Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis and improvement of a multi-factor biometric authentication scheme

In order to enhance the security in wireless communication, authentication schemes come to be more crucial and widely deployed recently, especially those which are referred to as multi-factor biometric authentication that base on password, biometrics, and smart card protections. A new scheme in this way was proposed in 2010 by Li and Hwang. Then Das extended the work of Li et al. and made an improvement of their weak scheme in 2011. However, in 2012, Younghwa An demonstrated that Das's protocol failed to achieve mutual authentication for the server and the user. In this paper, it is described that Younghwa An's scheme cannot withstand the following two attacks. i It is still vulnerable to replay attack, then an adversary can masquerade as the legal server. ii It cannot provide user anonymity and resistance to user masquerading attack, because an adversary can execute the re-registration process by intercepting the IDi in the login phase. Therefore, an improvement to Younghwa An's scheme is presented in this paper. Then, security formal analysis of the modified scheme using the Burrows-Abadi-Needham logic is given, which demonstrates that the modified scheme with slight high computation costs can protect against the several possible attacks. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
GABA-mediated inhibition of locus coeruleus from the dorsomedial rostral medulla

Recent anatomic studies in our laboratory (Aston-Jones et al., 1986) identified the nucleus prepositus hypoglossi (PrH) in the dorsomedial medulla as a major afferent of the locus coeruleus (LC). In the present studies, the influence of projections from PrH to LC was assessed in anesthetized rats. Focal electrical stimulation of PrH inhibited the spontaneous discharge of 42 of 47 LC neurons; the latency to onset of such inhibition was 19.8 +/- 2.5 msec and its duration was 172.4 +/- 10.4 msec. PrH-evoked inhibition of LC neurons was unaffected by administration of the opiate receptor antagonist naloxone or the alpha 2-receptor antagonist idazoxan but was substantially reduced by systemic picrotoxin, an antagonist of GABA. The GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline methiodide blocked the inhibition from PrH, whether applied by local microinfusion or iontophoresis into the LC. These results lead us to propose that PrH provides a direct inhibitory synaptic input to LC, for which GABA is the likely transmitter.
Proteome dynamics in primary target organ of infectious bursal disease virus

Viruses induce dramatic changes in target tissue during pathogenesis, including host cellular responses that either limit or support the pathogen. The infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) targets primarily the bursa of Fabricius (BF) of chickens, causing severe immunodeficiency. Here, we characterized the cellular proteome changes of the BF caused by IBDV replication in vivo using 2DE followed MALDI‐TOF MS identification. Comparative analysis of multiple 2DE gels revealed that the majority of protein expression changes appeared between 24 and 96 h after IBDV infection. MS identified 54 altered cell proteins, 12 of which were notably upregulated by IBDV infection. Meanwhile, the other 42 cellular proteins were considerably suppressed by IBDV infection and are involved in protein degradation, energy metabolism, stress response, host macromolecular biosynthesis, and transport process. The upregulation of β‐actin and downregulation of dynamin during IBDV infection were also confirmed by Western blot and immunofluorescence analysis. These altered protein expressions provide a response profile of chicken BF to virulent IBDV infection. Further functional study on these altered proteins may lead to better understanding of pathogenic mechanisms of virulent IBDV infection and to new potential therapeutic targets.
Fitness Impaired Drug Resistant HIV-1 Is Not Compromised in Cell-to-Cell Transmission or Establishment of and Reactivation from Latency

Both the presence of latently infected cells and cell-to-cell viral transmission are means whereby HIV can partially evade the inhibitory activities of antiretroviral drugs. The clinical use of a novel integrase inhibitor, dolutegravir (DTG), has established hope that this compound may limit HIV persistence, since no treatment-naïve patient treated with DTG has yet developed resistance against this drug, even though a R263K substitution in integrase confers low-level resistance to this drug in tissue culture. Here, we have studied the impact of R263K on HIV replication capacity and the ability of HIV to establish or be reactivated from latency and/or spread through cell-to-cell transmission. We affirm that DTG-resistant viruses have diminished capacity to replicate and establish infection. However, DTG-resistant viruses were efficiently transmitted via cell-to-cell contacts, and were as likely to establish and be reactivated from latent infection as wildtype viruses. Both cell-to-cell transmission of HIV and the establishment of and reemergence from latency are important for the establishment and maintenance of viral reservoirs. Since the DTG and other drug-resistant viruses studied here do not seem to have been impaired in regard to these activities, studies should be undertaken to characterize HIV reservoirs in patients who have been treated with DTG.
Efficient Processing of Top-k Queries in Uncertain Databases with x-Relations

This work introduces novel polynomial algorithms for processing top-k queries in uncertain databases under the generally adopted model of x-relations. An x-relation consists of a number of x-tuples, and each x-tuple randomly instantiates into one tuple from one or more alternatives. Our results significantly improve the best known algorithms for top-k query processing in uncertain databases, in terms of both runtime and memory usage. In the single-alternative case, the new algorithms are 2 to 3 orders of magnitude faster than the previous algorithms. In the multialternative case, we introduce the first-known polynomial algorithms, while the current best algorithms have exponential complexity in both time and space. Our algorithms run in near linear or low polynomial time and cover both types of top-k queries in uncertain databases. We provide both the theoretical analysis and an extensive experimental evaluation to demonstrate the superiority of the new approaches over existing solutions.
Insight Into Gate-Induced Drain Leakage in Silicon Nanowire Transistors

In this paper, detailed physical mechanisms of gate-induced drain leakage (GIDL) in gate-all-around silicon nanowire transistors (SNWTs) are investigated and verified by experiments and TCAD studies. The results show that the SNWTs will suffer from a more severe GIDL issue in small diameter (Dnw) devices under low IVgsI. It is believed that this unexpected GIDL problem in SNWTs origins from the longitudinal band-to-band tunneling (L-BTBT) at the body/drain junction enhanced by the strong gate coupling to the depletion region, which usually can be neglected in planar devices. On the other hand, the traditional transverse BTBT (T-BTBT) only dominates at high IVgsI with relatively large Dnw. Systematic study of GIDL dependence on process parameters, including Dnw cross-sectional shape, doping, and overlap length (Lov), shows that both T-BTBT and L-BTBT can be alleviated by reducing the doping and rounding the corner, but L-BTBT is worsened by reducing Dnw and Lov despite of the alleviated T-BTBT. As the extension process engineering strongly impacts the short-channel effect and driving current of SNWTs, a GIDL optimization strategy considering the leakage power and device performance is given for low-power SNWT design.
Behavioral Periodicity Detection from 24 h Wrist Accelerometry and Associations with Cardiometabolic Risk and Health-Related Quality of Life

Periodicities (repeating patterns) are observed in many human behaviors. Their strength may capture untapped patterns that incorporate sleep, sedentary, and active behaviors into a single metric indicative of better health. We present a framework to detect periodicities from longitudinal wrist-worn accelerometry data. GENEActiv accelerometer data were collected from 20 participants (17 men, 3 women, aged 35–65) continuously for 64.4 ± 26.2 (range: 13.9 to 102.0) consecutive days. Cardiometabolic risk biomarkers and health-related quality of life metrics were assessed at baseline. Periodograms were constructed to determine patterns emergent from the accelerometer data. Periodicity strength was calculated using circular autocorrelations for time-lagged windows. The most notable periodicity was at 24 h, indicating a circadian rest-activity cycle; however, its strength varied significantly across participants. Periodicity strength was most consistently associated with LDL-cholesterol (r's = 0.40–0.79, P's < 0.05) and triglycerides (r's = 0.68–0.86, P's < 0.05) but also associated with hs-CRP and health-related quality of life, even after adjusting for demographics and self-rated physical activity and insomnia symptoms. Our framework demonstrates a new method for characterizing behavior patterns longitudinally which captures relationships between 24 h accelerometry data and health outcomes.
Strength and stiffness assessment technologies for improving grading effectiveness of radiata pine wood

This work was designed to provide the Australian structural radiata pine processing industry with some indications for improving stress grading methods and/or technologies to give an increase in structural grade yields, and significantly reduce processing costs without compromising product quality. To achieve this, advanced statistical techniques were used in conjunction with state-of-the-art property measurement systems applied to the same sample of sawn timber. Acoustic vibration analyses were conducted on green and dry boards. Raw data from existing in-line systems was captured on the same boards. The Metriguard HCLT stress rating system was used as the “reference” machine grading because of its current common use in the industry. A WoodEye® optical scanning system and an X-ray LHG scanner were also able to provide relevant information on knots. The data set was analyzed using classical and advanced statistical tools to provide correlations between data sets, and to develop efficient strength and stiffness prediction equations. Reductions in non-structural dry volumes can be achieved.
Color correction for mobile panorama imaging

This paper presents a simple and efficient color and luminance compensation approach for image sequences for constructing panoramic images on mobile devices. In this approach, constant compensation coefficients for adjacent images are computed from the corresponding pixels in the overlapping areas of the adjacent images in the linearized RGB color space. A global adjustment for all compensation coefficients is performed so that the correction for each image is as small as possible. This can smooth color transition between adjacent images in the image sequence globally and reduce cumulative errors in the color correction process. The compensation coefficients, together with the global adjustment factor, are applied to correct color and luminance of source images in the image sequence before they are stitched into a panoramic image. Our algorithm is not sensitive to the quality of spatial registration since it does not need exact pixel correspondences between the overlapped images. The computation of compensation coefficients for each adjacent image takes the gamma correction factor into account, producing better results. Running the method separately on the three channels matches the color balance that may not match due to auto-white-balancing algorithm. A global adjustment for the compensation coefficients minimizes color transitions and reduces cumulative errors. The approach is integrated into a sequential image stitching procedure and implemented in a mobile panorama system, good results have been obtained for both indoor and outdoor scenes.
Interferometric silicon biochips for label and label‐free DNA and protein microarrays

Protein and DNA microarrays hold the promise to revolutionize the field of molecular diagnostics. Traditional microarray applications employ labeled detection strategies based on the use of fluorescent and chemiluminescent secondary antibodies. However, the development of high throughput, sensitive, label‐free detection techniques is attracting attention as they do not require labeled reactants and provide quantitative information on binding kinetics. In this article, we will provide an overview of the recent author's work in label and label‐free sensing platforms employing silicon/silicon oxide (Si/SiO2) substrates for interferometric and/or fluorescence detection of microarrays. The review will focus on applications of Si/SiO2 with controlled oxide layers to (i) enhance the fluorescence intensity by optical interferences, (ii) quantify with sub‐nanometer accuracy the axial locations of fluorophore‐labeled probes tethered to the surface, and (iii) detect protein–protein interactions label free. Different methods of biofunctionalization of the sensing surface will be discussed. In particular, organosilanization reactions for monodimensional coatings and polymeric coatings will be extensively reviewed. Finally, the importance of calibration of protein microarrays through the dual use of labeled and label‐free detection schemes on the same chip will be illustrated.
THE HOPF CONJECTURE FOR MANIFOLDS WITH ABELIAN GROUP ACTIONS

Let M be a closed even n-manifold of positive sectional curvature on which a torus Tk acts isometrically. We show that if (respectively, k > 1) for n ≠ 12 (respectively, n = 12), then the Euler characteristic of each Tk-fixed point component is positive. This implies that the Euler characteristic of M is positive. We also extend this result to an isometric elementary p-group -action on a closed manifold of positive sectional curvature.
Comparison of Cefazolin versus Oxacillin for Treatment of Complicated Bacteremia Caused by Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus

ABSTRACT Contrary to prior case reports that described occasional clinical failures with cefazolin for methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infections, recent studies have demonstrated no difference in outcomes between cefazolin and antistaphylococcal penicillins for the treatment of MSSA bacteremia. While promising, these studies described low frequencies of high-inoculum infections, such as endocarditis. This retrospective study compares clinical outcomes of cefazolin versus oxacillin for complicated MSSA bacteremia at two tertiary care hospitals between January 2008 and June 2012. Fifty-nine patients treated with cefazolin and 34 patients treated with oxacillin were included. Osteoarticular (41%) and endovascular (20%) sources were the predominant sites of infection. The rates of clinical cure at the end of therapy were similar between cefazolin and oxacillin (95% versus 88%; P = 0.25), but overall failure at 90 days was higher in the oxacillin arm (47% versus 24%; P = 0.04). Failures were more likely to have received surgical interventions (63% versus 40%; P = 0.05) and to have an osteoarticular source (57% versus 33%; P = 0.04). Failures also had a longer duration of bacteremia (7 versus 3 days; P = 0.0002), which was the only predictor of failure. Antibiotic selection was not predictive of failure. Rates of adverse drug events were higher in the oxacillin arm (30% versus 3%; P = 0.0006), and oxacillin was more frequently discontinued due to adverse drug events (21% versus 3%; P = 0.01). Cefazolin appears similar to oxacillin for the treatment of complicated MSSA bacteremia but with significantly improved safety. The higher rates of failure with oxacillin may have been confounded by other patient factors and warrant further investigation.
Interaural Level Differences Do Not Suffice for Restoring Spatial Release from Masking in Simulated Cochlear Implant Listening

Spatial release from masking refers to a benefit for speech understanding. It occurs when a target talker and a masker talker are spatially separated. In those cases, speech intelligibility for target speech is typically higher than when both talkers are at the same location. In cochlear implant listeners, spatial release from masking is much reduced or absent compared with normal hearing listeners. Perhaps this reduced spatial release occurs because cochlear implant listeners cannot effectively attend to spatial cues. Three experiments examined factors that may interfere with deploying spatial attention to a target talker masked by another talker. To simulate cochlear implant listening, stimuli were vocoded with two unique features. First, we used 50-Hz low-pass filtered speech envelopes and noise carriers, strongly reducing the possibility of temporal pitch cues; second, co-modulation was imposed on target and masker utterances to enhance perceptual fusion between the two sources. Stimuli were presented over headphones. Experiments 1 and 2 presented high-fidelity spatial cues with unprocessed and vocoded speech. Experiment 3 maintained faithful long-term average interaural level differences but presented scrambled interaural time differences with vocoded speech. Results show a robust spatial release from masking in Experiments 1 and 2, and a greatly reduced spatial release in Experiment 3. Faithful long-term average interaural level differences were insufficient for producing spatial release from masking. This suggests that appropriate interaural time differences are necessary for restoring spatial release from masking, at least for a situation where there are few viable alternative segregation cues.
Second Language Interference during First Language Processing by Arabic–English Bilinguals

The research investigated whether a bilinguals’ second language (L2) is activated during a task involving only the first language (L1). We tested the hypothesis that the amount of L2 interference can vary across settings, with less interference occurring in testing locations where L2 is rarely used. In Experiment 1, we compared language processing for 50 Arabic–English bilinguals tested in Saudi Arabia and 49 Arabic–English tested in the United States. In the task, participants viewed a picture and judged whether a phoneme presented over headphones was part of the L1 picture name. The results showed no effect of testing location on processing. For both groups of bilinguals, we observed L2 interference in mean error rates, but not in mean response times. We also found evidence for L2 interference in correlational analyses between response times and (a) participants’ weekly L2 usage and (b) frequency of English picture names. A second experiment with 24 Arabic monolinguals supported the conclusion that the results with bilinguals were due to L2 interference. Implications for theories of bilingual memory are discussed.
Breast cancer knowledge and screening practices: a survey of 1,000 Asian women.

INTRODUCTION The incidence of breast cancer in Asia is rapidly rising. Knowledge and perception often influence attendance at screening programmes. However, there has not been any survey to assess the level of knowledge of breast cancer in an Asian population. Singapore has a multiracial population and is the only Asian country with a national screening programme. We conducted a survey on 1,000 women to assess their level of knowledge and screening practices. METHODS A self-administered questionnaire was used, where one point was given for a correct answer and zero for an incorrect / "not sure" response. The maximum knowledge score was 19. The women were also surveyed for their screening practices. Points were not assigned to questions on practice. RESULTS The response rate was 100 percent. The mean score was 11.4 and the median was 12 (range 0-19). The scores were high for general knowledge and disease progression, but poor for risk factors, screening, symptoms and treatment. Several myths and misconceptions were prevalent. Only 53 percent did regular breast self-examination (BSE), while 57 percent of women aged 40 years and above had gone for a screening mammogram. Increasing age, Malay race, lower educational level, lower socioeconomic class and not knowing anyone with breast cancer were significant independent predictors of poor knowledge. Higher educational level and knowledge scores were significant independent predictors of BSE practice and screening mammogram attendance. CONCLUSION Knowledge affects practice. Public education is required to correct misconceptions and focus on women with poor knowledge. This would help to improve screening attendance rates.
Fabrication and Machining of Bulk Metallic Glass for Airborne Gravity Gradiometry

Bulk metallic glass is an intriguing material ideally suited for use as a flexure in an airborne gravity gradiometry. Successful fabrication of Zr56Ni20Al15Cu5Nb4 was achieved using arc melting and suction casting. The effect of oxygen and microalloying Nb into this alloy composition was investigated. It was determined that oxygen in solute form is much more detrimental than as an oxide with respect to glass forming ability. Through microalloying Nb, a high glass forming region was observed between 2 – 4 at. % Nb. Studies on crystallization kinetics revealed that upon heating these amorphous samples, a multi-step phase transformation pathway can be observed. Lastly, electrochemical micromachining (ECMM) and abrasive water jet machining (AWJM) were shown to be effective techniques which can be used to shape BMGs after casting without inducing crystallization. ECMM parameters were investigated to optimize the micron-machining process. AWJM demonstrated that fast cutting could be achieved with smooth surface finishes and good dimensional tolerance.
Lifetime Estimation of Intrinsic Silicon Nitride MIM Capacitors in a GaN MMIC Process

We have studied the reliability of intrinsic SiN MIM capacitors designed for 48 V and 125 0 C operation and manufactured in a GaN process flow. It is shown that very small area capacitors (10um x 10um) with a dielectric thickness of 400nm exhibit lifetimes as long as 1.48E10 hours under such conditions.
Clinical features of microdeletion 9q22.3 (pat)

Congenital anomaly syndromes manifesting overgrowth are rare, and only a small number of recognized or defined conditions are known to be associated with overgrowth. Some of them are related to genomic imprinting as a genetic cause. We report a girl who showed pre‐ and postnatal overgrowth who was found to have a 2.3‐Mb deletion of 9q22.32 involving PTCH1, the gene responsible for Gorlin syndrome (nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome), by array‐comparative genomic hybridization analysis. Clinical re‐evaluation according to the diagnostic criteria was performed after identification of the PTCH1 deletion, and the patient was then diagnosed as having Gorlin syndrome. Further delineation involved unusual features including cerebellar dysplasia, an ectopic meninx on her shoulder, and an intraorbital hemangioma. Overgrowth is not a common finding in Gorlin syndrome. We reviewed 23 patients reported to have a 9q22 deletion. Five patients, including our patient, had overgrowth and loss of the paternal allele.