Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards an Unwritten Contract of Intel Optane SSD

New non-volatile memory technologies offer unprecedented performance levels for persistent storage. However, to exploit their full potential, a deeper performance characterization of such devices is required. In this paper, we analyze a NVM-based block device – the Intel Optane SSD – and formalize an “unwritten contract” of the Optane SSD. We show that violating this contract can result in 11x worse read latency and limited throughput (only 20% of peak bandwidth) regardless of parallelism. We present that this contract is relevant to features of 3D XPoint memory and Intel Optane SSD’s controller/interconnect design. Finally, we discuss the implications of the contract.
NICA: An Infrastructure for Inline Acceleration of Network Applications

With rising network rates, cloud vendors increasingly deploy FPGA-based SmartNICs (F-NICs), leveraging their inline processing capabilities to offload hypervisor networking infrastructure. However, the use of F-NICs for accelerating generalpurpose server applications in clouds has been limited. NICA is a hardware-software co-designed framework for inline acceleration of the application data plane on F-NICs in multi-tenant systems. A new ikernel programming abstraction, tightly integrated with the network stack, enables application control of F-NIC computations that process application network traffic, with minimal code changes. In addition, NICA’s virtualization architecture supports fine-grain time-sharing of F-NIC logic and provides I/O path virtualization. Together these features enable cost-effective sharing of F-NICs across virtual machines with strict performance guarantees. We prototype NICA on Mellanox F-NICs and integrate ikernels with the high-performance VMA network stack and the KVM hypervisor. We demonstrate significant acceleration of real-world applications in both bare-metal and virtualized environments, while requiring only minor code modifications to accelerate them on F-NICs. For example, a transparent key-value store cache ikernel added to the stock memcached server reaches 40 Gbps server throughput (99% line-rate) at 5.3 μs 99th-percentile latency for 16-byte key-value pairs, which is 21× the throughput of a 6-core CPU with a kernelbypass network stack. The throughput scales linearly for up to 6 VMs running independent instances of memcached.
DynaShield: Reducing the Cost of DDoS Defense using Cloud Services

Fueled by IoT botnets and DDoS-as-a-Service tools, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks have reached record high volumes. Although there exist DDoS protection services, they can be costly for small organizations as well as individual users. In this paper, we present a low-cost DDoS solution, DynaShield, which a user can deploy at common cloud service providers. DynaShield employs three techniques to reduce cost. First, it uses an on-demand model. A server dynamically updates its DNS record to redirect clients’ traffic to DynaShield when it is under attack, avoiding paying for cloud services during peacetime. Second, DynaShield combines serverless functions and elastic servers provided by cloud providers to auto-scale to large attacks without overprovisioning. Third, DynaShield uses cryptocurrency puzzles as proof of work. The coin mining profit can further offset a protected server’s cloud service charges. Our preliminary evaluation suggests that DynaShield can cost as little as a few dollars per month to prevent an organization from common DDoS attacks.
ElasticBF: Elastic Bloom Filter with Hotness Awareness for Boosting Read Performance in Large Key-Value Stores

LSM-tree based key-value (KV) stores suffer from severe read ampliﬁcation because searching a key requires to check multiple SSTables. To reduce extra I/Os, Bloom ﬁlters are usually deployed in KV stores to improve read performance. However, Bloom ﬁlters suffer from false positive, and simply enlarging the size of Bloom ﬁlters introduces large memory overhead, so it still causes extra I/Os in memory-constrained systems. In this paper, we observe that access skewness is very common among SSTables or even small-sized segments within each SSTable. To leverage this skewness feature, we develop ElasticBF, a ﬁne-grained heterogeneous Bloom ﬁlter management scheme with dynamic adjustment according to data hotness. ElasticBF is orthogonal to the works optimizing the architecture of LSM-tree based KV stores, so it can be integrated to further speed up their read performance. We build ElasticBF atop of LevelDB, RocksDB, and PebblesDB, and our experimental results show that ElasticBF increases the read throughput of the above KV stores to 2.34 × , 2.35 × , and 2.58 × , respectively, while keeps almost the same write and range query performance.
Stronger connections between circuit analysis and circuit lower bounds, via PCPs of proximity

We considerably sharpen the known connections between circuit-analysis algorithms and circuit lower bounds, show intriguing equivalences between the analysis of weak circuits and (apparently difficult) circuits, and provide strong new lower bounds for approximately computing Boolean functions with depth-two neural networks and related models. - We develop approaches to proving THR ○ THR lower bounds (a notorious open problem), by connecting algorithmic analysis of THR ○ THR to the provably weaker circuit classes THR ○ MAJ and MAJ ○ MAJ, where exponential lower bounds have long been known. More precisely, we show equivalences between algorithmic analysis of THR ○ THR and these weaker classes. The ε-error CAPP problem asks to approximate the acceptance probability of a given circuit to within additive error ε; it is the "canonical" derandomization problem. We show: - There is a non- trivial (2n/nω(1) time) 1/poly(n)-error CAPP algorithm for poly(n)-size THR ○ THR circuits if and only if there is such an algorithm for poly(n)-size MAJ ○ MAJ. - There is a δ > 0 and a non-trivial SAT (δ-error CAPP) algorithm for poly(n)-size THR ○ THR circuits if and only if there is such an algorithm for poly(n)-size THR ○ MAJ. Similar results hold for depth-d linear threshold circuits and depth-d MAJORITY circuits. These equivalences are proved via new simulations of THR circuits by circuits with MAJ gates. - We strengthen the connection between non-trivial derandomization (non-trivial CAPP algorithms) for a circuit class C, and circuit lower bounds against C. Previously, [Ben-Sasson and Viola, ICALP 2014] (following [Williams, STOC 2010]) showed that for any polynomial-size class C closed under projections, non-trivial (2n/nω(1) time) CAPP for ORpoly(n) ○ AND3 ○ C yields NEXP ⊄ C. We apply Probabilistic Checkable Proofs of Proximity in a new way to show it would suffice to have a non-trivial CAPP algorithm for either ⊕2 ○ C, AND2 ○ C or OR2 ○ C. - A direct corollary of the first two bullets is that NEXP ⊄ THR ○ THR would follow from either: - a non-trivial δ-error CAPP (or SAT) algorithm for poly(n)-size THR ○ MAJ circuits, or - a non-trivial 1 / poly(n)-error CAPP algorithm for poly(n)-size MAJ ○ MAJ circuits. - Applying the above machinery, we extend lower bounds for depth-two neural networks and related models [R. Williams, CCC 2018] to weak approximate computations of Boolean functions. For example, for arbitrarily small ε > 0, we prove there are Boolean functions f computable in nondeterministic nlog n time such that (for infinitely many n) every polynomial-size depth-two neural network N on n inputs (with sign or ReLU activation) must satisfy maxx∈{0,1}n |N(x) --- f(x)| > 1/2 --- ε. That is, short linear combinations of ReLU gates fail miserably at computing f to within close precision. Similar results are proved for linear combinations of ACC ○ THR circuits, and linear combinations of low-degree Fp polynomials. These results constitute further progress towards THR ○ THR lower bounds.
Workload from Nuclear Power Plant Task Types Across Repeated Sessions

Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) operators complete multiple types of tasks within Emergency Operating Procedures (EOPs). Due to the potential serious consequences of committing an error, it is important to determine if the workload (WL) demands operators encounter are at acceptable levels. This study investigates whether there are workload differences are distinct between task types and if there is a difference between each task type over multiple sessions in a simulated environment. Previous research supports that EEG, ECG, and the NASA-TLX are sensitive to changes in WL. The present preliminary experiment sought to investigate WL changes for experienced participants over a number of sessions and task types. During each session, participants completed tasks derived from a combination of EOPs and subject matter expert input that consisted of checking, detection, and response implementation task types. WL changes were measured through EEG, ECG, and NASA-TLX responses. The results indicate that WL differences were found among the different task types, but not sessions. The implications for these findings are discussed in detail.
Effective Static Analysis of Concurrency Use-After-Free Bugs in Linux Device Drivers

In Linux device drivers, use-after-free (UAF) bugs can cause system crashes and serious security problems. According to our study of Linux kernel commits, 42% of the driver commits fixing use-after-free bugs involve driver concurrency. We refer to these use-after-free bugs as concurrency use-after-free bugs. Due to the non-determinism of concurrent execution, concurrency use-after-free bugs are often more difficult to reproduce and detect than sequential use-after-free bugs. In this paper, we propose a practical static analysis approach named DCUAF, to effectively detect concurrency use-after-free bugs in Linux device drivers. DCUAF combines a local analysis analyzing the source code of each driver with a global analysis statistically analyzing the local results of all drivers, forming a local-global analysis, to extract the pairs of driver interface functions that may be concurrently executed. Then, with these pairs, DCUAF performs a summary-based lockset analysis to detect concurrency use-after-free bugs. We have evaluated DCUAF on the driver code of Linux 4.19, and found 640 real concurrency use-after-free bugs. We have randomly selected 130 of the real bugs and reported them to Linux kernel developers, and 95 have been confirmed.
Deep Enforcement: Policy-based Data Transformations for Data in the Cloud

Despite the growing collection and use of private data in the cloud, there remains a fundamental disconnect between unified data governance and the storage system enforcement techniques. On one side, high-level governance policies derived from regulations like General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) have emerged with stricter rules dictating who, when and how data can be processed. On the other side, storagelevel controls, both roleor attribute-based, continue to focus on access/deny enforcement. In this paper, we propose how to bridge this gap. We introduce Deep Enforcement, a system that provides unified governance and transformation policies coupled with data transformations embedded into the storage fabric to achieve policy compliance. Data transformations can vary in complexity, from simple redactions to complex differential privacy-based techniques to provide the required amount of anonymization. We show how this architecture can be implemented into two broad classes of data storage systems in the cloud: object storages and SQL databases. Depending on the complexity of the transformation, we also demonstrate how to implement them either in-line (on data access) or off-line (creating an alternate cached dataset).
Non-parametric techniques for fast and robust stereo matching

The mining environment presents a challenging prospect for stereo vision. Our objective is to produce a stereo vision sensor suited to close-range scenes consisting mostly of rocks. This sensor should produce a dense depth map within real-time constraints. Speed and robustness are of foremost importance for this application. This paper compares a number of stereo matching algorithms in terms of robustness and suitability to fast implementation. These include traditional area-based algorithms, and algorithms based on non-parametric transforms, notably the rank and census transforms. Our experimental results show that the rank and census transforms are robust with respect to radiometric distortion and introduce less computational complexity than conventional area-based matching techniques.
802.11ec: collision avoidance without control messages

In this paper, we design, implement and evaluate 802.11ec (Encoded Control), an 802.11-based protocol without control messages: instead, 802.11ec employs correlatable symbol sequences, which together with the timing the codes are transmitted, encode all control information and change the fundamental design properties of the MAC. The use of correlatable symbol sequences provides two key advantages: (i) efficiency, as it permits a near order of magnitude reduction of the control time; (ii) robustness, because codes are short and easily detectable even at low SINR and even while a neighbor is transmitting data. We implement 802.11ec on an FPGA-based software defined radio. We perform a large number of experiments and show that, compared to 802.11 (with and without RTS/CTS), 802.11ec achieves a vast efficiency gain in conveying control information and resolves key throughput and fairness problems in the presence of hidden terminals, asymmetric topologies, and general multi-hop topologies.
Correlation between the serum procalcitonin level and the extension and severity of coronary artery disease in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Objectives Research has shown correlations between some, but not all, inflammatory mediators and coronary atherosclerosis burden. Conflicting results have been reported on the correlation between the serum procalcitonin (PCT) level and the severity and extension of coronary artery disease (CAD). We evaluated the correlation between PCT and the severity and extension of CAD in patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Patients and methods In this prospective cross-sectional study, the serum PCT level was measured 48 h after hospital admission in 131 patients with a diagnosis of NSTEMI. All the patients underwent selective coronary angiography, and the severity and extension of their CAD was evaluated with the Gensini score. The study population was assigned to two groups on the basis of the median of the Gensini score: those with a score higher than the median and those with a score lower than the median. Results There was no statistically significant difference with regard to the serum PCT level between the two groups (P = 0.511). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, after adjustment for the potential confounders, the serum PCT level was not a determinant of the Gensini score (P = 0.502). Conclusion The second 24-h postadmission serum PCT level was not correlated with the severity and extension of CAD according to the Gensini score in our patients with NSTEMI.
Review of Blood-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening : How Far Are Circulating Cell-Free DNA Methylation Markers From Clinical Implementation ?

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer related deaths worldwide, and late stages (III-IV) in particular have low 5-year survival rates. Stage shifting by CRC screening programs has proven effective by decreasing morbidity and mortality and in many countries national CRC screening programs have been implemented. Currently, European, Asian, and American authorities recommend screening for CRC using fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy. Because these approaches all have weaknesses (eg, poor compliance, high costs, test invasiveness), much effort has been put into the development of alternative screening approaches, many of which are blood-based. Blood-based strategies especially present the advantages of minimally invasiveness compared to endoscopies and an expectantly higher compliance rate compared to stool-based tests. The last decades have seen many discovery studies identifying promising blood-based biomarkers of CRC; however, common to all of these markers is that their clinical usefulness remains evasive. At present only one blood-based CRC screening marker has been approved in the United States. The aim of this review is to discuss the development of blood-based cell-free DNA methylation marker candidates for CRC screening. On the basis of a methodical literature search, the past, present, and future of cell-free DNA screening markers for CRC are revised and discussed. Resource limitations and technical challenges related to sensitivity and specificity measurements keep many markers at bay. Possible solutions to these problems are offered to enable markers to benefit future screening participants. Clinical Colorectal Cancer, Vol. 17, No. 2, e415-433 a 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Economic Freedom of the World: 2005 Annual Report

Introduction With war in the Middle East and the prospect of terrorist attacks at sites ranging from major airports to the local shopping mall, it may be appropriate to remind ourselves that much of the world is experiencing an extended period of peace. Indeed, developed countries have not fought each other since the Second World War. This peace is unusual because powerful nations are historically the most conflict prone. Since before the time of Thucydides, states have used wealth to acquire more territory and to dominate the affairs of their neighbors. Understanding the reasons that the powerful countries of today are less prone to dispute than their predecessors is critical to maintaining the peace and to extending its benefits more broadly. Policies predicated on inaccurate associations between democracy and peace, for example, seem destined to create as many problems as they solve. Classical liberal theory provides two streams of explanation for peace, one focusing on the forms and practices of government, the other on free markets and private property. The former, seen most particularly in the writings of Immanual Kant, has received extensive attention from students of international politics in the last decade. Kant was wrong when he claimed that republics are less warlike than other forms of government. Instead, researchers have found that democracies are less likely to fight each other, while being no less ready to use force generally. This " democratic peace " has been further pro-scribed by the discovery that developing democracies are just as war-prone as developing dictatorships. Available explanations involving the pacific effects of democratic norms, institutions, or transparent rule must struggle to explain why prosperity is a requirement for peace. Liberal political economy offers no such contradiction. Scholars like Montesquieu, Adam Smith, Richard Cobden, Norman Angell, and Richard Rosecrance have long speculated that free markets have the potential to free states from the looming prospect of recurrent warfare. Capitalism encourages cooperation among states by creating conditions that make war unappealing or unnecessary. Free markets create another venue to competition among countries, often containing minor conflicts below the level of military force. The transformation of commerce made possible by economic freedom also leads to a transformation in international affairs. Conquest becomes expensive and unprofitable. Wealth in modern economies is much harder to " steal " through force than was the case among agricultural and early industrial societies. This " capitalist peace " has been …
A stochastic programming approach for operating theatre scheduling under uncertainty

Operating theatre scheduling is a critical task that directly impacts the efficient delivery of surgical care. In this context, we propose a comprehensive stochastic programming modelling framework which handles the inherent uncertainty characterizing the arrival of emergency patients and the duration of surgery. In particular, three recourse strategies are presented with the aim of modelling different reactive scheduling policies actually adopted by hospital managers. In order to solve realistic-sized instances in a reasonable amount of time, we develop tailored heuristic solution strategies that exploit the problem structure. Computational results obtained on a set of randomly generated problems show the effective impact of the stochastic programming approach and the efficiency of the proposed heuristics.
An Experimental Platform for Cross-Language Document Retrieval

This paper presents a proposed Cross-Language Document Retrieval experimental platform integrated with preprocessing of training data, document translation, query generation, document retrieval and precision evaluation modules. Given a certain document in source language, it will be translated into target language by statistical machine translation module which is trained by selected training data. The query generation module then selects the most relevant words in the translated version of the document as searching query. After all the documents in the target language are ranked by the document retrieval module, the system will choose the N-best documents as its target language versions. Finally, the results can be evaluated by precision evaluator, which can reflect the merits of the strategies. Experimental results showed that this platform was effective and achieved very good performance.
Pesticide Use In Agriculture And Its Socio- Economic Contexts, A Case Study of Panchkhal Area, Kavre, Nepal

Panchkhal area is the potential area for the agricultural production and serves as pocket for the vegetables for Kathmandu valley< Nepal. So for increasing the yield, maximum percentage of farmers are using the pesticides knowingly or unknowingly, In the study site, farmers use pesticides mostly on standing crops in the field. Maximum percentage of farmer also uses the manure in their fields besides chemical pesticides. But the rate of use in the area has been increasing According to the respondents they spent low amount of money for pesticides in the beginning of their initiation of the agricultural practices since very low amount of the pesticides are used but as the time goes on the amount of the pesticides also increases due to change in climate. Maximum respondents complained about the discomforts regarding the health problems such as the respiration and the increase in the breathing rate and some have the problems of skin rashes, burns and irritation,
Analysis of image quality metric for ROI using image restoration techniques

Analysis of an image plays vital role in the image processing field, which leads to the inventions of applications in the area of telemedicine, remote sensing via satellites and other spacecrafts, radar, sonar and acoustic image processing etc. This concept is a key factor in research field. One of the common image analysis is use of Region of Interest (ROI) image, which is an effortless way of analyzing images. This paper proposes a method to analyze the Image Quality Metric (IQM) for a ROI based color image. IQM is accomplished by the use of the three image restoration algorithms such as Blind deconvolution algorithm, Wiener Filtering algorithm and Lucy – Richardson algorithm.