Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Green: A System for Supporting Energy-Conscious Programming using Principled Approximation

Energy-efficient computing is important in several systems ranging from embedded devices to large scale data centers. Several application domains offer the opportunity to tradeoff quality of service/solution (QoS) for improvements in performance and reduction in energy consumption. Programmers sometimes take advantage of such opportunities, albeit in an ad-hoc manner and often without providing any QoS guarantees. We propose a system called Green that provides a simple and flexible framework that allows programmers to take advantage of such approximation opportunities in a systematic manner while providing statistical QoS guarantees. Green enables programmers to approximate expensive functions and loops and operates in two phases. In the calibration phase, it builds a model of the QoS loss produced by the approximation. This model is used in the operational phase to make approximation decisions based on the QoS constraints specified by the programmer. The operational phase also includes an adaptation function that occasionally monitors the runtime behavior and changes the approximation decisions and QoS model to provide strong QoS guarantees. To evaluate the effectiveness of Green, we implemented our system and language extensions using the Phoenix compiler framework. Our experiments using benchmarks from domains such as graphics, machine learning, and signal processing, and a real-world web search application, indicate that Green can produce significant improvements in performance and energy consumption with small and statistically guaranteed QoS degradation.
Better Together: Combining Language and Social Interactions into a Shared Representation

Despite the clear inter-dependency between analyzing the interactions in social networks, and analyzing the natural language content of these interactions, these aspects are typically studied independently. In this paper we present a first step towards finding a joint representation, by embedding the two aspects into a single vector space. We show that the new representation can help improve performance in two social relations prediction tasks.
Automated Microsprinkler to Determine the Crop Coefficient in Tomato Seedling Cultivated with Hydroretentor

: The objective of this study was to obtain the weekly crop coefficient ( Kc ) for tomato seedlings in substratum with waterproofing polymer and irrigated by automatic system of localized irrigation. The experiment was conducted in an agricultural greenhouse located in the irrigation experimental area of the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Viçosa-MG, Brazil. The crop coefficient ( Kc ) for tomato seedlings was obtained for the conditions of the experiment (in plastic trays of 128 cells, in greenhouse, in Viçosa-MG, for the spring/summer season), using the substrates with and without hydrogel. The irrigation system was micro sprinkler, consisting of four emitters per tray of seedlings, so that each tray constitutes an individualized experimental unit. The method for estimation of reference evapotranspiration was Penman-Monteith FAO56. The weighing lysimetry was used to obtain the variation of the tray mass from the evapotranspiration of the culture. Two consecutive daily weights, spaced at intervals of 60 min (during the morning shift), were performed for five sample units (SU) arranged in a completely randomized design in the greenhouse. Each SU was composed of a tray of 128 cells. The values of Kc obtained were used to calibrate the crop evapotranspiration ( ETc ) estimates used in the later stages. Weekly Kc values were generated. Irrigation was managed so that the crop did not undergo water stress during the moulting phase. For the conditions tested it was possible to obtain Kc values between 0.72 and 2.86 for the substrate without hydrogel and 0.81 to 3.46 for the substrate with hydrogel. It should be considered that the production stage of seedlings is very demanding in water and in protected environment conditions it is possible to obtain high Kc values.
The distributed mission training integrated threat environment system architecture and design

We describe the architecture, design, components, and functionality of the Distributed Mission Training Integrated Threat Environment (DMTITE) software. The DMTITE architecture and design support the development and run-time operation of computer-generated actors (CGAs) in distributed simulations. The architecture and design employ object-oriented techniques, component software, object frameworks, containerization, and rapid prototyping technologies. The DMTITE architecture and design consist of highly modular components where interdependencies are well defined and minimized. DMTITE is an open architecture and open design, and most component and framework code is open source. The DMTITE architecture and design have been implemented (including all system components and frameworks) and currently support a number of types of computer-generated actors. The DMTITE architecture, design, and implementation are capable of supporting multiple reasoning, vehicle dynamics, skill level, and migration requirements for any type of CGA.
Generalized Flexible Fuzzy Inference Systems

In this paper, we propose a new variant for incremental, evolving fuzzy systems extraction from data data streams, termed as GEN-FLEXFIS (short for Generalized Flexible Fuzzy Inference Systems). It builds upon the FLEXFIS methodology (published by the authors before) and extends it for generalized Takagi-Sugeno (TS) fuzzy systems, which implement generalized rotated rules in arbitrary position, employing a high-dimensional kernel rather than a connection of one-dimensional components (fuzzy sets) with t-norms. The extension includes the development of the evolving clustering learning engine, termed as eVQ-A, to extract ellipsoidal clusters in arbitrary position. Furthermore, a new merging concept based on a combined adjacency-homogenuity relation between two clusters (rules) is proposed in order to prune unnecessary rules and to keep the complexity of the generalized TS fuzzy systems low. Equipped with a new projection concept for high-dimensional kernels onto one-dimensional fuzzy sets, the new approach also provides equivalent conventional TS fuzzy systems, thus maintaining interpretability when inferring new query samples. GEN-FLEXFIS will be evaluated based on high-dimensional real-world data (streaming) sets in terms of accuracy versus final model complexity, compared with conventional FLEXFIS and other well-known (evolving) fuzzy systems approaches.
A Study of the Relationship between Students' Self-Reported Self-Esteem Levels and Their Perceptions of Teacher Behaviors

Research has shown that self-esteem, particularly among female students, can decline during the elementary school years and beyond. Self-esteem is a very important indicator of how well students will adapt to their surroundings and perform in and outside of the classroom setting. Very little research identifying the impact of students’ perceptions of teachers’ controlling or supportive behaviors in relation to self-esteem has been studied among middle school highability math students in the United States. The purpose of this quantitative, predictive, correlational study was to examine the effect of the criterion variable of self-esteem based on the multiple predictor variables of gender and perceptions of teachers’ behaviors as controlling or supportive. A multiple regression was used to indicate the degree and statistical significance of the relationship between the variables. The sample comprised high-ability male (n = 63) and female (n = 64) Grade 6 math students from 6 classrooms in 3 schools in rural northwestern Georgia. Examining the relationship between the self-reported self-esteem of male and female students and their perceptions of teachers’ controlling or supportive behaviors might provide the educational community with a better understanding of applicable teacher traits to exhibit when working with students.
Human immunodeficiency virus dementia: evidence of a subcortical process from studies of fine finger movements.

HIV-1 associated dementia is the major manifestation of HIV-1 within the central nervous system and a devastating disease which is characterized by cognitive, motor, and emotional deficits. HIV-1 associated minor motor deficits can manifest as psychomotor slowing and predict the later development of HIV-1 associated dementia, AIDS, and death. These minor motor deficits can be described, e.g., by electrophysiological assessment of basal ganglia motor function (frequency of most rapid alternating finger movements, reaction and contraction times of most rapid index finger extensions). Minor motor deficits quantified by contraction times can be subdivided into a more incipient and a more sustained type of deficit. Parallel examination of motor function and positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the basal ganglia, or SPECT helps to point to the basal ganglia as a pivotal point of HIV-1 associated CNS pathology.
Privacy-preserving fingercode authentication

We present a privacy preserving protocol for fingerprint-based authentication. We consider a scenario where a client equipped with a fingerprint reader is interested into learning if the acquired fingerprint belongs to the database of authorized entities managed by a server. For security, it is required that the client does not learn anything on the database and the server should not get any information about the requested biometry and the outcome of the matching process. The proposed protocol follows a multi-party computation approach and makes extensive use of homomorphic encryption as underlying cryptographic primitive. To keep the protocol complexity as low as possible, a particular representation of fingerprint images, named Fingercode, is adopted. Although the previous works on privacy-preserving biometric identification focus on selecting the best matching identity in the database, our main solution is a generic identification protocol and it allows to select and report all the enrolled identities whose distance to the user's fingercode is under a given threshold. Variants for simple authentication purposes are provided. Our protocols gain a notable bandwidth saving (about 25-39%) if compared with the best previous work (ICISC'09) and its computational complexity is still low and suitable for practical applications. Moreover, even if such protocols are presented in the context of a fingerprint-based system, they can be generalized to any biometric system that shares the same matching methodology, namely distance computation and thresholding.
Multilingual Names Database Searching Enhancement

In this paper some aspects are presented for multilingual names database searching enhancement. They should help to find some balance between the execution time and the relevance of the results obtained. Structured form of the information used, two different structures of the database and a general algorithm for the searching are suggested. As experimental results investigation of the groupings of the most popular Romanized Bulgarian own names produced by the Soundex and Daitch-Mokotoff Soundex (D-M Soundex) algorithms are given. Then conclusion is made for their applicability.
Tyne An Algebra of Timed-Arc Petri Nets

In this paper we present and investigate two algebras, one based on term re-writing and the other on Petri nets, aimed at the specification and analysis of concurrent systems with timing information. The former is based on process expressions (at-expressions) and employs a set of SOS rules providing their operational semantics. The latter is based on a class of Petri nets with time restrictions associated with their arcs, called at-boxes, and the corresponding transition firing rule. We relate the two algebras through a compositionally defined mapping which for a given at-expression returns an at-box with behaviourally equivalent transition system. The resulting model, called the Arc Time Petri Box Calculus (atPBC), extends the existing approach of the Petri Box Calculus (PBC).
Promoting Undergraduate Interest, Preparedness, and Professional Pursuit in the Sciences: An Outcomes Evaluation of the SURE Program at Emory University

We report on an outcomes assessment of the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Program at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Using follow-up survey data and academic transcripts, we gauge SURE's impact on levels of interest in, preparedness for, and actual pursuit of graduate study and professional careers in the sciences for the program's first 15 summer cohorts (1990–2004). Our follow-up survey indicated significant increases in all research preparedness skills considered, notably in ability to give a poster research presentation, to discuss research at a graduate school interview, and to apply research ethics principles. About a third of SURE graduates went on to complete a graduate degree >90% considered SURE as important or very important in their academic development. Respondents reported postprogram increases in the level of interest in academic and research careers, and reported high levels of employment in science careers and job satisfaction. Regression analyses of Emory SURE participant transcripts revealed that participants take significantly more science courses as seniors and earn higher grades in those courses than nonparticipants. This trend held after correcting for indicators of prior interest (first-year course work, GPA, and math SAT scores), gender, and minority status. We also report on an external survey completed by SURE participants.
Distributed under Creative Commons Cc-by 4.0 Genetic Structure of the Crown-of-thorns Seastar in the Pacific Ocean, with Focus on Guam

Population outbreaks of the corallivorous crown-of-thorns seastar (COTS), Acanthaster 'planci' L. , are among the most important biological disturbances of tropical coral reefs. Over the past 50 years, several devastating outbreaks have been documented around Guam, an island in the western Pacific Ocean. Previous analyses have shown that in the Pacific Ocean, COTS larval dispersal may be geographically restricted to certain regions. Here, we assess the genetic structure of Pacific COTS populations and compared samples from around Guam with a number of distant localities in the Pacific Ocean, and focused on determining the degree of genetic structure among populations previously considered to be isolated. Using microsatellites, we document substantial genetic structure between 14 localities from different geographical regions in the Pacific Ocean. Populations from the 14 locations sampled were found to be structured in three significantly differentiated groups: (1) all locations immediately around Guam, as well as Kingman Reef and Swains Island; (2) Japan, Philippines, GBR and Vanuatu; and (3) Johnston Atoll, which was significantly different from all other localities. The lack of genetic differentiation between Guam and extremely distant populations from Kingman Reef and Swains Island suggests potential long-distance dispersal of COTS in the Pacific.
Integrating Usability Engineering for Designing the Web Experience: Methodologies and Principles

Product or company names used in this set are for identification purposes only. Inclusion of the names of the products or companies does not indicate a claim of ownership by IGI Global of the trademark or registered trademark. Integrating usability engineering for designing the web experience: methodologies and principles / Tasos Spiliotopoulos . [et al.]. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. Summary: "The book provides a link between theoretical research and web engineering, presenting a more holistic approach to web usability"-Provided by publisher. All work contributed to this book is new, previously-unpublished material. The views expressed in this book are those of the authors, but not necessarily of the publisher. IntroductIon Web technology is rapidly reaching maturity making its use practically possible for most applications by the majority of potential users in the recent years. With high speed internet availability providing access to demanding multimodal services to all homes, most people can reap the benefits of real-time services ranging from voice banking to online socialising and beyond. Most high-level services are provided solely through web pages in the traditional point-and-click manner. In an effort to boost customer experience most providers deploy spoken dialogue interfaces as a means to increased naturalness of information access. Due to the complexity of natural language interaction, it is becoming very important to build spoken language interfaces as easily as possible using the enabling technologies. However, not all technologies involved in the process are of the same abStract This chapter presents the state-of-the-art in usability issues and methodologies for spoken dialogue web interfaces along with the appropriate designer-needs analysis. It is planned to unfold a theoretical perspective to the usability methodology and provide a framework description for creating and testing usable content and applications for conversational interfaces. Main concerns include the problem identification of design issues for usability design and evaluation, the use of customer experience for the design of voice-web interfaces and dialogue, and the problems that arise from real-life deployment. Moreover, it discusses the hands-on approaches for applying usability methodologies in a spoken dialogue web application environment, including methodological and design issues, resource management, implementation using existing technologies for usability evaluation in several stages of the design and deployment. maturity, let alone standardisation. Furthermore, there are only a handful of platforms available for building such systems. Given the range, variability and complexity of the actual business cases it is obvious that the enabling …
The Study of ROI Detection Based on Visual Attention Mechanism

With the development of science and technology, the technique of detecting regions of interest (ROI) plays an increasingly role in the field of the image analysis and processing. Human vision system actively seeks interesting regions in images to reduce the search export in tasks, such as object detection and recognition. Similarly, prominent actions in video sequences are more likely to attract human's first sight than their surrounding neighbors. Based on the mechanism of HVS, this paper proposes a model of the focus of attention for detecting the attended regions in video sequences. It uses the similarity between the adjacent frames, establishes the gray histogram, selects the maximum similarity as predicable model, and gets position of the focus of attention in the next fame. For dynamic scene the model can pay more attention on moving targets and meets people's attention mechanism. The experimental results indicate that this model is effective in robustness and real-time.
Phenotyping common beans for adaptation to drought

Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) originated in the New World and are the grain legume of greatest production for direct human consumption. Common bean production is subject to frequent droughts in highland Mexico, in the Pacific coast of Central America, in northeast Brazil, and in eastern and southern Africa from Ethiopia to South Africa. This article reviews efforts to improve common bean for drought tolerance, referring to genetic diversity for drought response, the physiology of drought tolerance mechanisms, and breeding strategies. Different races of common bean respond differently to drought, with race Durango of highland Mexico being a major source of genes. Sister species of P. vulgaris likewise have unique traits, especially P. acutifolius which is well adapted to dryland conditions. Diverse sources of tolerance may have different mechanisms of plant response, implying the need for different methods of phenotyping to recognize the relevant traits. Practical considerations of field management are discussed including: trial planning; water management; and field preparation.
Small Nerve Fiber Quantification in the Diagnosis of Diabetic Sensorimotor Polyneuropathy: Comparing Corneal Confocal Microscopy With Intraepidermal Nerve Fiber Density

OBJECTIVE Quantitative assessment of small fiber damage is key to the early diagnosis and assessment of progression or regression of diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN). Intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) is the current gold standard, but corneal confocal microscopy (CCM), an in vivo ophthalmic imaging modality, has the potential to be a noninvasive and objective image biomarker for identifying small fiber damage. The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic performance of CCM and IENFD by using the current guidelines as the reference standard. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Eighty-nine subjects (26 control subjects and 63 patients with type 1 diabetes), with and without DSPN, underwent a detailed assessment of neuropathy, including CCM and skin biopsy. RESULTS Manual and automated corneal nerve fiber density (CNFD) (P < 0.0001), branch density (CNBD) (P < 0.0001) and length (CNFL) (P < 0.0001), and IENFD (P < 0.001) were significantly reduced in patients with diabetes with DSPN compared with control subjects. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for identifying DSPN was 0.82 for manual CNFD, 0.80 for automated CNFD, and 0.66 for IENFD, which did not differ significantly (P = 0.14). CONCLUSIONS This study shows comparable diagnostic efficiency between CCM and IENFD, providing further support for the clinical utility of CCM as a surrogate end point for DSPN.
LPA: Learning-Based Power Aware Communication Protocol in WBANs

Radio links in wireless body area networks (WBAN) experience highly time-varying attenuation because of topology instability. On the other hand, real-time, reliable, energy efficient and interference-aware communication protocol is the most important requirements of many WBAN applications. Since the channels quality is not stable, there is no any fixed optimal power level which meets all the requirements. In this paper, an adaptive Learning-based Power Aware (LPA) communication protocol is proposed that is capable of selecting the appropriate transmission power level based on the channel status. Since LPA is based on learning automata, it is a feedback based protocol in which the transmission power level is increased when it finds the channel is bad, and decreased as soon as it finds the channel is good. The performance of LPA is evaluated experimentally in five different postures and under three different data rates. The results are compared with communication protocols using fixed transmission powers under different scenarios with different data rates. The experimental results show LPA can save up to 55% of the energy consumed by the communication protocol using fixed high transmission power while the reliability of the communication is the same when the Medium Access Control (MAC) sublayer retransmission is enabled.