On a variant of Monotone NAE-3SAT and the Triangle-Free Cut problem

In this paper we define a restricted version of Monotone NAE-3SAT and show that it remains NP-Complete even under that restriction. We expect this result would be useful in proving NP-Completeness results for problems on $k$-colourable graphs ($k \ge 5$). We also prove the NP-Completeness of the Triangle-Free Cut problem

Investigating affordances of virtual worlds for real world B2C e-commerce

Virtual worlds are three-dimensional (3D) online persistent multi-user environments where users interact through avatars. The literature suggests that virtual worlds can facilitate real world business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce. However, few real world businesses have adopted virtual worlds for B2C e-commerce. In this paper, we present results from interviews with consumers in a virtual world to investigate how virtual worlds can support B2C e-commerce. A thematic analysis of the data was conducted to uncover affordances and constraints of virtual worlds for B2C e-commerce. Two affordances (habitability and appearance of realness) and one constraint (demand for specialised skill) were uncovered. The implications of this research for designers are (1) to provide options to consumers that enable them to manage their online reputation, (2) to focus on managing consumers’ expectations and (3) to facilitate learning between consumers

Religious Vehicle Stickers in Nigeria: a discourse of identity, faith and social vision

This study focuses on analysing the ways in which vehicle stickers construct individual and group identities, people’s religious faith and social vision in the context of religious assumptions and practices in Nigeria. Data comprise 73 vehicle stickers collected in Lagos and Ota, between 2006 and 2007 and are analysed within the framework of the post-structuralist model of discourse analysis which views discourse as a product of a complex system of social and institutional practices that sustain its continuous existence (Derrida, 1982; Fairclough, 1989, 1992, 1995; Foucault, 1972, 1981). Results show that through stickers people define their individual and group identities within religious institutional practices. And as a means of group identification, they guarantee social security and privileges. In constructing social vision the stickers help mould the individual aspiration about a future which transcends the present. Significantly, stickers in the data also reveal the tension between Islam and Christianity and the struggle to propagate one above the other. KEY WORDS: assumption, discourse, discursive, practices, religion, stickers

The Impact of Large Language Models on Scientific Discovery: a Preliminary Study using GPT-4

In recent years, groundbreaking advancements in natural language processing have culminated in the emergence of powerful large language models (LLMs), which have showcased remarkable capabilities across a vast array of domains, including the understanding, generation, and translation of natural language, and even tasks that extend beyond language processing. In this report, we delve into the performance of LLMs within the context of scientific discovery, focusing on GPT-4, the state-of-the-art language model. Our investigation spans a diverse range of scientific areas encompassing drug discovery, biology, computational chemistry (density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD)), materials design, and partial differential equations (PDE). Evaluating GPT-4 on scientific tasks is crucial for uncovering its potential across various research domains, validating its domain-specific expertise, accelerating scientific progress, optimizing resource allocation, guiding future model development, and fostering interdisciplinary research. Our exploration methodology primarily consists of expert-driven case assessments, which offer qualitative insights into the model's comprehension of intricate scientific concepts and relationships, and occasionally benchmark testing, which quantitatively evaluates the model's capacity to solve well-defined domain-specific problems. Our preliminary exploration indicates that GPT-4 exhibits promising potential for a variety of scientific applications, demonstrating its aptitude for handling complex problem-solving and knowledge integration tasks. Broadly speaking, we evaluate GPT-4's knowledge base, scientific understanding, scientific numerical calculation abilities, and various scientific prediction capabilities.Comment: 230 pages report; 181 pages for main content

Identification of irregularities and allocation suggestion of relative file system permissions

It is well established that file system permissions in large, multi-user environments can be audited to identify vulnerabilities with respect to what is regarded as standard practice. For example, identifying that a user has an elevated level of access to a system directory which is unnecessary and introduces a vulnerability. Similarly, the allocation of new file system permissions can be assigned following the same standard practices. On the contrary, and less well established, is the identification of potential vulnerabilities as well as the implementation of new permissions with respect to a system's current access control implementation. Such tasks are heavily reliant on expert interpretation. For example, the assigned relationship between users and groups, directories and their parents, and the allocation of permissions on file system resources all need to be carefully considered. This paper presents the novel use of statistical analysis to establish independence and homogeneity in allocated file system permissions. This independence can be interpreted as potential anomalies in a system's implementation of access control. The paper then presents the use of instance-based learning to suggest the allocation of new permissions conforming to a system's current implementation structure. Following this, both of the presented techniques are then included in a tool for interacting with Microsoft's New Technology File System (NTFS) permissions. This involves experimental analysis on six different NTFS directory structures within different organisations. The effectiveness of the developed technique is then established through analysing the true positive and true negative values. The presented results demonstrate the potential of the proposed techniques for overcoming complexities with real-world file system administratio

Evaluating the robustness of objective pilling classification with the two-dimensional discrete wavelet transform

Previously, we proposed a new method of frequency domain analysis based on the two-dimensional discrete wavelet transform to objectively measure pilling intensity in sample fabric images. We have further evaluated this method, and our results indicate that it is robust to small horizontal and/or vertical translations and to significant variations in the brightness of the image under analysis, and is sensitive to rotation and to dilation of the image. These results suggest that as long as precautions are taken to ensure fabric test samples are imaged under consistent conditions of weave/knit pattern alignment (rotation) and apparent interyarn pitch (dilation), the method will yield repeatable results. <br /

University Finds Windows HPC Server Matches Linux in Validated SPEC Benchmarks

Case study: Indiana University (IU) ran the first published, validated high-performance computing (HPC) benchmarks on Windows HPC Server and Linux, and found the two perform about the same across applications and cluster sizes. But Windows HPC Server opens new possibilities when it comes to market options and use beyond the traditional science uses of HPC. IU is planning to implement Windows HPC Server in its overall HPC strategy