Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive Explanation of SLA Violations at Runtime

Service Level Agreements (SLAs) establish the Quality of Service (QoS) agreed between service-based systems consumers and providers. Since the violation of such SLAs may involve penalties, quality assurance techniques have been developed to supervise the SLAs fulfillment at runtime. However, existing proposals present some drawbacks: 1) the SLAs they support are not expressive enough to model real-world scenarios, 2) they couple the monitoring configuration to a given SLA specification, 3) the explanations of the violations are difficult to understand and even potentially inaccurate, 4) some proposals either do not provide an architecture, or present low cohesion within their elements. In this paper, we propose a comprehensive solution, from a conceptual reference model to its design and implementation, that overcomes these drawbacks. The resulting platform, SALMonADA, receives the SLA agreed between the parties as input and reports timely and comprehensive explanations of SLA violations. SALMonADA performs an automated monitoring configuration and it analyses highly expressive SLAs by means of a constraint satisfaction problems based technique. We have evaluated the impact of SALMonADA over the resulting service consumption time performance. The results are satisfactory enough to consider SALMonADA for SLA supervision because of its low intrusiveness.
A study of Persistent Threads style GPU programming for GPGPU workloads

In this paper, we characterize and analyze an increasingly popular style of programming for the GPU called Persistent Threads (PT). We present a concise formal definition for this programming style, and discuss the difference between the traditional GPU programming style (nonPT) and PT, why PT is attractive for some high-performance usage scenarios, and when using PT may or may not be appropriate. We identify limitations of the nonPT style and identify four primary use cases it could be useful in addressing-CPU-GPU synchronization, load balancing/irregular parallelism, producer-consumer locality, and global synchronization. Through micro-kernel benchmarks we show the PT approach can achieve up to an order-of-magnitude speedup over nonPT kernels, but can also result in performance loss in many cases. We conclude by discussing the hardware and software fundamentals that will influence the development of Persistent Threads as a programming style in future systems.
Verb Classification - Machine Learning Experiments in Classifying Verbs into Semantic Classes

This paper presents the results of our machine learning experiments in verb classification. Using Beth Levin’s semantic classification of the English verbs as a gold standard, we (i) test the hypothesis that the syntactic behavior of a verb can be used to predict its semantic class, and (ii) investigate whether a robust shallow parser can provide the necessary syntactic information. With 277 verbs belonging to six of Levin’s classes, we do type classification experiments using RIPPER, an inductive rule learner. Having only a set of n most likely subjects or objects as features, this machine learning algorithm is able to predict the correct class with ± 58% accuracy. This result is comparable with results from other researchers, like Merlo and Stevenson, Stevenson and Joanis, and Schulte im Walde.
The Effect of Descriptive Norms and Construal Level on Consumers' Sustainable Behaviors

With the assumption that the distinctive effect of provincial norms (versus general norms) derives from a spatial distance between the actors and reference groups, the present research examined whether the effect of two types of descriptive norms on consumers' sustainable behaviors can be moderated by construal-level messages. Both a laboratory (Study 1) and field experiment (Study 2) demonstrated that provincial norms (versus general norms) are more effective in encouraging consumers to participate in a sustainability campaign when paired with low-construal-level messages; but provincial norms are no longer superior to general norms when both norms are presented with high-construal-level messages. The findings collectively indicated that the congruence between types of descriptive norms and construal level messages leads to consumers' attitudinal and behavioral changes.
University students and emotional bargaining: a comparative study of staff perspectives in Northern Europe

Abstract This paper examines lecturers’ perspectives on students’ ‘emotional bargaining’ in higher education. Based on a social-functional understanding of emotions, it utilises a small-scale qualitative survey approach to explore and compare the views of 43 teaching staff at three universities in England, the Netherlands and Sweden. Particular consideration is given to staff perceptions of students’ motives for engaging in such behaviour and the factors potentially driving it. Findings suggest broadly similar views are held by the respondents across the three settings, and staff views on potential ‘solutions’ are investigated. The study offers tentative evidence that the neo-liberal logics perceived to guide university policies and practices may be a central factor in engendering student bargaining behaviours, particularly in the English context, where neo-liberal regimes are arguably more pronounced. Finally, an attempt is made to identify a number of recommendations for institutional consideration and potential practice.
Dissecting Virus Entry: Replication-Independent Analysis of Virus Binding, Internalization, and Penetration Using Minimal Complementation of β-Galactosidase

Studies of viral entry into host cells often rely on the detection of post-entry parameters, such as viral replication or the expression of a reporter gene, rather than on measuring entry per se. The lack of assays to easily detect the different steps of entry severely hampers the analysis of this key process in virus infection. Here we describe novel, highly adaptable viral entry assays making use of minimal complementation of the E. coli β-galactosidase in mammalian cells. Enzyme activity is reconstituted when a small intravirion peptide (α-peptide) is complementing the inactive mutant form ΔM15 of β-galactosidase. The method allows to dissect and to independently detect binding, internalization, and fusion of viruses during host cell entry. Here we use it to confirm and extend current knowledge on the entry process of two enveloped viruses: vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and murine hepatitis coronavirus (MHV).
Polaris: Faster Page Loads Using Fine-grained Dependency Tracking

To load a web page, a browser must fetch and evaluate objects like HTML files and JavaScript source code. Evaluating an object can result in additional objects being fetched and evaluated. Thus, loading a web page requires a browser to resolve a dependency graph; this partial ordering constrains the sequence in which a browser can process individual objects. Unfortunately, many edges in a page's dependency graph are unobservable by today's browsers. To avoid violating these hidden dependencies, browsers make conservative assumptions about which objects to process next, leaving the network and CPU underutilized. We provide two contributions. First, using a new measurement platform called Scout that tracks fine-grained data flows across the JavaScript heap and the DOM, we show that prior, coarse-grained dependency analyzers miss crucial edges: across a test corpus of 200 pages, prior approaches miss 30% of edges at the median, and 118% at the 95th percentile. Second, we quantify the benefits of exposing these new edges to web browsers. We introduce Polaris, a dynamic client-side scheduler that is written in JavaScript and runs on unmodified browsers; using a fully automatic compiler, servers can translate normal pages into ones that load themselves with Polaris. Polaris uses fine-grained dependency graphs to dynamically determine which objects to load, and when. Since Polaris' graphs have no missing edges, Polaris can aggressively fetch objects in a way that minimizes network round trips. Experiments in a variety of network conditions show that Polaris decreases page load times by 34% at the median, and 59% at the 95th percentile.
Data-Driven Metric Development for Online Controlled Experiments: Seven Lessons Learned

Online controlled experiments, also called A/B testing, have been established as the mantra for data-driven decision making in many web-facing companies. In recent years, there are emerging research works focusing on building the platform and scaling it up, best practices and lessons learned to obtain trustworthy results, and experiment design techniques and various issues related to statistical inference and testing. However, despite playing a central role in online controlled experiments, there is little published work on treating metric development itself as a data-driven process. In this paper, we focus on the topic of how to develop meaningful and useful metrics for online services in their online experiments, and show how data-driven techniques and criteria can be applied in metric development process. In particular, we emphasize two fundamental qualities for the goal metrics (or Overall Evaluation Criteria) of any online service: directionality and sensitivity. We share lessons on why these two qualities are critical, how to measure these two qualities of metrics of interest, how to develop metrics with clear directionality and high sensitivity by using approaches based on user behavior models and data-driven calibration, and how to choose the right goal metrics for the entire online services.
Which Edges Matter?

In this paper, we investigate the ability of humans to recognize objects using different types of edges. Edges arise in images because of several different physical phenomena, such as shadow boundaries, changes in material albedo or reflectance, changes to surface normals, and occlusion boundaries. By constructing synthetic photo realistic scenes, we control which edges are visible in a rendered image to investigate the relationship between human visual recognition and that edge type. We evaluate the information conveyed by each edge type through human studies on object recognition tasks. We find that edges related to surface normals and depth are the most informative edges, while texture and shadow edges can confuse recognition tasks. This work corroborates recent advances in practical vision systems where active sensors capture depth edges (e.g. Microsoft Kinect) as well as in edge detection where progress is being made towards finding object boundaries instead of just pixel gradients. Further, we evaluate seven standard and state-of-the-art edge detectors based on the types of edges they find by comparing the detected edges with known informative edges in the synthetic scene. We suggest that this evaluation method could lead to more informed metrics for gauging developments in edge detection, without requiring any human labeling. In summary, this work shows that human proficiency at object recognition is due to surface normal and depth edges and suggests that future research should focus on explicitly modeling edge types to increase the likelihood of finding informative edges.
The nature of NV absorbers at high redshift

Aims. We present a study of N v absorption systems at 1.5 z 2.5 in the spectra of 19 QSOs, based on data obtained with the VLT/UVES instrument. Our analysis includes both the absorbers arising from the intergalactic medium, as well as systems in the vicinity of the background quasar. Methods. We construct detailed photoionization models to study the physical conditions and abundances in the absorbers and to constrain the spectral hardness of the ionizing radiation. Results. The rate of incidence for intervening N v components is dN/dz = 3.38 ± 0.43, corresponding to dN/dX = 1.10 ± 0.14. The column density distribution function is fitted by the slope β = 1.89 ± 0.22, consistent with measurements of C iv and O vi . T he narrow line widths (bNv ∼ 6k m s −1 ) imply photoionization rather than collisions as the dominating ionization process. The column densities of C iv and N v are correlated but show different slopes for intervening and associated absorbers, which indicates different ionizing spectra. Associated systems are found to be more metal-rich, denser, and more compact than intervening absorbers. This conclusion is independent of the adopted ionizing radiation. For the intervening N v systems we find typical values of [C/H] ∼− 0.6 and nH ∼ 10 −3.6 cm −3 and sizes of a few kpc, while for associated N v absorbers we obtain [C/H] ∼ +0.7, nH ∼ 10 −2.8 cm −3 and sizes of several 10 pc. The abundance of nitrogen relative to carbon [N/C] and α-elements like oxygen and silicon [N/α ]i s correlated with [N/H], indicating the enrichment by secondary nitrogen. The larger scatter in [N/α] in intervening systems suggests an inhomogeneous enrichment of the IGM. There is an anti-correlation between [N/α ]a nd [α/C], which could be used to constrain the initial mass function of the carbon- and nitrogen-producing stellar population.
Delivery of a Therapist-Facilitated Telecare Anxiety Program to Children in Rural Communities: A Pilot Study

Objective: This pilot study explored the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a therapist-facilitated telecare cognitive behavioural anxiety program delivered through schools to children within rural communities. Method: Sixteen children aged 9–12 years (82.5% male), with a principal diagnosis of an anxiety disorder, and their mothers participated in the pilot study. The treatment program was an adaption of the Cool Kids Child and Adolescent Anxiety Management Program. Treatment was delivered by clinical psychologists and involved 10 weekly sessions with children via an interactive, real-time videoconferencing online platform at their school. Parents also received 4 phone calls during the treatment program. Outcome measures included clinician-rated diagnostic status and child- and parent-reported symptoms and interference. Results: According to combined parent and child reports, 62.5% of children no longer met diagnostic criteria for their primary anxiety disorder, and 31.25% did not meet diagnostic criteria for any anxiety disorder post-treatment. Results indicated that the severity of anxiety symptoms, functional impact of anxiety symptoms, externalising difficulties, and depressive symptoms in children decreased significantly post-treatment, as reported by both parents and children. Conclusions: A telecare model of therapy could be a feasible and effective way of delivering evidence-based intervention to children in rural communities.
The Value of Coastal Wetlands for Hurricane Protection

Abstract Coastal wetlands reduce the damaging effects of hurricanes on coastal communities. A regression model using 34 major US hurricanes since 1980 with the natural log of damage per unit gross domestic product in the hurricane swath as the dependent variable and the natural logs of wind speed and wetland area in the swath as the independent variables was highly significant and explained 60% of the variation in relative damages. A loss of 1 ha of wetland in the model corresponded to an average USD 33 000 (median = USD 5000) increase in storm damage from specific storms. Using this relationship, and taking into account the annual probability of hits by hurricanes of varying intensities, we mapped the annual value of coastal wetlands by 1km × 1km pixel and by state. The annual value ranged from USD 250 to USD 51 000 ha−1 yr−1, with a mean of USD 8240 ha−1 yr−1 (median = USD 3230 ha−1 yr−1) significantly larger than previous estimates. Coastal wetlands in the US were estimated to currently provide USD 23.2 billion yr−1 in storm protection services. Coastal wetlands function as valuable, selfmaintaining “horizontal levees” for storm protection, and also provide a host of other ecosystem services that vertical levees do not. Their restoration and preservation is an extremely cost-effective strategy for society.
Mining Mobility Behavior from Trajectory Data

The technologies of mobile communications and ubiquitous computing pervade our society, and wireless networks sense the movement of people and vehicles, generating large volumes of mobility data: location data from mobile phones, GPS tracks from mobile devices receiving geo-positions from satellites, etc. The GeoPKDD project, a large European research initiative, has studied how to discover useful knowledge about human movement behavior from mobility data, while preserving the privacy of the people under observation. A new exciting multidisciplinary research area has thus started, at the crossroads of mobility, data mining, and privacy.
FT-DRB: A Method for Tolerating Dynamic Faults in High-Speed Interconnection Networks

The intensive and continuous use of high-performance computing systems for executing computationally intensive applications, coupled with the large number of elements that make them up, dramatically increase the likelihood of failures during their operation. The interconnection network is a critical part of such systems, therefore, network faults have an extremely high impact because most routing algorithms are not designed to tolerate faults. In such algorithms, just a single fault may stall messages in the network, preventing the finalization of applications, or may lead to deadlocked configurations. This paper introduces a novel fault-tolerant routing method provided with a new deadlock avoidance technique designed to solve an unbounded number of faults appearing at random during system operation. Our method provides escape paths for the stalled messages. In addition, the routing algorithm configures alternative paths to avoid the faulty areas taking advantage of communication path redundancy by means of multipath routing approaches. Deadlock avoidance is achieved by adding a small-sized queue and applying a simple set of actions when accessing output buffers with limited free space. Experiments show that our method allows applications to successfully finalize their execution in the presence of several number of faults, with an average performance value of 96% compared to the fault-free scenarios.
A Comparison of Deterministic and Stochastic Logic for Image Processing Applications

Progressive scaling of devices has lead to nano-scale circuits with increasingly unreliable devices required for computations that demand high levels of reliability. The dire need for high fault tolerance capability of integrated circuits has been the motivation to explore new approaches for digital circuitry to overcome mounting concerns over variability, defects and noise. Stochastic logic implementation which operates on probabilistic and randomized signals exploits the property of randomness resulting in highly reliable circuits with significant reduction in hardware. In this paper, we explore reconfigurable architectures for specific image processing applications such as gamma correction, edge detection and mean filtering (smoothing) for deterministic and stochastic logic. Synthesis trials show that stochastic implementation requires less hardware resources, area and power compared to deterministic logic. We have introduced soft errors (bit flips) as part of the fault injection model to evaluate the fault tolerance capability of these two implementations. Performance evaluations on 4 bit and 8 bit grayscale images show that stochastic computing is more reliable than deterministic. For the gamma correction and mean filtering application, the SSIM for stochastic configuration was about 12% and 40% for 4bit and 8bit images compared to deterministic output. Thus, our experimental results show that stochastic implementations scale gracefully to very large percentage of faults and consume less hardware than their conventional counterparts. The reconfigurable designs for Gamma Correction and Edge Detection have been referenced from [1] and [2].
Reliability of Measuring the Cervical Sagittal Translation Mobility with a Simple Method in a Clinical Setting

Introduction. The cervical sagittal translation mobility is related to neck pain. A practical method for measuring the specific cervical mobility is needed. The aim was to describe a simple method for measuring the cervical sagittal translation mobility and to evaluate its reliability in a clinical setting. Method. The head protraction and retraction ranges of thirty healthy seated subjects were measured from a dorsal reference plane by two physiotherapists utilizing a tape measure. A standard inclinometer/goniometer was used to minimize angular movements of the head during the translational movements. The measurements were made twice for each subject with a two-hours interval between each measurement. The inter-rater and intra-rater agreements were evaluated with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and with the distribution of the difference of the measurements. The systematic differences were analysed with the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results. The intra-rater agreement was good. The inter-rater agreement was moderate in the first measurement and good in the second. A systematic difference was noted between raters in the first measurement but not in the second, possibly indicating a learning effect. Discussion. The method used in the study is simple and reliable and can be recommended for clinical use.
Return to Work after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: The Predictive Value of Self-Reported Health Compared to Clinical Measures

Aims Coronary heart disease is prevalent in the working-age population. Traditional outcome measures like mortality and readmission are of importance to evaluate the prognosis but are hardly sufficient. Ability to work is an additional outcome of clinical and societal significance. We describe trends and predictors of Return To Work (RTW) after PCI and describe a possible benefit using patient-reported measures in risk stratification of RTW. Methods A total of 1585 patients aged less than 67 years treated with PCI in 2006–2008 at the Aarhus University Hospital were enrolled. Clinical information was provided through the West Denmark Heart Registry, and 4 weeks after PCI we mailed a questionnaire regarding self-rated health (response rate 83.5%). RTW was defined at weekly basis using extensive register data on transfer payments. Predictors of RTW were analysed as time to event. ROC curves constructed by logistic regression of predicting variables were evaluated by the c-statistic. Results Four weeks before PCI 50% of the patients were working; the corresponding figures were 25% after 4 weeks, 36% after 12 weeks, and 43% after one year. The patients’ self-rated health one month after the procedure was a significant better predictor of RTW compared to other variables including LVEF, both at short (12 weeks) and long (one year) term. Conclusions The patient's self-rated health four weeks after the procedure was a stronger predictor than left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and consequently useful when patients seek medical advice with respect to RWT.