Point Analysis Research Articles

Reproductive Justice: Impulse für intersektionale Bevölkerungsgeographien

Abstract. Black women are three to four times more likely to die during childbirth than white women. Research in population geography and demography highlight factors such as educational background or access to health services as social determinants of fertility, to better understand these reproductive inequalities. Notwithstanding these determinants are key causes for reproductive outcomes, the question of how these determinants are embedded in global power relations remains mainly unresolved. As a feminist science intervention, this article develops two impetuses for a power-sensitive, intersectional knowledge production in the field of population geographies. Therefore, the article cursorily refers to current activist protests in the name of reproductive justice, a concept developed by black feminists in the US. It argues that a multi-scalar analysis of reproductive relations helps to shift the focus from the demographic question „who is born?“ to „how are life chances unevenly distributed?“. Reproductive justice suggests that smaller scales such as the body or the womb constitute helpful analytical entry points to disentangle the powerful webs, within which reproductive outcomes are embedded. Finally, the article outlines a future research design towards geographies of reproductive justice.

A Case for Precise, Fine-Grained Pointer Synthesis in High-Level Synthesis

This article combines two practical approaches to improve pointer synthesis within HLS tools. Both approaches focus on inefficiencies in how HLS tools treat thepoints-to graph—a mapping that connects each instruction to the memory locations that it might access at runtime. HLS pointer synthesis first computes the points-to graph via pointer analysis and then implements its connections in hardware, which gives rise to two inefficiencies. First, HLS tools typically favour pointer analysis that is fast, sacrificing precision. Second, they also favour centralising memory connections in hardware for instructions that can point to more than one location.In this article, we demonstrate that a more precise pointer analysis coupled with decentralised memory connections in hardware can substantially reduce the unnecessary sharing of memory resources. We implement both flow- and context-sensitive pointer analysis and fine-grained memory connections in two modern HLS tools, LegUp and Vitis HLS. An evaluation on three benchmark suites, ranging from non-trivial pointer use to standard HLS benchmarks, indicates that when we improve both precision and granularity of pointer synthesis, on average, we can reduce area and latency by around 42% and 37%, respectively.

Return of CFA: call-site sensitivity can be superior to object sensitivity even for object-oriented programs

In this paper, we challenge the commonly-accepted wisdom in static analysis that object sensitivity is superior to call-site sensitivity for object-oriented programs. In static analysis of object-oriented programs, object sensitivity has been established as the dominant flavor of context sensitivity thanks to its outstanding precision. On the other hand, call-site sensitivity has been regarded as unsuitable and its use in practice has been constantly discouraged for object-oriented programs. In this paper, however, we claim that call-site sensitivity is generally a superior context abstraction because it is practically possible to transform object sensitivity into more precise call-site sensitivity. Our key insight is that the previously known superiority of object sensitivity holds only in the traditional k -limited setting, where the analysis is enforced to keep the most recent k context elements. However, it no longer holds in a recently-proposed, more general setting with context tunneling. With context tunneling, where the analysis is free to choose an arbitrary k -length subsequence of context strings, we show that call-site sensitivity can simulate object sensitivity almost completely, but not vice versa. To support the claim, we present a technique, called Obj2CFA, for transforming arbitrary context-tunneled object sensitivity into more precise, context-tunneled call-site-sensitivity. We implemented Obj2CFA in Doop and used it to derive a new call-site-sensitive analysis from a state-of-the-art object-sensitive pointer analysis. Experimental results confirm that the resulting call-site sensitivity outperforms object sensitivity in precision and scalability for real-world Java programs. Remarkably, our results show that even 1-call-site sensitivity can be more precise than the conventional 3-object-sensitive analysis.

On the mixtures of MGT viscoelastic solids

<abstract><p>In this paper, we study, from both analytical and numerical points of view, a problem involving a mixture of two viscoelastic solids. An existence and uniqueness result is proved using the theory of linear semigroups. Exponential decay is shown for the one-dimensional case. Then, fully discrete approximations are introduced using the finite element method and the implicit Euler scheme. Some a priori error estimates are obtained and the linear convergence is derived under suitable regularity conditions. Finally, one- and two-dimensional numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the convergence, the discrete energy decay and the behavior of the solution.</p></abstract>

Can foods influence the onset and progress of neurodegenerative diseases?

Can foods influence the onset and progress of neurodegenerative diseases?

Impacts of the Numerical Calculation Methods on the Chaoticity of the Fractional Chaotic Systems

In this paper, we investigate the influence of different numerical solutions methods on the chaoticity of fractional chaotic systems. In particular, fractional Chen system is discussed and approximated from both analytical and numerical points of view applying different calculation methods. The impacts of the chosen methods to the chaotic behavior of the fractional system are compared and analyzed.

Tri decenije održivog razvoja - nastanak, dominacija, slabosti i perspektiva

The paper is aimed to perceive critically the three-decade concept of sustainable development at several levels, and, accordingly, it is divided into three parts. The first one is dedicated to the specific features of the emergence of this concept in the initial period 1983-1992 and the first developmental period 1992-2000. A special emphasis is laid on the theoretical distinction and domination of the concept of sustainable development in relation to the then existing forms, such as ecological modernization. The second part of the paper continues the identification of the developmental stages within the scope of the Millennium Goals 2000-2015, with a central critical focus on the achieved results. The third part of the paper covers the current stage of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) envisaged for the period 2015-2030, and particularly points to the quantitative faults and inconsistencies in the methodology of evaluation, as well as measurement of the fulfilment of the goals themselves. The analytical apparatus points ty qualitative and quantitative methods to the chronically faulty set of instruments of sustainable development due to which the ecological component as the first among the equal is derogated to the level of the least importance, which is contrary to the founding principles of this concept.

After the Medium: Rereading Stories on a String and the War at Canudos

AbstractMoving from contemporary ethnography to Brazilian poetry from the turn of the twentieth century, this paper extends recent calls to attend more to relationships in religious studies. Scholars have argued that focusing on intimate relations allows us to stay critical while overcoming the impasses produced by opposed approaches, especially those that either privilege materiality or interiority. This paper explores how a focus on relations inspired by the work of Marilyn Strathern, which acknowledges the broad reach of relations—from the interpersonal to the conceptual, nonhuman, and evil—offers more than just a way to unite approaches. I read relations through cordel poetry from northeast Brazil, including verses found in the rubble of Brazil’s most notorious war, Canudos (1897). Engaging critically with studies of popular media that naturalize mediation, materiality, and politics as analytical starting points, I show how focusing on relations can help transform both the terms of our analyses and the politics of our descriptions.

The Circulation of Evaluative Information

Given ongoing changes in the social structuration of evaluation, the circulation of evaluative information is becoming an increasingly important factor in the production of constitutive effects of evaluation. There is power in the circulation of evaluative information, and therefore also power in attempts to regulate or curb it. Based on one case exemplifying massive circulation of evaluative information (Google Scholar), and one with very limited circulation (workplace assessments), we show how infrastructure, interests and institutional rules are useful analytical entry points into studies of circulation. The paper proposes a new theoretical and empirical attention to circulation of evaluative information as a fragile and contested phenomenon.

The Making of Everyman’s Capitalism in Sweden: Micro-Infrastructures, Unlearning, and Moral Boundary Work

This article analyzes the so-called turn to the market in Sweden, with an emphasis on aspects that are typically absent from large-scale narratives. How did the changes known as neoliberalization and financialization enter everyday life and mundane financial practices? And which analytical tools can historians use to meaningfully connect the experience of changes on the micro level to those on the macro level? Zooming in on the the year 1979 and focusing on two empirical cases—the popularization of stock saving and the domestication of consumer credit—allows us to elaborate and apply a set of analytical entry points about (1) mundane micro-infrastructures, (2) financial knowledge as learning and unlearning, and (3) moral boundary work. This framework offers a way of exploring when and in what ways new financial practices were experienced and eventually embraced by those who had previously been skeptical or even hostile. It also reveals the role played by actors and institutions not typically seen as agents of marketization.

Compacting points-to sets through object clustering

Inclusion-based set constraint solving is the most popular technique for whole-program points-to analysis whereby an analysis is typically formulated as repeatedly resolving constraints between points-to sets of program variables. The set union operation is central to this process. The number of points-to sets can grow as analyses become more precise and input programs become larger, resulting in more time spent performing unions and more space used storing these points-to sets. Most existing approaches focus on improving scalability of precise points-to analyses from an algorithmic perspective and there has been less research into improving the data structures behind the analyses. Bit-vectors as one of the more popular data structures have been used in several mainstream analysis frameworks to represent points-to sets. To store memory objects in bit-vectors, objects need to mapped to integral identifiers. We observe that this object-to-identifier mapping is critical for a compact points-to set representation and the set union operation. If objects in the same points-to sets (co-pointees) are not given numerically close identifiers, points-to resolution can cost significantly more space and time. Without data on the unpredictable points-to relations which would be discovered by the analysis, an ideal mapping is extremely challenging. In this paper, we present a new approach to inclusion-based analysis by compacting points-to sets through object clustering. Inspired by recent staged analysis where an auxiliary analysis produces results approximating a more precise main analysis, we formulate points-to set compaction as an optimisation problem solved by integer programming using constraints generated from the auxiliary analysis’s results in order to produce an effective mapping. We then develop a more approximate mapping, yet much more efficiently, using hierarchical clustering to compact bit-vectors. We also develop an improved representation of bit-vectors (called core bit-vectors) to fully take advantage of the newly produced mapping. Our approach requires no algorithmic change to the points-to analysis. We evaluate our object clustering on flow sensitive points-to analysis using 8 open-source programs (>3.1 million lines of LLVM instructions) and our results show that our approach can successfully improve the analysis with an up to 1.83× speed up and an up to 4.05× reduction in memory usage.

Making pointer analysis more precise by unleashing the power of selective context sensitivity

Traditional context-sensitive pointer analysis is hard to scale for large and complex Java programs. To address this issue, a series of selective context-sensitivity approaches have been proposed and exhibit promising results. In this work, we move one step further towards producing highly-precise pointer analyses for hard-to-analyze Java programs by presenting the Unity-Relay framework, which takes selective context sensitivity to the next level. Briefly, Unity-Relay is a one-two punch: given a set of different selective context-sensitivity approaches, say S = S1, . . . , Sn, Unity-Relay first provides a mechanism (called Unity)to combine and maximize the precision of all components of S. When Unity fails to scale, Unity-Relay offers a scheme (called Relay) to pass and accumulate the precision from one approach Si in S to the next, Si+1, leading to an analysis that is more precise than all approaches in S. As a proof-of-concept, we instantiate Unity-Relay into a tool called Baton and extensively evaluate it on a set of hard-to-analyze Java programs, using general precision metrics and popular clients. Compared with the state of the art, Baton achieves the best precision for all metrics and clients for all evaluated programs. The difference in precision is often dramatic — up to 71% of alias pairs reported by previously-best algorithms are found to be spurious and eliminated.

Eagle

Object sensitivity is widely used as a context abstraction for computing the points-to information context-sensitively for object-oriented programming languages such as Java. Due to the combinatorial explosion of contexts in large object-oriented programs, k -object-sensitive pointer analysis (under k -limiting), denoted k -obj , is often inefficient even when it is scalable for small values of k , where k ⩽ 2 holds typically. A recent popular approach for accelerating k -obj trades precision for efficiency by instructing k -obj to analyze only some methods in a program context-sensitively, determined heuristically by a pre-analysis. In this article, we investigate how to develop a fundamentally different approach, Eagle , for designing a pre-analysis that can make k -obj run significantly faster while maintaining its precision. The novelty of Eagle is to enable k -obj to analyze a method with partial context sensitivity (i.e., context-sensitively for only some of its selected variables/allocation sites) by solving a context-free-language (CFL) reachability problem based on a new CFL-reachability formulation of k -obj . By regularizing one CFL for specifying field accesses and using another CFL for specifying method calls, we have formulated Eagle as a fully context-sensitive taint analysis (without k -limiting) that is both effective (by selecting the variables/allocation sites to be analyzed by k -obj context-insensitively so as to reduce the number of context-sensitive facts inferred by k -obj in the program) and efficient (by running linearly in terms of the number of pointer assignment edges in the program). As Eagle represents the first precision-preserving pre-analysis, our evaluation focuses on demonstrating its significant performance benefits in accelerating k -obj for a set of popular Java benchmarks and applications, with call graph construction, may-fail-casting, and polymorphic call detection as three important client analyses.

Detrital zircon provenance of the Lower Cretaceous Duwon Formation based on LA-MC-ICPMS U–Pb ages and morphology in the Goheung area, southern Korea: A new supply mechanism of Early Cretaceous zircons

Detrital zircons of five sandstones were analysed based on their laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry uranium–lead (U–Pb) ages and their morphological features to reveal the provenance of the Lower Cretaceous Duwon Formation in Goheung, Korea. A total of 495 valid analytical points were obtained from zircon U–Pb dating, and in terms of age distribution, there were 361 Precambrian zircons (ca. 73%), nine Palaeozoic zircons (ca. 2%) and 125 Mesozoic zircons (ca. 25%). Except for 16 Cretaceous zircons, most were interpreted to be derived from the Yeongnam Massif and the southwestern Okcheon Basin located in the area to the northwest or west of the Duwon Formation. However, the Cretaceous zircons (ca. 127–118 Ma), which accounted for ~3% of all zircons, were formed during the magmatic quiescence in the Korean Peninsula, making it difficult to interpret their provenance at this time. This period coincided with active igneous activities in eastern China due to the low-angle subduction of the Palaeo-Pacific plate. In addition, westerlies were dominant due to the atmospheric general circulation. From morphological analysis of the zircons, Cretaceous zircons were smaller in size than those from other ages and generally had good sphericity and a euhedral shape. The overall evidence suggests the possibility that predominant westerly winds supplied Cretaceous zircons to the Korean Peninsula during explosive volcanic eruptions in eastern China during the Early Cretaceous. However, further studies are needed to clarify this hypothesis.

Sources, Distribution and Paleoenvironmental Application of Fatty Acids in Speleothem Deposits From Krem Mawmluh, Northeast India

Integrated multiproxy geochemical studies are essential to reconstruct the paleoenvironment through different time scales. Pristine terrestrial archives such as speleothems provide an excellent opportunity to study these changes by measuring the stable isotope and biomarker trends preserved in these records. Here, we investigated fatty acids in drip water, moonmilk, and a stalagmite (KM-1) retrieved from Krem Mawmluh in northeast India to constrain the sources and distribution of these compounds. Besides, we tested their compatibility with established glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers and stable isotope proxies in KM-1 to probe the use of fatty acid-derived proxies for paleoclimate reconstruction. We observe a similar composition of fatty acids in drip water as well as the cave deposits with significantly higher concentrations of fatty acids in drip water (10.6–124 μg/L) and moonmilk (1.32–16.5 μg/g) compared to the stalagmite (0.67–2.09 μg/g). In KM-1 stalagmite, fatty acids and the presence of azelaic acid transported from surface soils indicate that these compounds are derived from bacterial activity both within the cave and the overlying soil cover. The branched C15 fatty acid index (iso+anteiso C15/nC15) increases during the Holocene, suggesting enhanced microbial production under warm/wet conditions. Fluctuations in the fatty acid indices coincide with abrupt shifts in the TEX86 and BIT proxies reflecting the warm/wet Holocene and cold/dry Late Pleistocene. These trends imply the potential use of fatty acids for reconstructing past climate changes in speleothems but need more analytical reference points to provide statistical data.

Bimetallic CoZn-MOFs easily derived from CoZn-LDHs, as a suitable platform in fabrication of a non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor for detecting glucose in human fluids

In the present study, an in-situ, two-step, highly controllable, fast, green, and facile strategy for fabricating the bimetallic cobalt-zinc-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is employed for designing a non-enzymatic glucose sensing platform. The structural characterization, as well as the phase investigation of materials in each step, are assessed by X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, elemental mapping, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Furthermore, the electrocatalytic activity of the CoZn-BTC/GC fabricated electrode toward the electro-oxidation of glucose is examined by various electrochemical techniques, including cyclic voltammetry, amperometry, and chronoamperometry. Moreover, from the analytical points of view, the as-prepared modified electrode exhibited two distinct linear dynamic ranges of 0.001 − 0.255 mM and 0.255 − 2.53 mM with a sensitivity of 1218 μA mM−1 cm-2, and 510 μA mM−1 cm-2, respectively. Besides, the proposed sensor also demonstrated outstanding selectivity against iso-structures and co-existence interferences, high long-term durability, rapid response (1.3 s), excellent poisoning resistance against chloride ions, good repeatability and reproducibility toward glucose electro-oxidation. In addition, the detection limit value of CoZn-BTC/GCE, based on the signal to noise ratio of 3 is obtained to be 4.7 μM. Furthermore, the limit of quantitation for the present platform is calculated to be 15.6 μM. Next the structural properties and electrochemical response of the as-prepared modified electrode were compared to its corresponding mono-metallic and LDHs. Finally, in order to demonstrate the practical application of the modified electrode and evaluate its capability for glucose measurements in real physiological specimens, the glucose is successfully measured in human blood serum, urine, and saliva samples, without any sample pre-treatment.

Spatiotemporal Organization in a Reaction-Diffusion Model for Alloy Electrodeposition

Alloy electrodeposition processes have been experimentally shown to exhibit electrokinetic instability that can lead to compositional heterogeneity in the electrodeposit bulk. Inspired by these experimental evidences we consider the DIB model, a morphochemical reaction-diffusion system introduced in [Bozzini et al., J. Solid State Electr.17, 467–479 (2013)] as a mean of understanding the formation of morphological patterns found in the electrodeposition processes. We discuss its rich spatiotemporal dynamics from both the analytical and numerical points of view, revealing interesting classes of morphogenetic scenarios in good qualitative accordance with experiments. The DIB model can in fact undergo to Turing and Hopf instabilities and classical Turing patterns as well as oscillating Turing patterns can be detected. In the Hopf region, we prove the existence of spiral wave behaviour and observe transition to spatiotemporal chaos via spirals break up. The role of cross-diffusion in pattern formation and selection is also discussed as well as some recent extensions of the model to spherical domains.

Development of tolerance-based design optimization technology for the horizontal magnetized structure of acoustic vehicle alerting system

Noise generation for helping people recognize the driving status of vehicles at low speeds has become legalized with the spread of electric and hydrogen vehicles, which requires a virtual engine sound generator. Furthermore, these generators require a slim design for installation in the vehicle. Therefore, in this study, in order to examine the relationship between the design parameters of the horizontal magnetized structure for maintaining the electromagnetic force performance and minimizing the actuator thickness, an independent analysis using a single variable and an investigation of the characteristic change due to multiple variables were sequentially performed. With respect to factor analysis of multiple variables, a screening analysis for performance improvement factors and an impact analysis for effects were conducted using a full factorial design. To verify the nonlinear characteristics, the significance of the curvature effect was verified by adding a central point to the analytical points of view, and a nonlinear regression model of the prediction model was derived using the face-centered central composite design of the response surface methodology. Five design parameters were found to influence the electromagnetic force performance and thickness minimization in the horizontal magnetized structure: magnet thickness, magnet adapter thickness, plate thickness, yoke position, and yoke thickness. Furthermore, when the tolerance management level of the design in the manufacturing process of each design parameter was limited to 3σ, the confidence level was predicted to increase to the range of 98.69–99.73% for the electromagnetic force performance and to the range of 97.64–99.73% for thickness minimization

Comparative Evaluation of Free Will in Muhammad Taqi Ja’fari and John Searle's View

The question of free will has long been considered one of the most important philosophical questions. It can be said that different and even conflicting opinions have been expressed on this issue. Allamah Jafari and John Searle are two thinkers who, in their intellectual framework, have made a significant contribution to clarifying the “free will” debate. The two thinkers agree on various issues such as the role of the ‘I’ in creating free will, the non-randomness of action, the existence of a gap before activity, and so forth. They also differ on issues such as “the meaning of free will or freedom,” “the scope of freedom or free will,” and the “Divinity of ‘I’ or non-divinity of ‘I’.” Allamah Jafari, besides the rational and reasoning method, pays attention to the scientific context. Searle also has a scientific and reasoning view of the question of free will. Jafari proves free will by introducing the metaphysical self. Moreover, consciousness has a unique role in his theory. Searle, On the other hand, with the concepts of “consciousness” and dependence on the “non-empirical self,” seeks to create a hole for proving free will. Jafari’s view about freedom is that we have free will. Therefore, his approach in this regard is liberal. But Searle plays a role in explaining the issue of “free will” by proposing two hypotheses. Both philosophers believe that the substantial evidence for the existence of free will is that we always think before we act. This thinking causes a gap between the period before the action and the time of the action. According to Jafari, a gap appears in the time “before the action” and “the time of the action.” But in Searle’s view, this gap appears between “reasons for the decision,” “the decision” and “the decision and the action,” and between “the action and the continuation of that action.” A careful examination of the views of these two philosophers can open a new way for the question of “free will” and “freedom.” This is because both thinkers have also dealt with scientific issues and have considered various aspects of the phenomenon of “will” and its freedom or lack of freedom have been considered. This article, in addition to describing and clarifying the opinion of the two philosophers, is responsible for analytical, comparative, and critical points. The comparative and critical analysis of this article reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the views of these two philosophers. The idea of Jafari and John Searle is a new view on the issue of free will. Finally, it can be said that the scientific and philosophical attitude of these two philosophers can be a new way to develop other influential theories in this field. We can summarize the contents in such a way that this article includes the views of two philosophers along with analytical, critical, and comparative evaluation. The purpose of this study is to provide a new solution and further clarify the issue of free will with a descriptive-analytical method.

On the regular part of the Bloch Green’s function for the Laplacian: analytical formula and critical points

This paper is concerned with the regular part of the Bloch Green’s function in a Wigner–Seitz lattice cell. We first give a new fast converging series expression. Then we derive explicit expression using some Dedekind eta functions when the Bloch vector $$\mathbf {k}$$ are some rational numbers. Finally we study its critical points.