Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis for REPERA: A Hybrid Data Protection Mechanism in Distributed Environment

Distributed systems, especially those providing cloud services, endeavor to construct sufficiently reliable storage in order to attract more customers. Generally, pure replication and erasure code are widely adopted in distributed systems to guarantee reliable data storage, yet both of them contain some deficiencies. Pure replication consumes too much extra storage and bandwidth, while erasure code seems not so high-efficiency and only suitable for read-only context. The authors proposed REPERA as a hybrid mechanism combining pure replication and erasure code to leverage their advantages and mitigate their shortages. This paper qualitatively compares fault-resilient distributed architectures built with pure replication, erasure code and REPERA. The authors show that systems employing REPERA share with erasure-resilient systems a higher availability and more durable storage with similar space and bandwidth consumption when compared with replicated systems. The authors show that systems employing REPERA, on one hand, obtain higher availability while comparing to erasure-resilient systems, on the other hand, benefit from more durable storage while comparing to replicated systems. Furthermore, since REPERA was developed under the open platform, REPERA, the authors prepare an experiment to evaluate the performance of REPERA by comparing with the original system.
An MMSE Based Block Diagonalization for Multiuser MIMO Downlink Channels with Other Cell Interference

In this paper, we develop a minimum mean-squared error (MMSE) based block diagonalization (BD) algorithm for multiuser multi-input multi-output (MIMO) broadcast systems where each user has more than one antenna in the presence of other cell interference (OCI). Unlike the conventional BD based multiuser MIMO transmission schemes which suffer from the noise enhancement problem as eliminating all multi-user interference (MUI) completely, the proposed scheme attempts to suppress the MUI with a consideration of the OCI plus noise and employs an additional residual interference suppression process based on an MMSE criterion. As a result, the proposed scheme improves the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) at each user's receiver compared to conventional BD based schemes. Simulation results demonstrate that the sum rate performance of the proposed algorithm is always better than that of the con- ventional BD based algorithms for various OCI configurations.
Modeling, Simulation and Control of the Walking of Biped Robotic Devices—Part III: Turning while Walking

In part II of this group of papers, the control of the gait of a biped robot during rectilinear walk was considered. The modeling approach and simulation, using Kane’s method with implementation leveraged by Autolev, a symbolic computational environment that is complementary, was discussed in part I. Performing turns during the walk is technically more complex than the rectilinear case and deserves further investigation. The problem is solved in the present part III as an extension of part II. The robot executes a rectilinear walk on a local reference frame whose progression axis is always tangent, and its origin performs the involute of the path curve. The curve is defined by its curvature (osculating circle) and center of curvature (evolute) along the path. Radius of curvature and center can change continuously (in practice at every sampling time). For postural equilibrium, Center of Gravity and Zero Moment Point (COG/ZMP) follow the same preview reference proposed for rectilinear walk (c o g R e f x ( t ) , c o g ˙ R e f x ( t ), c o g R e f y ( t ) , c o g ˙ R e f y ( t )). The effect of the turn on the sagittal plane is negligible and is ignored, while on the frontal plane it is accounted for by an offset on COG reference to compensate for the centrifugal acceleration. The body trunk and local frame rotation, and the generation of the references on this moving frame of the free foot trajectory during the swing deserve attention.
Importance Sampling for a Monte Carlo Matrix Multiplication Algorithm, with Application to Information Retrieval

We perform importance sampling for a randomized matrix multiplication algorithm by Drineas, Kannan, and Mahoney and derive probabilities that minimize the expected value (with regard to the distributions of the matrix elements) of the variance. We compare these optimized probabilities with uniform probabilities and derive conditions under which the actual variance of the optimized probabilities is lower. Numerical experiments with query matching in information retrieval applications illustrate that the optimized probabilities produce more accurate matchings than the uniform probabilities and that they can also be computed efficiently.
Predictive Bias and Disparate Impact Risk Assessment in (community) Corrections Where Risk Assessment Fits in Punishment Theory

* The views expressed in this article are those of the authors alone and do not reflect the official position of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Lowenkamp specifically advises against using the PCRA to inform front-end sentencing decisions or back-end decisions about release without first conducting research on its use in these contexts, given that the PCRA was not designed for those purposes. Abstract One way to unwind mass incarceration without compromising public safety is to use risk assessment instruments in sentencing and corrections. These instruments figure prominently in current reforms, but controversy has begun to swirl around their use. The principal concern is that benefits in crime control will be offset by costs in social justice—a disparate and adverse effect on racial minorities and the poor. Based on a sample of 34,794 federal offenders, we empirically examine the relationships among race (Black vs. White), actuarial risk assessment (the Post Conviction Risk Assessment [PCRA]), and re-arrest (for any/violent crime). First, application of well-established principles of psychological science revealed no real evidence of test bias for the PCRA—the instrument strongly predicts re-arrest for both Black and White offenders and a given score has essentially the same meaning-i.e., same probability of recidivism—across groups. Second, Black offenders obtain modestly higher average scores on the PCRA than White offenders (d= .43; appx. 27% non-overlap in groups' scores). So some applications of the PCRA could create disparate impact—which is defined by moral rather than empirical criteria. Third, most (69%) of the racial difference in PCRA scores is attributable to criminal history—which strongly predicts recidivism for both groups and is embedded in sentencing guidelines. Finally, criminal history is not a proxy for race—instead, it fully mediates the otherwise weak relationship between race and re-arrest. Data may be more helpful than rhetoric, if the goal is to improve practice at this opportune moment in history. Over recent years, increased awareness of the economic and human toll of mass incarceration in the U.S. has launched a reform movement in sentencing and corrections (see Lawrence, 2013). This remarkably bipartisan movement (Arnold & Arnold, 2015) is shifting public discourse about criminal justice " away from the question of how best to punish, to how best to achieve long-term public safety " (Subramanian, Moreno, & Broomhead, 2014, p. 2). One way to begin unwinding mass incarceration without compromising public safety is to use risk assessment instruments in sentencing and …
Reproducibility of quantitative 18 F-3 ′-deoxy-3 ′-fluorothymidine measurements using positron emission tomography

Purpose Positron emission tomography (PET) using F-3′deoxy-3′-fluorothymidine ([F]FLT) allows noninvasive monitoring of tumour proliferation. For serial imaging in individual patients, good reproducibility is essential. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the reproducibility of quantitative [F]FLT measurements. Methods Nine patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and six with head-and-neck cancer (HNC) underwent [F]FLT PET twice within 7 days prior to therapy. The maximum pixel value (SUVmax) and a threshold defined volume (SUV41%) were defined for all delineated lesions. The plasma to tumour transfer constant (Ki) was estimated using both Patlak graphical analysis and nonlinear regression (NLR). NLR was also used to estimate k3, which, at least in theory, selectively reflects thymidine kinase 1 activity. The level of agreement between test and retest values was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman analysis. Results All primary tumours and >90% of clinically suspected locoregional metastases could be delineated. In total, 24 lesions were defined. NLR-derived Ki, Patlakderived Ki, SUV41% and SUVmax showed excellent reproducibility with ICCs of 0.92, 0.95, 0.98 and 0.93, and SDs of 16%, 12%, 7% and 11%, respectively. Reproducibility was poor for k3 with an ICC of 0.43 and SD of 38%. Conclusion Quantitative [F]FLT measurements are reproducible in both NSCLC and HNC patients. When monitoring response in individual patients, changes of more than 15% in SUV41%, 20–25% in SUVmax and Patlak-derived Ki, and 32% in NLR3k-derived Ki are likely to represent treatment effects.
Configurations of Splitter/Combiner Microstrip Sections Loaded with Stepped Impedance Resonators (SIRs) for Sensing Applications

In this paper, several configurations of splitter/combiner microstrip sections loaded with stepped impedance resonators (SIRs) are analyzed. Such structures are useful as sensors and comparators, and the main aim of the paper is to show that the proposed configurations are useful for the optimization of sensitivity and discrimination. Specifically, for comparison purposes, i.e., to determine anomalies, abnormalities or defects of a sample under test (SUT) in comparison to a reference sample, it is shown that up to three samples can be simultaneously tested. Simple models of the proposed structures are presented, and these models are validated through electromagnetic simulation and experiment. Finally, the principle of operation is validated through a proof-of-concept demonstrator.
An Expert Systems Approach to Realtime, Active Management of a Target Resource

The application of expert systems techniques to process control domains represents a potential approach to managing the increasing complexity and dynamics which characterizes many process control environments. This thesis reports on one such application in a complex, multi-agent environment, with an eye toward generalization to other process control domains. The application concerns the automation of large computing system operation. The requirement for high availability, high performance, computing systems has created a demand for fast, consistent, expert quality response to operational problems, and effective, flexible automation of computer operations would satisfy this demand while improving the productivity of operations. However, like many process control environments, the computer operations environment is characterized by high complexity and frequent change, rendering it difficult to automate operations in traditional procedural software. These are among the characteristics which motivate an expert systems approach to automation. JESQ, the focus of this thesis, is a realtime expert system which continuously monitors the level of operating system queue space in a large computing system and takes corrective action as queue space diminishes. JESQ is one of several expert systems which comprise a system called Yorktown Expert System/MVS Manager (YES/MVS). YES/MVS automates many tasks in the domain of computer operations, and is among the first expert systems designed for continuous execution in realtime. The expert system is currently running at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, and has received a favorable response from operations staff. The thesis concentrates on several related issues. The requirements which distinguish continuous realtime expert systems that exert active control over their environments from more conventional session-oriented expert systems are identified, and strategies for meeting these requirements are described. An alternative methodology for managing large computing installations is presented. The problems of developing and testing a realtime expert system in an industrial environment are described. Comments University of Pennsylvania Department of Computer and Information Science Technical Report No. MSCIS-85-40. This technical report is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn. edu/cis_reports/730 AN EXPERT SYSTEMS APPROACH TO REALTIME, ACTIVE MANAGEMENT OF A TARGET RESOURCE David A. Klein MS-CIS-85-40 Department Of Computer and Information Science Moore School University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104 September 1985 Acknowledgements: This research was supported in part by DARPA grants NO001 4-85-K-0018 and NO001 4-85-K-0807, NSF grants DCR-86-07156, DCR8501482, MCS8219196-CER, MCS-82-07294, 1 R01 -HL-29985-01, U.S. Army grants DAA6-29-84-K-0061, DAAB07-84-K-F077, U.S. Air Force grant 82-NM-299, Al Center grants NSF-MCS-83-05221, U.S. Army Research office grant ARODAA29-84-9-0027, Lord Corporation, RCA and Digital Equipment Corporation.
Control of A Formation with One Cyclic Relation in 3-dimensional Space

The paper investigates the flocking behaviors of multi-agent formation in 3-dimensional space which are based on leader following, where the underlying model of a formation is graphical. When the graph is undirected, a class of decentralized control laws for a group of mobile agents are proposed under the conditions that the topology of the control interconnections is fixed. These control laws are a combination of attractive/repulsive and alignments forces which can guarantee the collision avoidance and cohesion of the formation and an aggregate motion along the same heading direction of the leader. And when the graph is directed, a formation of four point agents moving in 3-dimensional space is considered, where one agent is a leader, and the other agents have a cyclic ordering with each one required to maintain a given distance from its neighbor. A control law is obtained, which can be guaranteed the distance preserved for the formation.
A Validation Test of an Adaptation of the DeLone and McLean’s Model in the Spanish EIS Field 1

INTRODUCTION From a systemic approach, we develop a research model adapting the DeLone and McLean's information systems success model to the executive information systems (EIS) field. We aim to test the validity of our adaptation, studying the interdependencies among the variables and examining its predictive ABSTRACT A Validation Test of an Adaptation of the DeLone and McLean's Model 67 power. Applying the Partial Least Squares (PLS) technique, we test the model using data from a survey conducted on 100 Spanish users in 55 organizations.
How Important Are Uncertainty Shocks in theHousing Market

This dissertation analyzes the impact of shocks to uncertainty on the macroeconomy and on the housing sector. To this end, I examine different approaches to measuring and modeling uncertainty. My work contributes to this growing literature as follows. Chapter two clarifies one possible source of confusion in the calibration of models using uncertainty shocks, that between ex-ante vs. ex-post uncertainty measures. Chapter three proposes a different approach to modeling uncertainty shocks, that corresponds to the empirical evidence of Jurado, Ludvigson and Ng (2015) and Ludvigson, Ma, and Ng (2016). Chapter four investigates how the factors of production uncertainty, financial intermediation, and credit constrained households can affect housing prices and aggregate economic activity. Diese Dissertation analysiert die Auswirkung von Unsicherheitsschocks auf die Makrookonomie und auf den Hausermarkt. Hierfur analysiere ich unterschiedliche Ansatze zur Messung und Modellierung von Unsicherheit. Meine Arbeit tragt zu dieser wachsenden Literatur wie folgt bei. Kapitel zwei erortert eine potentielle Quelle von Unklarheit bei der Kalibrierung von Unsicherheitsschocks - die zwischen ex-ante und ex-post Unsicherheitsmessungen. Kapitel drei schlagt einen neuen Ansatz zur Moderllierung von Unsicherheit vor, korrespondierend mit der empirischen Evidenz von Jurado, Ludvigson, und Ng (2015) sowie Ludvigson, Ma, and Ng (2016). Kapitel vier untersucht, inwiefern die Faktoren der Produktionsunsicherheit, Finanzintermediation und Kredit-zugangsbeschrankten Haushalten die Hauserpreise sowie die aggregierte wirtschaftliche Aktivitat beeinflussen.
Evaluation of Electronic Knowledge Repositories

Knowledge is recognized as a vital asset in organizations. A large number of organizations are implementing knowledge management systems (KMS) in order to leverage their knowledge resources, a common form of which are electronic knowledge repositories (EKR). Since EKR implementation is costly, management needs to be aware of the factors that will make EKR more usable in order to reap benefit from its KM investment. This study formulates and tests theoretical models relating potential antecedent factors to the usability of EKR from the perspectives of both knowledge contributors and seekers. The findings of this study show that robustness, monitoring, and knowledge organization are positively related to EKR usability for knowledge contributors. For knowledge seekers, robustness, content, and knowledge organization significantly impact EKR usability. This study has implications for both knowledge management practitioners and researchers.
Photosynthetic acclimation is important for post-submergence recovery of photosynthesis and growth in two riparian species.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Concomitant increases in O(2) and irradiance upon de-submergence can cause photoinhibition and photo-oxidative damage to the photosynthetic apparatus of plants. As energy and carbohydrate supply from photosynthesis is needed for growth, it was hypothesized that post-submergence growth recovery may require efficient photosynthetic acclimation to increased O(2) and irradiance to minimize photo-oxidative damage. The hypothesis was tested in two flood-tolerant species: a C(3) herb, Alternanthera philoxeroides; and a C(4) grass, Hemarthria altissima. The impact of low O(2) and low light, typical conditions in turbid floodwater, on post-submergence recovery was assessed by different flooding treatments combined with shading. METHODS Experiments were conducted during 30 d of flooding (waterlogging or submergence) with or without shading and subsequent recovery of 20 d under growth conditions. Changes in dry mass, number of branches/tillers, and length of the longest internodes and main stems were recorded to characterize growth responses. Photosynthetic parameters (photosystem II efficiency and non-photochemical quenching) were determined in mature leaves based on chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements. KEY RESULTS In both species growth and photosynthesis recovered after the end of the submergence treatment, with recovery of photosynthesis (starting shortly after de-submergence) preceding recovery of growth (pronounced on days 40-50). The effective quantum yield of photosystem II and non-photochemical quenching were diminished during submergence but rapidly increased upon de-submergence. Similar changes were found in all shaded plants, with or without flooding. Submerged plants did not suffer from photoinhibition throughout the recovery period although their growth recovery was retarded. CONCLUSIONS After sudden de-submergence the C(3) plant A. philoxeroides and the C(4) plant H. altissima were both able to maintain the functionality of the photosynthetic apparatus through rapid acclimation to changing O(2) and light conditions. The ability for photosynthetic acclimation may be essential for adaptation to wetland habitats in which water levels fluctuate.
The Relationship between Mental Health and Drug-use among Nepali Adolescents

The purpose of this study is to identify the mental health status of Nepali adolescents and understand the factors that trigger the risk of drug-use. Survey has been conducted in the capital city of Kathmandu and Bhaktapur with 463 Nepali adolescents age group 13 to 19 using the scales of anxiety, depression, stress, cognitive-emotion regulation, self-esteem, potential drug-use. The results of this study are as follows. First, the level of anxiety, depression, and stress are within the scope of ‘mild to moderate,’ ‘mild,’ ‘moderate’ respectively. The level of self-esteem is within the range of ‘normal,’ and potential of drug-use is also within the scope of ‘non-potential drug-use. ’ Second, the mental health-related variables selected in this study is accounted for about 23.4% of potential drug-use. Depression, self-esteem, and less adaptive cognitive emotional regulation has a significant impact on potential drug-use, while other variables do not. This study is worthwhile to provide basic data for the development of a mental health program and addiction prevention programs for Nepali adolescents.
How policies affect the use of plant genetic resources: the experience of the CGIAR

There is growing recognition that sustainable intensification of agricultural production systems and their successful adaptation to changes in climate will depend upon the improved access to, and use of, genetic diversity. This paper analyzes how the collection, use and distribution of plant genetic resources by the Consortium of International Research Centers of the CGIAR are influenced by international and national policies, treaties and agreements. Some concerns exist among CGIAR scientists about continued access to, and distribution of, plant genetic resources. Study findings point to an increasing influence of international and national policies and legal frameworks on the conservation and use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) by the CGIAR centers and the dissemination of CGIAR-improved germplasm first to partners in agricultural research organizations and then to final users of new plant varieties developed through research partnerships. This situation may, in the longer term, have a serious impact on the utilization of plant genetic diversity to cope with current and predicted challenges to agricultural production and, in particular, climate change.
Deep Web Data Extraction by Using Vision-Based Item and Data Extraction Algorithms

Deep Web contents are accessed by queries submitted to Web databases and the returned data records are enwrapped in dynamically generated Web pages (they will be called deep Web pages in this paper). Extracting structured data from deep Web pages is a challenging problem due to the underlying intricate structures of such pages. Until now, a large number of techniques have been proposed to address this problem, but all of them have inherent limitations because they are Web-page-programming-language dependent. As the popular two-dimensional media, the contents on Web pages are always displayed regularly for users to browse. This motivates us to seek a different way for deep Web data extraction to overcome the limitations of previous works by utilizing some interesting common visual features on the deep Web pages. In this, a novel vision-based approach that is Web-page programminglanguage-independent is proposed. This approach primarily utilizes the visual features on the deep Web pages to implement deep Web data extraction, including data record extraction and data item extraction. We also propose a new evaluation measure revision to capture the amount of human effort needed to produce perfect extraction. Our experiments on a large set of Web databases show that the proposed vision-based approach is highly effective for deep Web data extraction.