Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Steganalysis by Subtractive Pixel Adjacency Matrix

This paper presents a method for detection of steganographic methods that embed in the spatial domain by adding a low-amplitude independent stego signal, an example of which is least significant bit (LSB) matching. First, arguments are provided for modeling the differences between adjacent pixels using first-order and second-order Markov chains. Subsets of sample transition probability matrices are then used as features for a steganalyzer implemented by support vector machines. The major part of experiments, performed on four diverse image databases, focuses on evaluation of detection of LSB matching. The comparison to prior art reveals that the presented feature set offers superior accuracy in detecting LSB matching. Even though the feature set was developed specifically for spatial domain steganalysis, by constructing steganalyzers for ten algorithms for JPEG images, it is demonstrated that the features detect steganography in the transform domain as well.
Diversification and its Discontents: Idiosyncratic and Entrepreneurial Risk in the Quest for Social Status

Social status concerns influence investors' decisions by driving a wedge in attitudes toward aggregate and idiosyncratic risks. I model such concerns by emphasizing the desire to "get ahead of the Joneses," which implies that aversion to idiosyncratic risk is lower than aversion to aggregate risk. The model predicts that investors hold concentrated portfolios in equilibrium, which helps rationalize the small premium for undiversified entrepreneurial risk. In the model, status concerns are more important for wealthier households. Consequently, these households own a disproportionate share of risky assets, particularly private equity, and experience greater volatility of consumption, consistent with empirical evidence. Copyright (c) 2010 the American Finance Association.
Large deviations for Riesz potentials of additive processes

Nous etudions les fonctionelles de la forme ou X 1 (t), . X p(t) sont des processus stables symetriques independants et identiquement distribues d'ordre 0 < β ≤ 2. Nous obtenons des resultats sur les grandes deviations et les lois du logarithme itere.
A Survey of Explanations in Recommender Systems

This paper provides a comprehensive review of explanations in recommender systems. We highlight seven possible advantages of an explanation facility, and describe how existing measures can be used to evaluate the quality of explanations. Since explanations are not independent of the recommendation process, we consider how the ways recommendations are presented may affect explanations. Next, we look at different ways of interacting with explanations. The paper is illustrated with examples of explanations throughout, where possible from existing applications.
Engagement in HIV Medical Care and Technology Use among Stimulant-Using and Nonstimulant-Using Men who have Sex with Men

Aims of this study were to assess the associations between stimulant use and attitudes toward and engagement in HIV medical care and to examine technology use among stimulant-using and nonstimulant-using men who have sex with men (MSM). HIV-positive MSM (n = 276; mean age = 42 years; 71% white, non-Hispanic; 43% with college degree) completed an online survey in 2009. Most men (69%) had not missed any scheduled HIV medical appointments in the past year, while 23% had missed at least one, and 9% had not attended any appointments. Stimulant use was significantly associated with not attending any HIV medical appointments in the unadjusted model (relative risk ratio (RRR) = 2.84, 95% CI [1.07, 7.58]), as well as in models adjusted for demographic (RRR = 3.16, 95% CI [1.13, 8.84]) and psychosocial (RRR = 3.44, 95% CI [1.17, 10.15]) factors (Ps < 0.05). Fewer stimulant-using than non-stimulant-using men rated HIV medical care a high priority (57% versus 85%; P < 0.01). Few significant differences were found in online social networking or mobile phone use between stimulant-using and non-stimulant-using MSM, even when stratified by engagement in HIV care. Findings indicate that stimulant use is uniquely associated with nonengagement in HIV medical care in this sample, and that it may be possible to reach stimulant-using MSM using online social networking and mobile technologies.
Space-Time Finite Element Methods for Surface Diffusion with Applications to the Theory of the Stability of Cylinders

A family of space--time finite element approximation schemes is presented for the nonlinear partial differential equations governing diffusion in the surface of a body of revolution. The schemes share with the partial differential equations properties of conservation of volume and decrease of area. Numerical experiments are described showing that the result of the linear theory of small amplitude longitudinal perturbations of a cylinder to the effect that a long cylinder is stable against all perturbations with spatial Fourier spectra containing only wavelengths less than the circumference of the cylinder does not hold in the full nonlinear theory. Examples are given of cases in which longitudinal perturbations with high wave-number spectra grow in amplitude, after an initial rapid decay followed by a long "incubation period," and result in break-up of the body into a necklace of beads. The results of finite element calculations are compared with the predictions of a perturbation analysis.
Morphometric study of cricoid cartilages in Western India.

BACKGROUND It is important to determine the size and proportion of the larynx as such information is useful in procedures such as intubation, endoscopy and surgical manipulations. Recent interest in the cases of subglottic stenosis and postintubational stenosis of the lower respiratory tract has led to renewed interest in ascertaining the measurements of the various laryngeal cartilages. The aim of the present study was to collect morphometric data of cricoid cartilage from a regional population. METHOD Fifty laryngeal preparations from adult cadavers of Western India were assessed. Sections were prepared via dissection and the removed cricoid cartilages then measured and weighed. RESULTS The mean antero-posterior diameter (19.29±2.47) of the cricoid cartilage was greater than the average transverse diameter (18.33±2.26). The height of arch of cricoid cartilage was 6.54±1.23mm and height of lamina was 21.45±1.97mm. Mean weight of cricoid cartilage was 4.53±1.27grams. The shape of the cricoid cartilage was ovoid in 46% of cases, oval in 38%, pear shaped in 12% and narrow-oblong in 4% of cases. CONCLUSION Inter-subject variability in the dimensions of cricoid cartilages was observed. The large difference in almost all sizes and shapes of the cricoid cartilage makes it difficult to standardise the rigid stents used in these organs. Endotracheal tubes of the appropriate size should therefore be based on the measurements of individual patients. Clinicians should therefore be aware of morphological variations as they are of fundamental clinical importance.
Steroid Withdrawal in Renal Transplant Patients on Triple Therapy with a Calcineurin Inhibitor and Mycophenolate Mofetil: A Meta-analysis of Randomized, Controlled Trials

Background. Two previous meta-analyses of randomized, controlled trials of steroid withdrawal after renal transplantation have shown significant increases in acute rejection (both analyses) and graft failure rates (the last analysis). A new examination of this topic including only randomized, controlled trials based on currently used, new, potent therapy with calcineurin inhibitors and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), avoiding early trials with azathioprine, is justified. Methods. Steroid withdrawal in patients on triple therapy including a calcineurin inhibitor and MMF was assessed through meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials in which intention-to-treat rates of acute rejection and renal allograft failure were established after steroid withdrawal or continuation. Results. Six trials were included, four in patients receiving cyclosporine and two in patients receiving tacrolimus. The risk ratio (RR) for acute rejection was 2.28 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.65–3.16; P<0.00001) and the pooled risk difference (RD) was 0.08 (95% CI, 0.05–0.11; P<0.001), indicating that the proportion of patients with acute rejection after prednisone withdrawal was significantly higher compared with controls. The RR for graft failure was 0.73 (95% CI, 0.42–1.28; P=0.27) and the RD was −0.01 (95% CI, −0.03–0.01; P=0.28), indicating that the proportion of patients with graft failure after withdrawal was not significantly different from that observed in controls. Total cholesterol was significantly lower after steroid withdrawal (weighted mean difference, −0.53 &mgr;M (95% CI, −0.70 to −0.36; P<0.0001). Conclusions. Renal allograft recipients on triple therapy with a calcineurin inhibitor, MMF, and steroids are at low but significant risk of acute rejection after steroid withdrawal but do not suffer an increased risk of early graft failure. It is necessary to extend controlled follow-up to confirm graft function stabilization.
Transcription destabilizes triplet repeats

Triplet repeat expansion is the molecular basis for several human diseases. Intensive studies using systems in bacteria, yeast, flies, mammalian cells, and mice have provided important insights into the molecular processes that are responsible for mediating repeat instability. The age‐dependent, ongoing repeat instability in somatic tissues, especially in terminally differentiated neurons, strongly suggests a robust role for pathways that are independent of DNA replication. Several genetic studies have indicated that transcription can play a critical role in repeat instability, potentially providing a basis for the instability observed in neurons. Transcription‐induced repeat instability can be modulated by several DNA repair proteins, including those involved in mismatch repair (MMR) and transcription‐coupled nucleotide excision repair (TC‐NER). Though the mechanism is unclear, it is likely that transcription facilitates the formation of repeat‐specific secondary structures, which act as intermediates to trigger DNA repair, eventually leading to changes in the length of the repeat tract. In addition, other processes associated with transcription can also modulate repeat instability, as shown in a variety of different systems. Overall, the mechanisms underlying repeat instability in humans are unexpectedly complicated. Because repeat‐disease genes are widely expressed, transcription undoubtedly contributes to the repeat instability observed in many diseases, but it may be especially important in nondividing cells. Transcription‐induced instability is likely to involve an extensive interplay not only of the core transcription machinery and DNA repair proteins, but also of proteins involved in chromatin remodeling, regulation of supercoiling, and removal of stalled RNA polymerases, as well as local DNA sequence effects. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A biased-randomized metaheuristic for the capacitated location routing problem

The location routing problem (LRP) involves the three key decision levels in supply chain design, that is, strategic, tactical, and operational levels. It deals with the simultaneous decisions of (a) locating facilities (e.g., depots or warehouses), (b) assigning customers to facilities, and (c) defining routes of vehicles departing from and finishing at each facility to serve the associated customers’ demands. In this paper, a two-phase metaheuristic procedure is proposed to deal with the capacitated version of the LRP (CLRP). Here, decisions must be made taking into account limited capacities of both facilities and vehicles. In the first phase (selection of promising solutions), we determine the depots to be opened, perform a fast allocation of customers to open depots, and generate a complete CLRP solution using a fast routing heuristic. This phase is executed several times in order to keep the most promising solutions. In the second phase (solution refinement), for each of the selected solutions we apply a perturbation procedure to the customer allocation followed by a more intensive routing heuristic. Computational experiments are carried out using well-known instances from the literature. Results show that our approach is quite competitive since it offers average gaps below 0.4% with respect to the best-known solutions (BKSs) for all tested sets in short computational times.
Sparsity assisted solution to the twin image problem in phase retrieval

The problem of iterative phase retrieval from Fourier transform magnitude data for complex-valued objects is known to suffer from the twin image problem. In particular, when the object support is centrosymmetric, the iterative solution often stagnates such that the resultant complex image contains the features of both the desired solution and its inverted and complex-conjugated replica. In this work we make an important observation that the ideal solution without the twin image is typically more sparse in some suitable transform domain as compared to the stagnated solution. We further show that introducing a sparsity-enhancing step in the iterative algorithm can address the twin image problem without the need to change the object support throughout the iterative process even when the object support is centrosymmetric. In a simulation study, we use binary and gray-scale pure phase objects and illustrate the effectiveness of the sparsity-assisted phase recovery in the context of the twin image problem.
Quantum fields in a big-crunch–big-bang spacetime

We consider quantum field theory on a spacetime representing the big-crunch\char21{}big-bang transition postulated in ekpyrotic or cyclic cosmologies. We show via several independent methods that an essentially unique matching rule holds connecting the incoming state, in which a single extra dimension shrinks to zero, to the outgoing state in which it reexpands at the same rate. For free fields in our construction there is no particle production from the incoming adiabatic vacuum. When interactions are included the particle production for fixed external momentum is finite at the tree level. We discuss a formal correspondence between our construction and quantum field theory on de Sitter spacetime.
Estimating the prevalence of anaemia: a comparison of three methods.

OBJECTIVE To determine the most effective method for analysing haemoglobin concentrations in large surveys in remote areas, and to compare two methods (indirect cyanmethaemoglobin and HemoCue) with the conventional method (direct cyanmethaemoglobin). METHODS Samples of venous and capillary blood from 121 mothers in Indonesia were compared using all three methods. FINDINGS When the indirect cyanmethaemoglobin method was used the prevalence of anaemia was 31-38%. When the direct cyanmethaemoglobin or HemoCue method was used the prevalence was 14-18%. Indirect measurement of cyanmethaemoglobin had the highest coefficient of variation and the largest standard deviation of the difference between the first and second assessment of the same blood sample (10-12 g/l indirect measurement vs 4 g/l direct measurement). In comparison with direct cyanmethaemoglobin measurement of venous blood, HemoCue had the highest sensitivity (82.4%) and specificity (94.2%) when used for venous blood. CONCLUSIONS Where field conditions and local resources allow it, haemoglobin concentration should be assessed with the direct cyanmethaemoglobin method, the gold standard. However, the HemoCue method can be used for surveys involving different laboratories or which are conducted in relatively remote areas. In very hot and humid climates, HemoCue microcuvettes should be discarded if not used within a few days of opening the container containing the cuvettes.
Minimum selection GSC in independent Rayleigh fading

We analyze the error performance of minimum selection generalized selection combining (MS-GSC), in which the minimum number of diversity branches are selected such that their combined signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is above a given threshold. A flat Rayleigh fading channel with independent and distinctly distributed branch SNRs is considered. By transforming the ordered instantaneous branch SNRs to their differences, we derive the distribution of the number of selected branches in closed form. We then modify the derivation of this distribution to get the characteristic function (cf.) of the combiner output SNR. This cf. is used to obtain the symbol error probability for different coherent digital modulation schemes.
Energy Efficient Computation of Data Fusion in Wireless Sensor Networks Using Cuckoo Based Particle Approach (CBPA)

Energy efficient communication is a plenary issue in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Contemporary energy efficient optimization schemes are focused on reducing power consumption in various aspects of hardware design, data processing, network protocols and operating system. In this paper, optimization of network is formulated by Cuckoo Based Particle Approach (CBPA). Nodes are deployed randomly and organized as static clusters by Cuckoo Search (CS). After the cluster heads are selected, the information is collected, aggregated and forwarded to the base station using generalized particle approach algorithm. The Generalized Particle Model Algorithm (GPMA) transforms the network energy consumption problem into dynamics and kinematics of numerous particles in a force-field. The proposed approach can significantly lengthen the network lifetime when compared to traditional methods.
Combining the Benefits of CCA and SVMs for SSVEP-based BCIs in Real-world Conditions

In this paper we propose a novel method for SSVEP classification that combines the benefits of the inherently multi-channel CCA, the state-of-the-art method for detecting SSVEPs, with the robust SVMs, one of the most popular machine learning algorithms. The employment of SVMs, except for the benefit of robustness, provides us also with a confidence score allowing to dynamically trade-off the trial length with the accuracy of the classifier, and vice versa. By balancing this trade-off we are able to offer personalized self-paced BCIs that maximize the ITR of the system. Furthermore, we propose to perturb the template frequencies of CCA so as to accommodate with real world BCI applications requirements, where the environmental conditions may not be ideal compared to existing methods that rely on the assumption of soundproof and distraction-free environments.
Application of the periodic homogenization technique to ionic transfer in cementitious materials

ABSTRACT In this paper we propose two macroscopic models of ionic transfer in saturated porous media. These models are established by using periodic homogenization technique for two regimes of transfer (weakly or strongly accelerated). For each regime of transfer, the associated macroscopic model obtained (pure migration or coupled diffusion-migration model) depends on the order of magnitude of the dimensionless numbers characterizing the transfer naturally introduced. Oppositely, the associated homogenised diffusion tensor is identical in the two cases of transfer considered; it depends only on the geometrical complexity of the microstructure of the porous medium. Finally numerical simulations are carried out on periodic porous media in order to calculate the corresponding homogenized diffusion tensor and to compare it with experimental results for the case of chlorides in cementitious materials.
Heterogeneous Defect Prediction Through Multiple Kernel Learning and Ensemble Learning

Heterogeneous defect prediction (HDP) aims to predict defect-prone software modules in one project using heterogeneous data collected from other projects. Recently, several HDP methods have been proposed. However, these methods do not sufficiently incorporate the two characteristics of the defect prediction data: (1) data could be linearly inseparable, and (2) data could be highly imbalanced. These two data characteristics make it challenging to build an effective HDP model. In this paper, we propose a novel Ensemble Multiple Kernel Correlation Alignment (EMKCA) based approach to HDP, which takes into consideration the two characteristics of the defect prediction data. Specifically, we first map the source and target project data into high dimensional kernel space through multiple kernel leaning, where the defective and non-defective modules can be better separated. Then, we design a kernel correlation alignment method to make the data distribution of the source and target projects similar in the kernel space. Finally, we integrate multiple kernel classifiers with ensemble learning to relieve the influence caused by class imbalance problem, which can improve the accuracy of the defect prediction model. Consequently, EMKCA owns the advantages of both multiple kernel learning and ensemble learning. Extensive experiments on 30 public projects show that EMKCA outperforms the related competing methods.
Yersinia enterocolitica Impairs Activation of Transcription Factor NF-κB: Involvement in the Induction of Programmed Cell Death and in the Suppression of the Macrophage Tumor Necrosis Factor α Production

In this study, we investigated the activity of transcription factor NF-κB in macrophages infected with Yersinia enterocolitica. Although triggering initially a weak NF-κB signal, Y. enterocolitica inhibited NF-κB activation in murine J774A.1 and peritoneal macrophages within 60 to 90 min. Simultaneously, Y. enterocolitica prevented prolonged degradation of the inhibitory proteins IκB-α and IκB-β observed by treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or nonvirulent, plasmid-cured yersiniae. Analysis of different Y. enterocolitica mutants revealed a striking correlation between the abilities of these strains to inhibit NF-κB and to suppress the tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) production as well as to trigger macrophage apoptosis. When NF-κB activation was prevented by the proteasome inhibitor MG-132, nonvirulent yersiniae as well as LPS became able to trigger J774A.1 cell apoptosis and inhibition of the TNF-α secretion. Y. enterocolitica also impaired the activity of NF-κB in epithelial HeLa cells. Although neither Y. enterocolitica nor TNF-α could induce HeLa cell apoptosis alone, TNF-α provoked apoptosis when activation of NF-κB was inhibited by Yersinia infection or by the proteasome inhibitor MG-132. Together, these data demonstrate that Y. enterocolitica suppresses cellular activation of NF-κB, which inhibits TNF-α release and triggers apoptosis in macrophages. Our results also suggest that Yersinia infection confers susceptibility to programmed cell death to other cell types, provided that the appropriate death signal is delivered.
Detailed analysis of the genetic evolution of influenza virus during the course of an epidemic

The genetic variability of influenza virus is usually studied with sequences selected over numerous years and countries, and rarely within a single season. Here we examined the viral evolution and the correlation between genetic and clinical features during an epidemic. From a French prospective household-based study in 1999–2000, 99 infected patients were randomly selected. The HA1 genomic domain was sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis showed the existence of two groups of A/H3N2 viruses. We found no distinct pattern of genomic evolution within either group according to time. A spatial correlation with the nucleotide distances was shown. The average nucleotide diversity was 3·4×10−3 nucleotides per site, and did not differ between the groups. A lower number of segregating sites was observed in patients who experienced influenza-like symptoms during the previous epidemic. These results suggest that the influenza virus undergoes regular HA1 nucleotide changes, but without clonal expansion of mutant strains within a single epidemic.