Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Automated detection of persistent kernel control-flow attacks

This paper presents a new approach to dynamically monitoring operating system kernel integrity, based on a property called state-based control-flow integrity (SBCFI). Violations of SBCFI signal a persistent, unexpected modification of the kernel's control-flow graph. We performed a thorough analysis of 25 Linux rootkits and found that 24 (96%) employ persistent control-flow modifications; an informal study of Windows rootkits yielded similar results. We have implemented SBCFI enforcement as part of the Xen and VMware virtual machine monitors. Our implementation detected all the control-flow modifying rootkits we could install, while imposing unnoticeable overhead for both a typical web server workload and CPU-intensive workloads when operating at 10 second intervals.
Evaluating the Open Source Data Containers for Handling Big Geospatial Raster Data

Big geospatial raster data pose a grand challenge to data management technologies for effective big data query and processing. To address these challenges, various big data container solutions have been developed or enhanced to facilitate data storage, retrieval, and analysis. Data containers were also developed or enhanced to handle geospatial data. For example, Rasdaman was developed to handle raster data and GeoSpark/SpatialHadoop were enhanced from Spark/Hadoop to handle vector data. However, there are few studies to systematically compare and evaluate the features and performances of these popular data containers. This paper provides a comprehensive evaluation of six popular data containers (i.e., Rasdaman, SciDB, Spark, ClimateSpark, Hive, and MongoDB) for handling multi-dimensional, array-based geospatial raster datasets. Their architectures, technologies, capabilities, and performance are compared and evaluated from two perspectives: (a) system design and architecture (distributed architecture, logical data model, physical data model, and data operations); and (b) practical use experience and performance (data preprocessing, data uploading, query speed, and resource consumption). Four major conclusions are offered: (1) no data containers, except ClimateSpark, have good support for the HDF data format used in this paper, requiring time- and resource-consuming data preprocessing to load data; (2) SciDB, Rasdaman, and MongoDB handle small/mediate volumes of data query well, whereas Spark and ClimateSpark can handle large volumes of data with stable resource consumption; (3) SciDB and Rasdaman provide mature array-based data operation and analytical functions, while the others lack these functions for users; and (4) SciDB, Spark, and Hive have better support of user defined functions (UDFs) to extend the system capability.
Is Eye Tracking the Next Step in Usability Testing?

In usability testing, eye tracking has been used to gain insight into human behavior that may not be available through observation or think-aloud protocols. HCI researchers have suggested that the eye movement measures of fixation duration and fixation frequency are related to cognitive processing ease/difficulty and search efficiency/inefficiency. This study investigates whether the connection between these eye movement measures and their respective cognitive activities can be confirmed through user self-reported data. The findings show that fixation duration and fixation frequencies are interdependent measures. Analysis of the self-reported data indicates that although users' responses are limited in what they reveal about cognitive processes, the responses generally confirm the eye movement measures
Topic extraction from news archive using TF*PDF algorithm

Since the Web became widespread, the amount of electronically available information online, especially news archives, has proliferated and threatens to become overwhelming. We propose an information system that will extract main topics in a news archive on a weekly basis. By obtaining a weekly report, a user can know what the main news events were in the past week.
A Laboratory Study of Subjective Response to Sonic Booms Measured at White Sands Missile Range

The Sonic Boom Simulator of the Langley Research Center was used to quantify subjective loudness response to boom signatures consisting of: (a) simulator reproductions of booms recently recorded at White Sands Missile Range; (b) idealized N-waves; and (c) idealized booms having intermediate shocks. The booms with intermediate shocks represented signatures derived from CFD predictions. The recorded booms represented those generated by F15 and T38 aircraft flyovers and represented a variety of waveforms reflecting the effects of propagation through a turbulent atmosphere. These waveforms included the following shape categories: N-waves, peaked, rounded, and U-shaped. Results showed that Perceived Level and Zwicker Loudness Level were good estimators of the loudness of turbulence modified sonic booms. No significant differences were observed between loudness responses for the several shape categories when expressed in terms of Perceived Level. Thus Perceived Level effectively accounted for waveform differences due to turbulence. Idealized booms with intermediate shocks, however, were rated as being approximately 2.7 dB(PL) less loud than the recorded signatures. This difference was not accounted for by PL.
AOP-Based J2EE Source Code Protection

Encryption has become the mainstream to protect Java source code. However, there are defects, one of which is it cannot protect J2EE applications efficiently. This paper firstly analyses the problems encountered when applying this technology to protect J2EE applications, then resolves these problems using AOP technology, and thereby enlarges the range of encryption to protect Java source code.
The impact of varieties of shame on disordered eating: Exploring the influence of emotion regulation and self-compassion

ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . iv DEDICATION . v LIST OF TABLES . ix LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS . xi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS . xii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION . 1 Shame and the Self-Conscious Emotions . 5 Shame in the Development, Maintenance, and Relapse of Disordered Eating . 7 General and Specific Forms of Shame in Disordered Eating . 10 Internalized and Externalized Shame and Disordered Eating . 12 Bodily Shame and Disordered Eating . 13 Explaining the Relation between Shame and Disordered Eating . 17 Emotion Regulation . 17 Self-Compassion . 20 The Current Study . 25 CHAPTER II METHODS . 28 Participants . 28 Measures . 29 vii Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire 6.0 . 29 Self-Compassion Scale . 31 Other as Shamer Scale . 32 Internalized Bodily Shame Scale . 32 Externalized Bodily Shame Scale . 33 Eating-Related Shame Adaptation to the Experience of Shame Scale . 33 Depression Anxiety Stress Scales . 34 Harder Personal Feelings Questionnaire, 2 Edition . 34 Demographic Form . 34 Procedure . 35 Statistical Plan . 36 CHAPTER III RESULTS . 39 Exploratory and Preliminary Analyses . 39 Differences between Participants with Current, Historical, and No Treatment . 41 Main Analyses . 42 Restricting Severity . 42 Binge Eating Severity . 45 Purging/Compensatory Behaviors Severity . 52 Binge Eating and Purging Severity . 59 Shame and Self-Compassion Inductions . 64 viii Internalized Shame. 64 Externalized Shame. 65 Eating-Related Shame. 66 Internalized Body Shame. 67 Externalized Body Shame. 68 CHAPTER IV – DISCUSSION. 70 Implications for Treatment . 75 Limitations and Future Directions . 76 APPENDIX A – IRB APPROVAL LETTER . 78 REFERENCES . 79
Ethephon As a Potential Abscission Agent for Table Grapes: Effects on Pre-Harvest Abscission, Fruit Quality, and Residue

Some plant growth regulators, including ethephon, can stimulate abscission of mature grape berries. The stimulation of grape berry abscission reduces fruit detachment force (FDF) and promotes the development of a dry stem scar, both of which could facilitate the production of high quality stemless fresh-cut table grapes. The objective of this research was to determine how two potential abscission treatments, 1445 and 2890 mg/L ethephon, affected FDF, pre-harvest abscission, fruit quality, and ethephon residue of Thompson Seedless and Crimson Seedless grapes. Both ethephon treatments strongly induced abscission of Thompson Seedless berries causing >90% pre-harvest abscission. Lower ethephon rates, a shorter post-harvest interval, or berry retention systems such as nets, would be needed to prevent excessive pre-harvest losses. The treatments also slightly affected Thompson Seedless berry skin color, with treated fruit being darker, less uniform in color, and with a more yellow hue than non-treated fruit. Ethephon residues on Thompson Seedless grapes treated with the lower concentration of ethephon were below legal limits at harvest. Ethephon treatments also promoted abscission of Crimson Seedless berries, but pre-harvest abscission was much lower (≅49%) in Crimson Seedless compared to Thompson Seedless. Treated fruits were slightly darker than non-treated fruits, but ethephon did not affect SSC, acidity, or firmness of Crimson Seedless, and ethephon residues were below legal limits.
Motion data alignment for real-time guidance in avatar based physical therapy training system

In this paper, we propose an Avatar based Virtual Reality user training system that efficiently trains users in performing a variety of activities using a pre-recorded avatar. To evaluate and monitor the user's adherence to the avatar's instructions, the system compares the user's motion data against the avatar's motion data, with the latter established as the ground truth dataset. Unfortunately, human reaction delay may cause the motion sequences between the user and the avatar to be misaligned. Consequently, to enable accurate comparison, we analyze four signal processing time delay estimation methods-an existing method and three proposed methods-to align the motion sequences between the user and pre-recorded avatar, allowing the correct frames to be compared. Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed methods perform better data alignment than the existing method and the fourth method, which employs a novel spatial-temporal segmentation algorithm, has the highest potential to be the optimal delay estimation approach. Further, to provide real-time guidance to the user, we determine a unique tolerance threshold for each activity such that a user accuracy value below the threshold value prompts real-time guidance to correct the user and an accuracy value above the threshold is tolerated. We perform an experiment with the assistance of a physical trainer and use the experimental data to design a histogram-based method using Bayesian decision theory to determine the threshold values.
The Economics of the Kyoto Protocol

This paper surveys economic aspects of the Kyoto Protocol, the Treaty adopted to control emissions of the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. The first part focuses upon the structural aspects of the agreement, with particular attention to the long-term conception of the Treaty and its use of market-oriented instruments unprecedented in an international treaty of this scope. The second part then examines the actual commitments adopted for the first period, and the impact of US withdrawal upon the economics of these commitments as mediated through the â€˜flexible mechanismsâ€™. It is noted that the emerging behaviour of states under Kyoto is very different from that assumed in economic modeling studiesâ€”countries are focusing first upon domestic action and will resort to the mechanisms mainly as a fallback option to secure compliance, not as a route to minimizing costs irrespective of other considerations. This may have important implications for understanding the practical economics of designing international market mechanisms, and for the next steps that might be considered under Kyoto.
Becoming and developing: Personal growth in the wake of parenthood and grandparenthood.

Being A’s mother is not just being a mother. It is being a mother who gave birth to a 700-gram infant in the 24 th week of her pregnancy, and from that moment on, motherhood and love have been closely tied to concerns with life and death. Motherhood with A is different from motherhood with my two girls. I'm excited by every bit of progress he makes, and I never forget even for a single moment the trials we went through in the NICU. I weep with emotion when I remember holding him when he weighed less than 1 kg, and how I taught him to nurse when other babies born in the 24 th week couldn’t do it yet. Above all, my experience of motherhood includes feeling grateful to God for our miracle, day by day amazement at this child who is developing well. Though there are still some milestones he has not yet reached, for me he is "the king of the world". Being A’s mother, each and every day he teaches me the meaning of patience, and that no other experience is as deep as motherhood. Whenever I look at him I have a sense of exaltation and pure joy that I have been granted this gift. -Mother of a 2-year-old boy
D-Cloud: Design of a Software Testing Environment for Reliable Distributed Systems Using Cloud Computing Technology

In this paper, we propose a software testing environment, called D-Cloud, using cloud computing technology and virtual machines with fault injection facility. Nevertheless, the importance of high dependability in a software system has recently increased, and exhaustive testing of software systems is becoming expensive and time-consuming, and, in many cases, sufficient software testing is not possible. In particular, it is often difficult to test parallel and distributed systems in the real world after deployment, although reliable systems, such as high-availability servers, are parallel and distributed systems. D-Cloud is a cloud system which manages virtual machines with fault injection facility. D-Cloud sets up a test environment on the cloud resources using a given system configuration file and executes several tests automatically according to a given scenario. In this scenario, D-Cloud enables fault tolerance testing by causing device faults by virtual machine. We have designed the D-Cloud system using Eucalyptus software and a description language for system configuration and the scenario of fault injection written in XML. We found that the D-Cloud system, which allows a user to easily set up and test a distributed system on the cloud and effectively reduces the cost and time of testing.
English-medium instruction in Japanese universities: policy implementation and constraints

English-medium instruction (EMI) is gaining momentum in Japan as politicians constantly highlight the need for Japanese universities to cultivate students with English skills to participate in the global market. Adopting a framework on the failure of policy implementation [Schiffman, H. (2007). Tamil language policy in Singapore. The role of implementation. In V. Vasih, S. Gopinathan, & Y. Liu (Eds.), Language, capital and culture (pp. 209–226). Bristol: Sense], micro language planning [Liddicoat, A. , & Baldauf, R. (2008). Language planning in local contexts. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters; Chua, C. S. K. , & Baldauf, R. B. , Jr. (2011). Micro language planning. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning (Vol. 2, pp. 936–951). New York, NY: Routledge] and micro-level actors in language planning [Zhao, S. (2011). Actors in language planning. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of second language research teaching and learning (Vol. 2, pp. 905–923). New York, NY: Routledge], th.
Aberrant brain functional connectome in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Objective Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is accompanied by widespread abnormal spontaneous regional activity related to cognitive deficits. However, little is known about the topological properties of the functional brain connectome of patients with OSA. This study aimed to use the graph theory approaches to investigate the topological properties and functional connectivity (FC) of the functional connectome in patients with OSA, based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Methods Forty-five male patients with newly diagnosed untreated severe OSA and 45 male good sleepers (GSs) underwent a polysomnography (PSG), clinical evaluations, and rs-fMRI scans. The automated anatomical labeling (AAL) atlas was used to construct the functional brain connectome. The topological organization and FC of brain functional networks in patients with OSA were characterized using graph theory methods and investigated the relationship between functional network topology and clinical variables. Results Both the patients with OSA and the GSs exhibited high-efficiency “small-world” network attributes. However, the patients with OSA exhibited decreased σ, γ, Eglob; increased Lp, λ; and abnormal nodal centralities in several default-mode network (DMN), salience network (SN), and central executive network (CEN) regions. However, the patients with OSA exhibited abnormal functional connections between the DMN, SN, and CEN. The disrupted FC was significantly positive correlations with the global network metrics γ and σ. The global network metrics were significantly correlated with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score, and oxygen desaturation index. Conclusion The findings suggest that the functional connectome of patients with OSA exhibited disrupted functional integration and segregation, and functional disconnections of the DMN, SN, and CEN. The aberrant topological attributes may be associated with disrupted FC and cognitive functions. These topological abnormalities and disconnections might be potential biomarkers of cognitive impairments in patients with OSA.
Distributed Machine Learning and Graph Processing with Sparse Matrices Paper # 83

It is cumbersome to write machine learning and graph algorithms in data-parallel models such as MapReduce and Dryad. We observe that these algorithms are based on matrix computations and, hence, are inefficient to implement with the restrictive programming and communication interface of such frameworks. In this paper we show that array-based languages such as R [2] are suitable for implementing complex algorithms and can outperform current data parallel solutions. Since R is single threaded and does not scale to large datasets, we have built Pronto, a distributed system that extends R and addresses many of its limitations. Pronto efficiently shares sparse structured data, can leverage multi-cores, and dynamically partitions data to mitigate load imbalance. Our results show the promise of this approach: many important machine learning and graph algorithms can be expressed in a single framework and are substantially faster than those in Hadoop and Spark. 1. A matrix based approach Many real-world applications require sophisticated analysis on massive datasets. Most of these applications use machine learning, graph algorithms, and statistical analyses that are easily expressed as matrix operations. For example, PageRank corresponds to the dominant eigenvector of a matrix G that represents the Web graph. It can be calculated by starting with an initial vector x and repeatedly performing x=G∗x until convergence [7]. Similarly, recommendation systems in companies like Netflix are implemented using matrix decomposition [34]. Even graph algorithms, such as shortest path, centrality measures, strongly connected components, etc., can be expressed using operations on the matrix representation of a graph [18]. Array-based languages such as R and MATLAB provide an appropriate programming model to express such machine learning and graph algorithms. The core construct of arrays makes these languages suitable to represent vectors and matrices, and perform matrix computations. R has thousands of freely available packages and is widely used by data miners and statisticians, albeit for problems with relatively small amounts of data. It has serious limitations when applied to Server 1 Server 2
The Association between Discrimination and Psychological and Social Well-being

Background Discrimination is known to negatively affect the psychological well-being of migrants. Less is known on the association between discrimination and social well-being. Aim We examined the association between experienced discrimination and psychological (mental health, quality of life) and social well-being (loneliness, feelings of safety, trust towards society) in Russian, Somali and Kurdish migrants in Finland. Methods We used data from the Finnish Migrant Health and Wellbeing Study (Maamu). The participants comprised 1795 persons of Russian, Somali or Kurdish origin aged 18–64 years. Experiences of discrimination, loneliness, safety and trust towards society were measured using interview questions. Mental health symptoms were measured using the HSCL-25 and quality of life using EUROHIS-QOL. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the associations between discrimination and psychological and social well-being, separately for the three ethnic groups. Results Discrimination increased the odds for mental health symptoms and decreased the odds for quality of life among Russian and Kurdish migrants, but not Somalis. Discrimination was associated with feeling unsafe and decreased trust towards society among all migrants. Among Kurds, discrimination increased the odds also for loneliness. Conclusions Discrimination is an essential threat to the psychological and social well-being of Russian, Somali or Kurdish migrants.
Semantics of name and value passing

Provides a semantic framework for (first-order) message-passing process calculi by combining categorical theories of abstract syntax with binding and operational semantics. In particular, we obtain abstract rule formats for name and value passing with both late and early interpretations. These formats induce an initial-algebra/final-coalgebra semantics that is compositional, respects substitution and is fully abstract for late and early congruence. We exemplify the theory with the /spl pi/-calculus and value-passing CCS (calculus of communicating systems).
Memoirs of a Guard-Researcher: Deconstructing the Games Inmates Play Behind the Prison Walls

ABSTRACT Recent media reports have attempted to shed light on correctional officers who end their careers in disgrace for either having sexual relationships with prisoners or for smuggling contraband into correctional facilities. In this article, I take an autoethnographic approach, reflecting on my seven years as a “guard-researcher” and demonstrate through real-life examples how inmates identify the weak links among prison employees, subtly feel them out, and then untiringly persist in establishing these inappropriate relationships. This article shows how seemingly benign gestures of inmates are actually calculated moves taken to gain leverage and exploit their marks, the weak correctional staff members, who fall for these tricks.