Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Dynamic Binary Instrumentation Approaches: Dynamic Binary Translation vs. Dynamic Probe Injection

From web browsing to bank transactions, to data analysis and robot automation, just about any task necessitates or beneﬁts from the use of software. Ensuring a piece of software to be eﬀective requires proﬁling the program’s behavior to evaluate its performance, debugging the program to ﬁx incorrect behaviors, and examining the program to detect security ﬂaws. These tasks are made possible by instrumentation—the method of inserting code into a program to collect data about its behavior. Dynamic binary instrumentation (DBI) enables programmers to understand and reason about program behavior by inserting code into a binary during run time to collect relevant data, and is more ﬂexible than static or source-code instrumentation, but incurs run-time overhead. This thesis attempts to extend the preexisting characterization of the tradeoﬀs between dynamic binary translation (DBT) and dynamic probe injection (DPI), two popular DBI approaches, using Pin and LiteInst as sample frameworks. It also describes extensions to the LiteInst framework that enable it to instrument function exits correctly. This evaluation involved using the two frameworks to instrument a set of SPEC CPU 2006 benchmarks for counting function entries alone, counting both function entries and exits, or dynamically generating a call graph. On these instrumentation tasks, Pin performed close to native binary time while LiteInst performed signiﬁcantly slower. Exceptions to this observation, and analysis of the probe types used by LiteInst, suggest that LiteInst incurs signiﬁcant overhead when executing a large number of probes.
No disadvantage for left-handed musicians: The relationship between handedness, perceived constraints and performance-related skills in string players and pianists

Two studies investigate the influence of handedness on a musical performance. In Experiment 1 we compared designated non-right-handed (dNRH) and designated right-handed (dRH) string and piano players performing in the (non-inverted) standard playing position with respect to (1) performance-related variables (e.g., musical expression) and (2) health-related variables (e.g., discomfort). The 47 professional instrumentalists (pianists: n = 23, string players: n = 24) were classified for handedness (performance handedness) and participated in a survey study on sensorimotor skills and their sense of well-being at the instrument. In Experiment 2, we tested for differences in sensorimotor performance of both hands in right- and left-handed pianists: 19 professional pianists (music students) were classified for handedness (preference handedness). Participants performed scale playing. In Experiment 1 no evidence was found for a performance-related or well-being-related disadvantage in dNRH instrumentalists playing in the standard position. In Experiment 2 temporal sensorimotor precision in the right hand was superior to that of the left hand in both right- and left-handed pianists. We conclude that professional musicians adapt to the standard playing position regardless of their objective handedness. However, it cannot be ruled out that a subgroup of dNRH instrumentalists subjectively feel constricted when playing in the standard position.
Exploratory versus Confirmatory Analysis in Imaging Neuroscience

The present overview briefly highlights the advances and limitations in functional neuroimaging by critically comparing the confirmatory and exploratory methods of experimental fMRI data analysis. Typical multivariate methods like independent component analysis and fuzzy cluster analysis were applied to real-life functional neuroimaging data and comparatively discussed versus univariate inferential statistical techniques like the general linear model. Key–Words: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), statistical parametric mapping (SPM), independent component analysis (ICA), fuzzy cluster analysis (FCA), general linear model (GLM).
Impact of monsoon circulations on the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere

[1] Observations from in situ aircraft and output from a global chemical transport model are used to better understand the impact of Northern Hemisphere summer monsoon circulations on stratosphere-troposphere exchange. A long-term model climatology resembles the satellite climatology of water vapor and ozone in the monsoon regions. A simulation with observed winds is able to reproduce individual transport events observed from aircraft, and these events are used to infer that large-scale motions and monsoon circulations can explain the global correlations of ozone and water vapor around the tropopause. A detailed analysis of model fluxes of water vapor and ozone indicates that the Asian monsoon circulation may contribute 75% of the total net upward water vapor flux in the tropics at tropopause levels from July to September. Some of this air may enter the tropical stratosphere and bypass the tropical tropopause altogether.
ROMANIAN HMM-BASED TEXT-TO-SPEECH SYNTHESIS WITH INTERACTIVE INTONATION OPTIMISATION

PRESIDENT: Prof.dr.eng. Dorin PETREUŞ prodean, Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca; MEMBERS: Prof.dr.eng. Mircea GIURGIUscientific advisor, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca; Prof.dr.eng. Corneliu BURILEANU reviewer, Politehnica University of Bucharest; Prof.dr.eng. Horia-Nicolai TEODORESCU, m.c. A.R. reviewer, “Gh.Asachi” Technical University of Iaşi; Prof.dr.eng. Aurel VLAICU reviewer, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca
Study of the Experimental Conditions of the Co-pyrolysis of Rice Husk and Plastic Wastes

The main objective of this study is to access the technical and economical viability of using pyrolysis technology applied to the rice production main wastes to produce bio-fuels to substitute fossil fuels and electricity consumption during rice milling processes. Therefore, it was studied the effect of operating conditions (reaction temperature, initial pressure and reaction time) on products yields and quality, as well as the possible synergetic effects that may occur during the pyrolysis of these wastes. The pyrolysis experiments were performed in 1 L capacity batch reactor made of Hastelloy C276 and built by Parr Instruments. According to previous studies, the range of operational conditions studied was: 350-430 oC for reaction temperature, 2-10 bar for initial pressure and 10-60 min for reaction time. So far, the results obtained showed that these two wastes can be processed together. The presence of PE seems to favour the biomass conversion, as PE is easily converted into liquids by pyrolysis, which increases heat and mass transfer in the reaction medium.
Effects of Virtual Experiments Oriented Science Instruction on Students’ Achievement and Attitude

This study was conducted to identify the effects of virtual experiment technique on seventh grade students' electricity achievement and attitudes towards science laboratory. The subjects were 69 seventh grade students in two classes of the same teacher. Randomly assigned experimental group students received virtual experiments oriented instruction, whereas control group students performed physical experiments. Achievement test and attitude scales were given as pretests prior to instruction and as posttests after four weeks of instruction. Two separate covariance analysis were conducted in this study and both of them indicated statistical significant differences. In accordance with these significant results, it can be concluded that virtual experiments have a substantial role in education by providing safe medium and interactive genuine models for students. Therefore, it is suggested that virtual experiments can be used in different contexts and various steps of education whenever possible
Silicon and silicon nitride photonic circuits for spectroscopic sensing on-a-chip [Invited]

There is a rapidly growing demand to use silicon and silicon nitride (Si3N4) integrated photonics for sensing applications, ranging from refractive index to spectroscopic sensing. By making use of advanced CMOS technology, complex miniaturized circuits can be easily realized on a large scale and at a low cost covering visible to mid-IR wavelengths. In this paper we present our recent work on the development of silicon and Si3N4-based photonic integrated circuits for various spectroscopic sensing applications. We report our findings on waveguide-based absorption, and Raman and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Finally we report on-chip spectrometers and on-chip broadband light sources covering very near-IR to mid-IR wavelengths to realize fully integrated spectroscopic systems on a chip.
Microstructural differentiation in Brachypodium distachyon and its relatives – a case of the lemma

At present, Brachypodium distachyon is known as an invasive weed in various world regions, e.g., South Africa, California, and Australia. Weedy plants exhibit special traits permitting their quick reproduction and dispersal. According to the description of weediness made by Ammann et al. (2000) and Basu et al. (2004), one can ascribe to the B. distachyon plant the following characteristics of weediness: – germination in various habitats (rocky and sandy, podsol, and fertile), – quick growth of seedling (several days), – longevity of seed (we noted a good germination after 28 years of seed storage at room temperatures), – a short period between vegetative and sexual phases (2–4 weeks, varuing for different types (Fig. 1A)), – self-compatibility with possibility of chasmogamy (for some accessions we documented chasmogamy), – adaptation to unspecialized pollinators (wind for chasmogamy), – a large amount of seed produced (~40 seeds from one raceme spike, depending on the number of spikelets/ spike), and – the possibility of short and long dispersal (heavy diaspores and zoochory).
The zero flow performance of a sing-around type flow meter

Design considerations were taken to correct for the speed of sound influences and reciprocity effect. The meter was tested using from 1000 to 20000 sing-around loops. To investigate averaging phenomena, 1-100 primary velocity values were averaged to form one velocity value. The temperature range tested was 2-45 degrees C, with measurements at 5 degrees C intervals. The measurements show a zero flow stability of better than +or-0.6 mm/s (+or-1 l/h, phi 25-mm pipe) in the entire temperature range. The standard deviation at each temperature tested was less than 0.45 mm/s. This implies that flow velocities as low as 6 cm/s (100 l/h, phi 25-mm pipe) could be measured with an accuracy of better than +or-1%. The tests were made with water as the medium. <<ETX>>
Synthesis and crystal chemistry of the hybrid perovskite (CH3NH3) PbI3 for solid-state sensitised solar cell applications

The hybrid organic–inorganic perovskite (CH3NH3)PbI3 may find application in next generation solid-state sensitised solar cells. Although this material and related perovskites were discovered many decades ago, questions remain concerning their diverse structural chemistry and unusual properties. The article presents a review of previous work and provides a detailed description of the preparation, structural characterisation and physical characteristics of (CH3NH3)PbI3. The phase changes exhibited by (CH3NH3)PbI3 have been probed using variable temperature powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction, combined with differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis and phase contrast transmission electron microscopy. The optical band gap for (CH3NH3)PbI3 determined by UV-Visible spectroscopy was compared to values obtained from density-of-state simulation of the electronic band structure.
A vibrational spectroscopic study of the oxidation of pyrite by ferric iron

Abstract The step-wise oxidation of the disulfide group during pyrite oxidation by ferric iron was investigated using in situ attenuated total reflectance (ATR) Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Pyrite oxidation by ferric iron was investigated at pH 2.0, in the dark, and with both ultraviolet and visible wavelength illumination. We concluded that the spectra collected during pyrite oxidation are consistent with the existence of more than a single sulfur species at the pyrite surface. Exact assignment of all of the sulfur species was not realistic. However, the assignment of sulfate in an outer-sphere complex and thiosulfate in a monodentate complex was possible. The presence of multiple sulfur species at the pyrite surface directly confirms the step-wise oxidation of the disulfide group, and the presence of sulfate suggests that this species is the surface release group. Photochemical experiments verify an increase in the rate of pyrite oxidation with illumination and suggest that either the mechanism or the rate of sulfur oxidation is affected by illumination
Disruption of Bradycardia During Vigilance: Autonomic Cardiac Dysregulation is Prelude to Disinhibition, Hyperarousal, and Attention Bias in Combat Veterans with PTSD

We propose a model to account for the post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms of disinhibition, hyperarousal, and attention bias. We review the background literature which is the foundation on which our model rests, present key results of our ongoing research, and suggest testable hypotheses for further research. Our laboratory is in a Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, where we began our work with a search for the significant causes and predictors of hyperarousal in combat veterans with PTSD using eyeblink and autonomic conditioning protocols. We believe our studies will lead to integration of a treatment intervention for war veterans (and equally as well for treatment of the traumatically stressed in the general population). Our research has begun to show strong associations between lowered heart rate variability (HRV) and PTSD. Loss of bradycardia during normal vigilance is the cause of lowered HRV, which impairs appraisal of threat value of environmental stimulation, thereby leading to disinhibition, hyperarousal, and attention bias toward and away from threat. The next steps of research we plan are outlined and designed to elucidate how HRV biofeedback is a promising intervention to increase HRV during vigilance of stimuli and restore cognitive appraisal and response selection, thereby reducing PTSD symptoms and normalizing behavior.
Ab Initio Nonequilibrium Thermodynamic and Transport Properties of Ultrafast Laser Irradiated 316L Stainless Steel

We present calculations of transient behavior of thermodynamic and transport coefficients on the time scale of electron–phonon relaxation upon ultrashort laser excitation of ferrous alloys. Their role defining energy deposition and primary microscopic material response to the laser irradiation is outlined. Nonequilibrium thermodynamic properties of 316L stainless steel are determined from first-principles calculations. Taking into account the complexity of multimetallic materials, the density functional theory is first applied to describe the electronic density of states of an alloy stainless steel matrix as a function of electronic heating. An increase of the localization degree of the charge density was found to be responsible for the modification of the electronic structure upon electronic heating, with consequences on chemical potential, electronic capacity, and pressure. It is shown that the electronic temperature dependence of stainless steel thermodynamic properties are consistent with the behavior.
A Model of Character Evolution based on Stanislavsky-driven BDI Agents

Many successful stories make use of changes in certain characters’ beliefs, motivations, and relationships as a source of dramatic interest during the narrative. In this paper, we propose a character evolution model comprised of a character agent framework incorporating features of both the belief-desire-intention agent framework and Stanislavsky’s Method of Actions and a set of narrative events categories that produce characterization shifts. We describe how the elements of this model function and demonstrate the viability of the model to describe the character evolution of a number of characters in Shakespearean plays. Lastly, we discuss the ways the model might be extended and used in a story generation system to facilitate character evolution in the narrative.
An Entropy-based Feature in Epileptic Seizure Prediction Algorithm

Epilepsy prediction is a vital demand for people suffering from epileptic onset. Prediction of seizure onsets could be very useful for drug-resistant epileptic patients. We propose an epileptic seizure prediction algorithm to predict an onset of epilepsy and discriminate between pre-seizure periods and seizure free periods. The proposed algorithm is based on entropy features of 60 (1 hour segmented into 60 periods) with free seizure periods and repeated for 24 hour, and 60 (pre-seizure periods) of the CHB-MIT Scalp EEG Database (Female less or equal 12 age). Critical values of the sample entropy and approximate entropy are estimated to locate starting of the seizure onset. These values are taken as warning to a probably seizure starts within a specific time. The prediction time in order of 1min- 49min is achieved in 60 seizure periods under study in this task. SVM is used to classify pre-seizure periods from seizure free periods for the mentioned data. The performance is evaluated and analysed.
Studies on Some Major and Trace Metals in Smoked and Oven- Dried Fish

The mineral (Li, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn and Pb) composition of each of five species of fish, including Sarotherodon galilaues , Cyprinus carpio , Clarias gariepinus , Sardinella spp. and Labeo spp. Was determined in samples previously dried, either by traditional smoking method, or in laboratory oven, to gain knowledge of the quality and acceptability of the smoked products. The samples were brought from markets in Minna metropolis, Niger State of Nigeria. Portions of the meals of whole fish were digested in a nitric acid-hydrogen peroxide-perechloric acid (3:11) mixture and the digests were analysed spectrophotometrically. The concentration of lead was lowest in both smoked and oven-dried specimens with mean values ranging from 0.46 to 1.16mg/kg and 0.54 to 0.76mg/kg, respectively, while calcium with ranges of 592.98 to 7553.55mg/kg and 498.65 to 6460.85mg/kg was highest. Comparative studies showed that no significant differences existed between the mineral contents of the samples from the two drying methods, except in the few cases of lithium in S. galilaeus , zinc in C. gariepinus , copper and manganese in both Cyprinus carpio , and Sardinell spp, and lead in S. galilaues . Nonetheless, the smoked samples were consistently richer in their mineral content, suggesting the need for chemical examination of products of this drying method. Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management Vol. 8 (2) 2004: 5-9
HOW TO FIND METAL-RICH ASTEROIDS

The metal content of asteroids is of great interest, not only for theories of their origins and the evolution of the solar system but, in the case of near-Earth objects (NEOs), also for impact mitigation planning and endeavors in the field of planetary resources. However, since the reflection spectra of metallic asteroids are largely featureless, it is difficult to identify them and relatively few are known. We show how data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)/NEOWISE thermal-infrared survey and similar surveys, fitted with a simple thermal model, can reveal objects likely to be metal rich. We provide a list of candidate metal-rich NEOs. Our results imply that future infrared surveys with the appropriate instrumentation could discover many more metal-rich asteroids, providing valuable data for assessment of the impact hazard and the potential of NEOs as reservoirs of vital materials for future interplanetary space activities and, eventually perhaps, for use on Earth.
Moment-Based Approximation with Mixed Erlang Distributions

Moment-based approximations have been extensively analyzed over the years (see, e.g., Osogami and Harchol-Balter 2006 and references therein). A number of specific phase-type (and non phase-type) distributions have been considered to tackle the moment-matching problem (see, for instance, Johnson and Taaffe 1989). Motivated by the development of more flexible momentbased approximation methods, we develop and examine the use of finite mixture of Erlangs with a common rate parameter for the moment-matching problem. This is primarily motivated by Tijms (1994) who shows that this class of distributions can approximate any continuous positive distribution to an arbitrary level of accuracy, as well as the tractability of this class of distributions for various problems of interest in quantitative risk management. We consider separately situations where the rate parameter is either known or unknown. For the former case, a direct connection with a discrete moment-matching problem is established. A parallel to the s-convex stochastic order (e.g., Denuit et al. 1998) is also drawn. Numerical examples are considered throughout.
Rotavirus Disease in Developing World

It has been found that Rotavirus infection, mostly caused by Group A viruses, is prevalent in human populations worldwide. Although the virus infects older individuals, the disease can be severe in immunologically naïve infants and young children. The burden of severe rotavirus illness and deaths falls heavily upon children in low and middle-income countries as more than 80% of rotavirus-related deaths are estimated to occur in lower income countries of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa [2].
NOVEL INTELLIGENT NEURAL GUIDANCE LAW BY USING MULTI-NOVEL INTELLIGENT NEURAL GUIDANCE LAW BY USING MULTI-OPTIMIZATION ALGORITHMS OPTIMIZATION ALGORITHMS

There are parameter variation effects that would reduce the performance of missile terminal guidance system, e.g., target maneuverability, missile autopilot time constant, turning rate time constant as well as radome slope error effects. To solve this problem this research proposed a novel neural-fuzzy missile terminal guidance law by applying three different neural network optimization algorithms alternatively in each step, such as the Gradient Descent (GD), SCG (Scaled Conjugate Gradient), and Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) methods. Moreover, the missile turning rate time constant, autopilot time delay, target maneu-verability, glint and fading noises, radome slope error, missile initial heading error as well as acceleration limits were taken into consideration. On the other hand, performance comparisons with the proportional navigation (PN) method for not only the lower and higher altitudes but the lateral and head-on intercep-tions were also made. One can see that the miss distances, acceleration commands and engagement times by using the proposed guidance law are lower than the other methods for the encountered engagement conditions.