Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring and Evaluating Large-Scale CDNs

CDNs play a critical and central part of today’s Internet infrastructure. In this paper we conduct extensive and thorough measurements that accurately characterize the performance of two large-scale commercial CDNs: Akamai and Limelight. Our measurements include charting the CDNs (locating all their content and DNS servers), assessing their server availability, and quantifying their world-wide delay performance. Our measurement techniques can be adopted by CDN customers to independently evaluate the performance of CDN vendors. It can also be used by a new CDN entrant to choose an appropriate CDN design and to locate its servers. Based on the measurements, we shed light on two radically different design philosophies for CDNs: the Akamai design, whichenters deep into ISPs; and the Limelight design, which brings ISPs to home. We compare these two CDNs with regards to the numbers of their content servers, their internal DNS designs, the geographic locations of their data centers, and their DNS and content server delays. Furthermore, we study where Limelight can locate additional servers to reap the greatest delay performance gains. As a byproduct, we also evaluate Limelight’s use of IP anycast, and gain insight into a large-scale IP anycast production system.
Meaning and words in the conference interpreter’s mind – effects of interpreter training and experience in a semantic priming study

The aim of the study was to examine how interpreter training and experience influence word recognition and cross-linguistic connections in the bilingual mental lexicon. Sixty-eight professional interpreters, interpreter trainees (tested at the beginning and end of their training) and bilingual controls were asked to complete a semantic priming study. Priming is a psycholinguistic research method used to examine connections between words and languages in the mind. Data analysis conducted by means of linear mixed models revealed that advanced trainees recognised words faster than beginners, but were not outperformed by professionals. A priming effect was found only in the L1-L2 direction, suggesting similar asymmetries between languages irrespective of the interpreting experience. It is the first study to adopt a priming paradigm and a longitudinal design to examine the interpreters’ mental lexicon. The study shows that word recognition is faster due to interpreter training, but is not modulated further by interpreting experience.
Measuring User Prestige and Interaction Preference on Social Network Site

Measuring user's prestige and interaction preference is an important issue for social network site implementer. To address this problem, an empirical study based on xiaonei.com is conducted. In this work, we introduce the "interaction prestige" metrics based on the observation of user's interaction features. Users with distinct levels of "interaction prestige" are grouped into different categories by a clustering algorithm and named as "outgoing", "reciprocal" and "incoming" type respectively. We demonstrate that the "interaction prestige" of users is related with other prestige metrics including "virtual prestige", "social prestige" and "structural prestige". Further more, the chi-square test for independence shows that there exist significant communication patterns among the identified types of users. We observe that users tend to choose those with high interaction prestige and opposite gender as their communication partner.
Evaluation of Two WiFi Positioning Systems Based on Autonomous Crowdsourcing of Handheld Devices for Indoor Navigation

Current WiFi positioning systems (WPSs) require databases - such as locations of WiFi access points and propagation parameters, or a radio map - to assist with positioning. Typically, procedures for building such databases are time-consuming and labour-intensive. In this paper, two autonomous crowdsourcing systems are proposed to build the databases on handheld devices by using our designed algorithms and an inertial navigation solution from a Trusted Portable Navigator (T-PN). The proposed systems, running on smartphones, build and update the database autonomously and adaptively to account for the dynamic environment. To evaluate the performance of automatically generated databases, two improved WiFi positioning schemes (fingerprinting and trilateration) corresponding to these two database building systems, are also discussed. The main contribution of the paper is the proposal of two crowdsourcing-based WPSs that eliminate the various limitations of current crowdsourcing-based systems which (a) require a floor plan or GPS, (b) are suitable only for specific indoor environments, and (c) implement a simple MEMS-based sensors' solution. In addition, these two WPSs are evaluated and compared through field tests. Results in different test scenarios show that average positioning errors of both proposed systems are all less than 5.75 m.
Exit Options and Dividend Policy Under Liquidity Constraints

We introduce a post‐entry liquidity constraint to the standard model of a firm with serially correlated profitability and an irreversible exit decision. We assume that firms with no cash holdings and negative cash flow must either exit or raise new cash at a transaction cost. This creates a precautionary motive for holding cash, which must be traded off against the liquidity cost of holding cash. We characterize the optimal exit and payout policy. The direct effect of financial frictions is to impose inefficient exit, but there is also an indirect effect through higher equilibrium price that leads to inefficient survival.
Model-driven design and development of semantic Web service applications

This article proposes a model-driven methodology to design and develop semantic Web service applications and their components, described according to the emerging WSMO standard. In particular, we show that business processes and Web engineering models have sufficient expressive power to support the semiautomatic extraction of semantic descriptions (i.e., WSMO ontologies, goals, Web services, and mediators), thus partially hiding the complexity of dealing with semantics. Our method is based on existing models for the specification of business processes (BPMN) combined with Web engineering models for designing and developing semantically rich Web applications (WebML). The proposed approach leads from an abstract view of the business needs to a concrete implementation of the application by means of several design steps; high-level models are transformed into software components. Our framework increases the efficiency of the whole design process, yielding to the construction of semantic Web service applications spanning over several enterprises.
Keys to Success in High Level Water Polo Teams

The aim of this study was to identify specific offensive performance indicators that distinguish the top clubs from the others in the Male Honour Division of the Spanish Water Polo League. A total of 88 matches from the 2011-2014 seasons have been analysed. The offensive performance variables were divided into four groups, namely, playing situations, attacks outcome, origin of shots, and technical execution of shots. Univariate analyses (ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and generalised linear model (GLM) tests) were conducted to identify differences in the offensive variables between “strong”, “medium” or “weak” teams’ performances. A multinomial logistic regression was carried out to determine the variables that best distinguish the team level. The offensive variables that best classified the team level (61.9% of correct classification rate) were counterattack shots (p<0.010), goals (p<0.011), no goal shots (p<0.013), drive shots (p<0.020), penalties (p<0.000), and shots originated from zones close to goal (zone 5 (p<0.010) and 6 (p<0.000)). As a conclusion, this paper presents values of reference for the offensive variables that best distinguish between the strong, medium and weak teams’ performances. This information can help coaches to evaluate their teams and to design training sessions aimed at improving their weakest skills.
Retinopathy of Prematurity: Any Difference in Risk Factors between a High and Low Risk Population?

Purpose To document incidence of and risk factors for development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in a population of low birthweight infants (<1500 g). Methods The authors registered clinical characteristics (birthweight, gestational age (GA), Clinical Risk Index for Babies (CRIB), Apgar score, respiratory characteristics (intubation, ventilation, respiratory support, supplemental oxygen, oxygenation index), prescription of dopamine, and maximal creatinemia) by retrospective chart review in two consecutive CRIB score-based ( Results Incidence of ROP was 65/157 (41%; 76% in <851 g and 22% in 851–1350 g). Incidence of stage 3 ROP was 25/46 (54%) in the <851 g and 4/84 (5%) in the 851–1350 g group. Among other risk factors, maximal creatinemia was a risk factor in the 851–1350 g cohort (p<0.03). In a logistic regression model, only GA (OR 0.42) remained significant in the lowest birthweight category; in the 851–1350 g cohort, GA (OR 0.53) and CRIB score (OR 1.7) were independent risk factors for ROP. Conclusions In relatively more mature infants (851–1350 g), the risk to develop ROP is based on GA and on neonatal severity of disease (CRIB score); in the tiniest infants, GA is the most important risk factor. Microangiopathy might explain the association of maximal creatinemia and the risk of developing ROP.
Brief report: does posttraumatic stress apply to siblings of childhood cancer survivors?

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether adolescent siblings of childhood cancer survivors experience posttraumatic stress (PTS). METHODS Participants included 78 adolescent siblings of adolescent cancer survivors who completed self-report measures of anxiety, PTS, and perceptions of the cancer experience. RESULTS Nearly half (49%) of our sample reported mild PTS and 32% indicated moderate to severe levels. One fourth of siblings thought their brother/sister would die during treatment; over half found the cancer experience scary and difficult. These perceptions were related to PTS. Siblings reported more PTS symptoms than a reference group of nonaffected teens but had similar levels of general anxiety. CONCLUSIONS Levels of PTS are elevated for siblings of childhood cancer survivors. Thus, PTS may be a useful model for understanding siblings' long-term reactions to cancer. Future research and clinical efforts should consider the needs of siblings of childhood cancer survivors in a family context.
A Deterministic Annealing-Based Training Algorithm For Statistical Machine Translation Models

This paper proposes the use of a Deterministic Annealing Expectation-Maximization (DAEM) algorithm to estimate the wordalignments involved in the statistical translation process. This approach is aimed to overcome the problem of the local maxima in complex alignment models, thus making unnecessary to iterate with previous and simpler ones. Using the DAEM algorithm allows us to explore the power of highly expressive statistical alignment models without the experimental limitations of working with non-convex models, while, at the same time, observing consistent improvements in translation quality. Experimental results show that, by using an appropriate temperature scheduling, equal or better estimations are obtained independently of the initial parameter estimates.
A Bayesian approach to parameter identification with an application to Turing systems

We present a Bayesian methodology for infinite as well as finite dimensional parameter identification for partial differential equation models. The Bayesian framework provides a rigorous mathematical framework for incorporating prior knowledge on uncertainty in the observations and the parameters themselves, resulting in an approximation of the full probability distribution for the parameters, given the data. Although the numerical approximation of the full probability distribution is computationally expensive, parallelised algorithms can make many practically relevant problems computationally feasible. The probability distribution not only provides estimates for the values of the parameters, but also provides information about the inferability of parameters and the sensitivity of the model. This information is crucial when a mathematical model is used to study the outcome of real-world experiments. Keeping in mind the applicability of our approach to tackle real-world practical problems with data from experiments, in this initial proof of concept work, we apply this theoretical and computational framework to parameter identification for a well studied semilinear reaction-diffusion system with activator-depleted reaction kinetics, posed on evolving and stationary domains.
Update on antibiotic resistance in foodborne Lactobacillus and Lactococcus species

Lactobacilli represent a major Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) component within the complex microbiota of fermented foods obtained from meat, dairy, and vegetable sources. Lactococci, on the other hand, are typical of milk and fermented dairy products, which in turn represent the vast majority of fermented foods. As is the case for all species originating from the environment, foodborne lactobacilli and lactococci consist of natural, uncharacterized strains, whose biodiversity depends on geographical origin, seasonality, animal feeding/plant growth conditions. Although a few species of opportunistic pathogens have been described, lactobacilli and lactococci are mostly non-pathogenic, Gram-positive bacteria displaying probiotic features. Since antibiotic resistant (AR) strains do not constitute an immediate threat to human health, scientific interest for detailed studies on AR genes in these species has been greatly hindered. However, increasing evidence points at a crucial role for foodborne LAB as reservoir of potentially transmissible AR genes, underlining the need for further, more detailed studies aimed at identifying possible strategies to avoid AR spread to pathogens through fermented food consumption. The availability of a growing number of sequenced bacterial genomes has been very helpful in identifying the presence/distribution of mobile elements associated with AR genes, but open questions and knowledge gaps still need to be filled, highlighting the need for systematic and datasharing approaches to implement both surveillance and mechanistic studies on transferability of AR genes. In the present review we report an update of the recent literature on AR in lactobacilli and lactococci following the 2006 EU-wide ban of the use of antibiotics as feed additives in animal farming, and we discuss the limits of the present knowledge in evaluating possible risks for human health.
The Relevance of the Value Relevance Literature for Financial Accounting Standard Setting: Another View

This paper explains that value relevance research assesses how well accounting amounts reflect information used by equity investors, and provides insights into questions of interest to standard setters. A primary focus of financial statements is equity investment. Other uses of financial statement information, such as contracting, do not diminish the importance of value relevance research. Value relevance questions can be addressed using extant valuation models. Value relevance studies address econometric issues that otherwise could limit inferences, and can accommodate and be used to study the implications of accounting conservatism. r 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. JEL classification: M41; M44; G12
No Correlation between Distorted Body Representations Underlying Tactile Distance Perception and Position Sense

Both tactile distance perception and position sense are believed to require that immediate afferent signals be referenced to a stored representation of body size and shape (the body model). For both of these abilities, recent studies have reported that the stored body representations involved are highly distorted, at least in the case of the hand, with the hand dorsum represented as wider and squatter than it actually is. Here, we investigated whether individual differences in the magnitude of these distortions are shared between tactile distance perception and position sense, as would be predicted by the hypothesis that a single distorted body model underlies both tasks. We used established tasks to measure distortions of the represented shape of the hand dorsum. Consistent with previous results, in both cases there were clear biases to overestimate distances oriented along the medio-lateral axis of the hand compared to the proximo-distal axis. Moreover, within each task there were clear split-half correlations, demonstrating that both tasks show consistent individual differences. Critically, however, there was no correlation between the magnitudes of distortion in the two tasks. This casts doubt on the proposal that a common body model underlies both tactile distance perception and position sense.
Concept Maps & Schematic Diagrams as Devices for Documenting the Growth of Mathematical Knowledge

The major focus of this study is to trace the cognitive development of students throughout a mathematics course and to seek the qualitative differences between those of different levels of achievement. The aspect of the project described here concerns the use of concept maps constructed by the students at intervals during the course. From these maps, schematic diagrams were constructed which strip the concept maps of detail and show only how they are successively built by keeping some old elements, reorganising, and introducing new elements. The more successful student added new elements to old in a structure that gradually increased in complexity and richness. The less successful had little constructive growth, building new maps on each occasion.
Information Collection for Linear Programs with Uncertain Objective Coefficients

Consider a linear program (LP) with uncertain objective coefficients, for which we have a Bayesian prior. We can collect information to improve our understanding of these coefficients, but this may be expensive, giving us a separate problem of optimizing the collection of information to improve the quality of the solution relative to the true cost coefficients. We formulate this information collection problem for LPs for the first time and derive a knowledge gradient policy which finds the marginal value of each measurement by solving a sequence of LPs. We prove that this policy is asymptotically optimal and demonstrate its performance on a network flow problem.
Cancer Pharmacoethnicity: Ethnic Differences in Susceptibility to the Effects of Chemotherapy

A long-term goal of pharmacogenomics research is the design of individualized therapy based on the genomic sequence of the patient, in order to maximize response and minimize adverse drug reactions. Pharmacoethnicity, or ethnic diversity in drug response or toxicity, is becoming increasingly recognized as an important factor accounting for interindividual variation in anticancer drug responsiveness. Although pharmacoethnicity is determined by genetic and nongenetic factors, there is rapidly accumulating clinical evidence about ethnic differences in the frequencies of polymorphisms within many of the important cancer drug-related genes. This article reviews the current clinical evidence for ethnic differences in anticancer drug disposition and sensitivity while highlighting the challenges, and potential solutions, to acquiring such knowledge. The discovery of “ethnic-specific genetic signatures,” representing unique sets of drug susceptibility-governing polymorphisms, may be the outcome of such work. Ultimately, such understanding will further the lofty goal of individualization of chemotherapy based on a person's unique genetic make-up to improve the tolerability and effectiveness of chemotherapy for all patients.
A High-Precision Protocol for Identification of Preschool Children at Risk for Persisting Obesity

Background. Recent studies suggest that adolescent adiposity is established already in preadolescence. Earlier studies have confirmed a strong tracking of obesity from adolescence to adulthood. Our aim was to examine the diagnostic accuracy of a population-derived protocol for identification of preschool children at risk for obesity in preadolescence. Methodology/ Principal Findings. We analysed data obtained for child health surveillance up to age 5 from 5778 children born in a Swedish county in 1991. The basic data set included age, sex, and weight and height measurements from the regular checkups between ages 1.5 and 5. Data not routinely collected in the child health centre setting were disregarded. The children were at age 10 randomly assigned to protocol derivation and validation cohorts and assessed for obesity according to IOTF criteria. The accuracy of predicting obesity in the validation cohort was measured using decision precision, specificity, and sensitivity. The decision protocol selected 1.4% of preschool children as being at obesity risk. The precision of the protocol at age 10 was 82% for girls and 80% for boys, and the specificity was 100% for both boys and girls. The sensitivity was higher for girls (41%) than for boys (21%). The relative risk for obesity at age 10 estimated by the odds ratio for individuals selected by the protocol compared to non-selected peers was 212.6 (95% confidence interval 56.6 to 798.4) for girls and 120.3 (95% CI 24.5 to 589.9) for boys. Conclusion/Significance. A simple and inexpensive decision protocol based on BMI values proved to have high precision and specificity for identification of preschool children at risk for obesity persisting into adolescence, while the sensitivity was low especially for boys. Implementation and further evaluations of the protocol in child health centre settings are warranted.
Anticipating the citizenship premium: before and after effects of immigrant naturalisation on employment

ABSTRACT Can citizenship improve the economic integration of immigrants, and if so, how? Scholars traditionally understand a citizenship premium in the labour market, besides access to restricted jobs, as the result of a positive signal of naturalisation towards employers. While we do not discard these mechanisms, we argue that explanations should also take into account that migrants anticipate rewards and opportunities of naturalisation by investing in their human capital development. We thus expect to observe improved employment outcomes already before the acquisition of citizenship. We use micro-level register data from Statistics Netherlands from 1999 until 2011 (N = 94,320) to test this expectation. Results show a one-time boost in the probability of having employment after naturalisation, consistent with the prevalent notion of positive signalling. However, we find that the employment probability of naturalising migrants already develops faster during the years leading up to citizenship acquisition, even when controlling for endogeneity of naturalisation. We conclude that it is not just the positive signal of citizenship that improves employment opportunities, but also migrants’ human capital investment in anticipation of naturalisation.
Direction of arrival estimation of kiwi call in noisy and reverberant bush

This paper outlines the steps taken to accurately perform acoustic source localisation of kiwi calls using microphone arrays in the presence of noise and reverberation. A generalised cross correlation exploiting the reverberation resistance of the PHAT weighting function was investigated and implemented as part of the system. To reduce correlated noise, spectral subtraction and Wiener filtering were investigated, and their suitability in the system was analysed. A novel algorithm exploiting the harmonic structure of the kiwi call is proposed to determine whether or not a kiwi call is present. In a reverberant and noisy environment, the proposed method outperformed the previous study in terms of the estimation accuracy, which had an average deviation of 4.18°.