New Sequential Methods for Detecting Portscanners

In this paper, we propose new sequential methods for detecting port-scan attackers which routinely perform random "portscans" of IP addresses to find vulnerable servers to compromise. In addition to rigorously control the probability of falsely implicating benign remote hosts as malicious, our method performs significantly faster than other current solutions. Moreover, our method guarantees that the maximum amount of observational time is bounded. In contrast to the previous most effective method, Threshold Random Walk Algorithm, which is explicit and analytical in nature, our proposed algorithm involve parameters to be determined by numerical methods. We have developed computational techniques such as iterative minimax optimization for quick determination of the parameters of the new detection algorithm. A framework of multi-valued decision for testing portscanners is also proposed.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, the mathematical theory of the detection algorithm has been presented in SPIE conference

Some new methods for planetary exploration

For many centuries the planets of our solar system have been objects of study by astronomers. Before the invention of the telescope, these studies were restricted to an attempt to understand and predict their motion. Telescopes and accurate clocks allowed more precise observations to be made. By the 19th century, minor perturbations of the motions of the planets were being analyzed. By the end of this century, however, astronomers were becoming more interested in stellar and galactic problems, and the group interested in celestial mechanics and planetary observations appeared to be decreasing to a vanishing point in the mid-20th century. Then came the space program, and the possibility of performing experiments on, or at least near, other planets encouraged interest in the solar system to a remarkable degree

Predicting Betas: Two new methods

Betas play a central role in modern finance. The estimation of betas from historical data and their extrapolation into the future is of considerable practical interest. We propose two new methods: the first is a direct generalization of the method in Blume (1975), and the second is based on Procrustes rotation in phase space. We compare their performance with various competitors and draw some conclusions.systematic risk, beta coefficients, risk prediction, Procustes rotation

New Alignment Methods for Discriminative Book Summarization

We consider the unsupervised alignment of the full text of a book with a human-written summary. This presents challenges not seen in other text alignment problems, including a disparity in length and, consequent to this, a violation of the expectation that individual words and phrases should align, since large passages and chapters can be distilled into a single summary phrase. We present two new methods, based on hidden Markov models, specifically targeted to this problem, and demonstrate gains on an extractive book summarization task. While there is still much room for improvement, unsupervised alignment holds intrinsic value in offering insight into what features of a book are deemed worthy of summarization.Comment: This paper reflects work in progres

New methods in conformal partial wave analysis

We report on progress concerning the partial wave analysis of higher correlation functions in conformal quantum field theory.Comment: 16 page

Integrated assessment : new assessment methods literature review

The assessment of students in higher education performs a number of functions, some of which may not always be compatible with each other. Traditionally, the role of the assessor has involved determining the level of competence displayed in undertaking the task, and ideally, offering feedback on future learning needs (Rowntree, 1987). Assessment also provides grading for students’ work, allowing comparison of performance across a class, and across the curriculum for individual students. The subsequent gaining of a degree or professional qualification depends on students successfully completing a set of specified assessment tasks across the prescribed curriculum. As such, there may be stakeholders beyond the higher education institution, such as employers, regulatory bodies or clients, who believe the assessment process as being akin to certification or professional gatekeeping (Younes,1998). In professional courses such as social work, passing certain assessment tasks may be associated with notions such as fitness to practice and eligibility for professional registration as a social worker with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) or similar bodies in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, and beyond the United Kingdom. In terms of gatekeeping, assessment tasks may not only restrict who gains certification on exiting an educational programme, but also who is admitted in the first place. For example, requirements by registration authorities that students admitted to social work programmes have achieved specified levels of literacy and numeracy will require appropriate assessment tasks to determine equivalence for those entrants who have not achieved formal qualifications in these areas. Entry point assessments may also be used to determine whether credit should be granted on the basis of prior learning or experience (Slater, 2000) or to identify areas in which additional training may be required (Shera, 2001) In addition to gatekeeping, assessment clearly has a vital role to play in the ongoing development of learning and teaching strategies. It can be crucial in determining what, why and how students learn (Brown, Bull and Pendlebury, 1997) and there is increasing recognition of the necessity to align learning and assessment tasks, so that learning and assessment become aligned rather than being somewhat independent of each other (Biggs, 2003). Furthermore, in an era when evaluation of teaching is often reduced to student satisfaction surveys, critical reflection on work submitted for assessment can serve as an alternative method of evaluating the success of teaching. The nature of assessment has changed considerably since the 1970s, and is ongoing. The key changes have included moves from written examinations to coursework assignments and more emphasis on student participation in assessment (self and peer assessments), processes rather than products, and on competencies rather than content (Brown et al., 1997). Even the more traditional forms of assessment such as essays and examinations have undergone considerable innovations. Yet, in practice these seemingly radical changes may be more a wish list than a statement of fact. In actuality, some new forms of assessment, such as self and peer assessment may simply have been added onto rather than replaced more traditional modes of assessment (Cree, 2000). Changes to assessment in social work tend to reflect changes in higher education more widely such as the emergence of competency based and modular approaches to learning, as well more proceduralised assessment processes necessary to cope with higher numbers of students (Cree, 2000). There is considerable divergence of opinion amongst the social work education community in the United Kingdom as to whether such changes actually benefit social work students and their learning (eg Clark, 1997; Ford and Hayes, 1996; O’Hagan, 1997; Shardlow and Doel, 1996). There have also been concerns expressed as to whether some new forms of assessment are actually capable of achieving the learning they claim to facilitate Boud, 1999; Entwistle, 1990; Taylor, 1993). This report was commissioned by the Scottish Institute for Excellence in Social Work Education (SIESWE) as a resource on assessment for the development of the new social work degree in Scotland and provides an overview of the current literature on assessment methods being utilised in social work education both in the United Kingdom and beyond. This report begins by reviewing the various methods of assessment in social work education which were found in the literature. We then go on to explore the developing literature on the involvement of persons other than social work academics, such as students and service users, in the assessment process. Finally, we consider the importance of developing and assessment strategy which might incorporate these various different forms of assessmen

Physical methods for soil disinfestation in intensive agriculture: Old methods and new approaches

Physical soil disinfestation is worldwide mainly applied in protected cropping systems or in small-scale intensive field crops. Continuous cropping of monocultures or different host plants for the same pest or pathogen often leads to heavily infested soils which forces growers to disinfest the soil thoroughly. The oldest method is steam sterilization which is applied for more than a century. In the 1970s hot water treatment of soils was developed in Japan. Hot water is applied to the soil surface to raise soil temperatures to lethal levels. Since the 1980s inundation became a new method in the Netherlands and is applied in bulb cultures. This so-called flooding of soils creates anaerobic soil conditions in which toxic compounds like greenhouse gases are produced. A new approach in soil disinfestation in the current century is hot air treatment which is developed in Israel. The method is based on blowing extremely hot air into soil particles which are thrown above soil surface into a heat chamber by a rotary spading device. In the Netherlands renewed interest has started in radiation of soil with micro waves. Radiation of soil or other substrates has been studied for decades. The mechanism is that the heat produced by radiation is lethal to pathogens and pests. Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) with incorporation of fresh organic matter in soil is a method developed in the Netherlands. A new and promising Dutch development in ASD is the application of defined products. Advantages and disadvantages of all methods are presented in this paper