Quantitative Analysis on Attack Capacity in Meltdown-Type Attacks

Computer systems increasingly depend on exploiting program dynamic behavior to optimize performance, power and reliability. Prior studies have shown that program execution exhibits phase behavior in both performance and power domains. Reliabilityoriented program phase behavior, however, remains largely unexplored. As semiconductor transient faults (soft errors) emerge as a critical challenge to reliable system design, characterizing program phase behavior from a reliability perspective is crucial in order to apply dynamic fault-tolerant mechanisms and to optimize performance/reliability trade-offs. In this paper, we compute run-time program vulnerability to soft errors on four microarchitecture structures (i.e. instruction window, reorder buffer, function units and wakeup table) in a high-performance out-of-order execution superscalar processor. Experimental results on the SPEC2000 benchmarks show a considerable amount of time varying behavior in reliability measurements. Our study shows that a single performance metric, such as IPC, cache miss or branch misprediction, is not a good indicator for program vulnerability. The vulnerabilities of the studied microarchitecture structures are then correlated with program code-structure and run-time events to identify vulnerability phase behavior. We observed that both program code-structure and run-time events appear promising in classifying program reliability phase behavior. Overall, performance counter based schemes achieved an average Coefficient of Variation (COV) of 3.5%, 4.5%, 4.3% and 5.7% on the instruction queue, reorder buffer, function units and the wakeup table, while basic block vectors offer COVs of 4.9%, 5.8%, 5.4% and 6% on the four studied microarchitecture structures respectively. We found that in general, tracking performance metrics performs better than tracking control flow in identifying reliability phase behavior of applications. To our knowledge, this paper is the first to characterize program reliability phase behavior at the microarchitecture level.

Customized processor performance generally increases as additional custom instructions are added. However, performance is not the only metric that modern systems must take into account; die area and energy efficiency are equally important. Resource sharing during synthesis of instruction set extensions (ISEs) can significantly reduce the die area and energy consumption of a customized processor. This may increase the number of custom instructions that can be synthesized with a given area budget. Resource sharing involves combining the graph representations of two or more ISEs which contain a similar subgraph. This coupling of multiple subgraphs, if performed naively, can increase the latency of the extension instructions considerably, and yet, as we show in this paper, an appropriate level of resource sharing provides a significantly simpler design with modest increases in average latency for ISEs. Our main contributions are the introduction of a parametric method for exploring the tradeoffs that can be achieved between instruction latency and implementation complexity, and the coupling of design-space exploration with fast area-delay models for the operators comprising each ISE. We present experimental evidence that our heuristic exposes a broad range of design points, allowing advantageous tradeoffs between die area and latency to be found and exploited.

Bak is a prototypic pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family protein expressed in a wide variety of tissues and cells. Recent studies have revealed that Bcl-2 family proteins regulate apoptosis as well as autophagy. To investigate whether and how Bak exerts a regulatory role on autophagy-related events, we treated independent cell lines, including MN9D neuronal cells, with nigericin, a K(+)/H(+) ionophore. Treatment of MN9D cells with nigericin led to an increase of LC3-II and p62 levels with concomitant activation of caspase. Ultrastructural examination revealed accumulation of autophagic vacuoles and swollen vacuoles in nigericin-treated cells. We further found that the LC3-II accumulated as a consequence of impaired autophagic flux and the disrupted degradation of LC3-II in nigericin-treated cells. In this cell death paradigm, both transient and stable overexpression of various forms of Bak exerted a protective role, whereas it did not inhibit the extent of nigericin-mediated activation of caspase-3. Subsequent biochemical and electron microscopic studies revealed that overexpressed Bak maintained autophagic flux and reduced the area occupied by swollen vacuoles in nigericin-treated cells. Similar results were obtained in nigericin-treated non-neuronal cells and another proton ionophore-induced cell death paradigm. Taken together, our study indicates that a protective role for Bak during ionophore-induced cell death may be closely associated with its regulatory effect on maintenance of autophagic flux and vacuole homeostasis.

We propose an approach to quantify interference in a simple imperative language that includes a looping construct. In this paper we focus on a particular case of this definition of interference: leakage of information from private variables to public ones via a Trojan Horse attack. We quantify leakage in terms of Shannon’s information theory and we motivate our definition by proving a result relating this definition of leakage and the classical notion of programming language interference. The major contribution of the paper is a quantitative static analysis based on this definition for such a language. The analysis uses some non-trivial information theory results like Fano’s inequality and the [Formula: see text] inequality to provide reasonable bounds for conditional statements. While-loops are handled by integrating a qualitative flow-sensitive dependency analysis into the quantitative analysis.

Maturation of fetal alveolar type II epithelial cells in utero is characterized by specific changes to lung surfactant phospholipids. Here, we quantified the effects of hormonal differentiation in vitro on the molecular specificity of cellular and secreted phospholipids from human fetal type II epithelial cells using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Differentiation, assessed by morphology and changes in gene expression, was accompanied by restricted and specific modifications to cell phospholipids, principally enrichments of shorter chain species of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylinositol, that were not observed in fetal lung fibroblasts. Treatment of differentiated epithelial cells with secretagogues stimulated the secretion of functional surfactant-containing surfactant proteins B and C (SP-B and SP-C). Secreted material was further enriched in this same set of phospholipid species but was characterized by increased contents of short-chain monounsaturated and disaturated species other than dipalmitoyl PC (PC16:0/16:0), principally palmitoylmyristoyl PC (PC16:0/14:0) and palmitoylpalmitoleoyl PC (PC16:0/16:1). Mixtures of these PC molecular species, phosphatidylglycerol, and SP-B and SP-C were functionally active and rapidly generated low surface tension on compression in a pulsating bubble surfactometer. These results suggest that hormonally differentiated human fetal type II cells do not select the molecular composition of surfactant phospholipid on the basis of saturation but, more likely, on the basis of acyl chain length.

Regulation of Erythropoiesis by Histone Methyltransferase EZH2 Inhibitor 3-Deazaneplanocin A (DZNep)

Low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and high triglyceride levels contribute to the excess rate of cardiovascular events seen in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Fenofibrate treatment partially reverses dyslipidemia in these subjects. However, a paradoxical marked reduction in HDL-C and HDL's major protein, apolipoprotein A-I, is a complication of fenofibrate in combination with rosiglitazone, an insulin-sensitizing agent. Risk factors for this condition, termed hypoalphalipoproteinemia, have yet to be identified. Using a case-control study design with subjects enrolled in the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial, we tested the hypothesis that alterations in HDL's protein cargo predispose diabetic subjects to fenofibrate/rosiglitazone-induced hypoalphalipoproteinemia. HDL was isolated from blood obtained from controls (no decreases or increase in HDL-C while receiving fenofibrate/rosiglitazone therapy) and cases (developed hypoalphalipoproteinemia after fenofibrate/rosiglitazone treatment) participating in the ACCORD study before they began fenofibrate/rosiglitazone treatment. HDL proteins were quantified by targeted parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) and selected reaction monitoring (SRM) with isotope dilution. This approach demonstrated marked increases in the relative concentrations of paraoxonase/arylesterase 1 (PON1), apolipoprotein C-II (APOC2), apolipoprotein C-I, and apolipoprotein H in the HDL of subjects who developed hypoalphalipoproteinemia. The case and control subjects did not differ significantly in baseline HDL-C levels or other traditional lipid risk factors. We used orthogonal biochemical techniques to confirm increased levels of PON1 and APOC2. Our observations suggest that an imbalance in HDL proteins predisposes diabetic subjects to develop hypoalphalipoproteinemia on fenofibrate/rosiglitazone therapy.

Amyloid β and Tumorigenesis: Amyloid β-Induced Telomere Dysfunction in Tumor Cells

Phenomenological analysis was used to understand how rural low-income families accessed and used child-care resources to meet the needs of their families using data from Wave 1 of the Rural Families Speak Project. In the aftermath of welfare reform, results highlight the continuing need for policy aimed at building stronger supports for families with inadequate access to child care. Key Words: child care, low-income, phenomenology, policy, rural families, welfare reform. (Family Relations, 2004, 53, 201-209) The passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996, commonly known as welfare reform, changed how the government supports low-income families. This legislation changed 61 years of guaranteed benefits to eligible mothers and children, along with many services and programs for low-income families. The safety nets that once existed for these families have been removed and replaced with work-focused programs. In the aftermath of welfare reform, low-income families, perhaps more than ever before, must rely upon many sources within their environments in order to access the resources they need. With the implementation of welfare reform came many policy changes for those families receiving cash assistance and for families relying on other programs and services that changed, such as the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program for children, Food Stamps, child support enforcement, childcare systems, and child nutrition programs. Recent studies have analyzed the impacts of welfare reform by looking at program outcomes using quantitative analysis, econometric methods, and secondary analyses of administrative data to investigate caseload decline, employment status, employment and earnings, welfare spells (Bell, 2001; Loprest, 1999; Weber, Duncan, & Whitener, 2001), and economic well-being (Porterfield, 2001; Weber et al). Although these macro-level studies give insight to general patterns and trends, the family perspective is missing-that is, the voices of families affected by policies often are muted in statistical reports. Instead of allowing families to talk about the triumphs and tribulations of their lives within a changing policy environment, previous studies have offered a generalized picture of their experiences. We argue that to understand the everyday unique experiences of families, policy researchers must begin with the family's perspective. As a decade review of literature on family policy research highlighted, the family's perspective has been virtually ignored (Bogenschneider, 2000). Moreover, few studies have taken the needed qualitative approach to understand the experiences from the perspectives of low-income families, with a few exceptions. Stack (1970) began from the family perspective by describing the survival strategies of a Black community through an ethnographic lens. Edin and Lein (1997) investigated the lived experiences of 379 urban low-income single mothers in four urban cities across the United States to understand how they pieced together the resources needed to meet the needs of their families. Newman (1999) offered an ethnographic view of inner-city poverty by letting families talk about their struggles to survive within their communities. Seccombe (1999) interviewed 47 women from small- and medium-sized communities in Florida to see their perspectives on welfare reform. Monroe and Tiller (2001) described the work of welfare-reliant women and their experiences with participants in the labor force, the rural job market, their use of support networks, and the stigma of welfare. Although these studies provide insight into the everyday experiences of low-income families, missing are those from rural low-income families. Previous studies have focused on urban low-income families or combined all families together, so the impact of one's location as low income was ignored. Rural low-income families face unique challenges due to the variability in availability and affordability of resources to help them get what they need (Lewis, 2000). …

Recent studies have proven that focused ultrasound (FUS) in the presence of microbubbles can deliver large molecules across the blood‐brain barrier (BBB) locally, transiently and non‐invasively. In this study, the cellular effects, the size estimation of the opening and the amount delivered were inferred through qualitative and quantitative analysis of molecular delivery to the brain parenchyma in a murine model. The ultimate purpose was to build the foundation for future ultrasound‐facilitated neurodegenerative disease treatment in humans. A bolus of microbubbles at 1 μl/g body weight concentration was intravenously injected. Pulsed FUS was applied to the left hippocampus through the intact skin and skull followed by intravenously administration of fluorescence‐conjugated dextran at 3 kDa, 10 kDa and 70 kDa. The brain were either sectioned for fluorescence imaging or homogenized for quantitative analysis. The concentration of 3 kDa, 10 kDa and 70 kDa dextrans delivered to the left brain hemisphere was quantified to be 7.9±4.9 μg/g, 2.4±1.3 μg/g and 0.9±0.47 μg/g of brain weight. Smooth muscle cells engulfing the arterioles exhibited higher fluorescence in the case of 70 kDa dextran, compared to the 3 kDa dextran, demonstrating that fluorescence imaging can help with the understanding of the type of mechanism of molecular uptake by different brain cells.

Quantitative Assessment of cartilage using MRI and its relation to OA

Although recent studies have investigated the impacts of energy storage on various aspects of power system operation and planning, its role in imperfect electricity markets has not been explored yet. This paper provides for the first time theoretical and quantitative evidence of the beneficial impact of energy storage in limiting market power by generation companies. Quantitative analysis is supported by a bi-level optimization model of the imperfect electricity market setting, accounting for the time-coupling operational constraints of energy storage. This bi-level problem is solved after converting it to a Mathematical Program with Equilibrium Constraints (MPEC). Case studies are carried out on a test market with day-ahead horizon and hourly resolution.

Recent ultrafast methods make it possible to obtain two-dimensional (2D) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra in a fraction of a second. This paper presents the first evaluation of ultrafast 2D NMR for quantitative analysis. On the basis of optimized conditions presented in recent studies, two homonuclear ultrafast techniques, J-resolved spectroscopy and TOCSY, are evaluated on model mixtures in terms of repeatability, long time stability, and linearity. The results are compared to conventional 1D (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Repeatabilities better than 1% for ultrafast J-resolved spectra and better than 7% for TOCSY spectra are obtained. The long-term stability is better than 4% for J-resolved spectroscopy and between 2% and 11% for TOCSY. Moreover, both methods are characterized by excellent linearities. This new analytical method opens important perspectives for fast, precise, and accurate quantitative analysis of complex mixtures and for the quantitative study of short time scale phenomena.

To evaluate the efficacy of noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) on pain control in migraine patients. Recent studies have used NIBS as an abortive and prophylactic treatment for migraine; however, its efficacy regarding meaningful clinical effects remains to be critically analyzed. Systematic review of controlled clinical trials. Searches were conducted in six databases: MEDLINE (via PubMed), LILACS (via BIREME), CINAHL (via EBSCO), Scopus (via EBSCO), Web of Science, and CENTRAL. Two independent authors searched for randomized controlled clinical trials published through until January 2016 that involved the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in migraineurs. Studies which met the eligibility criteria were assessed and methodological quality was examined using the Cochrane tool for assessing risk of bias. Information about pain intensity (primary outcome), migraine attacks, painkiller intake, and adverse effects were extracted. Eight studies were included in the quantitative analysis with 153 migraine patients that received NIBS and 143 sham NIBS. In overall meta-analysis, we did not find significant results for pain intensity (SMD: -0.61; CI: -1.35 to 0.13; P = .11), for migraine attacks (SMD: -0.44; 95%; CI: -1.15 to 0.26; P = .22), and for painkiller intake (SMD: -0.57; 95% CI: -1.21 to 0.07; P = .08). However, subgroup analysis considering only tDCS effects have demonstrated a decrease for pain intensity (SMD: -0.91; 95% CI: -1.79 to -0.03; P = .04), migraine attacks (SMD: -0.75; 95% CI: -1.25 to -0.24; P = .004), and painkiller intake (SMD: -0.64; 95% CI: -1.21 to -0.07; P = .03). Subgroup analysis for TMS did not reveal significant effects for any outcome. Low or very low quality of evidence suggests that our primary outcome evaluation failed to find support for the superiority of NIBS over sham treatment. Although, subgroup analysis reveals that tDCS have moderate to high effects and could be a promising nonpharmacological alternative to pain control, mainly for painkiller intake reduction. However, there is a need for larger controlled trials with methodological rigor, which could increase the power of result inference.

Flow cytometers are invaluable tools that can quantitatively analyze and separate cells with respect to a cell’s biophysical and biochemical properties. Conventional cytometers collect these physical and chemical properties in the forms of inelastic light scatter and fluorescence. Specialized cytometers came to fruition after several advancements; smaller, more efficient photodetectors, tunable laser diodes, and the advent of microfluidics. Our work focuses on the latter topic. Microfluidic-based flow cytometry is robust in single cell and single molecule detection. Recent studies have leveraged significant quantitative analysis from multiplexing in phenotyping experiments, rare events in highcontent screening assays and sorting. Multiplexing requires multiple color channels to capture and resolve the presented spectral data. Color compensation is needed to resolve emission spectra overlap and becomes difficult when 10+ colors are used. Rare event detection requires large volumes of sample to the effect of 109 cells and greater. The task becomes time and resource consuming because conventional flow is limited by linear flow velocities (50,000 events/second) and requires extensive amounts of sheath fluid. Lastly, collecting these events by conventional flow requires careful separation by means of fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS). Most cell sorters are capable of high yields but use piezoelectric transducers that are not as biocompatible as once thought. Herein we present a time-resolved acoustofluidic flow cytometer that can theoretically surpass the linear velocity constraint, use acoustic focus to elevate biocompatibility and reduce resource consumption and eliminate the need for multiple color channels.