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A Survey and an Empirical Evaluation of Multi-view Clustering Approaches
Get PDFSupplementary Material is available online at: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3645108#supplementary-materials .Code is availailable online at: https://github.com/dugzzuli/A-Survey-of-Multi-view-Clustering-Approaches .Multi-view clustering (MVC) holds a significant role in domains like machine learning, data mining, and pattern recognition. Despite the development of numerous new MVC approaches employing various techniques, there remains a gap in comprehensive studies evaluating the characteristics and performance of these approaches. This gap hinders the in-depth understanding and rational utilization of the recently developed MVC techniques. This study formalizes the basic concepts of MVC and analyzes their techniques. It then introduces a novel taxonomy for MVC approaches and presents the working mechanisms and characteristics of representative MVC approaches developed in recent years. Moreover, it summarizes representative datasets and performance metrics commonly employed for evaluating MVC approaches. Furthermore, we have meticulously chosen 35 representative MVC approaches to conduct an empirical evaluation across seven real-world benchmark datasets, offering valuable insights into the realm of MVC approaches
Do Developers Use Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Tools Straight Out of the Box? A large-scale Empirical Study
Get PDFStatic application Security Testing (SAST) tools are an established means of detecting vulnerabilities early in development. Previous studies have reported low detection rates from SAST tools and recommend either combining SAST tools or configuring rule sets to detect more vulnerabilities. However, while previous work suggests that developers rarely combine or configure any of the Automatic Static Analysis Tools (ASATs) they use, it is currently unclear whether SAST tools are used directly “out of the box”. To understand how developers use SAST tools, we performed a large-scale survey involving 1,263 developers. We pre-screened developers to establish their SAST use and found that only 20% (204/1,003) used SAST tools. Of those developers who did use SAST tools, we found a large number did not use multiple tools (59%), did not configure tools (54%) or did neither (40%). Our results suggest that more work is needed to help developers combine and configure tools, since doing so is likely to detect significantly more vulnerabilities
Religion as a natural laboratory for understanding human behavior
Get PDFWhat do we gain from the scientific study of religion? One possibility is that religious contexts are unique, and cognition within these contexts is worth understanding. Another possibility is that religion can be viewed as a laboratory for understanding psychology and culture more broadly. Rather than limiting the study of religion to a single context, I argue that the study of religion is useful precisely because it illuminates secular psychological and cultural processes. I first outline my practical approach to psychology and religion, focusing on how people use religion to advance mundane goals. I then discuss several domains in which studying religion has led to important insights, including culture, prejudice, and cognition. This article is an extended version of an Early Career Award address given at the International Association for the Psychology of Religion meeting in 2023 in Groningen, Netherlands.I gratefully acknowledge funding from French Agence Nationale de la Recherche (under the Investissement d’Avenir program, ANR-17-EURE-0010) and the Templeton World Charity Foundation, Inc. (funder DOI 501100011730) under the grant #30290 (https://doi.org/10.54224/30290)
HVDC transformer insulation system: Present research, trends, challenges, and prospects
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Data will be made available on request.High-voltage direct current (HVDC) has attained significant consideration owing to numerous valuable characteristics, for instance, lowest transmission losses, improved stability, and control operation. The HVDC transformer is one of the significant elements in the HVDC transmission system. Thus, it is noteworthy to ensure the optimal working of this vital component for the reliability, efficiency, and safety of power grid. The mineral oil (MO) is generally applied together with paper as an insulating medium in a majority of HV apparatus. For the insulation of power transformers, the oil/paper insulating system has demonstrated itself for several years as a major component. As a result of continuous growth in high-performance semiconductor components, HVDC power transmission becomes more and more significant due to key gains associated with these systems. This may develop challenges specifically in the case of converter transformers as the insulation is not subjected entirely to a simple AC stress. Based on the topology, the transformer insulation is exposed to a combined voltage stress (both AC with DC). This, conversely, leads to significant impacts and encounters regarding the electric stress of insulating elements of oil and paper. In the context of simple AC voltage stress, capacitive field distribution occurs corresponding to permittivities. Conductivities in the case of AC electric field are not significant nonetheless initiate trivial dielectrics losses. In the event of DC stress, they are pivotal as field distribution develops depending on their values. In contrast to AC stress, it results in a decrease of stress on oil however to a rise in stress on insulating paper. Through switching activities or polarity reverses, a shift from the dielectric displacement field to the steady-state electric DC field occurs. This could turn challenging specifically in the case of converter transformers as the insulation is not subjected solely to a simple AC stress. Polarization mechanisms, particularly interfacial polarization, and noticeably contrasting polarization durations between the materials of oil and paper should be considered. This article exhibits a thorough review of the HVDC transformer insulation system. The importance of this article lies in outlining the previous research, arranging the research core, and inducements, and forecasting imminent research trends. Furthermore, it describes an independent assessment of the challenges, opportunities, scenarios, and restraints being faced in developing the HVDC transformer insulation system more efficiently are clearly stated. The information documented in this review is projected to present an essential guideline for potential research in HVDC transformer insulation systems. This article is valuable for both academia and industry experts as it summarizes meaningful outlines of research in the field.The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation funded this research, and the authors are thankful for and acknowledge their support
EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LONELINESS, RELIGION, AND SPIRITUALITY FOR OLDER ADULTS IN ENGLAND
Get PDFAlthough there is evidence linking the prevalence of loneliness with religion and/or spirituality in north America, this topic is rarely researched in the UK. This study explored the relationship between measures of religious affiliation, attendance, and practice with loneliness for older adults in England. We generated an analytic sample of 6225 adults aged 50+ who took part in wave 9 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). The exposure variables of religious affiliation, attendance and practice were measured by questions on religious identity; frequency of attendance at places of worship in the last year; and 4-point Likert scales of agreement or disagreement with religious importance, meaning and purpose, prayer and meditation, and activity. Loneliness outcome was measured using the three item University of California Los Angeles loneliness scale. The majority of our analytic sample were Christian (77%), 22% had no religion and 49% had not attended a place of worship in the last year. The prevalence of loneliness (score 6+ on UCLA scale) was 19%. Religious attendance was significantly associated with loneliness (OR =.73 CI.62-.85, p <.001), with attendance protective against feeling lonely. However, this relationship was not significant after adjustment. No relationship was observed between loneliness and religious affiliation or spirituality. Religious identity remains prevalent in older adults in England, but attendance and practice less so. Further studies in diverse populations, using validated measures of loneliness and religion, are necessary to investigate whether loneliness can be moderated or mediated by religion/spirituality alongside other determinants
HLA-E and NKG2A Mediate Resistance to M. bovis BCG Immunotherapy in Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Get PDFThis article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer reviewData Availability Statement:: data were generated by the authors and have been uploaded to the Gene Expression Omnibus (GSE276014 and GSE276015) and will be made publicly available upon publication of this manuscript.Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is the primary treatment for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), known to stimulate inflammatory cytokines, notably interferon (IFN)-γ. We observed that prolonged IFN-γ exposure fosters adaptive resistance in recurrent tumors, aiding immune evasion and tumor proliferation. We identify HLA-E and NKG2A, part of a novel NK and T cell checkpoint pathway, as key mediators of resistance in BCG-unresponsive NMIBC. IFN-γ enhances HLA-E and PD-L1 expression in recurrent tumors, with an enrichment of intra-tumoral NKG2A-expressing NK and CD8 T cells. CXCL9+ macrophages and dendritic cells and CXCL12-expressing stromal cells likely recruit CXCR3/CXCR4-expressing NK and T cells and CXCR7+ HLA-EHIGH tumor cells. NK and CD8 T cells remain functional within BCG-unresponsive tumors but are inhibited by HLA-E and PD-L1, providing a framework for combined NKG2A and PD-L1 blockade strategy for bladder-sparing treatment of BCG-unresponsive NMIBC.The A.H. and J.P. labs were supported by funding from P30CA196521, R01 CA269954-01, R21 CA274148, BCAN No. 961726, and R21AI130760A. The N.B. lab was supported by funding from the Department of Defense Peer Review Cancer Research program Translational team Award No. W81XWH1910269 and from the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy No.AGR-11611SOW1
Enhancing Forced Displacement Simulations: Integrating Health Facilities for Automatically Generated Routes Networks
Get PDFThis paper introduces a novel approach to supporting healthcare accessibility for refugees during their movement to camps in regions with limited infrastructure. We achieve this by integrating the density of healthcare facilities into route networks created by customized pruning algorithms. Through rigorous data analysis and algorithm development, our research aims to optimize healthcare delivery routes and enhance healthcare outcomes for displaced populations. Our findings highlight Visit Tracking route pruning as the most effective method, with an Averaged Relative Difference (ARD) of 0.3837. Particularly in scenarios involving healthcare facility integration, this method outperforms others, including the manual extracted route network (0.4902), Direct Distance pruning (0.3912), Triangle pruning (0.3913), and Sequential Distance pruning (0.7846). Despite the inherent limitations of our proposed method, such as data availability and computational complexity, these quantifiable results underscore its potential contributions to healthcare planning, policy development, and humanitarian assistance efforts worldwide
Sky-high waiting times don’t make people trust the NHS any less – why that’s potentially bad news for Rishi Sunak
Get PDFThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Image rights: EPA/Peter Powell; Shutterstock/John Gomez. Read the original article at https://theconversation.com/sky-high-waiting-times-dont-make-people-trust-the-nhs-any-less-why-thats-potentially-bad-news-for-rishi-sunak-228037 .The National Health Service (NHS) in England has long enjoyed high levels of popular support and trust. This was heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic, as people across the nation stood in the streets at the same time every week to clap for the NHS.Economic & Social Research Council (COVID-19: Explaining the variance in people's trust and policy compliance); Brunel University London provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK
Approaches to post-tsunami coastal reconstruction: Comparisons across Indonesia, Thailand, and Japan
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Data will be made available on request.Natural hazards pose significant challenges to affected communities worldwide, yet there remains a lack of comprehensive studies comparing recovery efforts across different countries and cultures. This study addresses the gap by investigating the impact of three devastating tsunami events on four distinct locations: Banda Aceh (Sumatra, Indonesia) and Southern Thailand, both affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the 20th anniversary of which provided the initial motivation for the study; the Tohoku region of Japan, affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami; and Palu Bay (Sulawesi, Indonesia) affected by the Palu-Central Sulawesi Earthquake and consequent triple disaster. Data for this research was gathered from recovery missions led by the UK Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team (EEFIT), working in collaboration with local partners (Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Centre, Tadulako University, Mahidol University and the Asian Institute of Technology). Additional material was provided by the International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS) at Tohoku University. This paper evaluates recovery in terms of spatial planning, the development of design codes, evacuation planning, and the reconstruction development of coastal and port structures. A companion paper considers post-disaster recovery of buildings and other structures in Indonesia. Key findings include a variety of responses to planning enforcement in exclusion zones, a reliance on US tsunami codes for building code development rather than the comprehensive Japanese codes, diverse behavioural responses to the use of vertical evacuation structures, and some similarities in the use of multi-layered protection from tsunamis, inspired by Japanese approaches. The investigation provides insights into recovery and reconstruction efforts for: (i) the affected regions where agencies can compare and contrast their approaches with others, (ii) agencies and communities in similarly-affected locations in other parts of the world, and (iii) those at risk of future tsunami inundation.This work was supported by the UK EPSRC Learning from Earthquakes project [grant number EP/P025951/1], the EU RESET project [grant ID 730888] and the National Research Council of Thailand for the first author's attendance at the 2nd Thailand Symposium on Earthquake Research in 2024
Multi-agent reinforcement learning with synchronized and decomposed reward automaton synthesized from reactive temporal logic
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No data was used for the research described in the article.Multi-agent systems (MAS) consist of multiple autonomous agents interacting to achieve collective objectives. Multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) enhances these systems by enabling agents to learn optimal behaviors through interaction, thus improving their coordination in dynamic environments. However, MARL faces significant challenges in adapting to complex dependencies on past states and actions, which are not adequately represented by the current state alone in reactive systems. This paper addresses these challenges by considering MAS operating under task specifications formulated as Generalized Reactivity of rank 1 (GR(1)). These synthesized strategies are used as a priori knowledge to guide the learning. To tackle the difficulties of handling non-Markovian tasks in reactive systems, we propose a novel synchronized decentralized training paradigm that guides agents to learn within the MARL framework using a reward structure constructed from decomposed synthesized strategies of GR(1). We initially formalize the synthesis of GR(1) strategies as a reachability problem of winning states of the system. Subsequently, we develop a decomposition mechanism that constructs individual reward structures for decentralized MARL, incorporating potential values calculated through value iteration. Theoretical proofs are provided to verify that the safety and liveness properties are preserved. We evaluate our approach against other state-of-the-art methods under various GR(1) specifications and scenario maps, demonstrating superior learning efficacy and optimal rewards per episode. Additionally, we show that the decentralized training paradigm outperforms the centralized training paradigm. The value iteration strategy used to calculate potential values for the reward structure is compared against two other strategies, showcasing its advantages.This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 62202067), Royal Society (IEC_NSFC_233444), Natural Science Foundation of the Higher Education Institutions of Jiangsu Province (No. 22KJB520012) and Postgraduate Research and Practice Innovation Project of Jiangsu Province (No. KYCX24_3228), Changzhou Sci & Tech Program (No. CJ20220241
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