This study is concerned with whether it is possible to detect what information contained in the training data and background knowledge is relevant for solving the learning problem, and whether irrelevant information can be eliminated in preprocessing before starting the learning process. A case study of data preprocessing for a hybrid genetic algorithm shows that the elimination of irrelevant f...

Software maintainers are faced with the task of regression testing: retesting a modified program on an often large number of test cases. The cost of regression testing can be reduced if the size of the program that must be retested is reduced and if old test cases and old test results can be reused. Tw o complimentary algorithms for reducing the cost of regression testing are presented. The fir...

Test costs and misclassification costs are two most important types in cost-sensitive learning. In decision systems with both costs, there is a tradeoff between them while building a classifier. Generally, with more attributes selected and more information available, the test cost increases, and the misclassification cost decreases. We shall deliberately select an attribute subset such that the...

We present a theoretical analysis and empirical evaluations of a novel set of techniques for computational cost reduction of classifiers that are based on learned transform and soft-threshold. By modifying optimization procedures for dictionary and classifier training, as well as the resulting dictionary elements, our techniques allow to reduce the bit precision and to replace each floating-poi...

We propose a novel algorithm for calculating multi-baryon correlation functions on the lattice. By considering the permutation of quarks (Wick contractions) and color/spinor contractions simultaneously, we construct a unified index list for the contraction where the redundancies in the original contraction are eliminated. We find that a significant reduction in the computational cost of correla...

HIV prevalence worldwide among people who inject drugs (PWID) is around 19%. Harm reduction for PWID includes needle-syringe programs (NSPs) and opioid substitution therapy (OST) but often coupled with antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people living with HIV. Numerous studies have examined the effectiveness of each harm reduction strategy. This commentary discusses the evidence of effectiveness ...

This paper presents a PC-based thermal cycler with a local-host architecture, where a PC is employed as the host. The local system only executes the thermal cycling process and the PC is responsible for the management of PCR protocols with a convenient GUI. The presented local-host system greatly reduces the development time and the maintenance cost, providing an economical PCR thermal cycler.

A model-based approach for minimization of test sets for human-computer interactions is introduced. Test cases are efficiently generated and selected to cover the behavioral model of the system under test (SUT) and its fault model that is constructed by complementing the original model. Results known from statebased conformance testing and graph theory are used and extended to construct algorit...

Sugarcane mills (SCMs) and sugarcane suppliers (SCSs) use different production systems. To increase competitiveness, these systems cost reduction, high productivity investment, technology strategies according to their scale of production, that is, small (S), medium (M), or large (L). The question arises is: which the three scales, among SCMs SCSs, have best competitiveness index in activities r...

BACKGROUND In a randomized, controlled trial (RCT) on childhood eczema we reported that substituting nurse practitioners (NPs) for dermatologists resulted in similar outcomes of eczema severity and in the quality of life, and higher patient satisfaction. OBJECTIVES To determine costs and cost-effectiveness of care provided by NPs vs. dermatologists and to compare our results with those in stu...