Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimal Relay Selection for Physical-Layer Security in Cooperative Wireless Networks

In this paper, we explore the physical-layer security in cooperative wireless networks with multiple relays where both amplify-and-forward (AF) and decode-and-forward (DF) protocols are considered. We propose the AF and DF based optimal relay selection (i.e., AFbORS and DFbORS) schemes to improve the wireless security against eavesdropping attack. For the purpose of comparison, we examine the traditional AFbORS and DFbORS schemes, denoted by T-AFbORS and T-DFbORS, respectively. We also investigate a so-called multiple relay combining (MRC) framework and present the traditional AF and DF based MRC schemes, called T-AFbMRC and T-DFbMRC, where multiple relays participate in forwarding the source signal to destination which then combines its received signals from the multiple relays. We derive closed-form intercept probability expressions of the proposed AFbORS and DFbORS (i.e., P-AFbORS and P-DFbORS) as well as the T-AFbORS, T-DFbORS, T-AFbMRC and T-DFbMRC schemes in the presence of eavesdropping attack. We further conduct an asymptotic intercept probability analysis to evaluate the diversity order performance of relay selection schemes and show that no matter which relaying protocol is considered (i.e., AF and DF), the traditional and proposed optimal relay selection approaches both achieve the diversity order M where M represents the number of relays. In addition, numerical results show that for both AF and DF protocols, the intercept probability performance of proposed optimal relay selection is strictly better than that of the traditional relay selection and multiple relay combining methods.
Size Anomalies in US Bank Stock Returns: Your Tax Dollars at Work?

Over the last four decades, the average Gaussian-risk-adjusted return on a stock portfolio that goes long in the largest banks and short in the smallest banks is minus 7 %. Moreover, this portfolio provides US investors with insurance against recessions, even though the cash flows of large banks seem more exposed to macroeconomic risk. Using the rare events model of ? , we interpret the 7% as a disaster risk premium. Recessions are periods with a high probability of a disaster. In a calibrated version of the model, we estimate an implicit recovery rate in disaster states that is 44 percentage points higher for the largest banks than for the smallest banks. If these large differences in the implied recovery rates indeed reflect the market’s expectations of the government’s asymmetric actions during a disaster, then the disaster risk discount for large banks represents a large hidden subsidy to large banks and a tax on small
Politics of a garbage crisis: social networks, narratives, and frames of Lebanon’s 2015 protests and their aftermath

ABSTRACT Lebanon’s century-old sectarian framework maintains a system of governance through networks of clientelism and a commitment to fostering co-existence through the patronage of political leaders. Lebanon’s dire socio-economic conditions, coupled with long periods of deadlock, renders formal opposition almost impossible. However, looking at activism through the lens of social networks paints a different picture of how movements, both in times of mobilization and in during periods of abeyance, can create narratives and fames that sustain a loosely organized informal political opposition both on the streets and in the ballot box. This article focuses on the protest movements that arose in Lebanon in 2015 as a reaction to a mounting garbage crisis known as the hirak (the movement). The hirak is analyzed here as having passed through three stages of mobilization: (1) mobilization during the protests of summer 2015, (2) abeyance following September 2015, and (3) its remobilization during the 2016 municipal elections. Analysis of the second phase will provide evidence of how social networks allowed the movement’s framing to survive by creating narratives in abeyance when activists could deliberate and re-strategize. The article contributes to the study of social movements in abeyance as well as to the study of Arab countries that did not experience mass uprisings. By focusing on frames in abeyance, the Lebanese case helps expand the theoretical and practical framework of how narratives substantiate frames and help connect the dots between various episodes of mobilization.
The Influence of Perceived Corporate Sustainability Practices on Employees and Organizational Performance

Most previous studies on corporate sustainability (corporate social responsibility) practices tend to focus on external stakeholders and outcomes. However, the influence of CSR practices on employees remains largely unexplored. In this study, we examine the influence of CSR practices on employees’ attitudes and behaviors. We investigate the mediation effect of employees’ attitudes and behaviors on the relationship between CSR practices and organizational performance. The empirical results indicate that employees’ perceptions of CSR practices have a positive impact on their organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior. The organizational citizenship behavior partially mediates the relationship between CSR practices and organizational performance, whereas organizational commitment indirectly mediates the relationship only through organizational citizenship behavior. This study also raises some important implications based on the empirical results.
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Working Paper Series When Bonds Matter: Home Bias in Goods and Assets

Recent models of international equity portfolios exhibit two potential weaknesses: 1) the structure of equilibrium equity portfolios is determined by the correlation of equity returns with real exchange rates; yet empirically equities don't appear to be a good hedge against real exchange rate risk; 2) Equity portfolios are highly sensitive to preference parameters. This paper solves both problems. It first shows that in more general and realistic environments, the hedging of real exchange rate risks occurs through international bond holdings since relative bond returns are strongly correlated with real exchange rate fluctuations. Equilibrium equity positions are then optimally determined by the correlation of equity returns with the return on non-financial wealth, conditional on the bond returns. The model delivers equilibrium portfolios that are well-behaved as a function of the underlying preference parameters. We find reasonable empirical support for the theory for G-7 countries. We are able to explain short positions in domestic currency bonds for all G-7 countries, as well as significant levels of home equity bias for the US, Japan and Canada.
Between quality and control: what can we learn from higher education quality assurance policy in the Netherlands

ABSTRACT Among pioneering European countries who started to establish a formal higher education quality assurance system in the 1980s, the Netherlands adopted one based on peer review and quality enhancement, which was replaced in 2003 by an accountability-oriented accreditation system under the substantial influence of the Bologna Process. Recently, the emphasis is being put on institutional audit to restore a culture of quality within higher education institutions. This article addresses the question of what the higher education worldwide can learn from the evolution of Dutch quality assurance policy concerning control, the balance between accountability and quality improvement and trust. Finally, recent adaptations to the current, third, round of accreditation are also addressed in this context.
Better Algorithms for Benign Bandits

The online multi-armed bandit problem and its generalizations are repeated decision making problems, where the goal is to select one of several possible decisions in every round, and incur a cost associated with the decision, in such a way that the total cost incurred over all iterations is close to the cost of the best fixed decision in hindsight. The difference in these costs is known as the regret of the algorithm. The term bandit refers to the setting where one only obtains the cost of the decision used in a given iteration and no other information. Perhaps the most general form of this problem is the non-stochastic bandit linear optimization problem, where the set of decisions is a convex set in some Euclidean space, and the cost functions are linear. Only recently an efficient algorithm attaining O (√T) regret was discovered in this setting. In this paper we propose a new algorithm for the bandit linear optimization problem which obtains a regret bound of O (√Q), where Q is the total variation in the cost functions. This regret bound, previously conjectured to hold in the full information case, shows that it is possible to incur much less regret in a slowly changing environment even in the bandit setting. Our algorithm is efficient and applies several new ideas to bandit optimization such as reservoir sampling.
The golden circle: A case study of organizational change at the London Ambulance Service

This paper analyzes the way in which the London Ambulance Service (LAS) recovered from the events of October 1992, when it implemented a computer aided despatch system (LASCAD) that remained in service for less than two weeks. It examines the enactment of a programme of long-term organizational change, focusing on the implementation of an alternative computer system in 1996. A contextualist approach, informed by the sociology of translation, is adopted for the analysis. The paper examines how alternative interests emerged and were stabilized over time through the use of discourse and power within and outside the organization. A key element in the process was the Golden Circle, a method of association used to engage key actors in a change intervention, while isolating them from external influences that might see things otherwise. The story traces four years in the history of the LAS from the aftermath of October 1992, through the birth of the Golden Circle to the achievement of National Health Service (NHS) trust status. LASCAD was the beginning of the story, this is the middle, an end lies in the future, when the remaining elements of the change programme are enacted beyond the Golden Circle.
Minimum Spanning Trees and Active Contours for Identification of the Pectoral Muscle in Screening Mammograms

Image segmentation based on minimum spanning trees (MST) is used to identify the pectoral muscle in screening mammograms. The segmentation found using the MST is used to initialise an active contour for finding an anatomically reasonable estimate of the boundary of the pectoral muscle. The error is reported in terms of the number of in-correctly assigned pixels. Out of 83 images, 25 images have error rates less than 5 percent and 56 images have error rates less than 10 percent. The nature of the errors encountered indicates that the accuracy of computer algorithms for this task is approaching its practical limit.
Information transfer between respiration and heart rate during sleep apnea

It is well-known that sleep apnea affects the respiration and the heart rate (HR), and studies have shown that the cardiorespiratory coupling is also compromised during obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Furthermore, the classification of hypopneas is challenging, in particular when only ECG-derived features are used. In this context, this study investigates how different ECG-derived respiratory (EDR) signals resemble the respiratory effort during different types of apneas, and how the amount of information transferred from respiration to HR varies according to the respiratory signal used, real or ECG-derived. ECG and respiratory signals of 10 patients suffering from sleep apnea were analysed, and three different EDR algorithms were used to estimate the respiratory effort. The information transfer was quantified using information dynamics on HR and both the real and estimated respiratory signals. Results suggest that the information transfer is reduced during all types of apneas/hypopneas, and they indicate that the EDR might not capture all variations in cardiorespiratory dynamics during hypopneas. As a result, the information transfer computed using the real respiratory signal achieve accuracies of up to 85% in the detection of sleep apnea with 76% of hypopneas correctly detected, compared to 79% achieved using the EDR with only 63% of correctly identified hypopneas.
Comparing Corporate Cultural Profiles Using the Cultural Dimensions of Hofstede

A functioning corporate culture is vital for economic success and a fundamental characteristic of every enterprise. The objective of the present paper is to analyze and compare the cultural profiles of the Mexican footwear manufacturing company Vogatti and the Mexican, but German-based, automotive supplier Novem Car Interior Design using the model of the cultural dimensions of Geert Hofstede. Hofstede describes general and organizational culture by using the following 6 cultural dimensions: power distance, individualism - collectivism, masculinity - femininity, uncertainty avoidance, long term - short term orientation and indulgence - restraint. The present paper is based on a collective case study approach and uses a Likert scale questionnaire. Generally, the two enterprises show remarkably different corporate cultural profiles in comparison to the original results of the Hofstede study for the Mexican society. Moreover, significant differences, due to different corporate characteristics, can be identified within the comparison of the two enterprises.
The Role of Integrative Motivation in the Acquisition of American English Slang by Saudi Female Undergraduate English Majors

The acquisition of slang is crucial for English language learners (ELLs) who aim to achieve a native-like fluency. Not only are such learners motivated by these ambitions, but some of them also wish to integrate socially into the English language cultural community. This paper set out to examine the acquisition of American English slang by Saudi female undergraduate English majors in a foreign language (FL) context. The study aimed specifically to examine the relationship between their receptive and productive knowledge of American English slang and their university level and integrative motivation. In order to achieve these objectives, a total of 93 Saudi female undergraduate English majors at Prince Sultan University (PSU) in Riyadh participated in the study. The students were given a test of American English slang and a questionnaire measuring their integrative motivation. The test results demonstrated that their knowledge of American English slang was moderately limited. The results also revealed that their receptive knowledge of American English slang was better than their productive knowledge. The results of the questionnaire showed that the students’ integrative motivation level was moderately high. Moreover, no effect of university level on the students' knowledge of American English slang was found. With regard to integrative motivation, no correlation was found between the students’ overall integrative motivation and their knowledge of American English slang. In light of these results, implications and recommendations for further research are presented. Cite as: Alshawi, N. A. (2012). The Role of Integrative Motivation in the Acquisition of American English Slang by Saudi Female Undergraduate English Majors. Al-Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Department of English, College of Languages and Translation (Master’s Thesis). Retrieved from (Arab World English Journal Database. (ID Number: 209, June 2018). DOI: https://dx.doi. org/10.24093/awej/th.209
Foliar application of microbial and plant based biostimulants increases growth and potassium uptake in almond (Prunus dulcis [Mill.] D. A. Webb)

The use of biostimulants has become a common practice in agriculture. However, there is little peer-reviewed research on this topic. In this study we tested, under controlled and replicated conditions, the effect of one biostimulant derived from seaweed extraction (Bio-1) and another biostimulant derived from microbial fermentation (Bio-2). This experiment utilized 2-years-old almond plants over two growing seasons in a randomized complete design with a full 2 × 4 factorial structure with two soil potassium treatments (125 μg g-1 of K vs. 5 μg g-1) and four foliar treatments (No spray, Foliar-K, Bio-1, Bio-2). Rubidium was utilized as a surrogate for short-term potassium uptake and plant growth, nutrient concentration, and final plant biomass were evaluated. There was a substantial positive effect of both biostimulant treatments on total shoot leaf area, and significant increases in shoot length and biomass under adequate soil potassium supply with a positive effect of Bio-1 only under low K supply. Rubidium uptake was increased by Bio-1 application an effect that was greater under the low soil K treatment. Though significant beneficial effects of the biostimulants used on plant growth were observed, it is not possible to determine the mode of action of these materials. The results presented here illustrate the promise and complexity of research involving biostimulants.
Taking measure of the Andromeda halo: A Kinematic analysis of the giant stream surrounding M31

We present a spectroscopic survey of the giant stellar stream found in the halo of the Andromeda galaxy. Taken with the DEIMOS multi-object spectrograph on the Keck2 telescope, these data display a narrow velocity dispersion of 11 ± 3k m s −1 , with a steady radial velocity gradient of 245 km s −1 over the 125-kpc radial extent of the stream studied so far. This implies that the Andromeda galaxy possesses a substantial dark matter halo. We fit the orbit of the stream in different galaxy potential models. In a simple model with a composite bulge, disc and halo, where the halo follows a universal profile that is compressed by the formation of the baryonic components, we find that the kinematics of the stream require a total mass inside 125 kpc of M 125 = 7.5 +2.5
Runtime countermeasures for code injection attacks against C and C++ programs

The lack of memory safety in C/C++ often leads to vulnerabilities. Code injection attacks exploit these vulnerabilities to gain control over the execution flow of applications. These attacks have played a key role in many major security incidents. Consequently, a huge body of research on countermeasures exists. We provide a comprehensive and structured survey of vulnerabilities and countermeasures that operate at runtime. These countermeasures make different trade-offs in terms of performance, effectivity, compatibility, etc., making it hard to evaluate and compare countermeasures in a given context. We define a classification and evaluation framework on the basis of which countermeasures can be assessed.
Wellness, Exposure to Trauma, and Vicarious Traumatization: A Pilot Study

Due to the increasing number of clients seeking counseling who have experienced trauma, counselors are at a greater risk for developing vicarious traumatization and becoming impaired. Wellness has been described as helpful in managing the effects of working with clients who have experienced trauma and in mitigating impairment. The current pilot study examined how exposure to client trauma experiences impacted counselors' (N = 68) wellness and how exposure to client trauma along with wellness influenced vicarious traumatization. Participants had an average of 12.9 years of experience and a caseload on which most clients reported a trauma history. The expectation that greater exposure to client trauma would influence wellness was not met. However, results indicated that counselors with higher levels of wellness along with exposure to client trauma exhibited significantly lower levels of vicarious traumatization. The pilot study builds awareness of vicarious traumatization and highlights the importance of we.
Somatic Spikes Regulate Dendritic Signaling in Small Neurons in the Absence of Backpropagating Action Potentials

Somatic spiking is known to regulate dendritic signaling and associative synaptic plasticity in many types of large neurons, but it is unclear whether somatic action potentials play similar roles in small neurons. Here we ask whether somatic action potentials can also influence dendritic signaling in an electrically compact neuron, the cerebellar stellate cell (SC). Experiments were conducted in rat brain slices using a combination of imaging and electrophysiology. We find that somatic action potentials elevate dendritic calcium levels in SCs. There was little attenuation of calcium signals with distance from the soma in SCs from postnatal day 17 (P17)–P19 rats, which had dendrites that averaged 60 μm in length, and in short SC dendrites from P30–P33 rats. Somatic action potentials evoke dendritic calcium increases that are not affected by blocking dendritic sodium channels. This indicates that dendritic signals in SCs do not rely on dendritic sodium channels, which differs from many types of large neurons, in which dendritic sodium channels and backpropagating action potentials allow somatic spikes to control dendritic calcium signaling. Despite the lack of active backpropagating action potentials, we find that trains of somatic action potentials elevate dendritic calcium sufficiently to release endocannabinoids and retrogradely suppress parallel fiber to SC synapses in P17–P19 rats. Prolonged SC firing at physiologically realistic frequencies produces retrograde suppression when combined with low-level group I metabotropic glutamate receptor activation. Somatic spiking also interacts with synaptic stimulation to promote associative plasticity. These findings indicate that in small neurons the passive spread of potential within dendrites can allow somatic spiking to regulate dendritic calcium signaling and synaptic plasticity.
Threshold Choice Methods: the Missing Link

Many performance metrics have been introduced in the literature for the evaluation of classification performance, each of them with different origins and areas of application. These metrics include accuracy, macro-accuracy, area under the ROC curve or the ROC convex hull, the mean absolute error and the Brier score or mean squared error (with its decomposition into refinement and calibration). One way of understanding the relation among these metrics is by means of variable operating conditions (in the form of misclassification costs and/or class distributions). Thus, a metric may correspond to some expected loss over different operating conditions. One dimension for the analysis has been the distribution for this range of operating conditions, leading to some important connections in the area of proper scoring rules. We demonstrate in this paper that there is an equally important dimension which has so far not received attention in the analysis of performance metrics. This new dimension is given by the decision rule, which is typically implemented as a threshold choice method when using scoring models. In this paper, we explore many old and new threshold choice methods: fixed, score-uniform, score-driven, ratedriven and optimal, among others. By calculating the expected loss obtained with these threshold choice methods for a uniform range of operating conditions we give clear interpretations of the 0-1 loss, the absolute error, the Brier score, the AUC and the refinement loss respectively. Our analysis provides a comprehensive view of performance metrics as well as a systematic approach to loss minimisation which can be summarised as follows: given a model, apply the threshold choice methods that correspond with the available information about the operating condition, and compare their expected losses. In order to assist in this procedure we also derive several connections between the aforementioned performance metrics, and we highlight the role of calibration in choosing the threshold choice method.