τC: C with process network extensions for embedded manycores

Conference of 14th Annual International Conference on Computational Science, ICCS 2014 ; Conference Date: 10 June 2014 Through 12 June 2014; Conference Code:105783International audienceCurrent and future embedded manycore systems bring complex and heterogeneous architectures with a large number of processing cores, making both parallel programming at this scale and understanding the architecture itself a daunting task. Process Networks and other dataflow based Models of Computation (MoC) are a good base to present a universal model of the underlying manycore architectures to the programmer. If a language exposes a simple to grasp MoC in a consistent way across architectures, the programmer can concentrate the efforts on optimizing the expression of parallelism in the application instead of porting code to a given system. In this paper, we present a process network extension to C called τC and its mapping to both a POSIX target and the P2012/STHORM platform, and show how the language offers an architecture independent solution of this problem

Thermal manipulation during embryogenesis has long-term effects on muscle and liver metabolism in fast-growing chickens

Fast-growing chickens have a limited ability to tolerate high temperatures. Thermal manipulation during embryogenesis (TM) has previously been shown to lower chicken body temperature (Tb) at hatching and to improve thermotolerance until market age, possibly resulting from changes in metabolic regulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of TM (12 h/d, 39.5�C, 65% RH from d 7 to 16 of embryogenesis vs. 37.8�C, 56% RH continuously) and of a subsequent heat challenge (32�C for 5 h at 34 d) on the mRNA expression of metabolic genes and cell signaling in the Pectoralis major muscle and the liver. Gene expression was analyzed by RT-qPCR in 8 chickens per treatment, characterized by low Tb in the TM groups and high Tb in the control groups. Data were analyzed using the general linear model of SAS considering TM and heat challenge within TM as main effects. TM had significant long-term effects on thyroid hormone metabolism by decreasing the muscle mRNA expression of deiodinase DIO3. Under standard rearing conditions, the expression of several genes involved in the regulation of energy metabolism, such as transcription factor PGC-1?, was affected by TM in the muscle, whereas for other genes regulating mitochondrial function and muscle growth, TM seemed to mitigate the decrease induced by the heat challenge. TM increased DIO2 mRNA expression in the liver (only at 21�C) and reduced the citrate synthase activity involved in the Krebs cycle. The phosphorylation level of p38 Mitogen-activated-protein kinase regulating the cell stress response was higher in the muscle of TM groups compared to controls. In conclusion, markers of energy utilization and growth were either changed by TM in the Pectoralis major muscle and the liver by thermal manipulation during incubation as a possible long-term adaptation limiting energy metabolism, or mitigated during heat challenge

Automatic Application of Software Countermeasures Against Physical Attacks

International audienceWhile the number of embedded systems is continuously increasing, securing software against physical attacks is costly and error-prone. Several works proposed solutions that automatically insert protections against these attacks in order to reduce this cost and this risk of error. In this chapter, we present a survey of existing approaches and classify them by the level at which they apply the countermeasure. We consider three different levels: the source code level, the compilation level, and the assembly/binary level. We explain the advantages and disadvantages of each level considering different criteria. Finally, we encourage future works to take compilation into account when designing tools, to consider the problem of combining countermeasures, as well as the interactions between countermeasures and compiler optimisations. Going one step further, we encourage future works to imagine how compilation could be modified or redesigned to optimise both performance and security

Role of Tet1 and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in cocaine action

TET enzymes mediate the conversion of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), which is enriched in brain, and its ultimate demethylation. However, the influence of TET and 5hmC on gene transcription in brain remains elusive. We demonstrate that TET1 is downregulated in nucleus accumbens (NAc), a key brain reward structure, by repeated cocaine administration, which enhances behavioral responses to cocaine. We then identify 5hmC induction in both putative enhancers and coding regions of genes that have pivotal roles in drug addiction. Such induction of 5hmC, which is induced similarly upon TET1 knockdown alone, correlates with increased expression of these genes as well as with their alternative splicing in response to cocaine administration. Additionally, 5hmC alterations at certain loci persist for at least one month after cocaine exposure. Together, these findings reveal a novel epigenetic mechanism of cocaine action, and provide new insight into how 5hmC regulates transcription in brain in vivo