Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Autonomous Resource Selection for Decentralized Utility Computing

Many large-scale utility computing infrastructures comprise heterogeneous hardware and software resources. This raises the need for scalable resource selection services, which identify resources that match application requirements, and can potentially be assigned to these applications. We present a fully decentralized resource selection algorithm by which resources autonomously select themselves when their attributes match a query. An application specifies what it expects from a resource by means of a conjunction of (attribute, value-range) pairs, which are matched against the attribute values of resources. We show that our solution scales in the number of resources as well as in the number of attributes, while being relatively insensitive to churn and other membership changes such as node failures.
Agreement Between Face-to-Face and Free Software Video Analysis for Assessing Hamstring Flexibility in Adolescents

Abstract Moral-Muñoz, JA, Esteban-Moreno, B, Arroyo-Morales, M, Cobo, MJ, and Herrera-Viedma, E. Agreement between face-to-face and free software video analysis for assessing hamstring flexibility in adolescents. J Strength Cond Res 29(9): 2661–2665, 2015—The objective of this study was to determine the level of agreement between face-to-face hamstring flexibility measurements and free software video analysis in adolescents. Reduced hamstring flexibility is common in adolescents (75% of boys and 35% of girls aged 10). The length of the hamstring muscle has an important role in both the effectiveness and the efficiency of basic human movements, and reduced hamstring flexibility is related to various musculoskeletal conditions. There are various approaches to measuring hamstring flexibility with high reliability; the most commonly used approaches in the scientific literature are the sit-and-reach test, hip joint angle (HJA), and active knee extension. The assessment of hamstring flexibility using video analysis could help with adolescent flexibility follow-up. Fifty-four adolescents from a local school participated in a descriptive study of repeated measures using a crossover design. Active knee extension and HJA were measured with an inclinometer and were simultaneously recorded with a video camera. Each video was downloaded to a computer and subsequently analyzed using Kinovea 0.8. 15, a free software application for movement analysis. All outcome measures showed reliability estimates with &agr; > 0.90. The lowest reliability was obtained for HJA (&agr; = 0.91). The preliminary findings support the use of a free software tool for assessing hamstring flexibility, offering health professionals a useful tool for adolescent flexibility follow-up.
Screening of Bread Wheat Genotypes for Drought Tolerance Using Phenotypic and Proline Analyses

Drought stress is one of the leading constraints to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production globally. Breeding for drought tolerance using novel genetic resources is an important mitigation strategy. This study aimed to determine the level of drought tolerance among diverse bread wheat genotypes using agronomic traits and proline analyses and to establish correlation of proline content and agronomic traits under drought-stress conditions in order to select promising wheat lines for breeding. Ninety-six diverse genotypes including 88 lines from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)'s heat and drought nurseries, and eight local checks were evaluated under greenhouse and field conditions during 2014/15 and 2015/16 making four testing environments. The following phenotypic traits were collected after stress imposed during the heading to anthesis period: the number of days to heading (DTH), days to maturity (DTM), productive tiller number (TN), plant height (PH), spike length (SL), spikelet per spike (SPS), kernels per spike (KPS), thousand kernel weight (TKW) and grain yield (GY) and proline content (PC). Analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficient, principal component and stress tolerance index were calculated. Genotypes with high yield performance under stressed and optimum conditions maintained high values for yield components. Proline content significantly increased under stress, but weakly correlated with agronomic traits under both optimal and water limited conditions. The positive correlation observed between grain yield and proline content under-drought stress conditions provides evidence that proline accumulation might ultimately be considered as a tool for effective selection of drought tolerant genotypes. The study selected 12 genotypes with high grain yields under drought stressed conditions and favorable adaptive traits useful for breeding.
DOA Estimation in Mechanical Scanning Radar Systems Using Sparse Signal Reconstruction Methods

This work deals with the direction of arrival (DOA) estimation of multiple radar targets present in the mainlobe of a rotating antenna using sparse signal reconstruction methods. We exploit knowledge of the antenna main beam pattern and the fact that the antenna mechanical scanning impresses an amplitude modulation on the signals backscattered by the targets. Having studied Basis Pursuit (BP) and traditional Orthogonal Matching Pursuit (OMP) algorithm, an improved approach named Sensing Orthogonal Matching Pursuit (Sensing OMP) is proposed which utilizes a sensing dictionary to alleviate the effect of inter-atom interference in highly coherent dictionary. The performance of the DOA estimator is investigated through Monte Carlo simulations.
Effects of Eucalyptus Crude Oils Supplementation on Rumen Fermentation, Microorganism and Nutrient Digestibility in Swamp Buffaloes

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of eucalyptus (E. Camaldulensis) crude oils (EuO) supplementation on voluntary feed intake and rumen fermentation characteristics in swamp buffaloes. Four rumen fistulated swamp buffaloes, body weight (BW) of 420±15.0 kg, were randomly assigned according to a 2×2 factorial arrangement in a 4×4 Latin square design. The dietary treatments were untreated rice straw (RS) without EuO (T1) and with EuO (T2) supplementation, and 3% urea-treated rice straw (UTRS) without EuO (T3) and with EuO (T4) supplementation. The EuO was supplemented at 2 mL/h/d in respective treatment. Experimental animals were kept in individual pens and concentrate mixture was offered at 3 g/kg BW while roughage was fed ad libitum. Total dry matter and roughage intake, and apparent digestibilites of organic matter and neutral detergent fiber were improved (p<0.01) by UTRS. There was no effect of EuO supplementation on feed intake and nutrient digestibility. Ruminal pH and temperature were not (p>0.05) affected by either roughage sources or EuO supplementation. However, buffaloes fed UTRS had higher ruminal ammonia nitrogen and blood urea nitrogen as compared with RS. Total volatile fatty acid and butyrate proportion were similar among treatments, whereas acetate was decreased and propionate molar proportion was increased by EuO supplementation. Feeding UTRS resulted in lower acetate and higher propionate concentration compared to RS. Moreover, supplementation of EuO reduced methane production especially in UTRS treatment. Protozoa populations were reduced by EuO supplementation while fungi zoospores remained the same. Total, amylolytic and cellulolytic bacterial populations were increased (p<0.01) by UTRS; However, EuO supplementation did not affect viable bacteria. Nitrogen intake and in feces were found higher in buffaloes fed UTRS. A positive nitrogen balance (absorption and retention) was in buffaloes fed UTRS. Supplementation of EuO did not affect nitrogen utilization. Both allantoin excretion and absorption and microbial nitrogen supply were increased by UTRS whereas efficiency of microbial protein synthesis was similar in all treatments. Findings of present study suggested that EuO could be used as a feed additive to modify the rumen fermentation in reducing methane production both in RS and UTRS. Feeding UTRS could improve feed intake and efficiency of rumen fermentation in swamp buffaloes. However, more research is warranted to determine the effect of EuO supplementation in production animals.
Approximate Dynamic Programming (ADP) and Dual Methods for Pricing American Options

It is only recently that simulation has begun to play an important role in pricing high-dimensional American options. This was due to the fact that since Monte Carlo simulation generally works forward in time while dynamic programming works backwards, it was generally believed that the two were somewhat incompatible. Research in recent years has shown that this is not the case and that Monte Carlo simulation is an important too for pricing American options. In these notes we describe some of the latest methods for pricing American options, including the ADP based methods for computing lower bounds on the true option price, and the dual based methods for computing upper bounds. First, however, we describe the properties of the financial market and define the American option pricing problem.
Neoliberalización filantrópica y nuevas formas de privatización educativa: La red global Teach For All en España

This paper explores the emergence of philanthropic neoliberalization in the Spanish education policy through the case of “Empieza por Educar” (ExE), subsidiary of “Teach For All” (TFA). I examine some aspects of the “new philanthropy”, “philanthrocapitalism” and the concept of neoliberalism from Foucauldian and neo-Marxist perspectives. The research is based on the “Network Ethnography” (Howard, 2002). Under this methodological framework I built the “ExE policy network” constituted between governments, businesses and philanthropy, to examine new forms of governance and “network capital” and explain discourses of ExE in order to demonstrate how the “policy network” aspires to change teachers into leaders.
Short-term Memory Training in Consecutive Interpretation Based on Cognitive Psychology

Short-term memory plays a key role in a successful interpretation,which is distinctive in consecutive interpretation.This paper analyses the essence and characteristics of short-term memory on the basis of cognitive psychology,combining cognitive theory with the importance of short-term memory in consecutive interpretation to sum up training approaches for increasing information chunks to improve the interpreters' capacity of short-term memory and thus to help them successfully complete the task of consecutive interpretation.
Improved error bounds based on worst likely assignments

Error bounds based on worst likely assignments use permutation tests to validate classifiers. Worst likely assignments can produce effective bounds even for data sets with 100 or fewer training examples. This paper introduces a statistic for use in the permutation tests of worst likely assignments that improves error bounds, especially for accurate classifiers, which are typically the classifiers of interest.
Development of a Biological Ventricular Assist Device: Preliminary Data From a Small Animal Model

Background— Engineered heart tissue (EHT) can be generated from cardiomyocytes and extracellular matrix proteins and used to repair local heart muscle defects in vivo. Here, we hypothesized that pouch-like heart muscle constructs can be generated by using a novel EHT-casting technology and applied as heart-embracing cardiac grafts in vivo. Methods and Results— Pouch-like EHTs (inner/outer diameter: 10/12 mm) can be generated mainly from neonatal rat heart cells, collagen type I, and serum containing culture medium. They contain a dense network of connexin 43 interconnected cardiomyocytes and an endo-/epicardial surface lining composed of prolylhydroxylase positive cells. Pouch-like EHTs beat spontaneously and show contractile properties of native heart muscle including positive inotropic responses to calcium and isoprenaline. First implantation studies indicate that pouch-like EHTs can be slipped over uninjured adult rat hearts to completely cover the left and right ventricles. Fourteen days after implantation, EHT-grafts stably covered the epicardial surface of the respective hearts. Engrafted EHTs were composed of matrix and differentiated cardiac muscle as well as newly formed vessels which were partly donor-derived. Conclusions— Pouch-like EHTs can be generated with structural and functional properties of native myocardium. Implantation studies demonstrated their applicability as cardiac muscle grafts, setting the stage for an evaluation of EHT-pouches as biological ventricular assist devices in vivo.
Large data real-time classification with Non-negative Matrix Factorization and Self-Organizing Maps on GPU

This article brings an interesting comparison of two different methods, which were implemented on GPU and help us to detect system intrusions. Generally, both of them can be widely used in the area of information retrieval. The modern trends of parallel computation have a significant influence on performance of implemented methods (Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) and Self-Organizing Maps (SOM)). Both methods were compared on real data.
An architecture for SDN flowmap inter-operation with legacy protocols

Centralized, flow-map based SDN (Software Defined Network) usually operates as a separated island to distributed, routing table-based legacy network. In this paper, we propose a RISF (Routing Inter-operability with SDN Flow-map) architecture that makes SDN flow-map and legacy network routing table synchronized and operate compatibly in an integrated environment. The result suggests that RISF architecture makes SDN and legacy network compatible each other, and describes the availability comparable to the legacy commercial router.
ARPKI: Attack Resilient Public-Key Infrastructure

We present ARPKI, a public-key infrastructure that ensures that certificate-related operations, such as certificate issuance, update, revocation, and validation, are transparent and accountable. ARPKI is the first such infrastructure that systematically takes into account requirements identified by previous research. Moreover, ARPKI is co-designed with a formal model, and we verify its core security property using the Tamarin prover. We present a proof-of-concept implementation providing all features required for deployment. ARPKI efficiently handles the certification process with low overhead and without incurring additional latency to TLS. ARPKI offers extremely strong security guarantees, where compromising n-1 trusted signing and verifying entities is insufficient to launch an impersonation attack. Moreover, it deters misbehavior as all its operations are publicly visible.
Is it More Valuable to Store or Destroy Electricity Surpluses?

A typical strategy for dealing with commodity surpluses is to store them for future sale; in particular, this is true of electricity. However, because electricity prices can be negative, there exists another potential strategy: To buy and dispose of electricity surpluses at negative prices. It is not clear whether the storage strategy or the disposal strategy is more valuable for a merchant who trades electricity in a market. We investigate this question by modeling the problem of managing an electricity storage facility when prices can be negative: By varying the efficiency of the storage facility, our model encompasses both the case when electricity surpluses are stored and the case when they are destroyed. We establish the optimal policy structure of our model, and show that it subsumes the known optimal commodity storage policy structure when commodity prices are strictly positive. Then, using our optimal policy structure, we compare the storage and disposal strategies based on an existing electricity price model calibrated to historical electricity prices. We find that the disposal strategy is even more valuable for a merchant than the storage strategy.
Immunodetection of human telomerase reverse-transcriptase (hTERT) re-appraised: nucleolin and telomerase cross paths

The involvement of telomerase in cellular immortalization and senescence has often been assessed by means of telomerase expression at the RNA level and quantification of telomerase activity by the telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay. However, these methods either neglected the existence of various telomerase splice variants, or ignored the nonconventional functions of telomerase independent of its ability to elongate and maintain telomere length. Immunodetection of telomerase is now being recognized as a necessary approach to precisely elucidate its roles in oncogenesis and senescence. A few antibodies directed against the catalytic subunit of the human telomerase (hTERT) are currently used but their specificity is not always demonstrated. A survey of the literature showed inconsistencies and led us to comparatively re-evaluate the most frequently used antibodies. Surprisingly, mass spectrometry, two-dimensional gel analysis and immunofluorescent experiments revealed that the most frequently used hTERT immunoprobe, a mouse monoclonal antibody that was claimed to be directed against an hTERT protein epitope, in fact recognizes nucleolin rather than telomerase. Our findings have interesting implications regarding the biology of nucleolin and telomerase in the context of pathophysiological investigations recently carried out.
The Plant Phenology Ontology: A New Informatics Resource for Large-Scale Integration of Plant Phenology Data

Plant phenology – the timing of plant life-cycle events, such as flowering or leafing out – plays a fundamental role in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, including human agricultural systems. Because plant phenology is often linked with climatic variables, there is widespread interest in developing a deeper understanding of global plant phenology patterns and trends. Although phenology data from around the world are currently available, truly global analyses of plant phenology have so far been difficult because the organizations producing large-scale phenology data are using non-standardized terminologies and metrics during data collection and data processing. To address this problem, we have developed the Plant Phenology Ontology (PPO). The PPO provides the standardized vocabulary and semantic framework that is needed for large-scale integration of heterogeneous plant phenology data. Here, we describe the PPO, and we also report preliminary results of using the PPO and a new data processing pipeline to build a large dataset of phenology information from North America and Europe.
Resource loss and coping strategies used by internally displaced women in Georgia: A qualitative study

Background: There is a lack of research on loss and coping among conflict-affected populations, especially on women specifically. Moreover, this topic has yet to be explored in the Republic of Georgia. The overall aim of the thesis is to explore resource loss and coping strategies among internally displaced women in Georgia. Methods: A systematic literature review on coping strategies amongst conflict-affected persons in low- and middle-income countries was completed, followed by qualitative field research in Georgia during which 40 semi-structured interviews with internally displaced women were conducted. Hobfoll’s Conservation of Resources Theory (1989) and Skinner et al. (2003)’s coping typology were drawn upon to guide the analysis and interpretation of information gleaned on losses and coping respectively. Findings: The systematic review revealed that gender and exposure to trauma influenced coping efforts. The relationship between coping and mental health outcomes was nuanced, with support seeking and problem solving showing mostly protective effects. Displacement and the loss of property it entailed led to the loss of livelihood, which lead to the loss of social networks, as well as mental and physical health losses. The women reported a range of coping strategies, including problem solving techniques, seeking support from friends, family, and neighbours, escape-avoidance techniques, distraction strategies, and cognitive restructuring approaches. Key differences in the coping behaviours of men and women in the areas of problem solving, support seeking, and escape-avoidance and distraction were evident. Conclusion: Initial losses due to conflict and displacement may lead to subsequent losses unfolding over time, rendering internally displaced persons potentially vulnerable to the effects of conflict years after the formal cessation of hostilities. The participants in this study reported a plethora of strategies employed to offset such losses. A number of research and policy recommendations are provided based on the thesis findings.
Design of An Efficient Neural Key Generation

The goal of any cryptographic system is the exchange of information among the intended users without any leakage of information to others who may have unauthorized access to it. A common secret key could be created over a public channel accessible to any opponent. Neural networks can be used to generate common secret key. In case of neural cryptography, both the communicating networks receive an identical input vector, generate an output bit and are trained based on the output bit. The two networks and their weight vectors exhibit a novel phenomenon, where the networks synchronize to a state with identical time-dependent weights. The generated secret key over a public channel is used for encrypting and decrypting the information being sent on the channel.
Towards a level assessment system of amusement in speech signals: Amused speech components classification

In this paper, we expose our work on classification of smiled vowels, shaking vowels and laughter syllables. This work is part of a larger framework that aims at assessing the level of amusement in speech using only audio cues. Indeed all of these three categories occur in amused speech and are considered to express a different level of amusement. Four novel features are used to accomplish this task. With only those four features, we are able to obtain good classification results with different systems. Among the compared systems, the best one achieved 21.04% error rate, therefore an accuracy well above chance.
Single Layer Printed Reflectarrays at MM-Waves

This paper talks about a method of conception and design constraints on mm-wave reflectarrays. The developed tool allows us to plan quickly the behavior of large reflectarray (several tens of wavelength) according to parameters as illumination law or manufacturing tolerance with good agreement with measurements. An ultra-low side-lobe reflectarrays of 130 mm diameter is designed. The structure combines the advantages of a reflectarray with an offset source and those of a specific primary source, exhibiting a prolate radiation pattern, having very low side lobe levels. The maximum gain obtained at 94 GHz is 40 dBi and the side-lobe level is inferior to -28 dB. Finally, a simultaneous multi-lobe antenna is designed at 94 GHz. The primary source is an open-ended waveguide and the phase profile is calculated by the program introduced in the first part. In this case, the four main lobes are placed in the same plane and for equal to -30, -10, 10, 30°. This reflectarray can be used for actual and future generations of automotive radar. The first obtained results are encouraging and show the validity of the concept. Solution retained here is a low-cost solution. The proposed structures are developed on a single layer substrate and fabricated using standard photolithographic techniques. The aim of this article is to show that we can obtain interesting results with relatively simple and low-cost solutions, but also to show the limits of these type of solutions.