Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using an Inductive Learning Algorithm to Improve Antibody Generation in a Single Packet Computer Defense Immune System

Abstract : The United States Air Force relies heavily on computer networks for many day-to-day activities. Many of these networks are affected by various types of attacks that can be launched from anywhere on the globe. The rising prominence of organizations such as the AFCERT and the MAJCOM NOSCs is evidence of an increasing realization among the Air Force leadership that protecting our computer networks is vitally important. A critical requirement for protecting our networks is the ability to detect attacks and intrusion attempts. This research is an effort to refine a portion of an AFIT-developed intrusion detection system known as the COmputer Defense Immune System (CDIS). CDIS is based on the human immune system and uses antibodies to attempt to detect network intrusion attempts. The antibodies have various attributes of which a subset is randomly activated at generation time. This research attempts to determine which of the antibody attributes are most useful in helping to build successful antibodies.
Finding and fighting search engine spam

Web surfers rely on search engines to find information from the web. Search engine spam is the attempt to deceive search engine ranking algorithms and is considered by experts from well-known search engine companies to be one of the major challenges to search engines today. Without taking action, results from search engines will be greatly harmed. This dissertation explores in detail effective solutions to some search engine spam techniques, such as link farms and cloaking. Our approaches can effectively nullify the link farm effect and our precision outperforms the standard link based ranking algorithm, HITS, by more than 200%. Our approach in detecting cloaking behavior can achieve an accuracy of 90.5% and a recall of 86.8%. In addition, this dissertation studies the idea of combining topicality with trust to demote spam. Experimental results show that we can demote up to 43% more spam than TrustRank. We also investigate the method of combining trust and authority to improve search quality. Experimental results indicate that the approaches in this dissertation can significantly improve search quality and demote spam.
Advances in dry fermentation extends biowaste management possibilities

ABSTRACT It was repeatedly and independently confirmed that processing of biowaste via dry fermentation technology is less capital demanding compared to a conventional (also known as continuous, wet and mixable) fermentation technology. However, low acquisition and running cost are redeemed by lower intensity of the fermentation process that results in small revenues. In this study, biowaste was deeply disintegrated before it entered the dry anaerobic fermentation that was followed by pyrolysis of the fermentation residues. It was revealed that the disintegration step increases the intensity of the fermentation process, therefore biogas yields are increased, hydraulic retention times could be shortened and biochar is priced higher (because of higher porosity partially caused during the fermentation process). Additional experiments on a commercial scale indicate that it is economically beneficial (reduction of the payback period by more than 7%) to perform the disintegration step later, in the middle phase of the fermentation process.
A digital camera for machine vision

A prototype of a complete full-frame motion digital camera with grey levels, standard logic interface and software programmability, specifically designed for machine vision applications, is presented. The key to the high integration level of the camera is a monolithic "intelligent" sensor implemented in standard CMOS technology which offers the possibility of integrating signal-conditioning and interface functions on the same die as the sensor array. A highly parallel analogue-to-digital conversion scheme is used to achieve video rate performance with low power consumption. Applications of the camera in close coupling with the main processors of a number of robotic systems are outlined. <<ETX>>
CONTROLLING VEHICLE SPEEDS IN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION ZONES

The objective of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative treatments for controlling vehicle speeds in work zones. Field studies were conducted at three rural, high-speed locations, two urban freeway work zones, and five arterial locations. Three treatments were investigated in the project: a radar beam that would activate motorists'radar detectors, a special work zones speed limit sign with flashing beacons, and a speed trailer that monitors vehicle speeds and displays this information to the driver. Vehicle speeds were collected in work zones in a "before" period, with the normal traffic control plan in operation, and in a "during" period, with the supplemental treatment in place. The study found that the radar was ineffective in reducing vehicle speeds through construction zones, perhaps because those motorists with radar detectors could see that speed regulations weren;t being enforced. The work zone speed limit sign with beacons was also ineffective. In applications on urban arterials, the speed trailer was effective in reducing speeds by 4 to 5 mph; use of this treatment on an urban freeway in conjunction with enforcement also resulted in improved speed compliance. The study recommends that work zone speed limits be set realistically, that the speed trailer be used more extensively, and that other, non-engineering solutions be explored.
Occupational Disruption during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Lived Experience of Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract This qualitative descriptive study presents the experience of an abrupt disruption of daily activities among community-dwelling older adults during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sixteen older adults (age: 71 ± 6.4) were interviewed in April–June, 2020. Five themes were identified: (1) Understanding and applying COVID-19 guidelines: guidelines were clear and participants adhered closely to them, motivated mainly by fear; ageing-specific guidelines are needed. (2) Daily life during lockdown: the abrupt occupational disruption was managed by transitioning to virtual activities, and/or performing more activities at home. New daily activities were generally more sedentary and less meaningful. (3) Social context: family assistance aroused mixed feelings, as it compromised independence; limited compliance at the community level created stress. (4) Mood and affect: mood often fluctuated, and participants employed various coping strategies. (5) Aging: participants became more aware of their age and were concerned about negative health implications of adherence to COVID-19 guidelines.
Adaptive control of a slotless PM linear DC actuator

Linear actuators offer some advantages in respect of rotating machines coupled with mechanical converters in many applications requiring linear motion. For such reason a novel slotless PM linear DC motor has been designed and realised. Since often the drive dynamics is not well identified and/or it is subject to unknown payloads and/or parameters variations, adaptive control strategies could be used to overcome these problems. In this paper after a description of the mathematical model of the actuator, which can be utilised even with stroke length much higher than slider length, and of the adopted model reference adaptive control algorithm, the performance of the actuator under speed control in presence of some typical disturbances are evaluated and discussed. Finally, some shortcomings regarding the proposed system and its future developments are reported. <<ETX>>
Understanding the importance of interdisciplinary integration in complex product development

Incorporating electronics and software systems into manufactured goods is becoming very common in manufacturing companies. New technical functions, increased flexibility, and compensation for mechanical design weaknesses are some key drivers of this technological change in our everyday products. The automotive industry exemplifies this trend, since approximately 80–90% of new functions in cars are based on electronics and software, and it is expected that at least a third of the total cost of a car will eventually be accounted for by electronics and software. However, one of the main downsides of this technological trend is the increasing number of quality issues related to these new technologies, something usually claimed to be a result of the increased product development complexity. Previous research into product development management has mainly concentrated on either physical products or software systems, but not concurrently on both. Additionally, much of the research has concentrated on issues of integrating marketing, RD reassess their recruitment strategies; organize for interdisciplinary collaboration; articulate and communicate the technology fusion strategy to all disciplines; and realize and disseminate the fact that product launches do not only concern manufacturability.
Hooliganism and demand for football in Italy Evidence for the period 1962-2011

This paper investigates the impact of hooliganism on attendance in Italian stadium and the effect of anti-violence measures adopted by Italian Government in 2007. Results first show that a structural break took place on Serie A average attendance in season 1979/80. The econometric investigation focused on the average of tickets sold per game as dependent variable. We have found a robust negative impact of hooliganism and match-fixing scandals on stadium attendance. In the light of the previous results we focus on recent policy measures adopted by Italian authorities aiming at reducing hooliganism. These measures, grounded on a ‘fidelity card’, were designed to keep out the extreme and violent part of committed fans in favour of the uncommitted. According to our econometric investigation involving single match played in Serie A from season 2007/08 to 2011/12 the substitution effect failed and the ‘fidelity card’ strategy did not turn to be successful if considering the average attendance point of view.
A Solution for Bilateral Negotiations in the Navy Detailing Process: Cognitive Agents Technology Project

Abstract : We present a model for bilateral negotiations that considers the uncertain and dynamic outside options. Outside options affect the negotiation strategies via their impact on the reservation price. The model is composed of three modules, single-threaded negotiations, synchronized multi-threaded negotiations, and dynamic multi-threaded negotiations. These three models embody increased sophistication and complexity. The single-threaded negotiation model provides negotiation strategies without specifically considering outside options. The model of synchronized multi-threaded negotiations builds on the single-threaded negotiation model and considers the presence of concurrently existing outside options. The model of dynamic multi-threaded negotiations expands the synchronized multi-threaded model by considering the uncertain outside options that may come dynamically in the future. Results show that the utility of a negotiator improves significantly if she considers outside options, and the average utility is higher when she both considers the concurrent outside options and foresees future options.
Proceedings from "Computers, electronics and control engineering in agriculture"

This is the proceedings from the symposium on “Computers, electronics and control engineering in agriculture” hold in Sweden 1986. There were participants from all countries in Scandinavia. There were also invited speakers from The Netherlands, United Kingdom and west Germany. Computers, electronics and control engineering have become more and more powerful tools not only for agricultural engineering research activities but also for a better efficiency in agricultural and horticultural production processes. The symposium was needed for making researchers, university teachers and research students in agricultural engineering in the Scandinavian countries aware of the research frontier within the subject. With the subject is meant not only applications within agriculture but also connected areas such as biotechnology, microbiology, meteorology, ergonomics and so on. The purpose of the symposium was: - to state the present research frontier in different parts of the research field - to identify needs for further research and development - to find a suitable way for future Scandinavian research and development within the subject. Area The symposium consisted of six sections. Sections I—III dealt with the agricultural production processes. Each of these sections was discussed by speakers from two different viewpoints, namely: - to throw light on the biological demands for, needs for and cinditions of applications of electronics, computers and control engineering - to throw light on the present possibilities to solve the existing problems of applications of computers, electronics and control engineering, state the research frontier and discuss the most probable directions of further research and product development. The fourth section discussed different ergonomical viewpoints connected to the use of electronic equipment in agriculture, while the fifth section concerned about the impact on the management on the farm firm. Both these sections also discussed the need for further research. The sixth section of the symposium was a general discussion. This report has been edited by Bruno Nilsson who also was responsible for the organisation of the symposium. The symposium was sponsored by funds from the Council of Ministers in the Nordic Countries.
Quantitative Doppler Methods in Cardiovascular Imaging

Ultrasound imaging of blood flow in the heart and blood vessels has become an essential part of diagnosing diseases related to the circulatory system. By using different Doppler methods, the blood flow may be visualized or quantified. In this work we take advantage of the opportunities given by the introduction of parallel processing of ultrasound data to develop new quantitative Doppler methods.Pulsed wave (PW) Doppler is a technique for measuring blood velocities, providing the full velocity spectrum in a specific region of interest. The maximum velocities may be found by delineation of the spectral envelope, and may be used to estimate the severity of stenoses or valve leakages. However, PW Doppler suffers from several challenges, which makes quantitative analysis problematic. To limit spectral broadening, we created a new method called 2-D tracking Doppler, which incorporates information from several parallel receive beams. Spectra with improved resolution and signal-to-noise ratio were produced for a large span of beam-to-flow angles. The new method was tested using in vitro and in vivo recordings. A signal model was derived and the expected Doppler power spectra were calculated, showing good agreement with experimental data.Experiments were performed to investigate how the 2-D tracking Doppler method depends on the tracking angle. It was shown that the spectra have lowest bandwidth and maximum power when the tracking angle is equal to the beam-to-flow angle. This may facilitate new techniques for velocity calibration. It was shown that the velocity calibration errors may be lower for the 2-D tracking Doppler method than for a conventional PW Doppler approach, and especially for large beam-to-flow angles.In heart disease, the quantification of valve regurgitation is a remaining challenge. In this thesis, we have investigated a new technique to estimate the size of regurgitant jets using spectral Doppler and parallel beamforming. A modality that uses high pulse repetition frequency 3-D Doppler was devised, to isolate the backscattered signal power from the vena contracta, that is the narrowest flow region of a regurgitant jet. A simulation study was performed to test and optimize the new method, suggesting a feasible setup for the transmit- and receive beams. Cross-sectional power Doppler images of simulated regurgitations of various sizes were generated, and the regurgitant volumes were accurately estimated. Since the velocity-time integral and the orifice area are extracted from a single recording, the proposed method may give more robust volume estimates than methods where the velocities and the area are measured from separate recordings.
Learning and Performing Hard Real-Time Skills *

An architecture for hard real-time applications is proposed that enables the user to care safety requirements and time restricted search explicitly. This is supported by an intelligent event-oriented interface to control the technical process. The knowledge-based system “programs” this interface. It stores always safe plans. If the knowledge-based system will eventually find a save and better solution for an existing problem, the program of the interface will be modified. On this architecture a system was implemented that learns skills. Skills are complex compound actions where the temporal and causal coordination of the different actions is important. The system was used to control a hard real-time experiment.
Community Driven Framework for Sustainable Municipal Asset Management

Best practices for municipal asset management require municipalities and communities to clearly define their expectations and to express that in terms of achievable goals for levels of service. The challenge lies in the fact that asset performance from a community perspective may be quite different from a municipality perspective. The real problem is to inter-relate these two perspectives and to determine the optimum quantity of improvement required in the condition of municipal assets to meet community expectations. The literature reveals the need for development of such methods and management tools to support solutions for sustainable municipal assets that take the above into consideration. To address these issues, a community driven level of service based methodology is developed for municipal corridor management that integrates technical and financial plans of a municipality. The concept of municipal corridor is augmented for the purpose of determining integrated repair/ rehabilitation interventions for pavement, water distribution and sewer collection assets and is termed here as municipal corridor rehabilitation. The developed methodology comprises of three phases. In the first phase, performance modelling and mapping the targeted levels of service to condition rating is developed to quantify asset condition improvement. This is achieved via three models; (1) Analytical Hierarchy model to relate Level of Service with required performance, (2) Fuzzy weighted average model to assess the capacity to deliver targeted performance and (3) Fuzzy Alpha Cut model to map the asset improvement requirement and asset capability. The output of this phase is fed into the second phase, where prioritization of corridors’ intervention plans is established, using an Artificial Neural Network model. In the last phase, the outputs of the preceding two phases are utilized as input to develop a Goal Programming based optimization model which generates optimised intervention plans of municipal corridors. The developed methodology was applied to a case study in the City of Riyadh in KSA to demonstrate its use and to illustrate its capabilities. The results obtained were found acceptable by management of that city. The case demonstrated the flexibility and utility of the developed methodology and its models in support of integrated optimized intervention plans for water, sewer and municipal roads.
Designing and developing Aboriginal service organisations : a journey of consciousness

16 Prologue – Our People, Your People, Black People 18 Chapter 1 – Introduction 19 1.1 A Contemporary Message Stick 19 1.2 Research Terrain 23 1.3 Aim of the Research 25 1.4 Research Questions 27 1.5 Boundaries of the Research 29 1.6 Rhetorical Form of the Thesis 30 1.7 Outline of the Thesis 34 Chapter 2 – Aboriginal Youth Homelessness 37 2.
Energy Efficiency and Security for Multihop Wireless Networks

As wireless devices are more widely used, it is clear that security and energy consumption are major concerns. From a energy perspective, it is increasingly evident that marginal gains in battery energy density necessitate energy efficient protocols. In the security realm, growth in the value and amount of information being transmitted over wireless channels demands confidentiality and integrity. In the energy efficiency domain, this dissertation focuses on the wireless interface since this has been identified as a major source of energy consumption on devices such as sensors. Within this domain, many previous approaches propose using fixed listening and sleeping intervals regardless of the network conditions. We propose adaptive listening and sleeping techniques where these intervals are adjusted based on observations of traffic patterns and channel state. Another shortcoming of many power save protocols is that they wastefully listen for entire packets as a wake-up signal. In this dissertation, we propose carrier sensing techniques that reduce the cost of checking for such signals. In the security domain, this dissertation looks at key distribution in wireless sensor networks. Because such devices may face severe resource constraints, symmetric keys are used since public-key cryptography may be infeasible. Previous approaches to this problem include (1) key predistribution and (2) broadcasting plaintext keys under the assumption that few eavesdroppers are present during key discovery. However, drawbacks to these approaches include poor secure connectivity or degraded security when several eavesdroppers are in the network. Our work is the first to consider using the underlying wireless channel diversity to address the problem. In doing so, our key distribution protocol effectively addresses these drawbacks of previous techniques. The major contributions of this dissertation are: (1) leveraging multiple channels to improve the connectivity and security of key distribution, (2) proposing adaptive power save mechanisms to reduce energy consumption, and (3) improving power save protocols by using carrier sensing to enhance their energy efficiency.
A Proposed Concept of a Modern Food Service System for Army Combat Forces in the 1990's

Abstract : A proposed new system of feeding Army troops in combat is defined. This new system includes a new organization and management structure,the use of high-quality, preprepared, shelf-stable foods, and new equipment and packaging. This new food service system was compared with the current company level system and the consolidated system of feeding which has been recommended to the Army. This comparison emphasizes that the new system offers potential for improved performance on the 1990 mobile battlefield and for significant reductions of food service personnel.