Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The expected value and the variance of the checks required by revision algorithms

This paper presents the analysis of three revision algorithms for 2-variable Constraint Satisfaction Problems (CSPs). The revision algorithms under consideration are called L, L 0 , and L 00 . For 2variable CSPs L models an optimal arc consistency algorithm which exploits multi-directionality. However, L 0 and L 00 do not exploit multi-directionality. For 2-variable CSPs L 0 is equivalent to the arc consistency algorithm AC-3. The expected number and the variance of the checks are presented for L, L 0 , and L 00 . Writing A B if the expected number of checks for A is less than for B, we have L L 0 L 00 . The results are parametrised over the probability p that a random check succeeds and probability q = 1 p that it fails. It is proved that the difference between the expected number of checks of any two algorithms is bounded by min(b,1 + dln(a)/ln(1/q)e)/p. Using a variance analysis, it is proved that, as the domain sizes a and b become large, the number of checks which are required by the revision algorithms is sharply concentrated about their expected number of checks. Finally, our analysis allows us to find an upper bound of 2ed/p + (2e n)d(d 1)/2p for the expected time complexity of AC-3, where e is the number of constraints, n is the umber of variables, and d is the maximum domain size. These results are novel and encouraging. First they provide the first non-trivial upper bound on the expected time complexity of AC-3. Second, they demonstrate that on average there is a small margin separating L, L 0 , and L 00 . Finally, they present the first results about the variance of the checks required by revision algorithms.
Relevance Feedback for Content-Based Image Retrieval Using Bayesian Network

Relevance feedback is a powerful query modification technique in the field of content-based image retrieval. The key issue in relevance feedback is how to effectively utilize the feedback information to improve the retrieval performance. This paper presents a relevance feedback scheme using Bayesian network model for feedback information adoption. Relevant images during previous iterations are reasonably incorporated into the current iteration and the chosen relevant images can better capture user's information need.
RISE-based tracking control of inertial stabilized platform with extended disturbance observer

Inertial stabilized platform(ISP) is widely used for line of sight (LOS) stabilization of airborne optoelectronic platform. Due to multiple kinds of disturbances, dynamic characteristics of ISP changes, result in decline of system precision. In this paper, a compound control strategy that combining extended disturbance observer (EDO) and continuous robust integral of the sign of error (RISE) is proposed. The EDO is proved to be effective for estimating the input-disturbance. Meanwhile, the compound controller is designed and stability is analyzed. Numerical experiment shows the proposed method brings faster transient performance and better stability precision.
Identification of Metabolites of Trenbolone Acetate in Androgenic Runoff from a Beef Feedlot

Little is known concerning the potential ecological effects of hormonally active substances associated with discharges from animal feeding operations. Trenbolone acetate is a synthetic anabolic steroid that is widely used in the United States to promote growth of beef cattle. Metabolites of trenbolone acetate include the stereoisomers 17α- and 17β-trenbolone, both of which are stable in animal wastes and are relatively potent androgens in fish and mammals. Our purpose in this study was to evaluate the occurrence of 17α- and 17β-trenbolone in a beef cattle feedlot discharge and in river water upstream and downstream from the discharge. In conjunction with that effort, we measured in vitro androgenic activity of the discharge using CV-1 cells that had been transiently cotransfected with human androgen receptor and reporter gene constructs. Samples were collected on nine different occasions during 2002 and 2003. Whole-water samples from the discharge caused a significant androgenic response in the CV-1 cells and contained detectable concentrations of 17α- and 17β-trenbolone. Further work is needed to ascertain the degree to which synthetic androgens such as trenbolone contribute to androgenic activity of feedlot discharges.
Optimization Techniques in Vlsi Physical Cad

This paper presents an overview of the techniques used for solving optimization problems, in the area of VLSI Physical Computer Aided Design. The material is presented in the form of a general introduction, without going into quantitative or theoretic details. The work describes fundamental aspects of topics such as simulated annealing, genetic algorithms, linear programming, integer programming, dynamic programming and nonlinear optimization.
Value Relevance of Aggregated vs. Disaggregated Book Value and Earnings: Evidence from Malaysian High-Tech Firms

This study aimed at investigating the value relevance of aggregated and disaggregated book value and earnings of high-tech firms listed on Bursa Malaysia for the period from 2003-2008. Using the Ohlson (1995) basic and modified equity valuation models, this study investigated whether disaggregated book value and earnings could explain the variation in market value better than aggregated book value and earnings. The results of the basic model show that the explanatory powers of both book value and earnings are fluctuating with book value is in a decreasing trend whereas earnings is in an increasing trend. The results of the modified models show that disaggregated book value and earnings could explain the variation in market value better than aggregated book value and earnings.
TRANSPARENCY IN MONETARY POLICY, SIGNALING, AND HETEROGENEOUS INFORMATION

We examine the welfare implications of two types of central-bank transparency: the publication of the information underlying the central bank's decision (decision transparency) and the release of the information that the central bank observes afterwards (postdecision transparency). Decision transparency does not make the public better informed in equilibrium. Even so, it may be socially desirable because it eliminates harmful equilibria. Postdecision transparency has ambiguous effects. It reduces output variance and the distortions stemming from heterogeneous information. In this sense, it can be used as a substitute for monetary policy. However, postdecision transparency generally raises the variance of inflation. We argue that a conflict of interests may arise between society and the central bank with regard to transparency.
Molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial susceptibility of Clostridium difficile isolates from two Korean hospitals

Clostridium difficile is one of the main etiological agents causing antibiotic-associated diarrhea. This study investigated the genetic diversity of 70 toxigenic C. difficile isolates from two Korean hospitals by employing toxinotyping, ribotyping, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Toxin gene amplification resulted in 68 A⁺B⁺ and two A-B+ isolates. Most isolates (95.7–100%) were susceptible to daptomycin, metronidazole, and vancomycin. Seventy C. difficile isolates were classified into five toxinotypes, 19 ribotypes, 16 sequence types (STs), and 33 arbitrary pulsotypes. All C. difficile isolates of ribotype 018 (n = 38) were classified into ST17, which was the most prevalent ST in both hospitals. However, C. difficile isolates of ST17 (ribotype 018) exhibited pulsotypes that differed by hospital. ST2 (ribotype 014/020), 8 (ribotypes 002), 17 (ribotype 018), and 35 (ribotypes 015) were detected in both hospitals, whereas other STs were unique to each hospital. Statistical comparison of the different typing methods revealed that ribotyping and PFGE were highly predictive of STs. In conclusion, our epidemiological study indicates that C. difficile infections in both hospitals are associated with the persistence of endemic clones coupled with the emergence of many unique clones. A combination of MLST with PFGE or ribotyping could be useful for monitoring epidemic C. difficile strains and the emergence of new clones in hospitals.
Transmission of allostery through the lectin domain in selectin-mediated cell adhesion

The selectins are cell adhesion proteins that must resist applied forces to mediate leukocyte tethering and rolling along the endothelium and have 2 conformational states. Selectin–ligand bond dissociation increases only modestly with applied force, and exhibits catch bond behavior in a low-force regime where bond lifetimes counterintuitively increase with increasing force. Both allosteric and sliding–rebinding models have emerged to explain catch bonds. Here, we introduce a large residue into a cleft that opens within the lectin domain to stabilize the more extended, high-affinity selectin conformation. This mutation stabilizes the high-affinity state, but surprisingly makes rolling less stable. The position of the mutation in the lectin domain provides evidence for an allosteric pathway through the lectin domain, connecting changes at the lectin–EGF interface to the distal binding interface.
Secure authentication and key establishment in the SIP architecture

This article deals with security features of SIP and focuses on advanced authentication and key establishment methods. These methods are described and a proposal of comprehensive security for the SIP architecture is presented in this article. The solution provides strong secure authentication of SIP users and protects against various attacks occurring in the SIP architecture. Furthermore, our proposal is implemented and tested. The experimental results from our proof of concept implementation are presented at the end of the text. Moreover, the conventional HTTP Digest method is also implemented and its performance is compared with methods in the proposal.
To Know or Not to Know? Looking at Payoffs Signals Selfish Behavior, But It Does Not Actually Mean So

Costs and benefits of everyday actions are often not known beforehand. In such situations, people can either make a choice “without looking” at the payoffs, or they can “look” and learn the exact payoffs involved before making the actual choice. Recent studies suggest that the mere act of looking at payoffs will be met with distrust by observers: “lookers” are both less trustworthy and perceived to be less trustworthy than “non-lookers”. Here we extend this line of work by changing the measure of pro-sociality: instead of trustworthiness, we consider altruism. Does “looking at payoffs” signal self-regarding preferences? Do observers’ beliefs match decision makers’ actions? Two experiments demonstrate that: (i) the level of altruism among “lookers” is not different from the level of altruism among “non-lookers”, but (ii) “lookers” are perceived to be less altruistic than “non-lookers”. These results hold both when the measure of altruism is the choice whether to help or not in the so-called “envelope game” (Experiment 1) or when the measure of altruism is the donation in a standard Dictator Game (Experiment 2). In sum, these results uncover a perception gap according to which looking at payoffs signals selfish behavior, but it does not actually mean so.
Performance Metrics for Consolidated Servers

In spite of the widespread adoption of virtualization and consolidation, there exists no consensus with respect to how to benchmark consolidated servers that run multiple guest VMs on the same physical hardware. For example, VMware proposes VMmark which basically computes the geometric mean of normalized throughput values across the VMs; Intel uses vConsolidate which reports a weighted arithmetic average of normalized throughput values. Thesebenchmarkingmethodologiesfocusontotalsystemthroughput (i.e., across all VMs in the system), and do not take into account per-VM performance. We argue that a benchmarking methodology for consolidated servers should quantify both total system throughput and per-VM performance in order to provide a meaningful and precise performance characterization. We therefore present two performance metrics, Total Normalized Throughput (TNT) to characterize total system performance, and Average Normalized Reduced Throughput (ANRT) to characterize per-VM performance. We compare TNT and ANRT against VMmark using published performance numbers, and report several cases for which the VMmark score is misleading. This is, VMmark says one platform yields better performance than another, however, TNT and ANRT show that both platforms represent different trade-offs in total system throughput versus per-VM performance. Or, even worse, in a couple cases we observe that VMmark yields opposite conclusions than TNT and ANRT, i.e., VMmark says one system performs better than another one which is contradicted by the TNT/ANRT performance characterization.
Spatial and Temporal Changes in the Broiler Chicken Cecal and Fecal Microbiomes and Correlations of Bacterial Taxa with Cytokine Gene Expression

To better understand the ecology of the poultry gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome and its interactions with the host, we compared GI bacterial communities by sample type (fecal or cecal), time (1, 3, and 6 weeks posthatch), and experimental pen (1, 2, 3, or 4), and measured cecal mRNA transcription of the cytokines IL18, IL1β, and IL6, IL10, and TGF-β4. The microbiome was characterized by sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons, and cytokine gene expression was measured by a panel of quantitative-PCR assays targeting mRNAs. Significant differences were observed in the microbiome by GI location (fecal versus cecal) and bird age as determined by permutational MANOVA and UniFrac phylogenetic hypothesis tests. At 1-week posthatch, bacterial genera significantly over-represented in fecal versus cecal samples included Gallibacterium and Lactobacillus, while the genus Bacteroides was significantly more abundant in the cecum. By 6-week posthatch, Clostridium and Caloramator (also a Clostridiales) sequence types had increased significantly in the cecum and Lactobacillus remained over-represented in fecal samples. In the ceca, the relative abundance of sequences classified as Clostridium increased by ca. 10-fold each sampling period from 0.1% at 1 week to 1% at 3 week and 18% at 6 week. Increasing community complexity through time were observed in increased taxonomic richness and diversity. IL18 and IL1β significantly (p < 0.05, pairwise t-tests) increased to maximum mean expression levels 1.5 fold greater at week 3 than 1, while IL6 significantly decreased to 0.8- and 0.5-fold expression at 3- and 6-week posthatch, respectively relative to week 1. Transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokines was generally negatively correlated with the relative abundance of various members of the phylum Firmicutes and positively correlated with Proteobacteria. Correlations of the microbiome with specific cytokine mRNA transcription highlight the importance of the GI microbiome for bird health and productivity and may be a successful high-throughput strategy to identify bacterial taxa with specific immune-modulatory properties.
Infrared and Radio Study of Star-forming Regions Associated with IRAS 19111+1048 and IRAS 19110+1045

A multiwavelength study of the star-forming regions associated with IRAS 19111+1048 and IRAS 19110+1045 has been carried out. These have been simultaneously mapped in two far-infrared bands at λeff = 130 and 200 μm with ~1' angular resolution using the TIFR 1 m balloon-borne telescope. The radio emission from the ionized gas of these regions has been imaged at 1280, 610, and 325 MHz using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, India. Assuming the detected compact sources to represent exciting zero-age main sequence (ZAMS) stars, the initial mass function [ξ(m) ∝ m-a] for the IRAS 19111+1048 region is found to be quite steep, with a = 5.3 ± 0.5 for the mass range 14 < m/M☉ < 33. The near-infrared (NIR) source coincident with the IRAS 19111+1048 peak is likely to be an embedded pre-main-sequence star. The spectral types of the ZAMS stars inferred independently from the radio and NIR measurements match very well for a good fraction of the radio sources having NIR counterparts. The best-fit radiative transfer models of the two IRAS sources are in good agreement with the observed spectral energy distributions. A uniform density distribution of dust and gas is implied for both the sources. The extents of ionized gas, number of ZAMS stars, presence of deeply embedded sources, and lower value of L/M for the cloud support the youth of IRAS 19110+1045 vis-à-vis its neighbor, IRAS 19111+1048, consistent with earlier studies.
Examining the role of online motivations in consumer online shopping intention using technology acceptance model

Electronic commerce sales continue rising due to Internet growth. However, online retailers may not be doing enough to promote their products causing them to forego potential profits. Understanding the impact of motivational factors on consumer intention to shop online will enable online retailers to design effective ebusiness strategy that engage users, leading to additional purchases. In this study, the researcher modified the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to reflect the impact of some online motivational factors in online shopping. The TAM posits perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU) contribute to an individual‘s behavioral intention. Research has shown motivational factors have the ability to influence PEOU and PU. Although many studies have used the model to better understand e-commerce, the problem is that they have ignored some important external variables. This study adopted a quantitative research methodology using surveys to collect research data from survey subject. A structural equation modeling software (Analysis of Moment Structures or AMOS) was applied to examine the direct and mediating effects hypotheses. The analysis of the data has supported some purposed relationships. It was found that convenience, social media, and personalization positively influence to consumer perceived usefulness of online shopping, and consumer intention to shop online. Moreover, perceived enjoyment positively influences to consumer intention to shop online, and website attributes positively affects perceived ease of use of online shopping. While, results failed to support relationships between the information density and consumer intention to shop online. This research makes several theoretical contributions and provides further insights on the effects of online shopping motivations on consumer behavior particularly in Malaysia. Methodological and practical implications were discussed and several potential avenues for future research were identified and proposed. Generally, this study improves our knowledge on what factors drive consumers to shop online, how they work, and what their implications are for customers and online retailers.
Phase retrieval radio holography for large reflector antennas

This paper describes and implements an approach to the problem of determining the antenna aperture field distribution from only amplitude measurements of far-field pattern. We apply the quadratic approach for recovering the complex aperture field function from measurements of the pattern at different feed locations. The phase-retrieval procedure consists of minimizing a nonquadratic functional and a reliable iterative algorithm converging on the solution, regardless of the starting point, is thus obtained. This approach to phase-retrieval problem has been compared with well-known Misell algorithm. Also, the effectiveness of both algorithms has been verified by results of conventional with-phase holography with using the experimental data obtained on 70-meter mirror antenna.
SPE 153391 Measurement , Modeling , and Diagnostics of Flowing Gas Composition Changes in Shale Gas

Few attempts have been made to model shale gas reservoirs on a compositional basis. Multiple distinct micro-scale physical phenomena influence the transport and storage of reservoir fluids in shale, including differential desorption, preferential Knudsen diffusion, and capillary critical effects. Concerted, these phenomena cause a measureable compositional change in the produced gas over time. We developed a compositional numerical model capable of describing the coupled processes of diffusion and desorption in ultra-tight rocks as a function of pore size. The model captures the various fracture configurations believed to be induced by shale gas fracture stimulations. By combining the macro-scale (reservoir-scale fractures) and micro-scale (diffusion through nanopores) physics, we show how gas composition changes spatially and temporally during production. We compare our numerical model against measured gas composition data obtained at regular intervals from shale gas wells. We utilize the characteristic behavior illustrated in the model results to identify and to define features in the measured data. We present a workflow for the integration of measured gas composition data into production data analysis tools in order to develop a more complete well performance diagnostic process. The onset of fracture interference in horizontal wells with multiple transverse hydraulic fractures is shown to be uniquely identified by distinct fluctuations in the flowing gas composition. Using these measured composition data, the timescale and durations of the transitional flow regimes in shales are quantified, even for high levels of noise in the rate and pressure data. Reservoir properties are inferred from the integration of the compositional shift analysis of this work with modern production analysis. This work expands the current understanding of well performance for shale gas to include physical phenomena that lead to compositional change. This may be used to optimize fracture and completion design, improve well performance analysis and provide more accurate reserves estimation. This work demonstrates a numerical model which captures multicomponent desorption, diffusion, and phase behavior in ultra-tight rocks. We identify and validate diagnostic trends via high-resolution composition, saturation and pressure maps. We provide a workflow for incorporating measured gas composition data into modern production analysis.
The Impact of Obesity on Employment Participation and Earnings among Working-Age Women in Canada: Evidence from the NPHS Longitudinal Data

Background: The direct medical care costs attributable to obesity are well-known, but little is known about the indirect costs of obesity. In particular, less is known about the impact of obesity on employment participation and earnings, especially among women in Canada. Objectives: The objectives of this study are to examine the association between obesity and employment participation and earnings, if employed, among Canadian women. Methods: Data were taken from the last six cycles of the National Population Health Survey from 2000/01-2010/11 longitudinal cohort data from women aged 18-53 years. The association between obesity and labour market participation was analyzed using pooled, random-effects and fixed-effects regression modeling techniques. The association between obesity and earnings (wage and income) was analyzed using pooled, truncated random-effects and truncated fixedeffects regression models. Results: Wage rate and annual income were found to be negatively associated with obesity. The negative association persisted between obesity and annual income even after accounting for individual-specific effects in the regression analysis. The effect of obesity on employment participation was not significant once health and lifestyle variables were controlled for. Conclusions: This longitudinal analysis of Canadian women demonstrated that obesity has a negative effect on earnings and this effect remains statistically significant even after controlling for individual-specific heterogeneity.