Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Conley index for decompositions of isolated invariant sets

Let f be a continuous map of a locally compact metric space X into itself. Suppose that S is an isolated invariant set with respect to f being a disjoint union of a xed nite number of compact sets. We deene an index of Conley type for isolated invariant sets admitting such a decomposition and prove some of its properties, which appear to be similar to that of the ordinary Conley index for maps. Our index takes into account the existence of the decomposition of S and therefore carries more information about the structure of the invariant set. In particular, it seems to be a more accurate tool for the detection of periodic trajectories and chaos of the Smale horseshoe type than the ordinary Conley index. 0. Introduction The Conley index has become an important tool in the study of the qualitative behaviour of dynamical systems, with both discrete and continuous time. The results concerning attractor-repeller decompositions ((1], 15], 18]), the connection matrix theory ((3], 4], 5]) as well as recent papers by Ch.McCord, K.Mischaikow and M.Mrozek 7] and the latter two authors 9] (see also 20]) show that the Conley index reeects the structure of an isolated invariant set. In this paper we are mainly interested in the Conley index as a tool for the detection of chaos and periodic orbits. Comparing the results of 9] and 20] with the criterions for chaos based on the xed point index in 19] or 23] shows that the ones based on the Conley index
General Perturbations of Sparse Signals in Compressed Sensing

We analyze the Basis Pursuit recovery of signals when observing sparse data with general perturbations. Previous studies have only considered partially perturbed observations Ax+e. Here, x is a K-sparse signal which we wish to recover, A is a measurement matrix with more columns than rows, and e is simple additive noise. Our model also incorporates perturbations E (which result in multiplicative noise) to the matrix A in the form of (A + E)x + e: This completely perturbed framework extends the previous work of Candes, Romberg and Tao on stable signal recovery from incomplete and inaccurate measurements. Our results show that, under suitable conditions, the stability of the recovered signal is limited by the noise level in the observation. Moreover, this accuracy is within a constant multiple of the best-case reconstruction using the technique of least squares.
Clusterability: A Theoretical Study

We investigate measures of the clusterability of data sets. Namely, ways to dene how ‘strong’ or ‘conclusive’ is the clustering structure of a given data set. We address this issue with generality, aiming for conclusions that apply regardless of any particular clustering algorithm or any specic data generation model. We survey several notions of clusterability that have been discussed in the literature, as well as propose a new notion of data clusterability. Our comparison of these notions reveals that, although they all attempt to evaluate the same intuitive property, they are pairwise inconsistent. Our analysis discovers an interesting phenomenon; Although most of the common clustering tasks are NP-hard, nding a closeto-optimal clustering for well clusterable data sets is easy (computationally). We prove instances of this general claim with respect to the various clusterability notions that we discuss. Finally, we investigate how hard it is to determine the clusterability value of a given data set. In most cases, it turns out that this is an NP-hard problem.
Polyphenol-Rich Extract from Propolis Reduces the Expression and Activity of Streptococcus mutans Glucosyltransferases at Subinhibitory Concentrations

Tooth decay is an infectious disease, whose main causative agent identified is Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans). Diverse treatments have been used to eradicate this microorganism, including propolis. To date, it has been shown that polyphenols from Chilean propolis inhibit S. mutans growth and biofilm formation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are unclear. In the present study, we assessed the effect of Chilean propolis on the expression and activity of the glycosyltransferases enzymes and their related genes. Polyphenol-rich extract from propolis inhibited gene expression of glycosyltransferases (GtfB, GtfC, and GtfD) and their related regulatory genes, for example, VicK, VicR, and CcpA. Moreover, the treatment inhibited glucosyltransferases activity measured by the formation of sucrose-derived glucans. Additionally, an inhibitory effect was observed in the expression of SpaP involved in sucrose-independent virulence of S. mutans. In summary, our results suggest that Chilean propolis has a dose-dependent effect on the inhibition of genes involved in S. mutans virulence and adherence through the inhibition of glucosyltransferases, showing an anticariogenic potential of polyphenols from propolis beyond S. mutans growth inhibition.
Biofunctionalized Nanofibers Using Arthrospira (Spirulina) Biomass and Biopolymer

Electrospun nanofibers composed of polymers have been extensively researched because of their scientific and technical applications. Commercially available polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHB-HV) copolymers are good choices for such nanofibers. We used a highly integrated method, by adjusting the properties of the spinning solutions, where the cyanophyte Arthrospira (formally Spirulina) was the single source for nanofiber biofunctionalization. We investigated nanofibers using PHB extracted from Spirulina and the bacteria Cupriavidus necator and compared the nanofibers to those made from commercially available PHB and PHB-HV. Our study assessed nanofiber formation and their selected thermal, mechanical, and optical properties. We found that nanofibers produced from Spirulina PHB and biofunctionalized with Spirulina biomass exhibited properties which were equal to or better than nanofibers made with commercially available PHB or PHB-HV. Our methodology is highly promising for nanofiber production and biofunctionalization and can be used in many industrial and life science applications.
Loop-Oriented Programming: A New Code Reuse Attack to Bypass Modern Defenses

Code reuse attacks have become one of the most popular exploitation techniques, and coarse-grained control flow integrity (CFI) is a practical approach used to prevent such attacks. Recently, some new approaches have been proposed to construct call-preceded-ROP attacks to bypass coarse-grained CFI, however, we find that they still fail to bypass shadow stack, which enforces caller-callee semantics to strengthen CFI that constrains the control flow in a much stricter way. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a new code reuse attack, named loop-oriented programming (LOP), aiming to bypass both coarse-grained CFI and shadow stack. Quite different from previous code reuse attacks, LOP collects entire functions as basic building blocks (i.e., gadgets), and chains these gadgets in a way that the control flows strictly follow the process of call-ret-pairing. Specifically, LOP selects a particular function with a loop statement, called loop gadget, to chain all the available gadgets. To demonstrate the effectiveness of LOP, we construct a proof-of-concept exploit against Internet Explorer 8 on 32-bit x86 platform.
Sample-distortion functions for compressed sensing

We consider compressed sensing within a stochastic setting, where the signal or image of interest is drawn from a probability distribution that is in some sense compressible. Within this setting we consider some sample-distortion functions for i.i. d. compressible distributions and derive a simple sample distortion lower bound. We then extend the compressible model to consider a stochastic multi-resolution image model. Using empirical sample distortion functions we are able to compute an optimal bandwise sampling strategy and to accurately predict the compressed sensing possible performance gains available in compressive imaging.
Over-the-air remote management and control of IP-based M2M devices

This paper describes an end-to-end solution for over-the-air remote management and control of IP-based Machine-to-Machine (M2M) devices and M2M gateways. The proposed solution is based on three schemes: (1) policy-based management (activation, de-activation, diagnostics, and monitoring) of diverse M2M devices and applications, (2) low-overhead management protocol for M2M devices geographically dispersed, (3) ubiquitous network address translation (NAT) traversal to communicate with M2M devices located behind a customer premise equipment (CPE). We discuss findings from the implementation and prototype of the solution in a system with portable and fixed M2M gateways.
Notice of Violation of IEEE Publication PrinciplesAn improved ant colony optimization for ontology matching

The Hungarian algorithm used in ontology matching sometimes cannot get the solution since this algorithm does not converge when dealing with special data. In order to solve this problem, this paper presents an improved ant colony optimization for ontology matching problem (ACOM). We utilize many kinds of rating functions which are also called base matchers to evaluate the distance of two ontology entries. After getting the distance matrix of ontology entries, we use an improved ant colony optimization algorithm to extract the best alignment instead of using the traditional Hungarian method. Finally, a set of experiments are conducted to analysis and evaluate the performance of ACOM in solving ontology matching problem. We use Ontology Alignment Evaluation Initiative (OAEI) benchmark test suite with pairs of ontologies as test cases and compare our results with three algorithms presented in the OAEI 2008. The results of experiments show that our system has a good performance in the ontology matching process.
Le protocole de découverte de sécurisation SCOUT

La securisation des reseaux de communication engendre aujourd'hui une charge importante de configuration. C'est pourquoi nous proposons un nouveau protocole de decouverte automatique des capacites de securisation, afin de reduire cette charge. Notre protocole " Security Capabilities Over Unsecured Topologies " a ete concu pour rechercher les mecanismes de securite supportes par les noeuds distants du reseau et declencher le mecanisme d'etablissement de canal securise adequat. Si l'hote contacte ne peut prendre en charge la securisation, le protocole SCOUT tente alors d'etablir un canal securise avec le routeur voisin de l'hote. Ce protocole permet a l'administrateur de ne pas devoir configurer a l'avance un tunnel par couple de noeuds communiquant de maniere securisee, ce qui reduit sa charge de travail et ameliore la capacite de passage a l'echelle et de deploiement des solutions de securisation des reseaux. Apres avoir introduit le protocole SCOUT et son fonctionnement, nous presenterons une evaluation des performances de son implementation sur un reseau IPv6 natif suivie d'une analyse des vulnerabilites de ce protocole. Enfin, nous concluons cet article par une etude qualitative du gain apporte par SCOUT en terme de configuration pour les administrateurs reseaux.
FPGA based dataflow accelerator for large matrix multiplication

Real-world numerical applications often require a huge number of calculations to be done in short time. The best way to speed-up these applications is to exploit a huge amount of data parallelism by parallelizing independent calculations. Multi-core processors do not have enough resources to achieve any significant utilization of available data parallelism. Instead of adding new CPUs, addition of one or more accelerators is a much better choice, and is widely used today. In this paper we describe the design of FPGA based dataflow accelerator dedicated for multiplication of very large matrices, e.g. with 10000×10000 double precision elements. It is shown that speed-up is up to 18 times, compared to solutions without acceleration. Key-Words: matrix multiplication, big data, dataflow architecture, FPGA accelerator, scientific computing
An adaptive encryption based genetic algorithms for medical images

This paper presents a novel efficient symmetric encryption technique that can be applied to medical images. It uses genetic algorithm which makes it highly adaptive. Standard DI-COM images are segmented into a number of regions based on pixel intensity and entropy measurements. The novelty of the selective encryption method lies in the use of several encryption algorithms with variable key lengths to control the processing time required for the encryption process and the robustness quality. Encryption processing time, robustness of the encrypted image and the side information required for transmission of the decryption key are the main parameters for optimization. The trade-off among them stems from the variation in processing time with the key length of encryption algorithm, image size, number of regions and the side information to reduce processing time while maintaining a high level of robustness.
Efficacy and safety of guaifenesin for upper back, neck, and shoulder pain: a Phase II proof-of-concept, multicenter, placebo-controlled, repeat-dose, parallel-group study

Background/objective Guaifenesin, an over-the-counter (OTC) expectorant, has exhibited muscle relaxant effects preclinically and clinically. This proof-of-principle study explored whether OTC doses of guaifenesin can provide relief from acute upper back, neck, or shoulder muscle spasm and pain. Methods This multicenter, placebo-controlled, repeat-dose, parallel study randomly assigned adults experiencing acute pain and muscle spasm in their upper back, neck, or shoulder to guaifenesin 600 or 1200 mg or matched placebo twice daily (BID) in a 2:2:1:1 ratio for 7 days. The primary end point was the change from baseline in muscle spasm relief, measured using an 11-point numeric rating scale (0=not present to 10=unbearable) recorded twice daily and averaged over the 7-day treatment period. Analyses were performed using a linear mixed model that included treatment as a fixed effect and site as a random effect. Results A total of 77 subjects were included in the 4 treatment groups. Least squares mean muscle spasm score over 7 days was 1.77 with guaifenesin 1200 mg, 1.42 with its matched placebo, 1.53 with guaifenesin 600 mg, and 1.74 with its matched placebo. Treatment with guaifenesin 1200 mg BID provided 25% greater reduction in mean muscle spasm over its matched placebo and 16% greater reduction than guaifenesin 600 mg BID. These differences were not statistically significant. Based on comparisons of absolute mean values, a consistent directional change in effect was observed, suggesting some benefit from placebo to lower-to-upper doses of guaifenesin with regard to muscle spasm, tension, pain, discomfort, and relaxation. No severe or serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion Results suggest the potential for OTC dose of guaifenesin 1200 mg BID to provide symptomatic relief of upper back musculoskeletal pain and spasm. Confirmation of this preliminary result in a larger, adequately powered study is needed.
Temperature, light and nitrate sensing coordinate Arabidopsis seed dormancy cycling, resulting in winter and summer annual phenotypes

Seeds use environmental cues to sense the seasons and their surroundings to initiate the life cycle of the plant. The dormancy cycling underlying this process is extensively described, but the molecular mechanism is largely unknown. To address this we selected a range of representative genes from published array experiments in the laboratory, and investigated their expression patterns in seeds of Arabidopsis ecotypes with contrasting life cycles over an annual dormancy cycle in the field. We show how mechanisms identified in the laboratory are coordinated in response to the soil environment to determine the dormancy cycles that result in winter and summer annual phenotypes. Our results are consistent with a seed-specific response to seasonal temperature patterns (temporal sensing) involving the gene DELAY OF GERMINATION 1 (DOG1) that indicates the correct season, and concurrent temporally driven co-opted mechanisms that sense spatial signals, i.e. nitrate, via CBL-INTERACTING PROTEIN KINASE 23 (CIPK23) phosphorylation of the NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1 (NRT1.1), and light, via PHYTOCHROME A (PHYA). In both ecotypes studied, when all three genes have low expression there is enhanced GIBBERELLIN 3 BETA-HYDROXYLASE 1 (GA3ox1) expression, exhumed seeds have the potential to germinate in the laboratory, and the initiation of seedling emergence occurs following soil disturbance (exposure to light) in the field. Unlike DOG1, the expression of MOTHER of FLOWERING TIME (MFT) has an opposite thermal response in seeds of the two ecotypes, indicating a role in determining their different dormancy cycling phenotypes.
A Computational Approach to Finding Facial Patterns of a Babyface

Facial babyishness has a strong impact on social perceptions and interactions; however, the components constituting a babyface remain unclear. In this paper, we present a computational approach for identifying important but less apparent facial patterns of a babyface, using voluminous face images on the web. The proposed approach is built upon computationally efficient data mining techniques. A new image set with ground truth data collected from users and an evaluation approach based on age estimation are presented in the experiment. The results show that the mined patterns are effective for understanding and determining babyfaces. The findings of this study should provide information for future investigations on the prediction and analysis of trait impressions using the patterns.
Clustering Algorithm to Balance and to Reduce Power Consumptions for Homogeneous Sensor Networks

Directional data traffic and the total power consumption of a cluster are usually overlooked in traditional energy-efficient clustering algorithms for homogeneous sensor networks. This paper proposes to balance power consumption throughout the network and to reduce the total power consumption of the cluster. The clusters are organized in such a way that their lifetimes are equalized by making the total power consumption proportional to the energy stored. Furthermore, the clusterheads are maintained at the centre of the cluster without re-organizing the clusters to reduce the total power consumption of the cluster. Performance evaluation shows that the proposed clustering algorithm indeed improves energy efficiency for sensor networks.
Heavy-Duty Vehicle Platoon Formation for Fuel Efficiency

Heavy-duty vehicles driving close behind each other, also known as platooning, experience a reduced aerodynamic drag, which reduces the overall fuel consumption up to 20% for the trailing vehicle. However, due to each vehicle being assigned with different transport missions (with different origins, destinations, and delivery times), platoons should be formed, split, and merged along the highways, and vehicles have to drive solo sometimes. In this paper, we study how two or more scattered vehicles can cooperate to form platoons in a fuel-efficient manner. We show that when forming platoons on the fly on the same route and not considering rerouting, the road topography has a negligible effect on the coordination decision. With this, we then formulate an optimization problem when coordinating two vehicles to form a platoon. We propose a coordination algorithm to form platoons of several vehicles that coordinates neighboring vehicles pairwise. Through a simulation study with detailed vehicle models and real road topography, it is shown that our approach yields significant fuel savings.
Estimating the Community-Level Impacts of Attracting New Businesses: The Implications of Local Labor Market Adjustments

The purpose of this report is to estimate short-and long-run labor market adjustments associated with employment change for South Carolina counties. An appreciation of the source of employees for new jobs enables community leaders to better select the appropriate level of industrial incentives and to better plan for changes in demand for public goods and services. We provide an overview of the components of a local labor force and the implications of component change on local income and expenditures for public goods and services. Then we present the results of the Clemson University Community Policy Analysis (CPAN) Model for county labor markets. This model estimates the allocation of new jobs in a county among the components of a county's labor force. Third, we summarize the concepts of "job chains" and "leakages" and discuss the relationship between these concepts and community-level impacts. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of how insights into labor market adjustments may be used to improve public policy in community planning and industrial development.
Dynamic Performance Analysis of Opposed Reciprocating Ten-Plunger Pump

Basing on the basic principle of the mechanical movement, the movement and dynamic performance analysis of Opposed Reciprocating Ten-Plunger Pump are done. The equations about position, velocity and acceleration of the 10 plungers are deduced. The motion characteristics of each plunger are calculated. Thus, the calculation model of the equivalent resistance torque of the-plunger is simplified. The drag torques on the crankshaft is gotten. So the equivalent torque and equivalent power on the crankshaft are analyzed. At the same time, the efficiency of the selected motor is analyzed in order to achieve good power save control.
Local governance in Western Europe

Book synopsis: `Its strength lies in combining theoretical insights with an impressive range of empirical material. The analysis is subtle and multi-layered. This is a timely and important book' - Political Studies `Local governance have gained massive attention among scholars and practitioners during the past several years. Peter John's book fills a void in the literature by tracing the historical roots of local governance and by placing his findings in a comparative perspective' - Professor Jon Pierre, University of Gothenburg, Sweden `Peter John has produced a fascinating and stimulating book in which he assesses current developments in urban politics and local government in Europe and suggests how these changes are leading to different patterns of sub-national territorial politics in the EU today. What he has to say is of important interest to all students of local government; comparative politics and of territorial politics more generally' - Michael Goldsmith, University of Salford `this book offers a fascinating comparative analysis. themes such as New Public Management, globalisation, regionalism and privatisation will be relevant to numerous courses in government, politics, public administration and public policy' - West European Politics This text provides a comprehensive introduction to local government and urban politics in contemporary Western Europe. It is the first book to map and explain the change in local political systems and to place these in comparative context. The book introduces students to the traditional structures and institutions of local government and shows how these have been transformed in response to increased economic and political competition, new ideas, institutional reform and the Europeanization of public policy. At the book's core is the perceived transition from local government to local governance. The book traces this key development thematically across a wide range of West European states including: Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom.