Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A malware analysis and detection system for mobile devices / Ali Feizollah

Smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices have quickly become ubiquitous due to their highly personal and powerful attributes. Android has been the most popular mobile operating system. Such popularity, however, also extends to attackers. The amount of Android malware has risen steeply during the last few years, making it the most targeted mobile operating system. Although there have been important advances made on malware analysis and detection in traditional PCs during recent decades, adopting and adapting those methods to mobile devices poses a considerable challenge. Power consumption is one major constraint that makes traditional detection methods impractical for mobile devices, while cloud-based techniques raise many privacy concerns. This study examines the problem of Android malware, and aims to develop and implement new approaches to help users confront such threats more effectively, considering the limitations of these devices. First, we present a comprehensive analysis on the development of mobile malware, specifically Android, over recent years, as well as the most useful and salient analysis and detection methods for Android malware. We also discuss a compilation of available tools for Android malware analysis. Secondly, we propose a number of new and distinctive Android malware analysis and detection methods. More specifically, we introduce AndroDialysis, which is a static analysis method. Recent research has focused on analysing Android Intent in the XML file. We propose a new method of analysing Android Intent in Java code, which includes implicit intent and explicit intent. We used a Drebin data sample, which is a collection of 5,560 applications, as well as clean data sample containing 1,846 applications. The results show a detection rate of 91% using Android Intent against 83% using Android permission. We also introduce a dynamic analysis method, AndroPsychology, in order to analyse the network communications of Android applications. We extracted 30 different features from network traffic. We then used feature selection algorithms and deep learning algorithms to build a detection model. The results show that network traffic is an appropriate candidate for Android malware detection. Finally, we assembled AndroDialysis and AndroPsychology in order to build a comprehensive analysis and detection system for Android, called DroidProtect. Unlike current systems that either perform analyses on the device or send the whole application to a server for analyses, our system has the distinction of extracting features on the device and analysing them on the Google App Engine servers using an offloading technique. Our extensive experiments show that the energy consumption of the proposed system is less than currently available systems.
Reducing Mean Squared Error in the Analysis of Binary Paired Data

Abstract Matched pairs appear frequently in studies of the association between a dichotomous exposure and a dichotomous outcome. The standard conditional logistic regression estimator of the common odds ratio is consistent, but uses only information from the doubly discordant pairs. To gain efficiency, Liang and Zeger (1988, Biometrics, 44:1145–1156) and Kalish (1990, Biometrics, 46:493–499) proposed a weighted average estimator, which compromises between the standard estimator and the marginal odds ratio among the outcome discordant pairs. This estimator is useful in matched case–control studies, which by design generate outcome discordant pairs. In this article, we generalize the weighted average estimator, so that it incorporates information from doubly concordant pairs as well, whenever such pairs are available. We provide an R-function which implements the proposed weighted average estimators.
The acoustic and articulatory characteristics of Cape Breton fricative /t/

This paper examines the acoustic and articulatory characteristics of the fricative realization of /t/ in the dialect of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, in Nova Scotia, Canada. Two experiments were conducted to determine the similarities and differences betwee fricative /t/, or “slit-t”, and other voiceless coronal sounds. Previous research on this sound in some communities has found it to be more similar to /s/ than /ʃ/, while in other communities it has been found to be more similar to /ʃ/ than /s/. The first experiment conducted was a qualitative analysis of static palatograms of one Cape Breton speaker’s production of six different coronal sounds. Results from this experiment suggest “slit-t” to be articulatorily distinct from both /s/ and /ʃ/. The second experiment conducted was a statistical analysis of several acoustic measurements of six Cape Breton speakers’ production of six different coronal sounds. Results from this experiment suggest “slit-t” is acousticcally distinct from both /s/ and /ʃ/, or rather on a cline between these
Beyond the Awaking of a “Sleeping Beauty”: Toward Business Models Inclusive of the Emotional Dimension in Entrepreneurship

Abstract This guest editorial note is an invitation for further exploration of emotions in business models of entrepreneurship, beyond the awaking of the research community. A retrospective view of selected thoughts on the relation between emotion and rationality shows the shift from the traditional discrepancy between both concepts to underlying discussions on the alchemy operating between them in decision-making. The articles in this Special Issue and the latest developments in entrepreneurship indicate that the research gap on emotions has been significantly narrowed while contributing to enhancing our knowledge on different facets of the emotional dimension. Still, the increasing sophistication of business models across disciplines points out the need for thorough educational frameworks on emotions in entrepreneurship programs and opens challenging but inspirational avenues for the future.
SRTM 3" comparison with local information: Two examples at national level in Peru

Abstract. The access to the high resolution digital terrain models (DEM) generated from the data collected by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) of NASA is freely available to the public. Consequently it has become a source of topographic information which is of great value to scientists involved in geophysical or geodetic analysis. Despite the efforts of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), to validate and complement the information contained in these DEMs (currently offered as version 4.1), they still need to be checked for their accuracy in certain regions of the planet. In this paper, the vertical accuracy of the SRTM 3" version 4.1 DEM was analyzed in several areas of Peru using two sets of control points: the height of the district capitals (the minor politics units) and the heights of the weather and hydrological stations from the National Meteorology and Hydrology Service (SENAMHI) of Peru. The comparison shows that the height differences are independent of the altitude, latitude and longitude of the evaluated points. They are rather related to the aspect of the terrain and to the way the SRTM data were acquired. It shows that the mean square of the height differences at national level was ±20 m for district capitals and ±25 m for the SENAMHI stations. This is slightly larger than the overall accuracy of the SRTM ±16 m.
On the exact distribution of the estimated expected utility portfolio weights: Theory and applications

Abstract In this paper we consider the portfolio weights obtained by maximizing the expected quadratic utility function. The unknown parameters of the return process, the mean vector and the covariance matrix, are estimated by their sample counterparts. Assuming independent and multivariate normally distributed returns we derive the conditional density of the estimated weights given the mean vector of the asset returns and the unconditional density of the estimated weights. Moreover, the characteristic function of the estimated weights is calculated and it is used to determine the moments of higher order. Furthermore a test for the mean-variance efficiency is presented.
Regimes and long memory in realized volatility

Abstract In this paper we model regimes and long memory in the dynamics of realized volatilities of intraday ETF and stock returns. We estimate threshold fractionally integrated (TARFIMA) models using Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms with efficient jump. We also introduce a test based on posterior distributions of the mean squared forecast errors for model selection. Our findings are that the TARFIMA model that accounts for a different degree of long memory, persistence and variance in two regimes outperforms ARFIMA and other models using 5 day forecasts.
A New Coupled Fractional Reduced Differential Transform Method for Solving Time Fractional Coupled KdV Equations

Abstract In the present paper, a very new technique, Coupled Fractional Reduced Differential Transform, has been implemented to obtain the numerical approximate solution of coupled time fractional kdV equations. The fractional derivatives are described in the Caputo sense. By using the present method we can solve many linear and nonlinear coupled fractional differential equations. The obtained results are compared with the exact solutions. Numerical solutions are presented graphically to show the reliability and efficiency of the method.
Playing Success and Local Market Size in Spanish Football League: Can Small Cities Dream of Winning Teams?

This article investigates the influence of local market size on playing success in professional Spanish football. In order to examine this relationship, several regressions were run for linear, beta and fractional logit models, using various proxies of local market size as explanatory variables. The evidence emerging from our analysis suggests that the advantage of big-market teams results in substantial dominance by a very small group of clubs. Nevertheless, this advantage does not actually prevent teams that are located in areas with a small market size from having at least regular opportunities for success. Furthermore, the econometric modelling and the evidence obtained provide a rational basis for supporting the idea of promoting the creation of a cross-national league in Europe (the European Superleague).
The velocity of 1d Mott variable-range hopping with external field

Mott variable range hopping is a fundamental mechanism for low-temperature electron conduction in disordered solids in the regime of Anderson localization. In a mean field approximation, it reduces to a random walk (shortly, Mott random walk) on a random marked point process with possible long-range jumps. We consider here the one-dimensional Mott random walk and we add an external field (or a bias to the right). We show that the bias makes the walk transient, and investigate its linear speed. Our main results are conditions for ballisticity (positive linear speed) and for sub-ballisticity (zero linear speed), and the existence in the ballistic regime of an invariant distribution for the environment viewed from the walker, which is mutually absolutely continuous with respect to the original law of the environment. If the point process is a renewal process, the aforementioned conditions result in a sharp criterion for ballisticity. Interestingly, the speed is not always continuous as a function of the bias.
Universal order-parameter profiles for critical adsorption and the extraordinary transition: A comparison of ϵ expansion and Monte Carlo results

The universal, scaled order parameter profiles P± (z/ξ) for critical adsorption of a fluid or fluid mixture onto a wall or interface, and for the extraordinary transition of the semi-infinite Ising model, are discussed theoretically, where z is the distance from the interface, ξ(T) is the bulk correlation length, and the subscript + (-) refers to the approach from above (below) Tc. Recent results to first order in the ϵ = 4–d expansion are extrapolated to d = 3 space dimensions and compared with new Monte Carlo results. In order to obtain meaningful extrapolations it is crucial that both the exponential decay at large ζ as well as the known algebraic behavior P±(ζ)∼ζ−β/v small ζ be correctly reproduced. To this end a recently developed novel RG scheme involving a z dependent amplitude renormalization is used. Reasonable agreement of our extrapolations with the Monte Carlo results and some experimental results is obtained.
Efficient uneven-lighting image binarization by support vector machines

Abstract An uneven-lighting image binarization technique using support vector machines (SVM) is proposed. High-pass filtering first transforms the grayscale image into a contour image, which categorizes some pixels as edge pixels. The grayscale image is partitioned into numerous blocks. In each block, the edge pixel with largest gradient is designated as the feature edge pixel of the block, and its feature white pixel is then synthesized based on the feature black pixel. The features of a feature pixel can include its coordinates, gray level and even gradient. The trained SVM can accurately binarize the grayscale image even with uneven lighting disturbance.
Evidence-enabled verification for the Linux kernel

xi CHAPTER 1. OVERVIEW . 1 1.1 State-Of-The-Art Formal Verification Techniques . 1 1.2 A Different Approach to Software Verification . 2 1.3 Thesis Contribution . 4 1.4 Thesis Organization . 4 CHAPTER 2. MAJOR CHALLENGES AND MOTIVATION . 6 2.1 Challenges Overview . 6 2.2 Path Explosion . 7 2.3 Inter-procedural Analysis . 8 2.4 Feasibility Analysis . 8 2.5 Pointer Analysis . 9 2.6 A Concrete Example to Illustrate the Need for Verification-Critical Evidence . 10 CHAPTER 3. LITERATURE REVIEW . 13 3.1 Data Races and Deadlocks Detection . 13 3.2 Static Memory Leak Detection . 15 3.3 Evidence-Enabled Verification . 16 3.4 Linux Kernel Verification . 17
Monte Carlo Simulation Approach to Soil Layer Resistivity Modelling for Grounding System Design

Soil layer resistivity modelling is a vital component of grounding system design. Grounding system for facility, equipment, power station and general system protection purposes must be designed to be able to handle the anticipated level of fault current. To achieve this; the earth rods, mats and any other equivalent alternatives deployed must be adequately sized in terms of the physical dimensions and the number of such rods required in order to achieve the desired low, overall grounding system resistance. The resistance to earth of a grounding system is a function of the resistivity of the soil in concern, and to ensure appropriate design, the resistivity profile of the soil must be determined via appropriate soil modelling. This paper presents a Monte Carlo simulation approach to two layer soil modelling using the square error as an optimization function. The result of the simulation shows an improvement in model accuracy, and it also conforms significantly with the results of published works that applied genetic algorithm.
Ensemble Kalman filter for multiscale inverse problems

We present a novel algorithm based on the ensemble Kalman filter to solve inverse problems involving multiscale elliptic partial differential equations. Our method is based on numerical homogenization and finite element discretization and allows to recover a highly oscillatory tensor from measurements of the multiscale solution in a computationally inexpensive manner. The properties of the approximate solution are analysed with respect to the multiscale and discretization parameters, and a convergence result is shown to hold. A reinterpretation of the solution from a Bayesian perspective is provided, and convergence of the approximate conditional posterior distribution is proved with respect to the Wasserstein distance. A numerical experiment validates our methodology, with a particular emphasis on modelling error and computational cost.
The Bending Energy of a Semi-Flexible Polymer Chain and the Polygons of the Polymer Chain

We consider random walk model of a semi-flexible polymer chain on a square and a cubic lattice to enumerate conformations of the polymer chain in two and three dimensions, respectively. The bending energy of the chain is assumed as the key factor which controls the minimum average length of the chain in between two successive bends in the chain; and the average length of the chains per unit bend is defined as the persistence length of the polymer chain. It has been found that the minimum energy required to bend the chain is expressed in the form of simple relation which includes space dimensionality, step fugacity and persistence length.
Speaker Verification Using Simple Temporal Features and Pitch Synchronous Cepstral Coefficients

Speaker verification is the process by which a speakers claim of identity is tested against a claimed speaker by his or her voice. Speaker verification is done by the use of some parameters (features) from the speakers voice which can be used to differentiate among many speakers. The efficiency of speaker verification system mainly depends on the feature set providing high inter-speaker variability and low intra-speaker variability. There are many methods used for speaker verification. Some systems use Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients as features (MFCCs), while others use Hidden Markov Models (HMM) based speaker recognition, Support Vector Machines (SVM), GMMs . In this paper simple intra-pitch temporal information in conjunction with pitch synchronous cepstral coefficients forms the feature set. The distinct feature of a speaker is determined from the steady state part of five cardinal spoken English vowels. The performance was found to be average when these features were used independently. But very encouraging results were observed when both features were combined to form a decision for speaker verification. For a database of twenty speakers of 100 utterances per speaker, an accuracy of 91.04% has been observed. The analysis of speakers whose recognition was incorrect is conducted and discussed .
The Distribution of Dense Cores near H ii Regions

An investigation of dust emission associated with a large sample of H ii regions has been carried out. Stacked results from this sample suggest that each H ii region is at or near the center of a cluster of dense cores that extends far beyond the H ii region, and has a volume density that decreases as r−3. The data also show evidence for enhanced numbers of cores near the boundary of the H ii regions. At the same time, a significant decrease in the number of cores, consistent with no cores, is observed in the interior of these H ii regions. Neither these H ii regions nor their associated massive OB stars were found to have a significant heating effect on their associated dusty clumps. “Clouds,” or the outermost layers of the clumps in which the cores are embedded, are found to exert a strong shielding effect against external heating sources. Despite this, a large portion of the identified cores were found to be warmer than their surrounding clouds and consequently may be in the initial stages of star formation. The star-formation efficiency of the 7 H ii region systems with the most reliable mass budgets ranged between 1% and 9%.
First Double Cascade Tau Neutrino Candidates in IceCube and a New Measurement of the Flavor Composition

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole, which detects Cherenkov light from charged particles produced in neutrino interactions, firmly established the existence of an astrophysical high-energy neutrino component. The expected neutrino flavor composition on Earth is $\nu_e:\nu_{\mu}:\nu_{\tau}$ of about 1:1:1 for neutrinos produced in astrophysical sources through pion decay. A measurement of the flavor composition on Earth can provide important constraints on sources and production mechanisms within the standard model, and can also constrain various beyond-standard-model processes. Here the measurement of the flavor composition performed on IceCube's High-Energy Starting Events sample with a livetime of about 7.5 years is presented. IceCube is directly sensitive to each neutrino flavor via the single cascade, track and double cascade event topologies. In IceCube, $\nu_{\tau}$-CC interactions above $\sim$ 100~TeV can produce resolvable double cascades, breaking the degeneracy between $\nu_e$ and $\nu_{\tau}$ present at lower energies. IceCube's first two identified double cascades are presented and the properties of the two $\nu_{\tau}$ candidates are discussed.
Counting immutable beans: reference counting optimized for purely functional programming

Most functional languages rely on some kind of garbage collection for automatic memory management. They usually eschew reference counting in favor of a tracing garbage collector, which has less bookkeeping overhead at runtime. On the other hand, having an exact reference count of each value can enable optimizations such as destructive updates. We explore these optimization opportunities in the context of an eager, purely functional programming language. We propose a new mechanism for efficiently reclaiming memory used by nonshared values, reducing stress on the global memory allocator. We describe an approach for minimizing the number of reference counts updates using borrowed references and a heuristic for automatically inferring borrow annotations. We implemented all these techniques in a new compiler for an eager and purely functional programming language with support for multi-threading. Our preliminary experimental results demonstrate our approach is competitive and often outperforms state-of-the-art compilers.
Mutual comparison of developed actuators for robotic arms of service robots

Development and deployment of new drives using reducers is exactly dependent on their area of application. Designing a universal drive is complex and cannot be done without various compromises. When installing the drives into the robotic arm nodes used on the chassis of the mobile service robots, it is also necessary to provide suitable input voltage values for operation on the built-in batteries. To provide the desired results, it is sometimes more suitable to have actuators with various configurations which, however, leads to the need for a comparison between them. Testing stands of drive manufacturers are designed to test drive parameters that are standard version. For the development of new drive configuration with the use of secondary transfer, it is necessary to implement the specific verification stands, which allows for comparison between the properties under the same test conditions. Drives equipped with accurate reducers are very sensitive to the choice of the correct methodology for measuring, because their declared repeatability is less than 1.5 arcmin. The article describes the relative positioning accuracy of the resulting configurations of the two actuators, one of which uses a secondary belt drive and the other uses a flexible coupling for linking the motor and the reducer. For the avoidance of production inaccuracies, the motor and reducer on the measured drives are the same. This means that before the verification of the first drive, it is necessary to assemble the whole system, according to the prescribed manufacturing process. After implementing the measurement, the same components are used, namely the engine and the reducer of the other drive, and the measurement is carried out under the same conditions.