Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Internet Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Trackers: An Archaeological Study of Web Tracking from 1996 to 2016

Though web tracking and its privacy implications have received much attention in recent years, that attention has come relatively recently in the history of the web and lacks full historical context. In this paper, we present longitudinal measurements of third-party web tracking behaviors from 1996 to present (2016). Our tool, TrackingExcavator, leverages a key insight: that the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine opens the pos-sibility for a retrospective analysis of tracking over time. We contribute an evaluation of the Wayback Machine’s view of past third-party requests, which we ﬁnd is imperfect — we evaluate its limitations and unearth lessons and strategies for overcoming them. Applying these strategies in our measurements, we discover (among other ﬁndings) that third-party tracking on the web has increased in prevalence and complexity since the ﬁrst third-party tracker that we observe in 1996, and we see the spread of the most popular trackers to an increasing percentage of the most popular sites on the web. We argue that an understanding of the ecosystem’s historical trends — which we provide for the ﬁrst time at this scale in our work — is important to any technical and policy discussions surrounding tracking.
Continuous Glucose Profiles in Obese and Normal-Weight Pregnant Women on a Controlled Diet

OBJECTIVE We sought to define 24-h glycemia in normal-weight and obese pregnant women using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) while they consumed a habitual and controlled diet both early and late in pregnancy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Glycemia was prospectively measured in early (15.7 ± 2.0 weeks’ gestation) and late (27.7 ± 1.7 weeks’ gestation) pregnancy in normal-weight (n = 22) and obese (n = 16) pregnant women on an ad libitum and controlled diet. Fasting glucose, triglycerides (early pregnancy only), nonesterified fatty acids (FFAs), and insulin also were measured. RESULTS The 24-h glucose area under the curve was higher in obese women than in normal-weight women both early and late in pregnancy despite controlled diets. Nearly all fasting and postprandial glycemic parameters were higher in the obese women later in pregnancy, as were fasting insulin, triglycerides, and FFAs. Infants born to obese mothers had greater adiposity. Maternal BMI (r = 0.54, P = 0.01), late average daytime glucose (r = 0.48, P < 0.05), and late fasting insulin (r = 0.49, P < 0.05) correlated with infant percentage body fat. However, early fasting triglycerides (r = 0.67, P < 0.001) and late fasting FFAs (r = 0.54, P < 0.01) were even stronger correlates. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to demonstrate that obese women without diabetes have higher daytime and nocturnal glucose profiles than normal-weight women despite a controlled diet both early and late in gestation. Body fat in infants, not birth weight, was related to maternal BMI, glucose, insulin, and FFAs, but triglycerides were the strongest predictor. These metabolic findings may explain higher rates of infant macrosomia in obese women, which might be targeted in trials to prevent excess fetal growth.
Homeostasis of the apical plasma membrane during regulated exocytosis in the salivary glands of live rodents

In exocrine organs such as the salivary glands, fluids and proteins are secreted into ductal structures by distinct mechanisms that are tightly coupled. In the acinar cells, the major secretory units of the salivary glands, fluids are secreted into the acinar canaliculi through paracellular and intracellular transport, whereas proteins are stored in large granules that undergo exocytosis and fuse with the apical plasma membranes releasing their content into the canaliculi. Both secretory processes elicit a remodeling of the apical plasma membrane that has not been fully addressed in in vitro or ex vivo models. Recently, we have studied regulated exocytosis in the salivary glands of live rodents, focusing on the role that actin and myosin plays in this process. We observed that during exocytosis both secretory granules and canaliculi are subjected to the hydrostatic pressure generated by fluid secretion. Furthermore, the absorption of the membranes of the secretory granules contributes to the expansion and deformation of the canaliculi. Here we suggest that the homeostasis of the apical plasma membranes during exocytosis is maintained by various strategies that include: (1) membrane retrieval via compensatory endocytosis, (2) increase of the surface area via membrane folds and (3) recruitment of a functional actomyosin complex. Our observations underscore the important relationship between tissue architecture and cellular response, and highlight the potential of investigating biological processes in vivo by using intravital microscopy.
The Hyaluronan Receptor for Endocytosis (HARE) Activates NF-κB-mediated Gene Expression in Response to 40–400-kDa, but Not Smaller or Larger, Hyaluronans*

Background: HARE mediates systemic clearance of hyaluronan (HA), which turns over continuously in tissues. Results: HARE uptake of 40–400-kDa, but not larger or smaller, HA stimulated NF-κB activation. Conclusion: HA-HARE signal complexes activate NF-κB and gene transcription only with optimally sized HA. Significance: HARE responsiveness to a narrow size range of HA degradation products may be a sensing system to detect tissue ECM stress. The hyaluronan (HA) receptor for endocytosis (HARE; Stabilin-2) binds and clears 14 different ligands, including HA and heparin, via clathrin-mediated endocytosis. HA binding to HARE stimulates ERK1/2 activation (Kyosseva, S. V., Harris, E. N., and Weigel, P. H. (2008) J. Biol. Chem. 283, 15047–15055). To assess a possible HA size dependence for signaling, we tested purified HA fractions of different weight-average molar mass and with narrow size distributions and Select-HATM for stimulation of HARE-mediated gene expression using an NF-κB promoter-driven luciferase reporter system. Human HARE-mediated gene expression was stimulated in a dose-dependent manner with small HA (sHA) >40 kDa and intermediate HA (iHA) <400 kDa. The hyperbolic dose response saturated at 20–50 nm with an apparent Km ∼10 nm, identical to the Kd for HA-HARE binding. Activation was not detected with oligomeric HA (oHA), sHA <40 kDa, iHA >400 kDa, or large HA (lHA). Similar responses occurred with rat HARE. Activation by sHA-iHA was blocked by excess nonsignaling sHA, iHA, or lHA, deletion of the HA-binding LINK domain, or HA-blocking antibody. Endogenous NF-κB activation also occurred in the absence of luciferase plasmids, as assessed by degradation of IκB-α. ERK1/2 activation was also HA size-dependent. The results show that HA-HARE interactions stimulate NF-κB-activated gene expression and that HARE senses a narrow size range of HA degradation products. We propose a model in which optimal length HA binds multiple HARE proteins to allow cytoplasmic domain interactions that stimulate intracellular signaling. This HARE signaling system during continuous HA clearance could monitor the homeostasis of tissue biomatrix turnover throughout the body.
Open public data (OPD) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): challenges and prospects

This paper seeks to assess the nature and scope of open data in government (OPD/open public data) in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Following a qualitative approach, OPD portals of GCC countries are being studied besides seeking inputs from secondary data sources which are relevant in providing theoretical understanding of OPD. The paper shows that OPD in the GCC countries is in its nascent stage and little academic interest has been shown in this area. Future research should highlight the prospects of OPD implementation in the GCC countries given their strategic importance for many reasons. To ascertain that the OPD implementation gathers pace in the GCC countries, governments need to make more robust strategies in terms of physical and research infrastructure for better data analytics and utility. Hitherto, there has been no study covering the significance and implications of OPD in a GCC context; this is the first study to undertake this as its research theme. Furthermore, academic research on OPD in the GCC countries is lacking; the present study seeks to fill this gap.
Unified system of encoding and decoding erasures and errors for algebraic geometry codes

In this paper, a fundamental lemma in algebraic coding theory is established, which is frequently appeared in the encoding and decoding for algebraic codes such as Reed-Solomon and algebraic geometry codes. This lemma states that two vector spaces, one corresponds to information symbols and the other is indexed by the support of Gröbner basis, are canonically isomorphic, and moreover, the isomorphism is given in terms of extension by linear feedback shift registers from Gröbner basis and discrete Fourier transforms. Next, we apply the lemma to unified system of encoding and decoding erasure-errors in algebraic geometry codes. Finally, we comment on an improved bound for the generic erasure-error correcting capabilities.
Anal Incontinence and Anal Sphincter Rupture during Childbirth - Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment

9 INTRODUCTION 11 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 13 1. History of anal incontinence 13 2. Epidemiology of anal incontinence 13 2.1. General 13 2.2. Obstetric anal incontinence 13 2.2.1. Incontinence after third or fourth-degree anal sphincter rupture 14 2.2.2. After an occult anal sphincter defect 14 2.2. 3. After caesarean section 15 3. Pathophysiology of anal incontinence 15 4. Structure of the normal anal canal 15 5. Etiology of anal incontinence 16 5.1. Obstetric causes of anal incontinence 16 5.1. 1. Anal sphincter rupture 16 5.1. 2. Nerve injury 17 5.2. Non-obstetric causes of anal incontinence 18 5.2.1. Incontinence with normal anal sphincters 18 5.2.2. Incontinence with abnormal sphincters 19 5.2. 3. Other reasons 19 6. Risk factors for anal sphincter rupture during childbirth 19 6.1. Instrumental delivery 19 6.2. Primiparous status 20 6.3. Episiotomy 20 6.4. Other risk factors 20 7. Classifi cation of symptoms of anal incontinence 20 8. Diagnostic evaluation of anal incontinence 21 8.1. Anamnesis 21 8.2. Clinical examination 21 8.3. Endoanal ultrasound examination 22 8.4. Anal manometry 22 8.5. Electromyography 23 8.6. Pudendal nerve terminal motor latency measurements 23 8.7. Magnetic resonance imaging 23
A Critical Characteristic in the Transverse Galloping Pattern

Transverse gallop is a common gait used by a large number of quadrupeds. This paper employs the simplified dimensionless quadrupedal model to discuss the underlying mechanism of the transverse galloping pattern. The model is studied at different running speeds and different values of leg stiffness, respectively. If the horizontal running speed reaches up to a critical value at a fixed leg stiffness, or if the leg stiffness reaches up to a critical value at a fixed horizontal speed, a key property would emerge which greatly reduces the overall mechanical forces of the dynamic system in a proper range of initial pitch angular velocities. Besides, for each horizontal speed, there is an optimal stiffness of legs that can reduce both the mechanical loads and the metabolic cost of transport. Furthermore, different body proportions and landing distance lags of a pair of legs are studied in the transverse gallop. We find that quadrupeds with longer length of legs compared with the length of the body are more suitable to employ the transverse galloping pattern, and the landing distance lag of a pair of legs could reduce the cost of transport and the locomotion frequency.
A Strategy for Automatically Extracting References from PDF Documents

Every day the number of citations an author receives is becoming more important than the size of his list of publications. The automatic extraction of bibliographic references in scientific articles is still a difficult problem in Document Engineering, even if the document is originally in digital form. This paper presents a strategy for extracting references of scientific documents in PDF format. The scheme proposed was validated in Live Memory platform, developed to generate digital libraries of proceedings of technical events.
GENERALIZED MODELS FOR DETERMINING OPTIMAL NUMBER OF MINIMAL REPAIRS BEFORE REPLACEMENT

This paper summarizes the results of the basic model of Makabe and Morimura, in which a unit is replaced at k-th failure. The two generalized models are considered: A) A unit has two types of failures and is replaced at type 2 failure or k-th type 1 failure. B) A system has two types of units and is replaced at unit 2 failure or k-th unit 1 failure. The expected cost rates for each model are obtained, using the calculus method of probability. It is shown that the optimal numbers k* which minimize the cost rates are given by unique solutions of equations under certain conditions.
A Machine Learning Approach to Improve Contactless Heart Rate Monitoring Using a Webcam

Unobtrusive, contactless recordings of physiological signals are very important for many health and human-computer interaction applications. Most current systems require sensors which intrusively touch the user's skin. Recent advances in contact-free physiological signals open the door to many new types of applications. This technology promises to measure heart rate (HR) and respiration using video only. The effectiveness of this technology, its limitations, and ways of overcoming them deserves particular attention. In this paper, we evaluate this technique for measuring HR in a controlled situation, in a naturalistic computer interaction session, and in an exercise situation. For comparison, HR was measured simultaneously using an electrocardiography device during all sessions. The results replicated the published results in controlled situations, but show that they cannot yet be considered as a valid measure of HR in naturalistic human-computer interaction. We propose a machine learning approach to improve the accuracy of HR detection in naturalistic measurements. The results demonstrate that the root mean squared error is reduced from 43.76 to 3.64 beats/min using the proposed method.
Respiration and Growth Defects in Transmitochondrial Cell Lines Carrying the 11778 Mutation Associated with Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy*

Mitochondrial DNA from two genetically unrelated patients carrying the mutation at position 11778 that causes Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy has been transferred with mitochondria into human mtDNA-less ρ0206 cells. As analyzed in several transmitochondrial cell lines thus obtained, the mutation, which is in the gene encoding subunit ND4 of the respiratory chain NADH dehydrogenase (ND), did not affect the synthesis, size, or stability of ND4, nor its incorporation into the enzyme complex. However, NADH dehydrogenase-dependent respiration, as measured in digitonin-permeabilized cells, was specifically decreased by approximately 40% in cells carrying the mutation. This decrease, which was significant at the 99.99% confidence level, was correlated with a significantly reduced ability of the mutant cells to grow in a medium containing galactose instead of glucose, indicating a clear impairment in their oxidative phosphorylation capacity. On the contrary, no decrease in rotenone-sensitive NADH dehydrogenase activity, using a water-soluble ubiquinone analogue as electron acceptor, was detected in disrupted mitochondrial membranes. This is the first cellular model exhibiting in a foreign nuclear background mitochondrial DNA-linked biochemical defects underlying the optic neuropathy phenotype.
Politically Relevant Intimacy: A Conceptual and Empirical Investigation

The trends of media personalization and intimization, alongside the growing recognition of the intricate relationship between the private and public spheres, raise complex questions about the ways in which politicians’ private lives are linked to the political realm. This article develops the term politically relevant intimacy, referring to texts in which matters of the public sphere are being tied to the discourse surrounding politicians’ personal lives. We identify two major types of political relevance—issue based and conduct based—and apply this framework to a comparative analysis of mediated manifestations of politicians’ intimate lives in Israel and the United States. Differences in level and type of politically relevant intimacy are found between news coverage and Facebook posts, as well as between the two countries. No significant differences are found between female and male politicians. We discuss implications for future research and for the citizenry in democracies.
Pre-Service Early Childhood Educators' Leadership Development through Reflective Engagement with Experiential Service Learning and Leadership Literature

THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED WHETHER final-year early childhood education students' aspirations for professional leadership roles, and positive perceptions of themselves as leaders, improved through engagement in a university course requiring reflection on service learning leadership projects, and leadership and advocacy literature. Before and after surveys found students' leadership self-perceptions and aspirations significantly improved on completing the course. Thematic analysis of students' reflections found initial notions about leadership were narrower, and more focused on positional power and stereotypically male capabilities than at the end of the course. Improved leadership self-perceptions and aspirations arose from leadership self-audits, participation in service learning (in which students practised leadership skills, challenged themselves, wrestled with difficulties, and discussed progress and strategies with other stakeholders), reflection on their current and aspirational leadership capabilities, and utilisation of leadership and advocacy literature to inform actions and reflections. Findings suggest these combined elements can support early childhood leadership development.
Device-independent on demand synchronization in the Unico file system

This paper presents Unico, a storage platform that presents users with a single view of all their data, independently of the device they are using. Each of the user's devices has full and up-to-date information about the entire data structure and metadata, and is able to retrieve any file transparently as needed. File content is efficiently distributed among the user's own devices according to where it is used, with no need for centralized storage and no data stored in devices that are not owned by the user. Peers communicate with each other directly to maintain a consistent state. Users also have no need to know where the data is stored, or to remember in which device the latest update to a file has been performed. Unico is able to work with devices with different storage characteristics, and provides mechanisms for applications to adapt to data availability.
Automated Test Input Generation for Android: Towards Getting There in an Industrial Case

Monkey, a random testing tool from Google, has been popularly used in industrial practices for automatic test input generation for Android due to its applicability to a variety of application settings, e.g., ease of use and compatibility with different Android platforms. Recently, Monkey has been under the spotlight of the research community: recent studies found out that none of the studied tools from the academia were actually better than Monkey when applied on a set of open source Android apps. Our recent efforts performed the first case study of applying Monkey on WeChat, a popular messenger app with over 800 million monthly active users, and revealed many limitations of Monkey along with developing our improved approach to alleviate some of these limitations. In this paper, we explore two optimization techniques to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our previous approach. We also conduct manual categorization of not-covered activities and two automatic coverage-analysis techniques to provide insightful information about the not-covered code entities. Lastly, we present findings of our empirical studies of conducting automatic random testing on WeChat with the preceding techniques.
The Comprehension of Sentences Derived by Syntactic Movement in Palestinian Arabic-Speaking Children with Hearing Impairment

Sentence and text comprehension is known to be difficult for orally-trained individuals with hearing impairment. This study explored the comprehension of several syntactic structures that are especially difficult for them, and may lead to considerable comprehension difficulties. Ten structures derived by Wh-movement were tested, some of them for the first time in hearing-impairment: 5 types of relative-clauses, 3 types of Wh-questions, and 2 types of topicalized structures, compared with 2 types of simple sentences. Experiment 1 tested subject and object-relatives using a sentence-picture matching task. Experiment 2 tested subject-questions and object-questions using a picture-selection task. Experiment 3 tested subjectand object-relatives using comprehension questions. Experiment 4 tested subjectand object-relatives and topicalized sentences using a reading-and-paraphrasing task. The participants were 24 orally-trained Palestinian-Arabic-speaking individuals, 21 of them had mild-to-profound binaural hearing loss, and 3 had monaural hearing loss. The participants with binaural hearing impairment, who were not sufficiently exposed to language input during the first year of life, failed to understand object-relatives, object-questions, and topicalization in SV and VS orders in both Palestinian-Arabic and Standard-Arabic. In some tasks they even had difficulty understanding subject-relatives and subject-questions. The monaurally hearing-impaired performed similarly to the controls on all tasks.
Reproductive potential predicts longevity of female Mediterranean fruitflies

Reproduction exacts a price in terms of decreased survival. Our analysis of the interplay between age patterns of fecundity and mortality for individual female medflies (Ceratitis capitata) revealed that individual mortality is associated with the time–dynamics of the egg–laying trajectory. In a sample of 531 medflies, we found that each individual has a characteristic rate of decline in egg laying with age. This defines an individual's rate of reproductive exhaustion. This rate was shown to predict subsequent mortality. The larger the remaining reproductive potential, the lower the subsequent mortality. An increased mortality risk was seen in flies for which egg production declined rapidly early on, irrespective of the level of egg production. Thus, reproductive potential and lifetime are coupled in such a way that those flies which are able to profit most from an extended life span in terms of increased egg output are indeed likely to live longer.