How Software Refactoring Impacts Execution Time

Refactoring aims at improving the maintainability of source code without modifying its external behavior. Previous works proposed approaches to recommend refactoring solutions to software developers. The generation of the recommended solutions is guided by metrics acting as proxy for maintainability (e.g., number of code smells removed by the recommended solution). These approaches ignore the impact of the recommended refactorings on other non-functional requirements, such as performance, energy consumption, and so forth. Little is known about the impact of refactoring operations on non-functional requirements other than maintainability. We aim to fill this gap by presenting the largest study to date to investigate the impact of refactoring on software performance, in terms of execution time. We mined the change history of 20 systems that defined performance benchmarks in their repositories, with the goal of identifying commits in which developers implemented refactoring operations impacting code components that are exercised by the performance benchmarks. Through a quantitative and qualitative analysis, we show that refactoring operations can significantly impact the execution time. Indeed, none of the investigated refactoring types can be considered “safe” in ensuring no performance regression. Refactoring types aimed at decomposing complex code entities (e.g., Extract Class/Interface, Extract Method) have higher chances of triggering performance degradation, suggesting their careful consideration when refactoring performance-critical code.

A novel theory of life and its implications on viruses and robots

A novel theory of life is proposed and its implications on the viruses and the future robots are discussed. The universal laws of physics are inferred phenomena that originate from the observed regularity in the physical realm. An apparent distinct feature of living beings compared to the nonliving ones is the presence of a higher level of regularity, which is indicative of a supplemental set of governing laws within the sphere of life. In this article a living or animate being is defined concisely as a natural entity whose internal changes and external behavior cannot be predicted by the universal laws and forces of physics alone at all times. Everything else is nonliving or inanimate. Likewise, life is defined as a supplemental set of laws and influences that act over a confined space which constitutes the domain of life, superimposed on the universal laws and forces of physics. Also, life is shown to be a field phenomenon like a quantum field, except that life pervades a bounded region rather than the entire spacetime. It is argued that life is an agency with causal power rather than an ordinary emergent property, and that a virus qualifies as a living being. The proposed field theory of life predicts that the future robots are unlikely to acquire life, and that the notion of highly intelligent future robots posing an existential threat to humanity is, in all likelihood, an illusion.

العلاقات الدولية في الإسلام: نحو نظرية معاصرة أكثر واقعية

This study aims at: First, examining the various opinions of the traditional theory of foreign relations from the perspective of the true Islamic religion, which historically was a reflection of the periods of the Islamic Conquests, and the reality of conflicts between the Islamic State, throughout its ages, and its enemies. Second, developing a realistic and a more adequate theoretical framework that consists with the current assumptions and concepts of international relations; but without contradicting with the principles governing the external relations of Muslim States in the past. It was not within the aims of this study to contradict jurisprudential opinions or develop others. Rather, it is an attempt to provide a better and more realistic understanding to the relations between Muslims, and other countries and societies; then, formulating the various opinions that we describe here-for the purpose of study only- as non-Traditionalism, within a framework through which the external behavior of Muslim societies or states can be interpreted from the perspective of the real teachings of Islam, not only normatively, according to the rule of "what should be; but also realistically, according to the contemporary circumstances and developments; so that any conflict between the Old, which had its legal and logical justifications, and the New, that requires more practical assumptions, will be resolved. The study has shown that some of the views of the traditional theory, specifically the division of the World into two domains, and the consideration of fight as an organizing principle of foreign relations in Islam, are not realistic. In addition, the Quranic texts that deal with this issue indicate, clearly, that peace is the legal basis for these relations. Accordingly, five general principles underpinning the contemporary Islamic theory of international relations have been defined, namely: The unity of the World on the basis that Islam is a global religion; peace is the principal that governs and regulates these relations; building forces for deterrence; and using power (force) in certain cases, specifically for self-defense, defending home/country and religion; and finally rejecting preemptive wars. Key Words: International Relations in Islam, War and Peace, Traditional Theory, Contemporary Theory, Preemptive Wars. تهدف هذه الدارسة إلى: أولاً، مراجعة آراءِ النظرية التقليدية الخاصة بالعلاقات الخارجية من منظور الدين الإسلامي الحنيف؛ والتي كانت تاريخياً انعكاساً لفترات الفتوحات الإسلامية، ولواقع النزاعات بين الدولة الإسلامية في مراحلها المختلفة، وأعدائها من الدول والإمبراطوريات المنافسة. وثانيا، بلورة إطار نظري واقعي وملائم ينسجم ومعطيات العصر ومفاهيمه؛ ولكن دون أن يتعارض مع القواعد الحاكمة لعلاقات الدولة والمجتمعات الإسلامية الخارجية في السابق. ولم يكن من أهداف هذه الدراسة مطلقاً، مخالفة اجتهادات فقهية أو استحداث أخرى؛ وإنما هي محاولة لتقديم فهم أفضل، وأكثر واقعية، للعلاقات بين المسلمين، وبين غيرهم من الدول والمجتمعات؛ ومن ثم صياغة الآراء، التي يمكننا وصفها هنا –لأغراض التمييز فقط-بالغير تقليدية، في إطار يُمكن من خلاله تفسير السلوك الخارجي للدولة من منظور الدين الإسلامي، ليس قِيَميّا وفق قاعدة "ما يجب أن يكون" فقط،-كما هو شائع في معظم أو ربما كل الدراسات التي تناولت هذا الموضوع المهم-، وإنما أيضاً واقعياً، وفق ما تفرضه الظروف والمستجدات المعاصرة؛ بحيث يُزال أي تعارض بين القديم، الذي كان له ظروفه ومبرراته الشرعية والمنطقية؛ والمستجد، الذي يتطلب طروحات أكثر عملية. وقد أظهرت الدراسة أن بعض آراء النظرية التقليدية، وتحديداً الخاصة بتقسيم العالم إلى دارين، واعتبار القتال أساس حاكم ومنظم للعلاقات الخارجية في الإسلام، ليست واقعية. كما أن النصوص القرآنية التي عالجت هذه المسألة، تشير بوضوح إلى أن السلم هو الأساس الشرعي لهذه العلاقات. وعليه فقد تم تحديد خمسة مبادئ عامة تقوم عليها النظرية الإسلامية المعاصرة للعلاقات الدولية، وهي: وحدة العالم على أساس أن الإسلام دين عالمي؛ والسلم كأساس حاكم ومنظم لهذه العلاقات؛ وبناء القوة للردع؛ واستخدامها في حالات محددة، وهي الدفاع عن النفس والدين والبلاد؛ ورفض الحروب الوقائية. كلمات دالة: علاقات دولية في الإسلام، السلم والحرب، النظرية التقليدية، النظرية المعاصرة، حروب وقائية.

On the forms of manifestation of intergenerational discourse

В статье исследуются формы актуализации межпоколенческого дискурса в речи. Данный дискурс, несмотря на повседневное использование, до недавнего времени оставался малоизученным с точки зрения лингвистики. Представляя собой лингвокультурный феномен, межпоколенческий дискурс подразумевает в широком смысле взаимодействие различных (двух и более) поколений людей, что определенным образом эксплицируется в процессе интеракции. В более узком смысле межпоколенческий дискурс представляет собой взаимодействие представителей различных поколений внутри одной семьи (поколенческая когорта объединена по биологическим признакам). Одним из наименее изученных аспектов является актуализация межпоколенческого дискурса, представленная преимущественно в трех формах: вербальной экспликации со стороны участвующих в интеракции конверсационных партнеров (представителей различных поколенческих когорт), сочетании вербальной и поведенческой внешней (невербальной) реакции, а также проявление только невербальной составляющей. Взаимодействие поколений подразумевает различные сочетания данных проявлений, которые, как правило, обладают определенной эмоциональной окрашенностью, как положительной, так и отрицательной с различной степенью эмоционального накала, что зависит от ориентации дискурса на кооперацию или на конфронтацию («конфликт поколений»). Проявления межпоколенческого взаимодействия, как и содержательная составляющая, детерминируются существующими социально-культурными условиями. The article explores the forms in which intergenerational discourse is revealed in people’s inter-actions. Despite the active daily use of intergenerational discourse this kind of discourse has so far not been studied thoroughly by linguists. Being a linguacultural phenomenon, intergenerational discourse, in a broad sense, presupposes the interaction of two or more different generations. In a narrow sense, intergenerational discourse means communication between the representatives of different generations within one family (a generational cohort is united by biological characteristics). One of the less researched areas is how this kind of discourse is manifested. The forms vary with three dominating patterns made visible in the interaction of the representatives of different generations; more specifically, the discourse can be observed in a pure verbal interaction of the dialogue participants (the representatives of specific generational cohorts), in the combination of the verbal and external behavior (non-verbal) manifestation, or only through non-verbal reactions. Intergenerational discourse aims either at cooperation or at confrontation (the conflict of generations). The forms of revealing intergenerational communication along with the content component are determined by the predominant social and cultural conditions and norms.

Model for Refactoring a Software Using Feature Oriented Dependency (FOD)

Refactoring is the process of improving the code of the software without affecting the external behavior of the code only by reconstruct the internal structure . It makes code cleaner, clearer, simpler or in other words, clean up the code. It also improves the quality of code then it became more reliable and easy to maintain through lifecycle of software. Refactoring has become renowned concept in software development process. The IDE (Integrated Development Environment) highly prefer this technique. Researches on refactoring technique have improved now a day. Beyond that, this particular technique is used to improve different functions of application software. It mainly speed up the function and helps to get the output much faster. In this proposed work Feature Oriented Dependency (FOD) tool is created used for refactoring process established on a chemical reaction optimization meta heuristic approach to discover the appropriate refactoring resolutions.

A Systems and Control Theory Approach for Law and Artificial Intelligence: Demystifying the “Black-Box”

In this paper, I propose a conceptual framework for law and artificial intelligence (AI) that is based on ideas derived from systems and control theory. The approach considers the relationship between the input to an AI-controlled system and the system’s output, which may affect events in the real-world. The approach aims to add to the current discussion among legal scholars and legislators on how to regulate AI, which focuses primarily on how the output, or external behavior of a system, leads to actions that may implicate the law. The goal of this paper is to show that not only is the systems output an important consideration for law and AI but so too is the relationship between the systems input to its desired output, as mediated through a feedback loop (and other control variables). In this paper, I argue that ideas derived from systems and control theory can be used to provide a conceptual framework to help understand how the law applies to AI, and particularly, to algorithmically based systems.

A Systems and Control Theory Approach for Law and Artificial Intelligence: Demystifying the “Black-Box”

In this paper, I propose a conceptual framework for law and artificial intelligence (AI) that is based on ideas derived from systems and control theory. The approach considers the relationship between the input to an AI-controlled system and the system’s output, which may affect events in the real-world. The approach aims to add to the current discussion among legal scholars and legislators on how to regulate AI, which focuses primarily on how the output, or external behavior of a system, leads to actions that may implicate the law. The goal of this paper is to show that not only is the systems output an important consideration for law and AI but so too is the relationship between the systems input to its desired output, as mediated through a feedback loop (and other control variables). In this paper, I argue that ideas derived from systems and control theory can be used to provide a conceptual framework to help understand how the law applies to AI, and particularly, to algorithmically based systems.

Polymeric Foam Pressure-sensing Pens for Measuring Written Language Production

To understand human cognition, cognitive and behavioral scientists measure external behavior using a variety of tools. However, many of these tools are not sensitive enough to detect small changes in behavior, they are too costly, or they can only be used in dedicated lab space, thus limiting behavioral science from studying many populations. Here, we present a reliable, robust, cost-effective device that can measure small modulations in human handwriting behavior through pressure sensing on the writing instrument itself. This is made possible through a cross-disciplinary approach, combining advantages of new, high-sensitivity pressure sensors and experimental psycholinguistics. We show that this instrument is reliable and sensitive to the typical pressure range in writing. Then, we present a proof of concept from an experimental replication and demonstrate the utility of handwriting pressure measurement in a classic experimental paradigm, thus opening new research directions in psycholinguistics, cognitive science, and psychology.