Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
5. Conclusions

The primary conclusions from the initial QARCC-1 experiment were: • QARCC-1 can help users, developers, customers, and other stakeholders to identify conflicts among their software quality requirements, and to identify additional potentially important quality requirements. In the experiment, QARCC-1 found both of the quality conflicts previously identified, plus five others considered significant. • QARCC-1 needs further refinement to avoid overloading users with insignificant quality conflict suggestions. In the experiment, QARCC-1 suggested three potential conflicts considered insignificant. We are refining the knowledge base to address more detailed quality attributes in a more selective fashion. Two additional conclusions derive from feedback based on demonstrations of QARCC-1 to a number of USC-CSE's industry and government Affiliates. There was a strong consensus that QARCC-1 provided a useful framework for stakeholders to systematically resolve software quality attribute conflicts, and that the semi-automated approach provided a good way to balance human skills and computer tools in addressing quality tradeoff issues. Two additional conclusions are more tentative, awaiting the development of and larger-scale experimentation with QARCC-2. These are that the QARCC approach is usefully scalable to large systems with many quality conflicts, and that the effectiveness of the QARCC approach is largely domain-independent.
A 457-nW cognitive multi-functional ECG processor

In this paper, a multi-functional ECG signal processor for wearable and implantable real-time monitoring is presented. To enable extremely long-term ambulatory monitoring, several power saving techniques are proposed, including global cognitive clocking, pseudo-downsampling wavelet transform, adaptive storing, and denoising-based run-length compression. An on-chip low-complexity cardiac signal analysis module is proposed to realize comprehensive analysis functions. Near-threshold circuit technique is applied to the overall system. Implemented in 0.18 μm CMOS, the proposed cognitive ECG processor consumes only 457 nW at 0.5 V supply for real-time ambulatory monitoring. Compared with existing designs, the presented ECG processor achieves the lowest power consumption.
Gray matter in first-episode schizophrenia before and after antipsychotic drug treatment. Anatomical likelihood estimation meta-analyses with sample size weighting.

BACKGROUND Cerebral morphological abnormalities in schizophrenia may be modulated by treatment, chronicity, and duration of illness. Comparing brain imaging studies of individuals with first-episode schizophrenia and neuroleptic naive (NN-FES) with that of their neuroleptic-treated counterparts (NT-FES) can help to dissect out the effect of these potential confounders. METHODS We used the anatomical likelihood estimation method to compare voxel-based morphometric studies of NN-FES (n = 162 patients) and NT-FES (n = 336 patients) studies. The analysis included a sample size weighting step based on the Liptak-Stouffer method to reflect the greater power of larger studies. RESULTS Patient samples were matched for age, gender, and duration of illness. An extensive network of gray matter deficits in frontal, temporal, insular, striatal, posterior cingulate, and cerebellar regions was detected in the NN-FES samples as compared with healthy controls. Major deficits were detected in the frontal, superior temporal, insular, and parahippocampal regions for the NT-FES group compared with the NN-FES group. In addition, the NT-FES group showed minor deficits in the caudate, cingulate, and inferior temporal regions compared with the NN-FES group. There were no regions with gray matter volumetric excess in the NT-FES group. CONCLUSION Frontal, striato-limbic, and temporal morphological abnormalities are present in the early stage of schizophrenia and are unrelated to the effects of neuroleptic treatment, chronicity, and duration of illness. There may be dynamic effects of treatment on striato-limbic and temporal, but not frontal, regional gray matter volumes of the brain.
Reasoning With Weighted Ontologies

We study the problem of reasoning over weighted ontologies. We assume that every axiom is labeled with an element of a distributive lattice (called its weight) and try to compute its so-called boundary, with respect to a given property. We show that axiom pinpointing is the most general instance of this problem. Finally, we present three applications of the problem of boundary computation.
Improved sift-based image registration using belief propagation

Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) is a very powerful technique for image registration. While SIFT descriptors accurately extract invariant image characteristics around keypoints, the commonly used matching approach for registration is overly simplified, because it completely ignores the geometric information among descriptors. In this paper, we formulate keypoint matching as a global optimization problem and provide a suboptimum solution using belief propagation. Experimental results show significant improvement over previous approaches.
Interactions compétitives entre le saumon atlantique et la truite arc-en-ciel : aspects écologiques, sélectifs et adaptatifs

One of the major difficultés in studying biological invasions is to accurately predict both the ecological and the evolutionary conséquences of interaction between exotic and native species. In the Province of Québec (Canada), rainbow trout {Oncorhynchus mykiss) has been introduced in several watersheds for sport fishing and fisheries purposes. This species interacts with an economically important native species, the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). The goal of this thesis was to study biotic interactions between both species within an ecosystemic framework and to evaluate the ecological and evolutionary conséquences of rainbow trout on Atlantic salmon. In Malbaie River, habitat measurements showed that the juvéniles of thèse two species display important spatial niche overlap. In a semi-natural experiment, we demonstrated that the compétition by interférence imposed by juvénile rainbow trout forced juvénile Altantic salmon to be more active during daytime. This effect was persistent even if juvénile salmon were simultaneously exposed to predatory eues emited by piscivorous adult rainbow trout. By conséquence, juvénile Atlantic salmon were more prone to be predated upon when they are in the présence of juvénile rainbow trout (daytime is considered as a critical period enhancing the risk of being preyed upon). Moreover, we showed that the introduction of juvénile and/or adult rainbow trout did not modify trophic relationships between salmon, aquatic invertebrates and periphyton. The water velocity and bottom-up processes shaped such trophic relationships, thus limiting the indirect effets of the exotic species on ecosystem functioning. In the laboratory, we demonstrated that compétition with the rainbow trout disrupted the dominance hiérarchies within a group of salmon and the relationships between growth and several behaviours. Thèse results suggest that rainbow trout may potentially modify natural sélective pressure. Finally, in spite of significant effects of rainbow trout on salmon behaviours, the relationships between heterozygosity and fitness we found in juvéniles Atlantic salmon were not affected by compétitive interactions between species. To conclude, the présence of rainbow trout could hâve ecological and evolutionary conséquences on population of Atlantic salmon. At the ecosystem level, the impacts of the exotic species were low, probably resulting from abiotic particularity of the River Malbaie.
About EAS size spectra and primary energy spectra in the knee region

Based on the unified analyses of KASCADE, AKENO, EAS-TOP and ANI EAS size spectra, the approximations of energy spectra of different primary nuclei have been found. Calculations were carried out using SIBYLL and QGSJET interaction models in 0.1-100 PeV primary energy range. The results point to existence of both rigidity-dependent steepening energy spectra at R=200-400 TV and an additional proton (neutron) component with differential energy spectrum (6.1+/-0.7)10^{-11}(E/Ek)^{-1.5} (m^2.s.sr.TeV)^{-1} before the knee Ek=2030+/-130 TeV and with power index g2=-3.1+/-0.05 after the knee.
Autonomous Decentralized Load Tracking Techniques and Evaluation

Techniques to improve tracking ability are presented for autonomous decentralized load tracking system. We propose a load tracking mechanism based on incomplete management of load information from subsystems. The system employs autonomous decentralized architecture, which enables online expansion and fault tolerance. Each subsystem asynchronously broadcasts load information to the data field shared by the subsystems. Load information in the data field is measured for a limited period of time to make the tracking ability efficient. The total system can be designed as a stable system to converge measurement errors. This paper proposes some techniques to improve tracking ability, including a feed forward technique and a nonlinear technique. The techniques are evaluated by two kinds of criteria by simulation
Integrating a Web-Based Intelligent System into an Accounting Information System Course to Teach the Technique of Internal Control Evaluation

The issue of how to increase teaching effectiveness is a major concern to most educators. Understanding how to encourage a student to learn instead of memorize the presented material is one of the greatest problems faced in teaching. The nature of the topic taught contributes to this difficulty where a need for deep understanding may conflict with the need to understand the breadth of the topic. Evaluation of internal controls is part of an accounting course. For each accounting cycle in an organization, over 100 identifiable weaknesses may occur. Students may feel overwhelmed by this and try to memorize rather than understand the weaknesses and this affects their ability to effectively grasp the topic. This is a major issue in teaching internal control evaluation. This research identifies issues in using a Web-based intelligent system to teach students how to detect weaknesses in an internal control system. Such a system might prove to be highly beneficial to both students and educators.
TLR7 agonist induced repression of hepatocellular carcinoma via the TLR7-IKK-NF-κB-IL6 signaling pathway

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key members of innate immunity, involved in the defense against diseases, and evidence has revealed that TLR4/5 is involved in the carcinogenesis of hepatic cancer. TLR7 belongs to the TLR family, and its roles in immune-associated hepatic diseases have been well characterized; however, the consequences of agonist targeting of TLR7 in hepatic cancer have not previously been reported. The present study aimed to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of Imiquimod, a TLR7 agonist, on hepatic carcinogenesis by affecting the self-renewal of hepatic cancer stem cells. To detect the effects of this TLR7 agonist on hepatic cancer cells an MTT assay, mammosphere formation assay, ALDEFLUOR™ fluorescence-based stem cell sorting was used, and the potential signaling involved in the mechanism was investigated by western blot analysis. The TLR7 agonist Imiquimod demonstrated inhibitory effects on the cell proliferation and mammosphere formation of hepatic cells and stem cells, and decreased stem cell number (P<0.01). These effects may be achieved via the TLR7/IκB kinase/nuclear factor-κB/interleukin-6 signaling pathway, with decreased levels of Snail expression. The present study demonstrated the effects and mechanisms of the TLR7 agonist on hepatic cancer occurred via suppression of the self-renewal of cancer stem cells, indicating novel potential functions of the TLR7 agonist in the treatment of HCC.
Effect of fertilizer rates and mowing heights on nitrate leaching from St. Augustinegrass

Best management practices have been developed for lawn care in Florida to minimize any potential adverse impacts from lawn care activities. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of nitrogen rates and mowing heights on nitrate leaching and turf quality of St. Augustinegrass [ Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze. ]. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Nitrogen was applied as urea (46–0–0) at the rate of 2.5, 4.9, 7.4 and 9.8 g·m–2 N every 2 months. Mowing height treatments were 7.6 and 10.2 cm. Experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. In the first two treatment cycles, there were no differences in nitrate leaching due to N rate. Percentage of applied nitrogen leached was less than 1% throughout the study at all rates. Averaged over the course of the study, greater leaching occurred at the lower mowing height. Turf visual quality and color scores increased with nitrogen rate, but were at acceptable levels at all rates. Root weights were significantly increased at the higher mowing height. From results of this research, it does not appear that application of nitrogen at these rates will result in greater than 1% of applied N being leached from St. Augustinegrass, particularly when the grass is maintained in a healthy condition.
Robust Performance Analysis for Parameter DependentSystems using Tensor Product

We show that tensor product splines form a suitable tool to numerically construct parameter dependent Lyapunov functions to test robust performance for systems that depend on time-varying parameters. Based on the excellent approximation power of this class of multivariate splines, we show how it is possible to avoid conservatism in the corresponding robust performance analysis test.
Trading bandwidth for playback lag: can active peers help?

P2P live streaming systems suffer a lot from long playback lag in lag-sensitive scenarios. In this paper, we propose a new approach to reducing the playback lag in P2P live streaming systems. According to measurement studies, there exist a certain amount of active peers, who stay longer and contribute more bandwidth than other peers. Inspired by this, we propose a tiered overlay design, in which peers are organized into three tiers based on their degrees of activity. We develop a set of algorithms to evaluate the peers' degrees of activity. Specifically, the backbone of the overlay consists of the peers with high activity in tier-1. These active peers are responsible for diffusing the newly generated fresh chunks to peers located in all the involved Autonomous Systems (ASes). They contribute more bandwidth and thus enjoy shorter playback lag. Further more, adaptive biased neighbor selection algorithm is employed among non-backbone peers to keep traffic locality. Evaluated by extensive simulations, the proposed algorithms can reduce the average playback lag and cross-ISP traffic greatly.
A general theory of security properties

We present a general theory of possibilistic security properties. We show that we can express a security property as a predicate that is true of every set containing all the traces with the same low level event sequence. Given this security predicate, we show how to construct a partial ordering of security properties. We also discuss information flow and present the weakest property such that no information can flow from high level users to low level users. Finally, we present a comparison of our framework and McLean's (1994) Selective Interleaving Functions framework.
Assessment of strip tillage systems for maize production in semi-arid Ethiopia: effects on grain yield and water balance

Abstract. The traditional tillage implement, the Maresha plow, and the tillage systems that require repeated and cross plowing have caused poor rainfall partitioning, land degradation and hence low water productivity in Ethiopia. Conservation tillage could alleviate these problems. However, no-till can not be feasible for smallholder farmers in semi-arid regions of Ethiopia because of difficulties in maintaining soil cover due to low rainfall and communal grazing and because of high costs of herbicides. Strip tillage systems may offer a solution. This study was initiated to test strip tillage systems using implements that were modified forms of the Maresha plow, and to evaluate the impacts of the new tillage systems on water balance and grain yields of maize ( Zea mays XX ). Experiments were conducted in two dry semi arid areas called Melkawoba and Wulinchity, in the central Rift Valley of Ethiopia during 2003–2005. Strip tillage systems that involved cultivating planting lines at a spacing of 0.75 m using the Maresha plow followed by subsoiling along the same lines (STS) and without subsoiling (ST) were compared with the traditional tillage system of 3 to 4 times plowing with the Maresha plow (CONV). Soil moisture was monitored to a depth of 1.8 m using Time Domain Reflectometer while surface runoff was measured using rectangular trough installed at the bottom of each plot. STS resulted in the least surface runoff ( Qs =17 mm-season −1 ), the highest transpiration ( T =196 mm-season −1 ), the highest grain yields ( Y =2130 kg-ha −1 ) and the highest water productivity using total evaporation ( W PET =0.67 kg-m −3 ) followed by ST ( Qs =25 mm-season −1 , T =178 mm-season −1 , Y =1840 kg-ha −1 , W PET =0.60 kg-m −3 ) and CONV ( Qs =40 mm-season −1 , T =158 mm-season −1 , Y =1720 kg-ha −1 , W PET =0.58 kg-m −3 ). However, when the time between the last tillage operation and planting of maize was more than 26 days, the reverse occurred. There was no statistically significant change in soil physical and chemical properties after three years of experimenting with different tillage systems.
Efficient modeling by selecting learning samples in human pose estimation

While the more learning data the better the recognition, increase in the data causes an expensive computational cost in learning. This paper proposes how to decrease the computational cost by appropriately selecting the learning data. In particular, we put our focus on learning for human pose estimation in still images. Three kinds of methods are proposed for learning data selection in this paper. The first one divides all data into several clusters in a feature space for avoiding duplication of similar data. The second one selects the data based on their distance from a discriminant plane for efficiently updating it. Third one merges those two methods as well as pruning in optimized pose search. Experimental results show that the proposed method can decrease the learning time by 79 % with less decrease in pose estimation accuracy.
Assessment of Some Immune Parameters in Occupationally Exposed Nuclear Power Plant Workers

A 10-year survey of immune status of nuclear power plant (NPP) workers was assessed by cellular and humoral immune parameters. The cumulative doses of NPP workers were in the range of 0.06 to 766.36 mSv. The results did not show significant deviations in the studied parameters of cellular and humoral immunity, but a tendency of elevated values in CD3+4+ helper inducers cells, especially its CD4+62L+ subpopulation, regulatory CD4+25+ cells, CD8+28+ cytotoxic subpopulation, and immunoglobulin M, was established. The observed trend of the above-mentioned parameters could be interpreted by assumption that while the adaptation processes are dominated with low prevalence of T-helper (Th) 1 immune response to cumulative doses less than 100 mSv, a switch to Th-2 response occurred at doses above 100 mSv. The impact of a number of other confounding factors on the immune system does not allow definitive conclusions about the direct radiation-induced changes in immune parameters.
Satellite Studies of Clouds and Cloud Bands Near the Low-Level JET1

Abstract TIROS-VII and -VIII photographs are used to study synoptic and mesoscale cloud patterns during 6 days with strong southerly flow in the Central United States. Cases with nocturnal thunderstorms show a tendency for thunderstorms to occur in the downstream portion of the jet. Through advection of moisture and turbulent breakdown of the nocturnal inversion, the low-level jet plays an important role both in the formation of stratus and in its manner of dissipation. Longitudinal cumulus cloud bands with spacing of 10 to 15 km occur with slightly superadiabatic lapse rates and moderate wind shear in agreement with theoretical results by Kuo.
FormalSpecificationof OperatingSystemOperations

This paper describesthe developmentof a formal specification of a secure operating systemarchitecture and its security-relatedoperations in higher-order logic theorem prover, HOL. We specifyoperating systementitiesas user defineddatatypesandsecurityconditionsaspredicatesthat restrictssystemoperations. We alsoprovidea uniformenvironmentfor systemcommandsthat change securitystate of systems.
From Pre-Grammaticality to Proficiency in L1: Acquiring and Developing Infinitival Usage in Hebrew

Abstract The study traces the developmental route in acquisition and use of infinitives (e.g., lišon ‘to sleep’, le-exol ‘to-eat’, la-asot ’to-do’) in Hebrew as a first language, proceeding from the initial, “pre-grammatical“ emergence of linguistic forms among toddlers to structure-based knowledge and proficient use of the same devices in adolescence. Analysis involves a varied data-base of L1 oral Hebrew usage in: parent-child interactions of children aged 1;6 to 3;0 years; elicited storybook-based narratives of preschoolers; and personal-experience narratives and expository talks of schoolchildren, adolescents, and adults. Findings show that infinitives constitute an interesting test-case for examining the route from initial emergence via acquisition to maturely proficient command of a given subsystem in L1. Infinitival structures in Modern Hebrew, a language with an impoverished system of nonfinite verbs and lacking in auxiliaries of the kind common in Standard Average European, reveal a long developmental path, showing increasing complexity at all levels of language use: morphological form, types of syntactic constructions, semantic content, and discursive function, the latter primarily for the purpose of achieving textual connectivity.
Measuring the linear and rotational user precision in touch pointing

This paper addresses the limit of user precision in pointing to a target when the finger is already in contact with a touch surface. User precision was measured for linear and rotational pointing. We developed a novel experimental protocol that improves the estimation of user's precision as compare to previous protocols. Our protocol depends on high-resolution measurements of finger motions. This was achieved by the means of two optical finger trackers specially developed for this study. The trackers provide stable and precise measurements of finger translations and rotations. We used them in two user experiments that revealed that (a) user's precision for linear pointing is about 150dpi or 0.17mm, and (b) user can reliably point at sectors as narrow as 2.76 degrees in 2s in rotational pointing. Our results provide new information for the optimization of interactions and sensing devices that involve finger pointing on a surface.