Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enforcing relationships privacy through collaborative access control in web-based Social Networks

Web-based Social Networks (WBSNs) are today one of the hugest data source available on the Web and therefore data protection has become an urgent need. This has resulted in the proposals of some access control models for social networks (e.g., [1, 4, 5, 15, 16]). Quite all the models proposed so far enforce a relationship-based access control, where the granting of a resource depends on the relationships established in the network. An important issue is therefore to devise access control mechanisms able to enforce relationship-based access control by, at the same time, protecting relationships privacy. In this paper, we propose a solution to this problem, which enforces access control through a collaboration of selected nodes in the network. We exploit the ElGamal cryptosystem [11] to preserve relationship privacy when relationship information is used for access control purposes.
Gene-specific increase in the energetic cost of contraction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy caused by thick filament mutations.

AIMS Disease mechanisms regarding hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are largely unknown and disease onset varies. Sarcomere mutations might induce energy depletion for which until now there is no direct evidence at sarcomere level in human HCM. This study investigated if mutations in genes encoding myosin-binding protein C (MYBPC3) and myosin heavy chain (MYH7) underlie changes in the energetic cost of contraction in the development of human HCM disease. METHODS AND RESULTS Energetic cost of contraction was studied in vitro by measurements of force development and ATPase activity in cardiac muscle strips from 26 manifest HCM patients (11 MYBPC3mut, 9 MYH7mut, and 6 sarcomere mutation-negative, HCMsmn). In addition, in vivo, the ratio between external work (EW) and myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) to obtain myocardial external efficiency (MEE) was determined in 28 pre-hypertrophic mutation carriers (14 MYBPC3mut and 14 MYH7mut) and 14 healthy controls using [(11)C]-acetate positron emission tomography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging. Tension cost (TC), i.e. ATPase activity during force development, was higher in MYBPC3mut and MYH7mut compared with HCMsmn at saturating [Ca(2+)]. TC was also significantly higher in MYH7mut at submaximal, more physiological [Ca(2+)]. EW was significantly lower in both mutation carrier groups, while MVO2 did not differ. MEE was significantly lower in both mutation carrier groups compared with controls, showing the lowest efficiency in MYH7 mutation carriers. CONCLUSION We provide direct evidence that sarcomere mutations perturb the energetic cost of cardiac contraction. Gene-specific severity of cardiac abnormalities may underlie differences in disease onset and suggests that early initiation of metabolic treatment may be beneficial, in particular, in MYH7 mutation carriers.
The right parietal cortex and time perception: back to Critchley and the Zeitraffer phenomenon

We investigated the involvement of the posterior parietal cortex in time perception by temporarily disrupting normal functioning in this region, in subjects making prospective judgements of time or pitch. Disruption of the right posterior parietal cortex significantly slowed reaction times when making time, but not pitch, judgements. Similar interference with the left parietal cortex and control stimulation over the vertex did not significantly change performance on either pitch or time tasks. The results show that the information processing necessary for temporal judgements involves the parietal cortex, probably to optimise spatiotemporal accuracy in voluntary action. The results are in agreement with a recent neuroimaging study and are discussed with regard to a psychological model of temporal processing and a recent proposal that time is part of a parietal cortex system for encoding magnitude information relevant for action.
Between Symbolism and Incrementalism: Moving Forward with the Gender Equality Project in Poland

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the recently adopted law on gender electoral quotas marks a change in the approach to gender issues and gender equality in Poland. It also aims to describe the trajectory of women’s movement in a post-Communist country and to identify causes related to the role of women in the Solidarity movement that resulted in low visibility of women in government and decision-making positions. The paper departs from the assumption that Poland is not moving away from a narrowly conceived equal rights/opportunities model, because such model has not yet been fully implemented. In the context of the present ‘war on gender’, women’s full political, economic, social, and more specifically, private citizenship is a long-term project. As of now, women remain instrumental for achieving political parties’ further aims, and any gestures that seem to advance women’s position in the public sphere are usually merely symbolic. Yet, the emergence of a strong women’s movement helps to frame the public discourse in gendered terms and gradually include its propositions in the mainstream policy.
Dexamethasone Preconditioning Improves the Response of Collagen-Induced Arthritis to Treatment with Short-Term Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Collagen-Loaded Dendritic Cells

Background. Pharmacologically modulated dendritic cells (DCs) have been shown to restore tolerance in type II collagen-(CII-) induced arthritis (CIA). We examined the effect of dexamethasone (DXM) administration as a preconditioning agent, followed by an injection of lipopolysaccharide-(LPS-) stimulated and CII-loaded DCs on the CIA course. Methods. After CIA induction, mice pretreated with DXM were injected with 4-hour LPS-stimulated DCs loaded with CII (DXM/4hLPS/CII/DCs). Results. Mice injected with DXM/4hLPS/CII/DCs displayed significantly less severe clinical disease compared to animals receiving 4hLPS/CII/DCs alone or those in which only DXM was administered. Cytokine profile evaluation showed that CD4+ T cells from DXM/4hLPS/CII/DCs and 4hLPS/CII/DCs groups release higher IL-10 levels than those from mice receiving DXM alone or CIA mice. CD4+ T cells from all DC-treated groups showed less IL-17 release when compared to the CIA group. On the contrary, CD4+ T cells from DXM/4hLPS/CII/DCs and 4hLPS/CII/DCs groups released higher IFN-γ levels than those from CIA group. Conclusion. A combined treatment, including DXM preconditioning followed by an inoculation of short-term LPS-stimulated CII-loaded DCs, provides an improved strategy for attenuating CIA severity. Our results suggest that this benefit is driven by a modulation in the cytokine profile secreted by CD4+ T cells.
Characterization of the metabolism of fenretinide by human liver microsomes, cytochrome P450 enzymes and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Fenretinide (4‐HPR) is a retinoic acid analogue, currently used in clinical trials in oncology. Metabolism of 4‐HPR is of particular interest due to production of the active metabolite 4′‐oxo 4‐HPR and the clinical challenge of obtaining consistent 4‐HPR plasma concentrations in patients. Here, we assessed the enzymes involved in various 4‐HPR metabolic pathways.
Can Domestic Institutions Explain Exchange Rate Regime Choice? The Political Economy of Monetary Institutions Reconsidered

Recent articles in International Organization and elsewhere have explored the role of domestic institutions in shaping exchange rate regime choice. These articles use some variation on the information reported by governments to the International Monetary Fund as their dependent variable. Even more recently, new data have become available that reflect actual (de facto) rather than declaratory (de jure) policies with respect to exchange rate regimes. The findings of the domestic institutionalists are significantly weakened, and in some cases reversed, when this more appropriate measure is used to test their claims. These tests cast doubt on whether a domestic institutional focus is the most fruitful way to study exchange rate regimes.
Numerical Study of Laminar Flow and Convective Heat Transfer Utilizing Nanofluids in Equilateral Triangular Ducts with Constant Heat Flux

This study numerically investigates heat transfer augmentation using water-based Al2O3 and CuO nanofluids flowing in a triangular cross-sectional duct under constant heat flux in laminar flow conditions. The Al2O3/water nanofluids with different volume fractions (0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%) and CuO/water nanofluids with various volume fractions (0.05%, 0.16%, 0.36%, 0.5%, and 0.8%) are employed, and Reynolds numbers in the range of 700 to 1900 in a laminar flow are considered. The heat transfer rate becomes more remarkable when employing nanofluids. As compared with pure water, at a Peclet number of 7000, a 35% enhancement in the convective heat transfer coefficient, is obtained for an Al2O3/water nanofluid with 2% particle volume fraction; at the same Peclet number, a 41% enhancement in the convective heat transfer coefficient is achieved for a CuO/water nanofluid with 0.8% particle volume concentration. Heat transfer enhancement increases with increases in particle volume concentration and Peclet number. Moreover, the numerical results are found to be in good agreement with published experimental data.
A randomized trial comparing radical prostatectomy plus endocrine therapy versus external beam radiotherapy plus endocrine therapy for locally advanced prostate cancer: results at median follow-up of 102 months.

BACKGROUND To investigate the optimal treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer, a prospective randomized trial was conducted to compare radical prostatectomy plus endocrine therapy versus external beam radiotherapy plus endocrine therapy. METHODS One hundred patients with T2b-3N0M0 prostate cancer were enrolled and 95 were evaluated. Of 95 cases, 46 underwent radical prostatectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection and 49 were treated with external beam radiation by linear accelerator with 40-50 Gy to the whole pelvis and 20-Gy boost to the prostatic area. For all patients, endocrine therapy was initiated 8 weeks before surgery or radiotherapy and continued thereafter. The long-term outcome and morbidity were examined. RESULTS Median follow-up period was 102 months. At 10 years overall survival rates in the surgery group were better than the radiation group (76.2% versus 71.1% for biochemical progression-free rates; P=0.25, 83.5% versus 66.1% for clinical progression-free rates; P=0.14, 85.7% versus 77.1% for cause-specific survival rates; P=0.06, and 67.9% versus 60.9% for overall survival rates; P=0.30), although none of them reached statistical significance. Erectile dysfunction was recognized in almost all patients as a result of continuous endocrine therapy. Incontinence requiring more than one pad per day was observed more frequently in the surgery group than the radiation group (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS For the treatment of patients with locally advanced prostate cancer, when combined with endocrine therapy, either radical prostatectomy or external beam radiotherapy demonstrated favorable long-term outcomes. The radiation dose of 60-70 Gy might not be enough for the local treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer.
Probability of Bank Failure: The Russian Case

A question of explaining bank failures constitutes perhaps one of the greatest interest to banks' clients, policy-makers and regulators. Not surprisingly, for a long time, this question has been a challenge for theoretical and empirical economists. In this paper we investigate which factors affect soundness of a bank, taking into consideration micro level data, as well as macro level component. We also employ efficiency estimate, obtained with the help of DEA, to account for the quality of management. Then we use logit model and proportional hazard model with efficiency component. We find that efficiency element, together with size and regional belonging, are highly significant in all specifications, while macro variables did not seem to influence failures significantly.
Symptomatic venous thromboembolism following a hip fracture

Background and purpose Venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality following hip fracture. Previous work has not identified any risk factors associated with the type of hip fracture. We report the incidence of and risk factors for development of symptomatic VTE in patients following a hip fracture. Patients and methods In this prospective study, we collected information on 5,300 consecutive patients who were admitted to a single unit with a hip fracture—in terms of their pre-admission status, details of any operation performed, and details of complications in the form of symptomatic venous thromboembolism. All patients received thromboprophylaxis with heparin. Results The incidence of symptomatic VTE was 2.2% (95% CI: 1.8–2.6). 85% of these events occurred within 5 weeks of the fracture. The statistically significant risk factors for symptomatic VTE were better preoperative mobility, living in one's own home, high mental test score, high preoperative hemoglobin, inter-trochanteric fractures, and fixation with a dynamic hip screw. In multivariate analysis adjusting for sex and age, type of residence on admission, type of fracture, and hemoglobin values on admission remained independently significant. Interpretation We found that the rate of symptomatic VTE using thromboprophylaxis with heparin was low but that there were a number of groups that were at a significantly higher risk of developing VTE. The patients who are particularly at risk appear to be those with a subtrochanteric or intertrochanteric hip fracture; here, the incidence of symptomatic VTE was twice that of intracapsular hip fractures.
Past input reconstruction in fast least-squares algorithms

This paper solves the following problem: given the computed variables in a fast least-squares prediction algorithm, determine all past input sequences that would have given rise to the variables in question. This problem is motivated by the backward consistency approach to numerical stability in this algorithm class; the set of reachable variables in exact arithmetic is known to furnish a stability domain. Our problem is equivalent to a first- and second-order interpolation problem introduced by Mullis and Roberts (1976) and studied by others. Our solution differs in two respects. First, relations to classical interpolation theory are brought out, which allows us to parametrize all solutions. By-products of our formulation are correct necessary and sufficient conditions for the problem to be solvable, in contrast to previous works, whose claimed sufficient conditions are shown to fall short. Second, our solution obtains any valid past input as the impulse response of an appropriately constrained orthogonal filter, whose rotation parameters derive in a direct manner from the computed variables in a fast least-squares prediction algorithm. Formulas showing explicitly the form of all valid past inputs should facilitate the study of what past input perturbation is necessary to account for accumulated arithmetic errors in this algorithm class. This, in turn, is expected to have an impact in studying accuracy aspects in fast least-squares algorithms.
The Supermassive Black Hole of M87 and the Kinematics of Its Associated Gaseous Disk

We have obtained long-slit observations of the circumnuclear region of M87 at three different locations, with a spatial sampling of 0. ″028 using the Faint Object Camera f/48 spectrograph on board HST. These data allow us to determine the rotation curve of the inner ~1'' of the ionized gas disk in [O II] λ3727 to a distance as close as 0. ″07 (≃5 pc) to the dynamic center, thereby significantly improving on both the spatial resolution and coverage of previous FOS observations. We have modeled the kinematics of the gas under the assumption of the existence of both a central black hole and an extended central mass distribution, taking into account the effects of the instrumental PSF, the intrinsic luminosity distribution of the line, and the finite size of the slit. We find that the central mass must be concentrated within a sphere whose maximum radius is 0. ″05 (≃3.5 pc) and show that both the observed rotation curve and line profiles are consistent with a thin disk in Keplerian motion. We conclude that the most likely explanation for the observed motions is the presence of a supermassive black hole and derive a value of MBH = (3.2 ± 0.9) × 109 M☉ for its mass.
GABA-driven excitatory neurotransmission: gene regulation by excitatory GABA and its possible role in the developing brain

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has opposing functions, it acts not only as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous systems, but also as an excitatory one in early developing neurons. Previous studies reported that the excitatory effects of GABA controlled neuronal activity-dependent gene expression, which contributes to long-lasting changes in neuronal functions such as cell survival, differentiation, and synaptic plasticity. We recently demonstrated that excitatory GABA activated multiple Ca 2+ signaling pathways, mainly via L-type voltage-dependent Ca 2+ channels (L-VDCCs), to activate the transcription of the gene encoding brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Since BDNF plays a fundamental role in the expression of various functions by the nervous system, the excitatory GABA-induced expression of the BDNF gene may be important for the neural development of the brain. In this review, we summarized the mechanisms underlying the excitatory GABA-induced expression of the BDNF gene, and proposed the possible roles of its regulation in the early development of the brain, an impairment in which may cause the abnormal development of the brain.
The Ten-Year Impacts of Individual Development Accounts on Homeownership: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment

This paper presents evidence from a randomized field experiment to evaluate the longterm impact of an incentive for household saving. We examine the effect on homeownership of an Individual Development Account (IDA) program which ran from 1998 to 2003 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The IDA program provided low-income households with financial education and matching funds for qualified savings withdrawals, including a 2:1 match for housing down payments. About 90 percent of treatment group members opened IDA accounts, and contributions averaged about $1,800. Homeownership rates for both treatment and control groups increased substantially throughout the experiment. Prior work shows that from 1998 to 2003, homeownership rates increased more for treatment group members than for controls. We show in this paper, however, that control group members caught up rapidly with the treatment group after the experiment ended, so that the IDA program had no significant effect on homeownership rates among the full sample in 2009 and had no effect on the duration of homeownership during the study period. The program had a positive impact on homeownership rates among those with above-sample median income ($15,840) at the time they entered the program, but not on other subgroups that we tested.
Effects of Benzocaine and Its Isomers on Sodium Permeability and Steady State Sodium Inactivation in the Myelinated Nerve , Obtained by an Improved Dissection Technique

The blocking effects of benzocaine and its isomers (1 mmoli) on sodium currents in myelinated nerve fibres were tested As far as the so-called fast sodium inactivation is concerned, benzocaine shifted the h, -curve in nega­ tive direction to a stronger extent than did its isomers, while the potency of the isomers did not differ significantly from each other. The drug-induced reduc­ tions of maximum sodium permeability PHil were tested at constant test pulses at h, = 1. In this kind of experiments all the three isomers had the same potencies. The findings could not be correlated to the lipid solubilities of the drugs as measured by the corresponding octanol/water partition coefficients. In addition, efforts were undertaken to minimize any noxious pull during the isolation of the axon. Some consequences of the improvements introduced are discussed in terms of the reliability of ionic current measurements in Ranvier nodes.
Pedagogical Assessment of Research Methodology amongst MBA Students in the University of Sierra Leone

The teaching of courses related to research has become a significant part of the requirements for the award of degrees for students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. There are however some technical complexities with the materials used for some of these courses which have resulted in students’ having low interest in the subject area and therefore, low transfer of knowledge from lecturers to students. This paper examines the factors which influence students understanding of research methodology and the effect quality teaching has on student’s performance in research methods courses. The data for the study were collected from 113 MBA Year 1 and Year 2 students of the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM) - University of Sierra Leone (USL); out of 118 that registered for the course in 2010/2011 Academic Year. Other statistical tools used for the study are the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the Pearson Correlation. The study revealed that the Cooperative learning method adopted by students assists them in better understanding Research Methods Courses. Also, quality of teaching has significant influence on students’ performance in research methods. The paper concludes that it is important to develop early in students - critical thinking, necessary research skills and sound pedagogy that would result in production of quality dissertation.
THE IMPACT OF THE EVOLUTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE NETWORK ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

This paper looks at the evolution of the international trade network from 1938 to 2003. It uses complex network analysis to look for evidence of economic convergence. The fundamental structure of the network remains essentially the same over this period, which does not support the contention that the economy is converging to a steady state. Rather, it appears to be best described as a complex system which is in a constant state of transformation. The measure of betweenness centrality is used to develop a model of economic development.
Risk of Maltreatment-Related Injury: A Cross-Sectional Study of Children under Five Years Old Admitted to Hospital with a Head or Neck Injury or Fracture

Objectives To determine the predictive value and sensitivity of demographic features and injuries (indicators) for maltreatment-related codes in hospital discharge records of children admitted with a head or neck injury or fracture. Methods Study design: Population-based, cross sectional study. Setting: NHS hospitals in England. Subjects: Children under five years old admitted acutely to hospital with head or neck injury or fracture. Data source: Hospital Episodes Statistics, 1997 to 2009. Main outcome measure: Maltreatment-related injury admissions, defined by ICD10 codes, were used to calculate for each indicator (demographic feature and/or type of injury): i) the predictive value (proportion of injury admissions that were maltreatment-related); ii) sensitivity (proportion of all maltreatment-related injury admissions with the indicator). Results Of 260,294 childhood admissions for fracture or head or neck injury, 3.2% (8,337) were maltreatment-related. With increasing age of the child, the predictive value for maltreatment-related injury declined but sensitivity increased. Half of the maltreatment-related admissions occurred in children older than one year, and 63% occurred in children with head injuries without fractures or intracranial injury. Conclusions Highly predictive injuries accounted for very few maltreatment-related admissions. Protocols that focus on high-risk injuries may miss the majority of maltreated children.