Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seamless Composition and Integration : A Perspective on Formal Methods Research †

Have formal methods in computer science come of age? While the contributions to this volume of Mathematical Structures in Computer Science attest to their importance in the design and analysis of particular software systems, their relevance to the field as a whole is far wider. In recent years, formal methods have become more accessible and easier to use, more directly related to practical problems, and more adaptable to imperfect and/or approximate specifications in real-life applications. They are now a central component of computer-science education and research. But perhaps 'coming of age' is the wrong qualification for the success of a scientific endeavor. There will always be advances in mathematical logic – a.k. a. 'formal methods' among computer scientists – leading to advances in reliable, safe and secure computing. Others have already noted " the unusual effectiveness of [mathematical] logic " in computer science (Halpern et al., 2001; Davis, 1988), while some others have gone as far as tying the future of mathematical logic (or the " best of it " according to some) to its ability to contribute to advances in computer science (Buss et al., 2001). There are many research directions that will promote the impact of formal methods on computer science in significant and novel ways (Halpern et al., 2001; Buss et al., 2001). Focusing more narrowly on areas and domains of particular interest to us, we can propose at least two directions which, while complementary to the current state-of-the-art, are separate from and beyond the topics covered in this volume. We use the terms integration and composability, each in a specific context of our own, as shorthands to refer to these two directions and to suggest relationships with cognate notions in other parts of computer science. We use the qualifier seamless to emphasize that the notions to which we refer are distinct from other referents of these terms in the literature.
Image Denoising Techniques Preserving Edges

The objective of this work is to propose an image denoising technique and compare it with image denoising using ridgelets. The proposed method uses slantlet transform instead of wavelets in ridgelet transform. Experimental result shows that the proposed method is more effective than ridgelets in noise removal. The proposed method is effective in compressing images while preserving edges.
Flux-limited strong gravitational lensing and dark energy

In the standard flat cosmological constant (A) cold dark matter (CDM) cosmology, a model of two populations of lens halos for strong gravitational lensing can reproduce the results of the Jodrell-Bank VLA Astrometric Survey (JVAS) and the Cosmic Lens All-Sky Survey (CLASS) radio survey. In such a model, lensing probabilities are sensitive to three parameters: the concentration parameter c 1 , the cooling mass scale M c and the value of the CDM power spectrum normalization parameter σ 8 . The value ranges of these parameters are constrained by various observations. However, we found that predicted lensing probabilities are also quite sensitive to the flux density (brightness) ratio q, of the multiple lensing images, which has been a very important selection criterion of a sample in any lensing survey experiments. We re-examine the mentioned above model by considering the flux ratio and galactic central Super Massive Black Holes (SMBHs), in flat, low-density cosmological models with different cosmic equations of state ω, and find that the predicted lensing probabilities without considering q r are over-estimated. A low value of q r can be compensated for by raising the cooling mass scale M c in fitting the predicted lensing probabilities to JVAS/CLASS observations. To determine the cosmic equation of state ω, the uncertainty in M c must be resolved. The effects of SMBHs cannot be detected by strong gravitational lensing methods when q r < 10.
Normalized similarity measurement and query adaptive fusion for graph based visual reranking

Developing effective fusion schemes for multiple feature types has always been a hot issue in content-based image retrieval. In this paper, we propose a novel method for graph based visual reranking, which addresses two major limitations in existing methods. Firstly, in the phase of graph construction, our method introduces fine-grained measurements for image relations, by assigning the edge weights using normalized similarity. Furthermore, in the phase of graph fusion, rather than summing up all the graphs for different single features indiscriminately, we propose to estimate the reliability of each feature through a statistical model, and selectively fuse the single graphs via query-adaptive fusion weights. Our method is evaluated on three public datasets, by fusing SIFT and CNN, two complementary features. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, which yields superior results than the competing methods.
Profile-Based Optimization for Embedded Java Applications

In this paper, we put forward an approach to optimize Java applications for embedded systems. Its principle is to use a specific profiler dedicated to optimization. The profiler takes as an input a Java Application and provides the best possible sequence of optimization techniques. Strategy resolution goes through the study of the fundamental optimization techniques and the exploration of the research space that they compose.
Test-driving Intel Xeon Phi

Based on Intel's Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture, Intel Xeon Phi is one of the few truly many-core CPUs - featuring around 60 fairly powerful cores, two levels of caches, and graphic memory, all interconnected by a very fast ring. Given its promised ease-of-use and high performance, we took Xeon Phi out for a test drive. In this paper, we present this experience at two different levels: (1) the microbenchmark level, where we stress "each nut and bolt" of Phi in the lab, and (2) the application level, where we study Phi's performance response in a real-life environment. At the microbenchmarking level, we show the high performance of five components of the architecture, focusing on their maximum achieved performance and the prerequisites to achieve it. Next, we choose a medical imaging application (Leukocyte Tracking) as a case study. We observed that it is rather easy to get functional code and start benchmarking, but the first performance numbers can be far from satisfying. Our experience indicates that a simple data structure and massive parallelism are critical for Xeon Phi to perform well. When compiler-driven parallelization and/or vectorization fails, programming Xeon Phi for performance can become very challenging.
Building bridges: the role of subfields in metaheuristics

Very few fields in science are completely isolated; most disciplines have a fair amount of interdisciplinarity, even more so when the field is so settled that new results come only through interaction among one or several disciplines within a large field. This means that authors from initially separate fields end up converging, and creating new links in the coauthorship network. Besides, this implies a transfer of knowledge, so that authors initially focused in a single field (say, evolutionary computation) end up authoring papers in several other fields (such as, say, tabu search or scatter search) and thus extending their coauthorship ego-network and the coauthorship network in the field where both disciplines interact. This interaction also comes through horizontal applications (such as, for instance, scheduling), or broad problem areas, such as multiobjective optimization. Authors specialized on applications or on problem areas eventually coauthor papers in many different method areas, and thus build bridges that convey problem-solving (or, at least, paper-writing) expertise from a narrow field (such as evolutionary computation) to a broader one (such as metaheuristics).
Netscope: Practical Network Loss Tomography

We present Netscope, a tomographic technique that infers the loss rates of network links from unicast end-to-end measurements. Netscope uses a novel combination of &#64257;rst- and second-order moments of end-to-end measurements to identify and characterize the links that cannot be (accurately) characterized through existing practical tomographic techniques. Using both analytical and experimental tools, we show that Netscope enables scalable, accurate link-loss inference: in a simulation scenario involving 4000 links, 20% of them lossy, Netscope correctly identi&#64257;es 94% of the lossy links with a false positive rate of 16%-a signi&#64257;cant improvement over the existing alternatives. Netscope is robust in the sense that it requires no parameter tuning, moreover its advantage over the alternatives widens when the number of lossy links increases. We also validate Netscope's performance on an "Internet tomographer" that we deployed on an overlay of 400 PlanetLab nodes.
Incidence and epidemiology of new onset heart failure with preserved vs. reduced ejection fraction in a community-based cohort: 11-year follow-up of PREVEND.

AIMS Differences in clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with established heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) are well established. Data on epidemiology and prediction of new onset HFpEF, compared with HFrEF, have not been described. METHODS AND RESULTS In 8592 subjects of the Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-stage Disease (PREVEND), a community-based, middle-aged cohort study, we performed cause-specific hazard analyses to study the predictive value of risk factors and established cardiovascular biomarkers on new onset HFrEF vs. HFpEF (left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 40 and ≥ 50%, respectively). A P-value for competing risk (Pcr) <0.10 between HFrEF and HFpEF was considered statistically significant. All potential new onset heart failure cases were reviewed and adjudicated to HFrEF or HFpEF by an independent committee. During a median follow-up of 11.5 years, 374 (4.4%) subjects were diagnosed with heart failure, of which 125 (34%) with HFpEF and 241 (66%) with HFrEF. The average time to diagnosis of new onset HFrEF was 6.6 ± 3.6 years; it was 8.3 ± 3.3 years for HFpEF (P < 0.001). Male gender was associated with new onset HFrEF, whereas female gender with new onset HFpEF (Pcr < 0.001). Higher age and increased N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) increased the risk for both HFpEF and HFrEF, although for age this was stronger for HFpEF (Pcr = 0.018), whereas NT-proBNP was stronger associated with risk for HFrEF (Pcr = 0.083). Current smokers, increased highly sensitive troponin T, and previous myocardial infarction conferred a significantly increased risk for HFrEF, but not for HFpEF (Pcr = 0.093, 0.091, and 0.061, respectively). Conversely, a history of atrial fibrillation, increased urinary albumin excretion (UAE), and cystatin C were significantly more associated with the risk for HFpEF, but not for HFrEF (Pcr < 0.001, 0.061, and 0.033, respectively). The presence of obesity at baseline was associated with comparable prognostic information for both HFpEF and HFrEF. CONCLUSION Higher age, UAE, cystatin C, and history of atrial fibrillation are strong risk factors for new onset HFpEF. This underscores differential pathophysiological mechanisms for both subtypes of heart failure.
Using Video Modeling to Teach Vocational Skills to Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

vi Chapter One: Introduction and Literature Review . 1 Autism Spectrum Disorders . 2 Diagnostic criteria . 2 Intervention research . 3 School-age children with ASD . 6 Adult outcomes . 8 Video-based Intervention . 13 Types of video-based intervention . 14 Video-based intervention for adults with ASD. 16 Vocational skills . 18 Significance of Study . 20 Purpose of Study . 21 Research Questions . 21 Delimitations. 21 Chapter Two: Methods . 23 Participants . 23 Identified Target Tasks . 26 Settings . 28 Research Design . 28 Dependent Measures. 29 Instruments . 30 Materials . 30 Videos . 30 Video streaming . 31 Video self-models . 32 Devices . 32 Internet access . 32 Procedural Reliability . 33 Data Analysis . 33 Inter-observer agreement . 33 Social validity . 34 Procedures . 35 Chapter Three: Results . 39 Participant 1 . 39
Historical and contemporary factors shape the population genetic structure of the broadcast spawning coral, Acropora millepora, on the Great Barrier Reef

Effective management of reef corals requires knowledge of the extent to which populations are open or closed and the scales over which genetic exchange occurs, information which is commonly derived from population genetic data. Such data are sparse for Great Barrier Reef (GBR) corals and other organisms, with the studies that are available being mostly based on a small number of sampling locations spanning only part of the GBR. Using 11 microsatellite loci, we genotyped 947 colonies of the reef‐building coral Acropora millepora from 20 sites spanning almost the full length of the GBR (∼12° of latitude and ∼1550 km). The results show a major divide between the southernmost central to southern offshore populations and all other sampled populations. We interpret this divide as a signature of allopatric divergence in northern and southern refugia during the Pleistocene glaciations, from which the GBR was subsequently recolonized. Superimposed on this pattern is a cross‐shelf genetic division, as well as a separation of inshore populations south of the Cape Clifton Front at ∼21.5–22°S. Most inshore populations north of this, as well as mid‐shelf populations in the northern and far northern GBR, are open, exchanging recruits frequently. In contrast, inshore populations south of the Cape Clifton Front and offshore populations in the central and southern GBR are largely self‐seeding, at least within the spatial resolution that was achieved given our sampling intensity. Populations that have been impacted by recent disturbance events causing extensive coral mortality show no evidence of reduced genetic diversity.
Magnons in ferromagnetic metallic manganites

Ferromagnetic (FM) manganites, a group of likely half-metallic oxides, are of special interest not only because they are a testing ground for the classical double-exchange interaction mechanism for the ‘colossal’ magnetoresistance, but also because they exhibit an extraordinary arena of emergent phenomena. These emergent phenomena are related to the complexity associated with strong interplay between charge, spin, orbital, and lattice. In this review, we focus on the use of inelastic neutron scattering to study the spin dynamics, mainly the magnon excitations in this class of FM metallic materials. In particular, we discuss the unusual magnon softening and damping near the Brillouin zone boundary in relatively narrow-band compounds with strong Jahn–Teller lattice distortion and charge–orbital correlations. The anomalous behaviours of magnons in these compounds indicate the likelihood of cooperative excitations involving spin and lattice as well as orbital degrees of freedom.
Analysis of the Parareal Time-Parallel Time-Integration Method

The parareal algorithm is a method to solve time-dependent problems parallel in time: it approximates parts of the solution later in time simultaneously to parts of the solution earlier in time. In this paper the relation of the parareal algorithm to space-time multigrid and multiple shooting methods is first briefly discussed. The focus of the paper is on new convergence results that show superlinear convergence of the algorithm when used on bounded time intervals, and linear convergence for unbounded intervals.
Dopaminergic regulation of the serotonergic raphe-striatal pathway: microdialysis studies in freely moving rats

Morphological evidence demonstrates the existence of dopaminergic afferent pathways and dopamine (DA)-containing neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). In a recent report, a DA D2-like receptor-mediated regulation of serotonin (5-HT) extracellular concentration in DRN has been found. Given the existence of somatodendritic 5-HT1A autoreceptors in the DRN, changes of the extracellular concentration of 5-HT in the vicinity of cell bodies and dendrites may be relevant for the control of the activity of ascending serotonergic pathways. In the present brain microdialysis study we have used a chromatographic method (HPLC) enabling the simultaneous measurement of DA, 5-HT, and their main metabolites dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and 5- hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). The presence of a neuronal pool of DA within the DRN was revealed by the local infusion of amphetamine (10 microM), which significantly increased the extracellular concentration of both amines. The local striatal infusion (10 microM) of the selective DA D1-like agonist SKF-38393, the selective DA D2-like agonist quinpirole (LY 171,555), or the nonselective DA agonist apomorphine markedly decreased DA and DOPAC extracellular concentrations and failed to modify 5-HT or 5-HIAA in the striatum, indicating the lack of terminal (striatal) control of 5-HT release by dopaminergic transmission. In contrast, the systemic administration of apomorphine (2.8 mumol/kg, s.c.) significantly increased the extracellular concentration of 5-HT in the DRN and decreased it in the striatum. The reduction of striatal 5-HT extracellular concentration was prevented by the previous administration of the selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY 100135 (17.6 mumol/kg, s.c.), which by itself did not change extracellular 5-HT in striatum. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A novel concept for 2-dimensional free-access wireless power transfer system using asymmetric coupling resonators with different sizes

A novel wireless power transfer system which transfers small electric power for handy electronic terminals is proposed. In order to transfer power to handy terminals in a desired region of a room, asymmetric coupling resonators with different sizes are used. This means that a large transmitting coil and a small receiving coil are installed in a transmitter and a receiver, respectively. The possibility of 2-dimensional free-access power transfer is demonstrated by experiments. Design procedure for the system is illustrated and preferable coil structures for Tx coil and Rx coil are discussed. The possible transmission distance and 2-D free-access area are shown. Then, an illustrative system is designed and the performance is confirmed.
Unified Form for the Robust Gaussian Information Filtering Based on M-Estimate

In this paper, a unified form for robust Gaussian information filtering based on M-estimate is proposed, which can incorporate robust weight functions with zero weight for large residues. The proposed information filtering framework can avoid the numerical problem introduced by the zero weight in the Kalman filtering framework. Simulation results show the efficiency and superiority of the proposed robust filters over the nonrobust filter against heavy-tailed measurement noises.
A 600KW electrical balance of plant with LCL filter for molten carbonate fuel cell

In this paper, a 600KW electrical balance of plant(EBOP) for a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) power plant is introduced. The requirements for EBOP are categorized into as follows : demands on grid interconnection and operational interface with a fuel cell. EBOP has three modes of operation, i.e. grid-connected (GC) mode, grid-independent (GI) mode, and grid-synchronization (GS) mode, to control its output currents, power, and voltages. LCL filter is adopted to meet power qualities demanded by IEEE std. 1547 which defines terms and criterions on interconnection of inverter with grid. EBOP of MCFC is also required to get the ability of fast and smooth transition from GC mode to GI mode to protect a fuel cell under abnormal grid conditions. A 600KW EBOP was tested and installed in a MCFC power plant. Simulations and tests are carried out under various load conditions. Results of simulations and tests are presented and show the effectiveness of control algorithm.
Application of Group Testing in Identifying High Betweenness Centrality Vertices in Complex Networks

Group testing is a mathematical technique that uses superimposed code theory to nd a specied number of distinct units among a large population, using the fewest number of tests. In this paper, we investigate the applicability of group testing in nding vertices with high betweenness centrality. Betweenness centrality (BC) is a widely applied network analysis objective, for identifying important vertices in complex networks. Most algorithms for computing BC compute the values for all the vertices in the network. However, in practice, only the vertices with the highest BC values are used in analyzing the network, and even then we only need the identities of the vertices{not the exact values. We demonstrate that Latin square based group testing is eective in nding the top two highest BC nodes of most networks. We also show that the instances where group testing fails to obtain the top BC nodes are networks where slight perturbation of the edges can change the ranking of the vertices. An additional benet of group testing is that it allows us to decompose the betweenness centrality computation into a trivially parallelizable algorithm with high scalability.
An Open Web Platform for Rule-Based Speech-to-Sign Translation

We present an open web platform for developing, compiling, and running rulebased speech to sign language translation applications. Speech recognition is performed using the Nuance Recognizer 10.2 toolkit, and signed output, including both manual and non-manual components, is rendered using the JASigning avatar system. The platform is designed to make the component technologies readily accessible to sign language experts who are not necessarily computer scientists. Translation grammars are written in a version of Synchronous Context-Free Grammar adapted to the peculiarities of sign language. All processing is carried out on a remote server, with content uploaded and accessed through a web interface. Initial experiences show that simple translation grammars can be implemented on a time-scale of a few hours to a few days and produce signed output readily comprehensible to Deaf informants. Overall, the platform drastically lowers the barrier to entry for researchers interested in building applications that generate high-quality signed language.