Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Engineering Self-Adaptive Software Systems

Self-adaptive software systems monitor their operation and adapt when their requirements fail due to unexpected phenomena in their environment. This article examines the case where the environment changes dynamically over time and the chosen adaptation has to take into account such changes. In control theory, this type of adaptation is known as Model Predictive Control and comes with a well-developed theory and myriad successful applications. The article focuses on modeling the dynamic relationship between requirements and possible adaptations. It then proposes a controller that exploits this relationship to optimize the satisfaction of requirements relative to a cost function. This is accomplished through a model-based framework for designing self-adaptive software systems that can guarantee a certain level of requirements satisfaction over time by dynamically composing adaptation strategies when necessary. The proposed framework is illustrated and evaluated through two simulated systems, namely, the Meeting-Scheduling exemplar and an E-Shop.
Features extraction and training strategies in continuous speech recognition for romanian language

This paper describes continuous speech recognition experiments for Romanian language, by using HMM (Hidden Markov Models) modeling. The following questions are to be discussed: the realization of a new front-end reconsidering linear prediction, the enhancement of recognition rates by context dependent modeling, the evaluation of training strategies ensuring speaker independence of the recognition process without speaker adaptation procedures, by speaker selection for training. The experiments lead to a development of the initial system with a promising front-end based on PLP (Perceptual Linear Prediction) coefficients, second ranked for the recognition performance obtained, near the first ranked front-end based on mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC), but far better as the last ranked, based on simple linear prediction. Concerning the implemented algorithm for context dependent modeling, it permits in all situations enhanced recognition rates. The experiments made with gender speaker selection enhanced under certain conditions the recognition rate, proving good generalization properties especially by training with the male speakers database.
“NQO1 Gene C609T Polymorphism (dbSNP: rs1800566) and Digestive Tract Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis.”

ABSTRACT Several studies reported that polymorphism C609T (rs1800566) in (NAD(P)H): quinoneoxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) gene is associated with risk to digestive tract (DT) cancers, like esophageal cancer (EC), gastric cancer (GC), and colorectal cancer (CRC). Authors conducted a meta-analysis to investigate association between C609T polymorphism and DT cancer risk. Eligible studies were extracted from the databases of PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Springer Link. All retrieved articles were evaluated. All statistical analyses were performed using Open Meta-Analyst and MIX1.7 programs. A total of 34 studies including 12,043 DT cancer cases and 15,209 healthy controls were included in the present meta- analysis. Results of meta-analysis revealed a significant association between NQO1 C609T polymorphism and DT cancer risk adopting all 5 genetic models (T vs. C: OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.11–1.31, p < 0.001; TT vs. CC: OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.22–1.79, p < 0.001; TT + CT vs. CC: OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.12–1.35, p < 0.001; TT vs. CT + CC: OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.15–1.60, p < 0.001; CT vs. CC: OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.07–1.27, p < 0.001). In the stratified analysis based on cancer types, significant associations were observed between NQO1 C609T polymorphism and GC (OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.11–1.72, p = 0.003) and CRC (OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.06–1.30, p = 0.001), but not with EC (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.99–1.35, p = 0.06). Furthermore, stratified analysis based on ethnicity indicated that there was a significant association between NQO1 C609T polymorphism and DT cancer risk in the Asian (TT vs. CC: OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.21–2.00, p ≤ 0.001) as well as in Caucasian populations (TT vs. CC: OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.04–1.73, p = 0.02). In conclusion, the results of meta-analysis suggested that the NQO1 C609T polymorphism is a risk factor for DT cancers, including GC and CRC.
glactools: a command-line toolset for the management of genotype likelihoods and allele counts

Motivation Research projects involving population genomics routinely need to store genotyping information, population allele frequencies, combine files from different samples, query the data and export it to various formats. This is often done using bespoke in-house scripts which cannot be easily adapted to new projects and seldom constitute reproducible workflows. Results We introduce glactools, a set of command-line utilities which can import data from genotypes or population-wide allele frequencies into an intermediate representation, compute various operations on it and export the data to several file formats used by population genetics software. This intermediate format can take 2 forms, one to store per-individual genotype likelihoods and a second for allele counts from one or more individuals. glactools allows users to perform operations such as intersecting datasets, merging individuals into populations, creating subsets, perform queries (e.g. return sites where a given population does not share an allele with a second one) and compute summary statistics to answer biologically relevant questions. Availability glactools is freely available for use under the GPL. It requires a C++ compiler and the htslib library. (https://grenaud.github.io/glactools/). Contact gabriel.reno@gmail.com Supplementary information Supplementary methods and results are available at Bioinformatics online.
Scenario Screen: A Dynamic and Context Dependent P300 Stimulator Screen Aimed at Wheelchair Navigation Control

P300 spellers have been widely modified to implement nonspelling tasks. In this work, we propose a “scenario” stimulation screen that is a P300 speller variation to command a wheelchair. Our approach utilized a stimulation screen with an image background (scenario snapshot for a wheelchair) and stimulation markers arranged asymmetrically over relevant landmarks, such as suitable paths, doors, windows, and wall signs. Other scenario stimulation screen features were green/blue stimulation marker color scheme, variable Interstimulus Interval, single marker stimulus mode, and optimized stimulus sequence generator. Eighteen able-bodied subjects participated in the experiment; 78% had no experience in BCI usage. A waveform feature analysis and a Mann–Whitney U test performed over the pairs of target and nontarget coherent averages confirmed that 94% of the subjects elicit P300 (p < .005) on this modified stimulator. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator optimization and Linear Discriminant Analysis were utilized for the automatic detection of P300. For evaluation with unseen data, target detection was computed (median sensitivity = 1.00 (0.78–1.00)), together with nontarget discrimination (median specificity = 1.00 (0.98–1.00)). The scenario screen adequately elicits P300 and seems suitable for commanding a wheelchair even when users have no previous experience on the BCI spelling task.
CHIMP: Crowdsourcing Human Inputs for Mobile Phones

While developing mobile apps is becoming easier, testing and characterizing their behavior is still hard. On the one hand, the de facto testing tool, called "Monkey," scales well due to being based on random inputs, but fails to gather inputs useful in understanding things like user engagement and attention. On the other hand, gathering inputs and data from real users requires distributing instrumented apps, or even phones with pre-installed apps, an expensive and inherently unscaleable task. To address these limitations we present CHIMP, a system that integrates automated tools and large-scale crowdsourced inputs. CHIMP is different from previous approaches in that it runs apps in a virtualized mobile environment that thousands of users all over the world can access via a standard Web browser. CHIMP is thus able to gather the full range of real-user inputs, detailed run-time traces of apps, and network traffic. We thus describe CHIMP»s design and demonstrate the efficiency of our approach by testing thousands of apps via thousands of crowdsourced users. We calibrate CHIMP with a large-scale campaign to understand how users approach app testing tasks. Finally, we show how CHIMP can be used to improve both traditional app testing tasks, as well as more novel tasks such as building a traffic classifier on encrypted network flows.
The Adhesive Properties of Fibrin Glue Extracted from Bovine Plasma on Liver Wound Healing in Male Rats

Fibrin sealant, or fibrin "glue," is a unique surgical haemostatic , sealant and adhesive material that is being used in a variety of surgical situations. It is a two-component system in which a solution of concentrated fibrinogen and factor XIII are combined with a solution of thrombin and calcium to form a coagulum, simulating the final stage of the clotting cascade. The present study was designed to examine the adhesive effect of ethanol extracted fibrinogen of bovine origin on rat liver wound healing. In the present study fibrinogen was extracted from bovine plasma using cold ethanol and prothrombin was extracted from bovine plasma by exposure to barium chloride. The study was conducted on sixteen mature white male rats. They were allocated into two equal groups (8 rats /group) and a surgical liver wound was induced in the left liver loop of each rat. In the first group (control) the wounds were exposed to slight manual compression with a sterile cotton tampon and then left for natural healing and in the second group (fibrin glue treated) the wounds were sealed using a combination of (bovine fibrinogen, prothrombin and thromboplastin calcium). After 3 and 6 days of wound induction four rats of each group were euthanized under light ether anesthesia, their abdomens were excised and livers were collected, washed by cold saline, grossly examined and fixed in neutral formalin for histopathological examination. Also blood samples were collected at the days 3 and 6 of experiment to obtain serum for biochemical estimations of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), total protein, albumin , globulin , cholesterol ,high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL). Fibrin glue treated liver wound ,exhibited a grossly marked uniform healing which was confirmed by histopathological examination indicated by the presence of organized fibrous tissue at the site of wound and the adjacent part of liver tissue, normally appeared without degeneration. While in control group the site of liver wound showed uniform healing and there histopathological examination revealed unorganized fibrous tissue formation and the adjacent part of liver tissue exhibits variable degrees of degeneration. The liver function parameters in control group were adversely affected significantly compared to fibrin glue treated group.
High temperature thermo-physical properties of SPS-ed W–Cu functional gradient materials

The divertor of a fusion reactor like DEMO requires materials able to withstand high heat fluxes and neutron irradiation for several years. For the water cooling concept of this essential part of the reactor, the most likely plasma facing material will be W, while the heatsink material considered is CuCrZr or an improved version of such a Cu-based alloy. To realize W–Cu alloy joints able to withstand thousands of thermal cycles can be difficult due to the difference between the thermal expansion coefficients of these materials. In this work we investigate the possibility to realize such joints by using W–Cu functional gradient materials (FGMs) produced from nanometric and micrometric metallic powders mixtures and consolidated by spark plasma sintering at about 900 °C. Morphological and thermal properties investigations, performed for typical compositions, shows that the best results are obtained using powders with micrometric dimensions. A resulting 1 mm thick, 3 layers W–Cu FGM produced by this simple method shows a remarkable almost constant thermal conductivity value of 200 W m−1 K−1, from room temperature up to 1000 °C.
Internet Infrastructures and Health Care Systems: a Qualitative Comparative Analysis on Networks and Markets in the British National Health Service and Kaiser Permanente

Background The Internet and emergent telecommunications infrastructures are transforming the future of health care management. The costs of health care delivery systems, products, and services continue to rise everywhere, but performance of health care delivery is associated with institutional and ideological considerations as well as availability of financial and technological resources. Objective To identify the effects of ideological differences on health care market infrastructures including the Internet and telecommunications technologies by a comparative case analysis of two large health care organizations: the British National Health Service and the California-based Kaiser Permanente health maintenance organization. Methods A qualitative comparative analysis focusing on the British National Health Service and the Kaiser Permanente health maintenance organization to show how system infrastructures vary according to market dynamics dominated by health care institutions ("push") or by consumer demand ("pull"). System control mechanisms may be technologically embedded, institutional, or behavioral. Results The analysis suggests that telecommunications technologies and the Internet may contribute significantly to health care system performance in a context of ideological diversity. Conclusions The study offers evidence to validate alternative models of health care governance: the national constitution model, and the enterprise business contract model. This evidence also suggests important questions for health care policy makers as well as researchers in telecommunications, organizational theory, and health care management.
Novel design of refractive index sensors and biosensors based on a dual-core micro-structured optical fiber

In the present work a new model of a refractive index (RI) sensor is exhibited. This is based on a dual core micro-structured optical fiber (MOF), where two holes are introduced at the core centers. In this way, the model enhances the interaction of the fiber modes propagated in the core region, providing the possibility of increasing the dimensions of the fiber sensor. Thus, the filling of the fiber holes with the fluid under study is facilitated, and generally the practical use of the system as a refractive index sensor is greatly simplified. The sensitivity of the system for various configurations has also been determined. It is found that it can reach record values of the order of 7000 nm/RIU. Finally, the use of the system as a bio-sensor has been examined, giving very promising results regarding both the sensitivity and the ease of the calibration.
Battery-Free 802.15.4 Receiver

We present the architecture of an 802.15. 4 receiver that, for the first time, operates at a few hundred microwatts, enabling new battery-free applications. To reach the required micro-power consumption, the architecture diverges from that of commodity receivers in two important ways. First, it offloads the power-hungry local oscillator to an external device, much like backscatter transmitters do. Second, we avoid the energy cost of demodulating a phase-modulated signal by treating 802.15. 4 as a frequency-modulated one, which allows us to receive with a simple passive detector and an energy-efficient thresholding circuit. We describe a prototype that can receive 802.15. 4 frames with a power consumption of 361 μW. Our receiver prototype achieves sufficient communication range to integrate with deployed wireless sensor networks (WSNs). We illustrate this integration by pairing the prototype with an 802.15. 4 backscatter transmitter and integrating it with unmodified 802.15. 4 sensor nodes running the TSCH and Glossy protocols.
SPMDL

Software metrics are becoming more acceptable measures for software quality assessment. However, there is no standard form to represent metric definitions, which would be useful for metrics exchange and customization. In this article, we propose the Software Product Metrics Definition Language (SPMDL). We develop an XML-based description language to define software metrics in a precise and reusable form. Metric definitions in SPMDL are based on meta-models extracted from either source code or design artifacts, such as the Dagstuhl Middle Meta-model, with support for various abstraction levels. The language defines several flexible computation mechanisms, such as extended Object Constraint Language queries and predefined graph operations on the meta-model. SPMDL provides an unambiguous description of the metric definition; it is also easy to use and is extensible.
Security Evaluation of a Banking Fraud Analysis System

The significant growth of banking fraud, fueled by the underground economy of malware, has raised the need for effective detection systems. Therefore, in the last few years, banks have upgraded their security to protect transactions from fraud. State-of-the-art solutions detect fraud as deviations from customers’ spending habits. To the best of our knowledge, almost all existing approaches do not provide an in-depth model’s granularity and security analysis against elusive attacks. In this article, we examine Banksealer, a decision support system for banking fraud analysis that evaluates the influence on detection performance of the granularity at which spending habits are modeled and its security against evasive attacks. First, we compare user-centric modeling, which builds a model for each user, with system-centric modeling, which builds a model for the entire system, from the point of view of detection performance. Then, we assess the robustness of Banksealer against malicious attackers that are aware of the structure of the models in use. To this end, we design and implement a proof-of-concept attack tool that performs mimicry attacks, emulating a sophisticated attacker that cloaks frauds to avoid detection. We experimentally confirm the feasibility of such attacks, their cost, and the effort required by an attacker in order to perform them. In addition, we discuss possible countermeasures. We provide a comprehensive evaluation on a large real-world dataset obtained from one of the largest Italian banks.
A Qualitative Analysis of Narrative Preclerkship Assessment Data to Evaluate Teamwork Skills

ABSTRACT Construct: Students entering the health professions require competency in teamwork. Background: Although many teamwork curricula and assessments exist, studies have not demonstrated robust longitudinal assessment of preclerkship students' teamwork skills and attitudes. Assessment portfolios may serve to fill this gap, but it is unknown how narrative comments within portfolios describe student teamwork behaviors. Approach: We performed a qualitative analysis of narrative data in 15 assessment portfolios. Student portfolios were randomly selected from 3 groups stratified by quantitative ratings of teamwork performance gathered from small-group and clinical preceptor assessment forms. Narrative data included peer and faculty feedback from these same forms. Data were coded for teamwork-related behaviors using a constant comparative approach combined with an identification of the valence of the coded statements as either “positive observation” or “suggestion for improvement. ” Results: Eight codes related to teamwork emerged: attitude and demeanor, information facilitation, leadership, preparation and dependability, professionalism, team orientation, values team member contributions, and nonspecific teamwork comments. The frequency of codes and valence varied across the 3 performance groups, with students in the low-performing group receiving more suggestions for improvement across all teamwork codes. Conclusions: Narrative data from assessment portfolios included specific descriptions of teamwork behavior, with important contributions provided by both faculty and peers. A variety of teamwork domains were represented. Such feedback as collected in an assessment portfolio can be used for longitudinal assessment of preclerkship student teamwork skills and attitudes.
Internet-Based Interactive Health Intervention for the Promotion of Sensible Drinking: Patterns of Use and Potential Impact on Members of the General Public

Background Heavy drinking is responsible for major health and social problems. Brief interventions have been shown to be effective, but there have been difficulties in reaching those who might benefit from them. Pilot studies have indicated that a Web-based intervention is likely to be acceptable to heavy drinkers and may produce some health benefits. However, there are few data on how many people might use such a program, the patterns of use, and potential benefits. Objectives The aim was to examine the demographic characteristics of users of a free, Web-based, 6-week intervention for heavy drinkers and to describe the methods by which users identified the site, the pattern of site use and attrition, the characteristics associated with completing the program, and the self-reported impact on alcohol-related outcomes. Methods Cohort study. Visitors to the Web site were offered screening with the Fast Alcohol Screening Test, and those scoring above the cutoff for risky drinking were invited to register with the program. Demographic information was collected routinely at registration, and questionnaires were completed at the end of weeks 1 and 6. The outcome measures assessed dependency (Short Alcohol Dependency Data Questionnaire), harms (modified Alcohol Problems Questionnaire), and mental health (Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation–Outcome Measure). Results The records of 10000 users were analyzed. The mean age was 37.4 years, 51.1% were female, 37.5% were single, and 42.4% lived with children. The majority were White British, lived in the United Kingdom, and reported occupations from the higher socioeconomic strata. Over 70% connected to the Down Your Drink (Down Your Drink) site from another Internet-based resource, whereas only 5.8% heard about the site from a health or other professional. Much of the Web site use (40%) was outside normal working hours. Attrition from the program was high, with only 16.5% of registrants completing the whole 6 weeks. For those who completed the program, and the final outcome measures, measures of dependency, alcohol-related problems, and mental health symptoms were all reduced at week 6. Conclusions The Web-based intervention was highly used, and those who stayed with the program showed significant reductions in self-reported indicators of dependency, alcohol-related problems, and mental health symptoms; however, this association cannot be assumed to be causal. Programs of this type may have the potential to reach large numbers of heavy drinkers who might not otherwise seek help. There are significant methodological challenges and further research is needed to fully evaluate such interventions.