on the 5' untranslated region versus partial sequencing of the NS5B region of brazilian patients with chronic hepatitis C

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Genotyping of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has become an essential tool for prognosis and prediction of treatment duration. The aim of this study was to compare two HCV genotyping methods: reverse hybridization line probe assay (LiPA v.1) and partial sequencing of the NS5B region.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Plasma of 171 patients with chronic hepatitis C were screened using both a commercial method (LiPA HCV Versant, Siemens, Tarrytown, NY, USA) and different primers targeting the NS5B region for PCR amplification and sequencing analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Comparison of the HCV genotyping methods showed no difference in the classification at the genotype level. However, a total of 82/171 samples (47.9%) including misclassification, non-subtypable, discrepant and inconclusive results were not classified by LiPA at the subtype level but could be discriminated by NS5B sequencing. Of these samples, 34 samples of genotype 1a and 6 samples of genotype 1b were classified at the subtype level using sequencing of NS5B.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Sequence analysis of NS5B for genotyping HCV provides precise genotype and subtype identification and an accurate epidemiological representation of circulating viral strains.</p

TBA-like equations and Casimir effect in (non-)perturbative AdS/CFT

We consider high spin, $s$, long twist, $L$, planar operators (asymptotic Bethe Ansatz) of strong ${\cal N}=4$ SYM. Precisely, we compute the minimal anomalous dimensions for large 't Hooft coupling $\lambda$ to the lowest order of the (string) scaling variable $\ell \sim L/ (\ln \mathcal{S} \sqrt{\lambda})$ with GKP string size $\sim\ln \mathcal{S}\equiv 2 \ln (s/\sqrt{\lambda})$. At the leading order $(\ln \mathcal{S}) \cdot \ell ^2$, we can confirm the O(6) non-linear sigma model description for this bulk term, without boundary term $(\ln \mathcal{S})^0$. Going further, we derive, extending the O(6) regime, the exact effect of the size finiteness. In particular, we compute, at all loops, the first Casimir correction $\ell ^0/\ln \mathcal{S}$ (in terms of the infinite size O(6) NLSM), which reveals only one massless mode (out of five), as predictable once the O(6) description has been extended. Consequently, upon comparing with string theory expansion, at one loop our findings agree for large twist, while reveal for negligible twist, already at this order, the appearance of wrapping. At two loops, as well as for next loops and orders, we can produce predictions, which may guide future string computations.Comment: Version 2 with: new exact expression for the Casimir energy derived (beyond the first two loops of the previous version); UV theory formulated and analysed extensively in the Appendix C; origin of the O(6) NLSM scattering clarified; typos correct and references adde