Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the Mass and Energy Loading of Extreme-UV Bright Points

We discuss the appearance of extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) bright points (BPs) in the analysis of long-duration observations in the He II 304 Å passband of the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SOHO EIT). The signature of the observed 304 Å passband intensity fluctuations around the BPs suggests that the primary source of the mass and energy supplied to the magnetic structure is facilitated by relentless magnetoconvection-driven reconnection, forced by the magnetic evolution of the surrounding supergranules. Furthermore, we observe that if the magnetic conditions in the supergranules surrounding the footpoints of the cool 304 Å BPs are sufficient (large net imbalance with a magnetic field that closes beyond the boundaries of the cell in which it originates), the magnetic topology comprising the BP will begin to reconnect with the overlying corona, increasing its visibility to hotter EUV passbands and possibly soft X-rays.
MIMO Self-Encoded Spread Spectrum with Iterative Detection over Rayleigh Fading Channels

Self-encoded spread spectrum (SESS) is a novel communication technique that derives its spreading code from the randomness of the source stream rather than using conventional pseudorandom noise (PN) code. In this paper, we propose to incorporate SESS in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems as a means to combat against fading effects in wireless channels. Orthogonal space-time block-coded MIMO technique is employed to achieve spatial diversity, and the inherent temporal diversity in SESS modulation is exploited with iterative detection. Simulation results demonstrate that MIMO-SESS can effectively mitigate the channel fading effect such that the system can achieve a bit error rate of 10-4 with very low signal-to-noise ratio, from 3.3 dB for a 2×2 antenna configuration to just less than 0 dB for a 4×2 configuration under Rayleigh fading. The performance improvement for the 2 × 2 case is as much as 6.7 dB when compared to an MIMO PN-coded spread spectrum system.
Built-in testing in component-based software - a mapping study

Component-based software development (CBSD)has proved to be a highly useful way of developing software using re-usable components, especially within a short time frame. The biggest challenge faced during development (specially testing) of component-based software is that the source-code of components is not available. Due to this, the traditional testing techniques cannot be applied directly while testing the software. Amongst several techniques proposed to bridge this gap, built-in testing has emerged out to be a popular choice. Built-in tests are test-cases/testing functionalities that are added to a component that analyze the component within the software during development and runtime. It is increasingly being used to perform testing during development and maintenance of various kinds of component-based software. This paper aims to identify the state-of-the-art research on built-in testing in component-based software. A mapping study has been performed employing searches in journals, conference proceedings, and electronic databases. A total of 26 studies have been reviewed in order to extract relevant information regarding a previously defined set of research questions. Although only 26 studies have addressed the use of built-in tests in component-based software, this number can be considered significant due to the specific nature of the reviewed topic. The results of the present study have shown the limitations and help to set further guidelines.
Telling stories of distressing betrayal : relating individual differences in personal narrative form to physiological and general functioning

The current study investigates the relationships between individual differences in the coherence and richness of personal narratives about distressing experiences and observed variations in physiological, physical, and psychological response patterns. After reviewing the literature on the function and form of personal narrative, as well as the nature and impact of distressing experiences, an original empirical investigation is presented. Ninety-seven undergraduate students narrated about a distressing interpersonal experience. They provided information concerning their physical and psychological functioning, and were physiologically monitored during the act of narrating. Analyses were conducted to examine this data in accordance to several hypotheses generated from theoretical understandings of personal narrative and empirical literature on coping and the narrative expression of distressing experiences. As predicted, narrative coherence was inversely correlated with physical symptoms while richness was inversely correlated with stress. A higher level of coherence was also observed among participants with positive health indictors. In contrast to the hypotheses, coherence was inversely predictive of forgiveness and empathy towards one's offender. As was hypothesized, coherence was directly predictive of heart rate reactivity and recovery during narration of the distressing experience, while richness was directly predictive of mean arterial pressure reactivity. The current findings provide support for previous research indicating the detriments of repressive coping and the key role of language in response to distressing experiences. Importantly, the current study indicates the need to further investigate individual differences in the process of narrating personal experience and the role that they may play in effects on current functioning. iv
2016 Ieee International Conference on Big Data (big Data) Efficient Multiple Scale Kernel Classifiers

—While kernel methods using a single Gaussian kernel have proven to be very successful for nonlinear classification , in case of learning problems with a more complex underlying structure it is often desirable to use a linear combination of kernels with different widths. To address this issue, this paper presents a classification algorithm based on a jointly convex constrained optimization formulation. The primal problem is defined as jointly learning a combination of kernel classification models formulated in different feature spaces, which account for various representations or scales. The solution can be found by either solving a system of linear equations in case of equal combination weights or by means of a block coordinate descent scheme. The dual model is represented by a classifier using multiple kernels in the decision function. Furthermore, time and space complexity are reduced by adopting a divide and conquer strategy and through the use of the Nyström approximation of the eigenfunctions. Several experiments show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms in dealing with datasets containing up to millions of instances.
All groups of odd order have starter-translate 2-sequencings

Bailey defined 2-sequencings (terraces) of groups. She conjectured that all finite groups except elementary Abelian 2-groups (other than the cyclic group Z2) have 2-sequencings and proved that the direct product of a 2-sequenceable group and a cyclic group of odd order is 2-sequenceable. It is shown here that all groups of odd order have a special type of 2-sequencing called a starter-translate 2-sequencing. It follows that if G is a group of odd order and the finite group H has a symmetric sequencing, then G x H also has a symmetric sequencing. Bailey used 2-sequencings for the purpose of constructing large numbers of quasi-complete Latin squares of a fixed order. Families of such squares can be useful in certain experiments. With this in mind, an alternative construction for starter-translate 2-sequencings of a large class of groups of odd order is presented. The construction is closely tied to the general method and shows that, with respect to the generation of 2-sequencings, the apparently unimportant step of replacing right cosets of a normal subgroup by left cosets can have major consequences. This method works on a class of groups containing all supersolvable groups of odd order. §
Measuring Defect Datasets Sensitivity to Attributes Variation Izzat Alsmadi Computer Information Systems

The study of the correlation between software project and product attributes and its modules quality status (faulty or not) is the subject of several research papers in the software testing and maintenance fields. In this paper, a tool is built to change the values of software data sets’ attributes and study the impact of this change on the modules’ defect status. The goal is to find those specific attributes that highly correlate with the module defect attribute. An algorithm is developed to automatically predict the module defect status based on the values of the module attributes and based on their change from reference or initial values. For each attribute of those software projects, results can show when such attribute can be, if any, a major player in deciding the defect status of the project or a specific module. Results showed consistent, and in some cases better, results in comparison with most surveyed defect prediction algorithms. Results showed also that this can be a very powerful method to understand each attribute individual impact, if any, to the module quality status and how it can be improved.
Leader Delegation and Trust in Global Software Teams.

LEADER DELEGATION AND TRUST IN GLOBAL SOFTWARE TEAMS by Suling Zhang Virtual teams are an important work structure in global software development. The distributed team structure enables access to a diverse set of expertise which is often not available in one location, to a cheaper labor force, and to a potentially accelerated development process that uses a twenty-four hour work structure. Many software teams are partially distributed, that is, part of the team is colocated. Such partially distributed global software teams are an important work structure in software development projects. However, little is known about what affects or improves team members' motivation and job satisfaction in the partially distributed environment. This study investigates the effects of leader delegation to sub-teams and trust between sub-teams on global software team members' motivation and job satisfaction. It proposes a research framework based on specific hypotheses regarding these effects. A survey instrument was created and a pilot study conducted on student project teams in two U.S. universities. In addition, a study combining interviews and a survey distribution using industry software development teams was also conducted. The studies found that team competence predicts leader delegation to a sub-team in global software projects. Leader delegation related to teamwork process improves team members' motivation and satisfaction with the leader. However, leader delegation may also generate negative consequences for the sub-teams, such as anxiety and pressure. Cultural distance and geographical distance impair trust development between members across sub-teams. Temporal distance causes conflicts related to excessive overtime and meeting scheduling. Trust in sub-teams is critical to improving motivation in a global software project. In addition, this study explores the impacts of language differences and software engineering profession culture on global software team members' interactions. Suggestions are proposed for how to shape delegation strategies in partially distributed global software projects and how to improve team members' trust in each other and their motivation. This work provides important findings for organizations interested in developing leadership skills for global software teams and retaining IT professionals at
A New Theory to Explain the Underlying Pathogenetic Mechanism of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

The author, on the basis of numerous studies on the neuropathology of SIDS, performed on a very wide set of cases, first highlights the neuronal centers of the human brainstem involved in breathing control in perinatal life, with the pontine Kölliker–Fuse nucleus (KFN) as main coordinator. What emerges from this analysis is that the prenatal respiratory movements differ from those post-natally in two respects: (1) they are episodic, only aimed at the lung development and (2) they are abolished by hypoxia, not being of vital importance in utero, mainly to limit the consumption of oxygen. Then, as this fetal inhibitory reflex represents an important defense expedient, the author proposes a new original interpretation of the pathogenetic mechanism leading to SIDS. Infants, in a critical moment of the autonomic control development, in hypoxic conditions could awaken the reflex left over from fetal life and arrest breathing, as he did in similar situations in prenatal life, rather than promote the hyperventilation usually occurring to restore the normal concentration of oxygen. This behaviour obviously leads to a fatal outcome. This hypothesis is supported by immunohistochemical results showing in high percentage of SIDS victims, and not in age-matched infant controls, neurochemical alterations of the Kölliker–Fuse neurons, potentially indicative of their inactivation. The new explanation of SIDS blames a sort of auto-inhibition of the KFN functionality, wrongly arisen with the same protective purpose to preserve the life in utero, as trigger of the sudden infant death.
Integrated energy management of a plug-in electric vehicle in residential distribution systems with renewables

According to innovation in grid connected transportation industry and with ever increasing concerns on environmental issues and clean energy, electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) with low noise, zero emission, and high efficiency have attracted more and more attention of researchers, governments and industries, they are becoming the most likely fleets to replace gasoline vehicles in future power systems. In addition to the approved advantages for transportation, EVs have the potential to provide other benefits within the connected residential distribution to micro-grids and smart grids as part of a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) system, knowing that in future systems residential distribution can be seen as an energy resource with decentralized and autonomous decisions in the energy management called smart house or prosumer. They can participate effectively in helping to balance supply and demand by valley filling and peak shaving. The EV battery can be charged during low demand and the stored power can be fed power back into the micro-grid during high-demand periods, providing a spinning reserve to dump short power demand changes. V2G may also be used to buffer renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic generators, by storing excess energy produced during illumination periods, and feeding it back into the grid during high-load periods, thus effectively stabilizing the intermittency of solar power. In this context, this paper describes an energy management system for a smart house based on hybrid PV-battery and V2G.
Precarious Employment, Education and Gender: A comparison of Germany and the United Kingdom

During the last decades most industrialised countries have experienced a massive educational expansion. Corresponding to this development there has been an increase of female employment which is, however, to a large extent part-time. At the same time, the attempts of firms to achieve more employment flexibility - facilitated by government intervention to deregulate the labor market - has contributed to the growth of precarious jobs, such as, fixed-term, (certain types of) part-time jobs and self-employment. This has been true in particular for the United Kingdom.In this paper we examine the relationships between the growth of precarious employment, the general educational expansion and gender in Germany and the United Kingdom. Our first question is to what extent education shields from insecure employment. The empirical analysis focuses on effects of both general and vocational education and compares these effects between countries. Based on national differences in the educational systems, we expect a relatively smaller influence of education on the likelihood of precarious employment in the UK where the educational system is less restrictive - that is, less rigidly stratified - than in Germany. Second, we try to better understand the link between gender and precarious employment by looking at its embeddedness within the national institutional arrangements. We expect that the economic interests of firms to create precarious jobs are more or less closely linked to the national gender regimes. Given the stronger emphasis on the male-breadwinner model we expect that the female bias in precarious employment is relatively stronger in Germany than in the United Kingdom. Data from the German Microcensus (1982, 1996) and the British Labor Force Survey (1984, 1996) are used for the empirical analyses
Epidemiology of Tick-Borne Borreliosis in Morocco

Background The presence in Morocco of Argasid ticks of the Ornithodoros erraticus complex, the vector of tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) in North Africa, has been known since 1919, but the disease is rarely diagnosed and few epidemiological data are available. Methodology/Principal Findings Between 2006 and 2011, we investigated the presence of Ornithodoros ticks in rodent burrows in 34 sites distributed across Morocco. We also collected small mammals in 10 sites and we investigated TBRF in febrile patients in Kenitra district. The prevalence of Borrelia infections was assessed by nested PCR amplification in ticks and the brain tissue of small mammals, and by evaluation of thick blood films in patients. A high proportion of burrows were infested with ticks of the O. erraticus complex in all regions of Morocco, with a mean of 39.5% for the whole country. Borrelia infections were found in 39/382 (10.2%) of the ticks and 12/140 (8.6%) of the rodents and insectivores studied by PCR amplification, and 102 patients tested positive by thick blood film. Five small mammalian species were found infected: Dipodillus campestris, Meriones shawi, Gerbillus hoogstrali, Gerbillus occiduus and Atelerix algirus. Three Borrelia species were identified in ticks and/or rodents: B. hispanica, B. crocidurae and B. merionesi. Conclusions/Significance Tick populations belonging to O. erraticus complex are widely distributed in Morocco and a high proportion of ticks and small mammals are infected by Borrelia species. Although rarely diagnosed, TBRF may be a common cause of morbidity in all regions of Morocco.
System Reliability by Prediction of Generator Output and Losses in a Competitive Energy Market

In a competitive energy market, system reliability should be maintained at all times. Power system operation being of online in nature, the energy balance requirements must be satisfied to ensure reliable operation the system. To achieve this, information regarding the expected status of the system, the scheduled transactions and the relevant inputs necessary to make either a transaction contract or a transmission contract operational, have to be made available in real time. The real time procedure proposed, facilitates this. This paper proposes a quadratic curve learning procedure, which enables a generator’s contribution to the retailer demand, power loss of transaction in a line at the retail end and its associated losses for an oncoming operating scenario to be predicted. Matlab program was used to test in on a 24-bus IEE Reliability Test System, and the results are found to be acceptable. Keywords—Deregulation, learning coefficients, reliability, prediction, competitive energy market.
Dose-dependent effect of lysozyme upon Candida albicans biofilm

The present study investigated the in vitro effect of lysozyme (0–1,000 µg/ml) on Candida albicans (C. albicans) biofilm development. Investigations were conducted on C. albicans ATCC 10231 and on 10 clinical isolates from dentures. Strains were cultured aerobically at 37°C in Sabouraud broth. Yeast growth was evaluated by turbidimetry. Biofilm biomass was quantified on a polystyrene support by crystal violet staining and on acrylic surfaces by counts of colony forming units. Lysozyme affected biofilm formation to a greater extent than it affected growth. For the ATCC 10231 reference strain, lysozyme acted as a biofilm promotor on polystyrene at the highest concentration tested (1,000 µg/ml, non-physiological). When the reference strain was investigated on acrylic resin support, lysozyme acted as a significant biofilm promotor on rough resin, but less on smooth resin. The attached biomass in the presence of physiological concentrations of lysozyme (10–30 µg/ml) was significantly decreased compared with the hypothetical value of 100% using a one-sample t-test, but a comparison between the different lysozyme conditions using analysis of variance and post hoc tests did not reveal significant differences. In 10 wild strains, different patterns of biofilm formation on polystyrene were observed in the presence of lysozyme. Some strains, characterized by large amounts of biofilm formation in the presence of 1,000 µg/ml lysozyme, were poor biofilm producers at low concentrations of lysozyme. In contrast, some strains that were poor biofilm producers with a high lysozyme concentration were more inhibited by low concentrations of lysozyme. The present study emphasizes the need to develop strategies for biofilm control based on in vitro experiments, and to implement these in clinical trials prior to approval of hygiene products enriched with exocrine proteins, such as lysozyme. Further studies will extend these investigations to other Candida species, and to fungi and bacteria present in oral biofilms.
Perspectives of extending runtime reconfigurable computing to the enterprise application domain

Run time reconfigurable hardware combines some of the flexibility of software with the high performance of hardware. Hybrid computing systems that use reconfigurable hardware can save much energy compared to traditional high performance server systems and also have a long life expectancy due to its adaptability and the use of self-repairing techniques. So far reconfigurable hardware has mainly been used only in scientific and technical applications. In this paper, we discuss the perspectives of reconfigurable computing in the domain of sustainable enterprise applications. We present the requirements for a reconfigurable enterprise computing platform and argue that reconfigurable hardware can help tackling data throughput issues in current business scenarios and that it will play a key role for holistic hybrid systems bridging the worlds of the “Internet of Services” and the “Internet of Things”.
Patient-oriented design of online support communities

This paper focuses on the process of designing and implementing an online support community for patients. After an introduction we describe a process for translating the socio-technical needs of cancer patients into system requirements as well as the development steps towards a functioning community platform for cancer patients. We combine a generic iterative process model for systems development with a prototyping approach towards an engineering process model for community platforms for cancer patients. We focus on specialties and challenges during the system development concerning user interface development and system requirements? analysis. The objective is to derive a model for developing community platforms that has a proven track of being applicable during system development.