Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
From Throw-Away Traffic to Bots: Detecting the Rise of DGA-Based Malware

Many botnet detection systems employ a blacklist of known command and control (C&C) domains to detect bots and block their traffic. Similar to signature-based virus detection, such a botnet detection approach is static because the blacklist is updated only after running an external (and often manual) process of domain discovery. As a response, botmasters have begun employing domain generation algorithms (DGAs) to dynamically produce a large number of random domain names and select a small subset for actual C&C use. That is, a C&C domain is randomly generated and used for a very short period of time, thus rendering detection approaches that rely on static domain lists ineffective. Naturally, if we know how a domain generation algorithm works, we can generate the domains ahead of time and still identify and block bot-net C&C traffic. The existing solutions are largely based on reverse engineering of the bot malware executables, which is not always feasible. In this paper we present a new technique to detect randomly generated domains without reversing. Our insight is that most of the DGA-generated (random) domains that a bot queries would result in Non-Existent Domain (NXDomain) responses, and that bots from the same bot-net (with the same DGA algorithm) would generate similar NXDomain traffic. Our approach uses a combination of clustering and classification algorithms. The clustering algorithm clusters domains based on the similarity in the make-ups of domain names as well as the groups of machines that queried these domains. The classification algorithm is used to assign the generated clusters to models of known DGAs. If a cluster cannot be assigned to a known model, then a new model is produced, indicating a new DGA variant or family. We implemented a prototype system and evaluated it on real-world DNS traffic obtained from large ISPs in North America. We report the discovery of twelve DGAs. Half of them are variants of known (botnet) DGAs, and the other half are brand new DGAs that have never been reported before.
Is IT Really about Facts? The positive Side of "Meforming" for turning Self-Disclosure into Social Capital in Enterprise Social Media

Through the way in which people communicate they can affect their relationships, social network structures and ultimately the social capital acquired through their connections. We understand social capital from an ego-centric point of view as the resources obtained through the relationships among people within social networks. Social capital is a key factor for the performance of individuals and organizations. Therefore, companies increasingly implement social media platforms to facilitate communication among employees and to leverage the social capital benefits. To enhance our understanding of successfully building social capital through communication in enterprise social media, we apply human coding and quantitative analysis to the content and tone of 6,306 enterprise microblogging messages created by 136 employees of an international financial service provider. In accordance with existing information systems (IS) literature, we develop a model-based operationalization of communication styles and empirically abstract the two general communication types of In- and Meformers. Analysing the individual network structures of these communication types, we identify differences in the effectiveness building of social capital. Contrary to preliminary findings in public social media, our results suggest that a more self-disclosing communication type benefits from a higher efficacy in building social capital compared to a primarily factual-oriented communication type.
A Probabilistic Approach to Receptive Field Mapping in the Frontal Eye Fields

Studies of the neuronal mechanisms of perisaccadic vision often lack the resolution needed to determine important changes in receptive field (RF) structure. Such limited analytical power can lead to inaccurate descriptions of visuomotor processing. To address this issue, we developed a precise, probabilistic technique that uses a generalized linear model (GLM) for mapping the visual RFs of frontal eye field (FEF) neurons during stable fixation (Mayo et al., 2015). We previously found that full-field RF maps could be obtained using 1–8 dot stimuli presented at frame rates of 10–150 ms. FEF responses were generally robust to changes in the number of stimuli presented or the rate of presentation, which allowed us to visualize RFs over a range of spatial and temporal resolutions. Here, we compare the quality of RFs obtained over different stimulus and GLM parameters to facilitate future work on the detailed mapping of FEF RFs. We first evaluate the interactions between the number of stimuli presented per trial, the total number of trials, and the quality of RF mapping. Next, we vary the spatial resolution of our approach to illustrate the tradeoff between visualizing RF sub-structure and sampling at high resolutions. We then evaluate local smoothing as a possible correction for situations where under-sampling occurs. Finally, we provide a preliminary demonstration of the usefulness of a probabilistic approach for visualizing full-field perisaccadic RF shifts. Our results present a powerful, and perhaps necessary, framework for studying perisaccadic vision that is applicable to FEF and possibly other visuomotor regions of the brain.
Arabidopsis ACCELERATED CELL DEATH2 Modulates Programmed Cell Death[W]

The Arabidopsis thaliana chloroplast protein ACCELERATED CELL DEATH2 (ACD2) modulates the amount of programmed cell death (PCD) triggered by Pseudomonas syringae and protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) treatment. In vitro, ACD2 can reduce red chlorophyll catabolite, a chlorophyll derivative. We find that ACD2 shields root protoplasts that lack chlorophyll from light- and PPIX-induced PCD. Thus, chlorophyll catabolism is not obligatory for ACD2 anti-PCD function. Upon P. syringae infection, ACD2 levels and localization change in cells undergoing PCD and in their close neighbors. Thus, ACD2 shifts from being largely in chloroplasts to partitioning to chloroplasts, mitochondria, and, to a small extent, cytosol. ACD2 protects cells from PCD that requires the early mitochondrial oxidative burst. Later, the chloroplasts of dying cells generate NO, which only slightly affects cell viability. Finally, the mitochondria in dying cells have dramatically altered movements and cellular distribution. Overproduction of both ACD2 (localized to mitochondria and chloroplasts) and ascorbate peroxidase (localized to chloroplasts) greatly reduces P. syringae–induced PCD, suggesting a pro-PCD role for mitochondrial and chloroplast events. During infection, ACD2 may bind to and/or reduce PCD-inducing porphyrin-related molecules in mitochondria and possibly chloroplasts that generate reactive oxygen species, cause altered organelle behavior, and activate a cascade of PCD-inducing events.
Contributions of Haptic and Kinesthetic Perceptions on Handwriting Speed and Legibility for First and Second Grade Children

The contributions of haptic and kinesthetic perceptions to handwriting legibility and speed were examined in 177 typically developing first and second grade children in Taiwan. Five standardized assessments were used to assess handwriting legibility and speed, haptic perception, kinesthetic perception, fine-motor coordination, and mental processing speed. Results demonstrate that haptic perception has a greater influence on handwriting speed than kinesthetic perception for children in both first and second grade. When examining handwriting legibility, kinesthetic perception accounted for a greater variance than haptic perception for children in the first grade but not in the second grade. Assessing first and second grade students' haptic and kinesthetic perception as part of a handwriting evaluation is supported by the correlation results of this study. Further, the results support that when therapists are working with younger children who are learning to write, they may need to develop the children's kinesthetic perception.
Antimicrobial peptide 99mTc-ubiquicidin 29-41 as human infection-imaging agent: clinical trial.

UNLABELLED Ubiquicidin (UBI) 29-41 is a cationic, synthetic antimicrobial peptide fragment that binds preferentially with the anionic microbial cell membrane at the site of infection. The current study was conducted to evaluate its potential as an infection-imaging agent in humans. METHODS Eighteen patients, 9 female and 9 male (mean age, 31.7 y; range, 5-75 y), with suspected bone, soft-tissue, or prosthesis infections were included in the study. (99m)Tc-UBI 29-41 in a dose of 400 microg/370-400 MBq was injected intravenously in adults. A dynamic study was followed by spot views of the suspected region of infection (target) and a corresponding normal area (nontarget) at 30, 60, 120, and 240 min. The target-to-nontarget ratios were used to find the optimum time for imaging. Whole-body anterior and posterior images were also acquired at 30, 120, and 240 min to study biodistribution. Activity in each organ was expressed as percentage retained dose. Visual score (0-3) was used to categorize studies as positive or negative, with scores of 0 (minimal or no uptake; equivalent to soft tissue) and 1 (mild; less uptake than in liver) being considered negative and scores of 2 (moderate; uptake greater than or equal to that in liver) and 3 (intense; uptake greater than or equal to that in kidneys) being considered positive. Scans were interpreted as true- or false-positive and true- or false-negative on the basis of bacterial culture as the major criterion and the results of clinical tests, radiography, and 3-phase bone scanning as minor criteria. RESULTS The biodistribution study showed a gradual decline in renal activity as percentage of administered dose from 6.53% +/- 0.58% at 30 min to 4.54% +/- 0.57% at 120 min and 3.38% +/- 0.55% at 240 min. The liver showed a similar trend, with values of 5.43% +/- 0.76%, 3.17% +/- 0.25%, and 2.02% +/- 0.30% at 30, 120, and 240 min, respectively. Radioactivity accumulated gradually in the urinary bladder, with values of 4.60% +/- 0.92% at 30 min, 23.00% +/- 2.32% at 120 min, and 38.85% +/- 4.01% at 240 min. Of 18 studies performed with 99mTc-UBI 29-41, 14 showed positive findings and 4 showed negative findings. Negative findings were subsequently confirmed to be true negative. The positive findings for 1 scan were interpreted as false positive, as no growth was obtained on bacterial culture and no evidence of infection was found on minor criteria. In 10 cases, the major criterion was used, whereas in 4 cases minor criteria had to be used for interpretation. Quantitative analysis revealed a maximum mean target-to-nontarget ratio of 2.75 +/- 1.69 at 30 min, which decreased to 2.04 +/- 1.01 at 120 min. The overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 100%, 80%, and 94.4%, respectively. No adverse reactions were observed during image acquisition and within 5 d after the study. CONCLUSION 99mTc-UBI 29-41 showed promise in localizing foci of infection, with optimal visualization at 30 min.
Interactions between Hepatic Mrp4 and Sult2a as Revealed by the Constitutive Androstane Receptor and Mrp4 Knockout Mice*

The ABC transporter, Mrp4, transports the sulfated steroid DHEA-s, and sulfated bile acids interact with Mrp4 with high affinity. Hepatic Mrp4 levels are low, but increase under cholestatic conditions. We therefore inferred that up-regulation of Mrp4 during cholestasis is a compensatory mechanism to protect the liver from accumulation of hydrophobic bile acids. We determined that the nuclear receptor CAR is required to coordinately up-regulate hepatic expression of Mrp4 and an enzyme known to sulfate hydroxy-bile acids and steroids, Sult2a1. CAR activators increased Mrp4 and Sult2a1 expression in primary human hepatocytes and HepG2, a human liver cell line. Sult2a1 was down-regulated in Mrp4-null mice, further indicating an inter-relation between Mrp4 and Sult2a1 gene expression. Based on the hydrophilic nature of sulfated bile acids and the Mrp4 capability to transport sulfated steroids, our findings suggest that Mrp4 and Sult2a1 participate in an integrated pathway mediating elimination of sulfated steroid and bile acid metabolites from the liver.
Language Learners' Motivational Profiles and Their Motivated Learning Behavior.

The aim of the present study is to define and describe second language (L2) learners’ motivational profiles by means of a statistical procedure that is relatively rarely used in L2 studies: cluster analysis. To achieve this aim, 5 broad dimensions of students’ motivational and attitudinal dispositions toward 5 different L2s were measured and analyzed, using survey data collected from 8,593 13- and 14-year-old Hungarian pupils on 2 occasions. Statistical calculations yielded 4 distinct motivational groups, and we interpret this classification within Dornyei's L2 Motivational Self System. In the second part of the study we examine the combined effects and interferences of the different motivational profiles learners hold with regard to 2 different target languages, English and German.
Source Monitoring: Source-Memory Effects and Guessing Strategies

In seven source-monitoring experiments, we tested predictions of two hypotheses concerning influences of attention towards source-memory performance as well as predictions of three guessing hypotheses concerning source-guessing strategies. Concerning source memory, the attention-elaboration hypothesis (AEH) proposes better source memory for unexpected sources due to attention drawn to these sources whereas the theory of visual attention (TVA) proposes better source memory for sources with special features due to attention drawn to these sources. Both hypotheses were supported in five experiments: As AEH and TVA predict better source memory for unexpected sources using the same ratio of expected and unexpected sources as well as more expected than unexpected sources, inconsistency effects with better source memory for unexpected sources occurred. As AEH predicts better memory for unexpected sources and TVA predicts better memory for expected sources using more unexpected than expected sources, no inconsistency effects but equal source memory for expected and unexpected sources occurred. Concerning guessing strategies, the schema-based guessing hypothesis proposes schema-consistent guessing, the compensatory-guessing hypothesis proposes guessing compensating for poor memory of one source category, and the contingency-based guessing hypothesis proposes guessing orienting on perceived contingencies. In four experiments, the schema-based guessing hypothesis was supported and both compensatory-guessing hypothesis and contingency-based guessing hypothesis were refuted: The contingency-based guessing hypothesis could not explain schema-consistent guessing not reflecting the perceived 50:50 contingency (Experiment 1 and 3) and the compensatory-guessing hypothesis could not explain schema-consistent guessing not compensating for better source memory for expected sources (Experiment 6 and 7).
Exercise testing in the evaluation of human responses to powerline frequency fields.

The present study used exercise testing to examine the effects of 60-Hz electric and magnetic field exposure. Eleven males, 21-29 years, were tested during four experimental sessions (counterbalanced order and double-blind design). These included either 45-min exercise (50% of VO2 max) or no-exercise periods followed by either real field (9-kV/m, 16-A/m) or sham exposure for 2 h in a 60-Hz human exposure facility. Exercise produced a decrease in plasma volume and increases (p less than 0.05) in lactic acid, cortisol, growth hormone and testosterone levels, but these were not different under real and sham field conditions during the 2-h recovery periods. During no-exercise sessions, cardiac interbeat interval was increased (p less than 0.05), i.e., heart rate was slower, when subjects were exposed to real fields. Our results suggest that future studies should focus on evaluation of the effects of 60-Hz fields on the entire process of exercise-induced activation and recovery.
Consenting Operative Orthopaedic Trauma Patients: Challenges and Solutions

Guidelines exist to obtain informed consent before any operative procedure. We completed an audit cycle starting with retrospective review of 50 orthopaedic trauma procedures (Phase 1 over three months to determine the quality of consenting documentation). The results were conveyed and adequate training of the staff was arranged according to guidelines from BOA, DoH, and GMC. Compliance in filling consent forms was then prospectively assessed on 50 consecutive trauma surgeries over further three months (Phase 2). Use of abbreviations was significantly reduced (P = 0.03) in Phase 2 (none) compared to 10 (20%) in Phase 1 with odds ratio of 0.04. Initially, allocation of patient's copy was dispensed in three (6% in Phase 1) cases compared to 100% in Phase 2, when appropriate. Senior doctors (registrars or consultant) filled most consent forms. However, 7 (14%) consent forms in Phase 1 and eleven (22%) in Phase 2 were signed by Core Surgical Trainees year 2, which reflects the difference in seniority amongst junior doctors. The requirement for blood transfusion was addressed in 40% of cases where relevant and 100% cases in Phase 2. Consenting patients for trauma surgery improved in Phase 2. Regular audit is essential to maintain expected national standards.
Nf2/Merlin Controls Spinal Cord Neural Progenitor Function in a Rac1/ErbB2-Dependent Manner

Objective Individuals with the neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) cancer predisposition syndrome develop spinal cord glial tumors (ependymomas) that likely originate from neural progenitor cells. Whereas many spinal ependymomas exhibit indolent behavior, the only treatment option for clinically symptomatic tumors is surgery. In this regard, medical therapies are unfortunately lacking due to an incomplete understanding of the critical growth control pathways that govern the function of spinal cord (SC) neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Methods To identify potential therapeutic targets for these tumors, we leveraged primary mouse Nf2-deficient spinal cord neural progenitor cells. Results We demonstrate that the Nf2 protein, merlin, negatively regulates spinal neural progenitor cell survival and glial differentiation in an ErbB2-dependent manner, and that NF2-associated spinal ependymomas exhibit increased ErbB2 activation. Moreover, we show that Nf2-deficient SC NPC ErbB2 activation results from Rac1-mediated ErbB2 retention at the plasma membrane. Significance Collectively, these findings establish ErbB2 as a potential rational therapeutic target for NF2-associated spinal ependymoma.
Effects of speech style on the use of temporal and spectral cues in the production and perception of a non-native vowel contrast

This paper examined Catalan/Spanish EFL learners' perception and production of the English /іː/-/ɪ / vowel pair. The main objective was to see whether changes in speech style affect the quality and quantity of the vowels and whether the non-native speakers' perception and production were related. Little research has been carried out about the effects of speech style in second language speech production and the research about the perception-production relation has presented inconclusive results. It was hypothesized that speech style would affect the spectral and temporal dimensions of the two vowels. Spanish/Catalan EFL learners have been shown to rely on temporal properties in the perception of this vowel contrast, whereas native English speakers perceive the contrast in terms of spectral and temporal cues. It was expected that the non-native speakers' reliance on duration would be reflected in the production. The results suggest that the Catalan/Spanish bilinguals had created categories for the English vowels, although perception of the vowels was not native-like. A correlation between perception and production was found for the non-native speakers. The non-native speakers were highly affected by changes in the speech style, supporting the hypothesis that in fast speech vowels became more centralized. The results are discussed in light of foreign language phonetic training.
Comparison of intravitreal bevacizumab with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide for treatment of cystoid macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion: a Meta-analysis.

AIM To compare the effects of intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (IVB) with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) on the treatment of cystoid macular edema (CME) secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO). METHODS A literature search was conducted using PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science and the Chinese Biomedical Database. The comparison was divided into two groups, group 1 conducted comparison in branch RVO (BRVO) or central RVO (CRVO), group 2 conducted comparison in ischemic-RVO or nonischemic-RVO. Pooled mean differences (MDs) for changes in visual acuity (VA), central macular thickness (CMT) and intraocular pressure (IOP) were calculated in groups at 4, 12 and 24wk after treatment respectively. RESULTS Eight studies comparing the efficacy of IVB with IVTA were included in the Meta-analysis. In group 1, in BRVO, significant difference was shown on the comparison of CMT at 24wk (MD, -45.66; 95% CI, -76.03 to -15.28; P=0.003), IVB was effective on BRVO for at least 24wk; no significant differences were found in the comparison of VA at each time points (P>0.05 respectively). In CRVO, no significant differences were found in the comparison of VA or CMT between IVB and IVTA at each time points (P>0.05, respectively). In group 2, in ischemic-RVO, significant differences were shown in the comparison of VA (MD, -0.28; 95% CI, -0.42 to -0.14; P<0.0001) and CMT (MD, -86.50; 95% CI, -151.18 to -22.43; P=0.008) at 24wk; In nonischemic-RVO, no significant differences were demonstrated in the comparison of VA or CMT between IVB and IVTA at each time points (P>0.05, respectively). The occurrence of high IOP was much lower in IVB group. CONCLUSION This Meta-analysis suggested that IVB was effective in decreasing CMT in BRVO for at least 24wk, IVB is more effective on improving VA and reducing CMT in ischemic-RVO. IVB is more promising on RVO than IVTA.