Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Service Level Agreements : An Evaluation from a Business Application Perspective

The vision of a worldwide computing grid evokes the scenario of electronic markets for grid services. For such a market, explicit formal statements of both obligations and guarantees regarding grid services in a business relationship are needed; these are referred to as service level agreements (SLAs). The objects of our investigation are current specifications and standards for SLAs. We address the problem that these approaches do not sufficiently fulfil requirements of business transactions, because they have been designed for other, technical objectives. We evaluate the most relevant SLA specifications and standards from an e-business transaction perspective, clarifying how they currently cover business transactions on e-markets, in particular which activities within market transactions they support. We assess the current state of SLA approaches and reveal room for possible enhancements.
Experimental Software and Toolkits ( EST-4 )

In computer science—and software engineering research in particular—experimental systems and toolkits play a crucial role. Some research is about novel tools or systems that support software engineers, researchers, teachers or other stakeholders directly in their various activities. Some academic tools are developed to help validate certain research ideas. Others are developed as, or have evolved into, frameworks or tool suites that can be used as a backbone for a whole range of other tools, or even into commercial products. Yet other systems are just early prototypes of novel research ideas. Academic tools thus come in various shapes and flavours, but it cannot be denied that they have become an essential part of the (software) research landscape. Many research tools are left abandoned at the early prototype stage. This is expected due to the nature of research. An early prototype may be used as a vehicle to support or refute a research hypothesis, or to demonstrate the feasibility of a novel idea. Once the prototype has served its purpose and the results have been published, there may be no further need or desire to evolve it any further. Some tools, however, do evolve further and may even develop an ecosystem of users and contributors, serving the role of a stable backbone for a research community. Not surprisingly, maintaining such a tool is a major task. Brooks already pointed out that effort in software does not stop at the basic functionality that it delivers [4, 10]. Whereas a tool prototype is just a program, written for one user, its creator, and is not expected to survive for a very long time, moving from a tool prototype to a tool product easily takes three times the effort. This effort is needed to make it truly usable for a broader range of tool users and entails, for instance, enhanced error checking/messages, platform independence, bug fixing, testing, robustness, and generalization, as well as high-quality documentation and a website that allows user-developer interactions (e.g., involving Wiki, blog, and bug-tracking). Similarly, moving from a tool prototype to a tool platform, which can take on the form of a suite, library, framework or domain-specific language, may also take three times the effort of developing a simple prototype. Combining tool product and tool
Social stratification in adults’ sports participation from a time-trend perspective Results from a 40-year household study

Abstract This paper analyses active leisure-time sports participation among adults from a time-trend perspective. Using stapled cross-sectional survey data from a representative sample of households, trends in active sport involvement in Flanders (Belgium) are studied over a period of 40 years (1969-2009). The paper explores to which extent sports participation levels have changed over the past four decades and whether or not participation differences still prevail according to sex, age and social class. The results show that sport has become a leisure-time physical activity in which seven out of ten people are actively involved. Like the 1970s, the last decade is characterized by a strong increase of leisure-time sport participants. In fact, a second wave of recreational participants has entered the sports scene. The majority of sport participants seem to partake in sport without the need of a strong club membership. No significant differences can be detected between the level of male and female sport participants, indicating that women have caught up with their male counterparts. On the other hand, active participation in sports remains socially stratified over the last three decades regarding educational status. Implications for researchers are discussed.
Exploiting multimedia services in mobile social networks from security and privacy perspectives

With the ever-increasing demands of multimedia services and the boom of smartphones, traditional online multimedia applications are extended to mobile users anywhere and anytime. However, the flourishing of multimedia services is still hindered by inherent security and privacy concerns. In this article, we investigate the security and privacy issues of multimedia services by studying a newly emerging multimedia-oriented mobile social network (MMSN), which helps users receive multimedia services not only from their online social communities but also from their social friends in the vicinity. Specifically, we first define the MMSN architecture, and identify the unique security and privacy challenges. Then we study three MMSN applications: content query, service evaluation, and content filtering. For each application, we present the specific security and privacy problems with the corresponding countermeasures. Finally, we propose some future research directions in the MMSN.
Cardiac troponin I concentrations, but not electrocardiographic results, predict an extended hospital stay after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

BACKGROUND Cardiac damage in coronary artery graft (CABG) surgery is an important contributor to postoperative cardiac dysfunction and delayed hospital discharge. Currently, no simple method exists for its quantification. METHODS In a prospective study of 300 patients having routine CABG surgery, we compared cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations at 6 and 24 h after surgery with electrocardiographic (ECG) results as predictors of an extended postoperative stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and in the hospital. We stratified outcome variables by tertiles of cTnI concentration and studied the significance of differences between outcome variables across tertiles. RESULTS Multivariate analysis showed that 24-h cTnI is a significant predictor of increased postoperative ICU stay (P = 0.012) and postoperative hospital stay (P = 0.024). For 6-h cTnI, corresponding significance values were P = 0.29 and 0.9. ECG was of no value (P = 0.39 and 0.47). Differences in 24-h cTnI were highly significant, particularly for lowest vs highest tertiles, and allowed stratification of risk into "low" (<10 microg/L), "equivocal" (10-20 microg/L), and "high" (>20 microg/L). CONCLUSIONS Use of a single 24-h cTnI value to quantify perioperative myocardial damage identifies patients who are at greater risk of extended ICU and hospital stays. This strategy could assist in allocation of patients to different management streams after CABG surgery.
Bridging the gap between natural and information modeling languages: an informal approach to information modeling learning

Information modeling is an early stage of database design. It deals with the structure of information in a certain business or domain. Information modeling is studied in database courses using the Entity-Relationship approach, or one of its dialects. This article presents an informal, pragmatic approach to the learning of information modeling, in which students answer true or false to assertions about given models. It is based on similarities between natural and information modeling languages. This approach has demonstrated to be an effective, rapid way to sharpen modeling skills, as our initial statistical results show.
Isprs Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Ground Settlement Monitoring Based on Temporarily Coherent Points between Two Sar Acquisitions

An InSAR analysis approach for identifying and extracting the temporarily coherent points (TCP) that exist between two SAR acquisitions and for determining motions of the TCP is presented for applications such as ground settlement monitoring. TCP are identified based on the spatial characteristics of the range and azimuth offsets of coherent radar scatterers. A method for coregistering TCP based on the offsets of TCP is given to reduce the coregistration errors at TCP. An improved phase unwrapping method based on the minimum cost flow (MCF) algorithm and local Delaunay triangulation is also proposed for sparse TCP data. The proposed algorithms are validated using a test site in Hong Kong. The test results show that the algorithms work satisfactorily for various ground features.
Information Systems, Incentives and Workflow Logic: Strategic Implications for Reengineering Business Processes

We use a series of case studies to motivate the analysis of the organizational impact and performance associated with information systems and workflow design topologies. Our study places a special emphasis on processes involving information intensive tasks that require information sharing and extended information access. The role of various information technologies is examined in the light of their effects on process workflows, worker incentives and worker performance. Our analytical research framework incorporates the effects of queuing lead times, incentives, data sharing and the consolidation of tasks. We show that the following task attributes — information intensity, skill requirements, specifications variability, and technology returns — have a critical role in the success of process redesign. We prove that technology that streamlines information flows not only improves job control, but can also reduce the cost of incentive compensation. Our results also explain why, under certain circumstances, information technology investments and enhanced worker incentives are substitutable. We conclude with several managerial guidelines for process redesign.
Adaptive Quantization Parameter Cascading in HEVC Hierarchical Coding

The state-of-the-art High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard adopts a hierarchical coding structure to improve its coding efficiency. This allows for the quantization parameter cascading (QPC) scheme that assigns quantization parameters (Qps) to different hierarchical layers in order to further improve the rate-distortion (RD) performance. However, only static QPC schemes have been suggested in HEVC test model, which are unable to fully explore the potentials of QPC. In this paper, we propose an adaptive QPC scheme for an HEVC hierarchical structure to code natural video sequences characterized by diversified textures, motions, and encoder configurations. We formulate the adaptive QPC scheme as a non-linear programming problem and solve it in a scientifically sound way with a manageable low computational overhead. The proposed model addresses a generic Qp assignment problem of video coding. Therefore, it also applies to group-of-picture-level, frame-level and coding unit-level Qp assignments. Comprehensive experiments have demonstrated that the proposed QPC scheme is able to adapt quickly to different video contents and coding configurations while achieving noticeable RD performance enhancement over all static and adaptive QPC schemes under comparison as well as HEVC default frame-level rate control. We have also made valuable observations on the distributions of adaptive QPC sets in the videos of different types of contents, which provide useful insights on how to further improve static QPC schemes.
Multiple-port DC/DC converter for power flows management in electric vehicles

The fuel cell and the accumulator and/or super-capacitor are connected to the same voltage bus through an appropriate multiport DC/DC converter, in fuel cell electric vehicle. The accumulator and/or the super-capacitor are auxiliary energy source, which provides or absorbs the dynamic power when the load varies and the main power supply cannot respond immediately, so the system dynamic characteristics are improved. A multiple port dc-dc converter (MPDC) devoted to combine the power flowing from combined on-board energy sources is presented; Eventually, the analysis and design validation are verified via the simulation and experiment.
Aging is Associated With an Earlier Arrival of Reflected Waves Without a Distal Shift in Reflection Sites

Background Despite pronounced increases in central pulse wave velocity (PWV) with aging, reflected wave transit time (RWTT), traditionally defined as the timing of the inflection point (TINF) in the central pressure waveform, does not appreciably decrease, leading to the controversial proposition of a “distal‐shift” of reflection sites. TINF, however, is exceptionally prone to measurement error and is also affected by ejection pattern and not only by wave reflection. We assessed whether RWTT, assessed by advanced pressure‐flow analysis, demonstrates the expected decline with aging. Methods and Results We studied a sample of unselected adults without cardiovascular disease (n=48; median age 48 years) and a clinical population of older adults with suspected/established cardiovascular disease (n=164; 61 years). We measured central pressure and flow with carotid tonometry and phase‐contrast MRI, respectively. We assessed RWTT using wave‐separation analysis (RWTTWSA) and partially distributed tube‐load (TL) modeling (RWTTTL). Consistent with previous reports, TINF did not appreciably decrease with age despite pronounced increases in PWV in both populations. However, aging was associated with pronounced decreases in RWTTWSA (general population −15.0 ms/decade, P<0.001; clinical population −9.07 ms/decade, P=0.003) and RWTTTL (general −15.8 ms/decade, P<0.001; clinical −11.8 ms/decade, P<0.001). There was no evidence of an increased effective reflecting distance by either method. TINF was shown to reliably represent RWTT only under highly unrealistic assumptions about input impedance. Conclusions RWTT declines with age in parallel with increased PWV, with earlier effects of wave reflections and without a distal shift in reflecting sites. These findings have important implications for our understanding of the role of wave reflections with aging.
Ambiguity and Incomplete Information in Categorical Models of Language

We investigate notions of ambiguity and partial information in categorical distributional models of natural language. Probabilistic ambiguity has previously been studied using Selinger's CPM construction. This construction works well for models built upon vector spaces, as has been shown in quantum computational applications. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to provide a satisfactory method for introducing mixing in other compact closed categories such as the category of sets and binary relations. We therefore lack a uniform strategy for extending a category to model imprecise linguistic information. In this work we adopt a different approach. We analyze different forms of ambiguous and incomplete information, both with and without quantitative probabilistic data. Each scheme then corresponds to a suitable enrichment of the category in which we model language. We view different monads as encapsulating the informational behaviour of interest, by analogy with their use in modelling side effects in computation. Previous results of Jacobs then allow us to systematically construct suitable bases for enrichment. We show that we can freely enrich arbitrary dagger compact closed categories in order to capture all the phenomena of interest, whilst retaining the important dagger compact closed structure. This allows us to construct a model with real convex combination of binary relations that makes non-trivial use of the scalars. Finally we relate our various different enrichments, showing that finite subconvex algebra enrichment covers all the effects under consideration.
A Two Stage High Frequency Class F Power Amplifier

In this paper the design of a two-stage class F high power amplifier made up by ten active devices is presented. The design is based on a new approach for combining the devices and designing the matching networks. The amplifier has been designed for synthetic aperture radar applications by using SELEX 0.6mum GaAs PHEMT technology. The design approach will be discussed and simulation results will be presented. In particular, 38.5dBm output power with 40% power added efficiency has been obtained at 9.6GHz in an operating bandwidth wider than 10%
The Route to Personalization: A Case-Based Reasoning Perspective.

Recently there has been a revival of interest in the development of so-called personalization technologies, mainly in an attempt to deal with the ubiquitous information overload problem. A significant degree of effort in this respect has focused on the development of personalized information retrieval systems, which are capable of locating information items that are relevant to the learned preferences of individual users as well as their chosen query. In this paper we focus on a different type of personalization problem personalized planning where instead of recommending atomic information assets to users, the goal is to construct composite plans that reflect the complex problem solving preferences of users within a particular domain. We describe our casebased approach to personalized route planning and bring together recent results to demonstrate the potential of this approach.
Fault Diagnosis Method Based on Ontology and Particle Swarm-Immune Optimization Algorithm in the Motor

To solve the problem that motor data does not have intuitive semantics, and it is hard to get complete fault information as the signal kinds monitored is more and its complexity is higher than before, this paper proposes a fault diagnosis method based on Ontology and Particle Swarm-Immune Optimization algorithm. It first creates an ontology library using the expert knowledge. Secondly, it extends the fault data and creates a fault diagnosis trainer by the particle swarm optimization (PSO) and immune algorithms. At last, it will obtain an effective fault diagnosis trainer, which could improve the final fault diagnosis' accuracy and validity. Experiment results prove that the new fault diagnosis algorithm is an effective method, which effectively completes the fault information database and improves the fault diagnosis' accuracy and validity.
A Review of the Relation of Aerobic Fitness and Physical Activity to Brain Structure and Function in Children

Abstract A growing number of schools have increasingly de-emphasized the importance of providing physical activity opportunities during the school day, despite emerging research that illustrates the deleterious relationship between low levels of aerobic fitness and neurocognition in children. Accordingly, a brief review of studies that link fitness-related differences in brain structure and brain function to cognitive abilities is provided herein. Overall, the extant literature suggests that childhood aerobic fitness is associated with higher levels of cognition and differences in regional brain structure and function. Indeed, it has recently been found that aerobic fitness level even predicts cognition over time. Given the paucity of work in this area, several avenues for future investigations are also highlighted. (JINS, 2011, 17, 975–985)
Conditional Random Fields for image segmentation in Intravascular Ultrasound

We present a Conditional Random Fields based approach for segmenting Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) images. The presented method uses a contextual discriminative grap hical model to deal with the presence of distortions and artifactsin IVUS images, that turns the segmentation of interesting reg ions into a difficult task. An accurate lumen segmentation on IVUS longitudinal images is achieved.
Needles of Pinus halepensis as Biomonitors of Bioaerosol Emissions

We propose using the surface of pine trees needles to biomonitor the bioaerosol emissions at a composting plant. Measurements were based on 16S rRNA gene copy numbers of Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula, a bioindicator of composting plant emissions. A sampling plan was established based on 29 samples around the emission source. The abundance of 16S rRNA gene copies of S. rectivirgula per gram of Pinus halepensis needles varied from 104 to 102 as a function of the distance. The signal reached the background level at distances around the composting plant ranging from 2 km to more than 5.4 km, depending on the local topography and average wind directions. From these values, the impacted area around the source of bioaerosols was mapped.
The double-mode nature of the HADS star GSC 00144-03031 and the Petersen diagram of the class

The double-mode pulsation of GSC 00144-03031 has been detected when searching for COROT targets. A very large dataset composed of 4722 photometric measurements was collected at six observatories in Europe and America. There is no hint of the excitation of additional modes (down to 0.6 mmag) and therefore GSC 00144-03031 seems to be a pure double-mode pulsator, with a very short fundamental radial mode (P = 84 min). From uvbyβ photometry and evolutionary tracks it appears to be a Pop. I star with M = 1.75 M� , located in the middle of the instability strip, close to the Zero-Age Main Sequence. We also discovered other new double-mode pulsators in the databases of large-scale projects: OGLE BW2_V142, OGLE BW1_V207, ASAS3 094303-1707.3, ASAS3 000116-6037.0, NSVS 3234596 and NSVS 3324715. An observational Petersen diagram is presented and explained by means of new models. A common sequence connecting Pop. I stars from the shortest to the longest periods is proposed and the spreads in the period ratios are ascribed to different metallicities (at the shortest periods) and to different masses (at the longest ones).
The adaptation responses of bacterial cytoplasmic membrane fluidity in the presence of environmental stress factors — polychlorinated biphenyls and 3-chlorobenzoic acid

Only bacteria sufficiently resistant to the toxic compounds in their environment can be used for the efficient biodegradation process in order to eliminate a widespread contamination by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The presence of PCBs results in bacterial controlled rigidification of cytoplasmic membrane. The four bacterial isolates from long-term PCB-contaminated soil (Alcaligenes xylosoxidans, Pseudomonas stutzeri) and sediment (Ochrobactrum anthropi, Pseudomonas veronii) have been used to select the strain most adapted to the PCBs, i.e. with efficient changes in the membrane phospholipid fatty acids. PCBs and their toxic degradation products — the 3-chlorobenzoic acids (3-CBA as the most toxic one) — were added separately to the liquid medium with glucose in two experimental sets: at lag phase and in stationary phase of bacterial growth in order to evaluate the effects of chemicals to cytoplasmic membrane. The main parameter — the changes in fatty acids composition (in the total lipids and the main membrane phospholipid phosphatidyletanolamine) were studied. 3-CBA caused growth inhibition when added at lag phase. However, when added during the stationary growth, inhibition was not observed. Similarly, after addition of PCBs to the stationary growth culture, inhibition of growth was not observed with all tested strains (except for P. stutzeri). This fact indicates the importance of time contact of bacteria during growth phase with xenobiotics. O. anthropi and A. xylosoxidans appeared to be the most adapted to the presence of PCBs (with sufficient membrane adaptation), active under the adverse conditions, and able to survive in the contaminated environment.