Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Flash Cookies and Privacy II: Now with HTML5 and ETag Respawning

In August 2009, we demonstrated that popular websites were using “Flash cookies” to track users. Some advertisers had adopted this technology because it allowed persistent tracking even where users had taken steps to avoid web profiling. We also demonstrated “respawning” on top sites with Flash technology. This allowed sites to reinstantiate HTTP cookies deleted by a user, making tracking more resistant to users’ privacy-seeking behaviors.In this followup study, we reassess the Flash cookies landscape and examine a new tracking vector, HTML5 local storage and Cache-Cookies via ETags. We found over 5,600 standard HTTP cookies on popular sites, over 4,900 were from third parties. Google-controlled cookies were present on 97 of the top 100 sites, including popular government websites. Seventeen sites were using HTML5, and seven of those sites had HTML5 local storage and HTTP cookies with matching values. Flash cookies were present on 37 of the top 100 sites. We found two sites that were respawning cookies, including one site – hulu.com – where both Flash and cache cookies were employed to make identifiers more persistent. The cache cookie method used ETags, and is capable of unique tracking even where all cookies are blocked by the user and “Private Browsing Mode” is enabled.Our 2009 study is also available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1446862.
MRI-Based Analysis of Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Mice Reveals Relationship between Hematoma Expansion and the Severity of Symptoms

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is featured by poor prognosis such as high mortality rate and severe neurological dysfunction. In humans, several valuables including hematoma volume and ventricular expansion of hemorrhage are known to correlate with the extent of mortality and neurological dysfunction. However, relationship between hematoma conditions and the severity of symptoms in animal ICH models has not been clarified. Here we addressed this issue by using 7-tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on collagenase-induced ICH model in mice. We found that the mortality rate and the performance in behavioral tests did not correlate well with the volume of hematoma. In contrast, when hemorrhage invaded the internal capsule, mice exhibited high mortality and showed poor sensorimotor performance. High mortality rate and poor performance in behavioral tests were also observed when hemorrhage invaded the lateral ventricle, although worsened symptoms associated with ventricular hemorrhage were apparent only during early phase of the disease. These results clearly indicate that invasion of the internal capsule or the lateral ventricle by hematoma is a critical determinant of poor prognosis in experimental ICH model in mice as well as in human ICH patients. MRI assessment may be a powerful tool to refine investigations of pathogenic mechanisms and evaluations of drug effects in animal models of ICH.
In Vitro Chondrogenesis Transformation Study of Mouse Dental Pulp Stem Cells

A major challenge in the application of mesenchymal stem cells in cartilage reconstruction is that whether the cells are able to differentiate into fully mature chondrocytes before grafting. The aim of this study was to isolate mouse dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) and differentiate them into chondrocytes. For this investigation, morphological, molecular, and biochemical analyses for differentiated cells were used. To induce the chondrocyte differentiation, DPSC were cultured in chondrogenic medium (Zen-Bio, Inc.). Based on morphological analyses using toluidine blue staining, proteoglycan products appear in DPSC after 21 days of chondrocyte induction. Biochemical analyses in differentiated group showed that alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly increased at day 14 as compared to control (P < 0.05). Cell viability analyses during the differentiation to chondrocytes also showed that these cells were viable during differentiation. However, after the 14th day of differentiation, there was a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in the viability proportion among differentiated cells as compared to the control cells. In RT-PCR molecular analyses, mouse DPSC expressed Cd146 and Cd166 which indicated that these cells belong to mesenchymal stem cells. Coll I and Coll II markers showed high expression after 14 and 21 days, respectively. In conclusion, this study showed that DPSC successfully differentiated into chondrocytes.
Half century of black-hole theory: From physicists' purgatory to mathematicians' paradise

Although implicit in the discovery of the Schwarzschild solution 40 years earlier, the issues raised by the theory of what are now known as black holes were so unsettling to physicists of Einstein’s generation that the subject remained in a state of semiclandestine gestation until his demise. That turning point — just half a century after Einstein’s original foundation of relativity theory, and just half a century ago today — can be considered to mark the birth of black hole theory as a subject of systematic development by physicists of a new and less inhibited generation, whose enthusastic investigations have revealed structures of unforeseen mathematical beauty, even though questions about the physical significance of the concomitant singularities remain controversial.
‘You make me wanna holler and throw up both my hands!’: campus culture, Black misandric microaggressions, and racial battle fatigue

Abstract Black males are scarce on White campuses. Still, they experience hypervisibility and are targets of hypersurveillance. This study used focus groups and semi-structured interviews to examine the experiences of 36 Black male students attending seven ‘elite’ historically White Research I institutions. Two themes emerged: (a) anti-Black male stereotyping and marginality and (b) hypersurveillance and control directed at Black men by Whites. Participants reported stereotyping and increased surveillance by police on and off campus. They also reported being defined as ‘out of place’ and ‘fitting the description’ of illegitimate members of the campus community. As a result, students reported psychological stress responses symptomatic of racial battle fatigue (e.g. frustration, shock, anger, disappointment, resentment, anxiety, helplessness, hopelessness, and fear). The study finds the college environment was more hostile toward Black men than other groups, exemplifying Black racial misandry.
SUIT: A Cross Layer Image Transport Protocol with Fuzzy Logic Based Congestion Control for Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks

Congestion is a challenging problem for sensor networks because it causes the waste of communication and reduces energy efficiency. In this article, problems for multimedia transmission over wireless multimedia sensor networks are examined and Sensor fUzzy-based Image Transmission (SUIT); a new cross-layer progressive image transport protocol is proposed as a solution. SUIT provides a fuzzy logic based congestion estimation and a novel congestion mitigation technique which decreases image quality on-the-fly at an acceptable level. In case of congestion, SUIT drops some packets of the frames in a smart way and thus transmits frames to the sink with lower, but acceptable quality. In this way, SUIT improves the continuity of the video streaming. We evaluate the performance of SUIT by comparing it with two example transport protocols, namely Event- to-Sink Reliable Transport and Fuzzy Logic Based Congestion Estimation, proposed for wireless sensor networks. According to our simulation results, SUIT provides better energy consumption, frame delivery, frame loss and frame latency performance than its competitors.
51 OPHIUCHUS: A POSSIBLE BETA PICTORIS ANALOG MEASURED WITH THE KECK INTERFEROMETER NULLER

We present observations of the 51 Ophiuchi circumstellar disk made with the Keck interferometer operating in nulling mode at N band. We model these data simultaneously with VLTI-MIDI visibility data and a Spitzer IRS spectrum using a variety of optically thin dust cloud models and an edge-on optically thick disk model. We find that single-component optically thin disk models and optically thick disk models are inadequate to reproduce the observations, but an optically thin two-component disk model can reproduce all of the major spectral and interferometric features. Our preferred disk model consists of an inner disk of blackbody grains extending to ∼4 AU and an outer disk of small silicate grains extending out to ∼1200 AU. Our model is consistent with an inner “birth” disk of continually colliding parent bodies producing an extended envelope of ejected small grains. This picture resembles the disks around Vega, AU Microscopii, and β Pictoris, supporting the idea that 51 Ophiuchius may be a β Pictoris analog.
Use of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) for the Analysis and Modeling of Factors That Affect Occupational Injuries in Large Construction Industries

Introduction Occupational injuries as a workforce’s health problem are very important in large-scale workplaces. Analysis and modeling the health-threatening factors are good ways to promote the workforce’s health and a fundamental step in developing health programs. The purpose of this study was ANN modeling of the severity of occupational injuries to determine the health-threatening factors and to introduce a model to predict the severity of occupational injuries. Methods This analytical chain study was conducted in 10 large construction industries during a 10-year period (2005–2014). Nine hundred sixty occupational injuries were analyzed and modeled based on feature weighting by the rough set theory and artificial neural networks (ANNs). Two analytical software programs, i.e., RSES and MATLAB 2014 were used in the study. Results The severity of occupational injuries was calculated as 557.47 ± 397.87 days. The findings of both models showed that the injuries’ severity as a health problem resulted in various factors, including individual, organizational, health and safety (H&S) training, and risk management factors, which could be considered as causal and predictive factors of accident severity rate (ASR). Conclusion The results indicated that ANNs were a reliable tool that can be used to analyze and model the severity of occupational injuries as one of the important health problems in large-scale workplaces. Additionally, the combination of rough set and ANNs is a good and proper chain approach to modeling the factors that threaten the health of workforces and other H&S problems.
Algebraic cycles and fibrations

Let f : X → B be a projective surjective morphism between quasi-projective varieties. The goal of this paper is the study of the Chow groups of X in terms of the Chow groups of B and of the fibres of f. One of the applications concerns quadric bundles. When X and B are smooth projective and when f is a flat quadric fibration, we show that the Chow motive of X is "built" from the motives of varieties of dimension less than the dimension of B.
Correctness and Refinement of Dually Nondeterministic Programs

In this paper we extend different reasoning methods from traditional (demonic) programs to programs with both demonic and angelic nondeterminism. In particular, we discuss correctness proofs, and refinement of programs while reducing angelic nondeterminism (into demonic nondeterminism or determinism). As expected, reducing angelic nondeterminism is generally not a refinement; however, when context is taken into consideration, it can result in refinement. We also show how correctness proofs can be used to implement a winning strategy for the angel (when such a strategy exists). TUCS Laboratory Learning and Reasoning Laboratory
Predicting Plasma Concentrations of Bisphenol A in Children Younger Than 2 Years of Age after Typical Feeding Schedules, using a Physiologically Based Toxicokinetic Model

Background Concerns have recently been raised regarding the safety of potential human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), an industrial chemical found in some polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Of particular interest is the exposure of young children to BPA via food stored in BPA-containing packaging. Objectives In this study we assessed the age dependence of the toxicokinetics of BPA and its glucuronidated metabolite, BPA-Glu, using a coupled BPA–BPA-Glu physiologically based toxicokinetic (PBTK) model. Methods Using information gathered from toxicokinetic studies in adults, we built a PBTK model. We then scaled the model to children < 2 years of age based on the age dependence of physiologic parameters relevant for absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. Results We estimated the average steady-state BPA plasma concentration in newborns to be 11 times greater than that in adults when given the same weight-normalized dose. Because of the rapid development of the glucuronidation process, this ratio dropped to 2 by 3 months of age. Simulation of typical feeding exposures, as estimated by regulatory authorities, showed a 5-fold greater steady-state BPA plasma concentration in 3- and 6-month-olds compared with adults, reflecting both a reduced capacity for BPA metabolism and a greater weight-normalized BPA exposure. Because of uncertainty in defining the hepatic BPA intrinsic clearance in adults, these values represent preliminary estimates. Conclusions Simulations of the differential BPA dosimetry between adults and young children point to the need for more sensitive analytical methods for BPA to define, with greater certainty, the adult hepatic BPA intrinsic clearance, as well as a need for external exposure data in young children.
Design rules for maximally flat wavelength-insensitive optical power dividers using Mach-Zehnder structures

A cascade of two directional couplers with a relative phase shift between them, serves as an optical power divider. Simple analytic universal design rules for selecting the appropriate net coupling strength in each device, and for the phase shift, yield maximally flat response in terms of deviations in wavelength, polarization, or uniform fabrication errors, and are applicable to any power division ratio.
Molecular Systems Biology Peer Review Process File the Functional Interactome of Pyhin Immune Regulators Reveals Ifix Is a Sensor of Viral Dna Transaction Report

(Note: With the exception of the correction of typographical or spelling errors that could be a source of ambiguity, letters and reports are not edited. The original formatting of letters and referee reports may not be reflected in this compilation.) Thank you again for submitting your work to Molecular Systems Biology. We have now finally heard back from the three referees whom we asked to evaluate your manuscript. Reviewer 3 was asked to only evaluate the technical aspects of the proteomics analysis. Reviewer #1 is an expert in innate immunity and reviewer #2 is an expert in proteomics and signaling. As you will see from the ports below, the referees raise substantial concerns on your work, which, I am afraid to say, preclude its publication in Molecular Systems Biology. While the reviewers recognize the technical quality of the AP-MS analysis, both reviewer #1 and #2 raise significant concerns with regard to the biological insights gained by the analysis. Thus, the choice of HEK293 cells as the experimental system and the use of conditions without differential exposure to DNA seem to limit the relevance of the interaction set for innate immune functions. Additional concerns refer to the fact that the follow-up investigations of IFIX remain relatively independent from the preceding proteomics analysis while the finding of IFIX as a foreign DNA sensor is not completely unexpected given the activities of other family members. As such, both reviewer #1 and #2 feel that the study remains of relatively specialized nature and would not recommend publication in Molecular Systems Biology. Overall, given the critiques expressed by the reviewers and the low level of suport for publication in Molecular Systems Biology, I see no other choice than to return the manuscript with the message that we cannot offer to publish it. I am sorry not to be able to bring better news on this occasion. In any case, thank you for the opportunity to examine your work and I hope that the points raised in the reports will prove useful to you.
Welfare in villages and towns: Micro-level estimation of poverty and equality

We construct and derive the properties of an estimator of welfare which takes advantage of the detailed nature of information about living standards available in small household surveys and the comprehensive coverage of a census. By combining the strengths of each, our estimator can be used at a remarkably disaggregated level. It has a clear interpretation; it can be expanded in a consistent way to any welfare measure; and can be assessed for reliability using standard statistical theory. Because unit record census data present some computational hurdles, we explore simulation and numerical integration approaches, as well as the use of distributional approximations. For non-separable inequality measures we derive speci ̄c formulas to allow the use of `shortcut' computational methods. Using data from Ecuador we obtain estimates of welfare measures which are very reliable for populations of 5,000 households, `towns', and in many cases for those as small as 500. We provide simple illustrations of their use. In the longer run, such estimates open up the possibility of estimating and testing, at a more convincing intracountry level, the many recent models relating welfare distributions to growth and a variety of socioeconomic and political outcomes.
Notes on a Historical Institutional Approach to the IPPG Agenda.

Paper prepared for the DFID-funded Research Programme, Institutions and Pro-Poor Growth (IPPG). The authors are grateful to DFID for the funding that made this research possible. The views expressed in this paper are entirely those of the author and in no way represent either the official policy of DFID or the policy of any other part of the UK Government. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission; for permission to reproduce this paper, or any part of thereof, please contact the editor at the address above. Notes on a Historical Institutional Approach to the IPPG Agenda
A comparison of reliability and precision of subscore reporting methods for a state English language proficiency assessment

K–12 English language proficiency tests that assess multiple content domains (e.g., listening, speaking, reading, writing) often have subsections based on these content domains; scores assigned to these subsections are commonly known as subscores. Testing programs face increasing customer demands for the reporting of subscores in addition to the total test scores in today’s accountability-oriented educational environment. Although reporting subscores can provide much-needed information for teachers, administrators, and students about proficiency in the test domains, one of the major drawbacks of subscore reporting includes their lower reliability as compared to the test as a whole. In addition, viewing language domains as if they were not interrelated, and reporting subscores without considering this relationship between domains, may be contradictory to the theory of language acquisition. This study explored several methods of assigning subscores to the four domains of a state English language proficiency test, including classical test theory (CTT)-based number correct, unidimensional item response theory (UIRT), augmented item response theory (A-IRT), and multidimensional item response theory (MIRT), and compared the reliability and precision of these different methods across language domains and grade bands. The first two methods assessed proficiency in the domains separately, without considering the relationship between domains; the last two methods took into consideration relationships between domains. The reliability and precision of the CTT and UIRT methods were similar and lower than those of A-IRT and MIRT for most domains and grade bands; MIRT was found to be the most reliable method. Policy implications and limitations of this study, as well as directions for further research, are discussed.
Priority based routing and wavelength assignment with traffic grooming for optical networks

One of the challenging issues in optical networks is call blocking and it increases with the number of connection requests due to the limited number of wavelength channels in each fiber link. In this paper, we propose a priority based routing and wavelength assignment scheme with incorporation of a traffic grooming mechanism (PRWATG) to reduce call blocking. In this scheme, the connection requests having the same source-destination (s-d) pair are groomed first to avoid intermediate optical-electrical-optical conversation and then these groomed connection requests are served for routing and wavelength assignment according to their priority order. The priority order of each groomed connection request is estimated based on type of path (direct link physical path or indirect link physical path) first and then the traffic volume. If the priority order of connection requests is estimated using these criteria, blocking of connection requests due to wavelength continuity constraints can be reduced to a great extent, which will in turn lead to better performance of the network in terms of lower blocking probability and congestion. The performance analysis of our proposed scheme is made in terms of blocking probability and congestion and compared with a similar non-priority based routing and wavelength assignment scheme (NPRWATG). It is seen that using the PRWATG scheme, the blocking probability and the congestion of the network are significantly reduced compared to NPRWATG. It is also seen that the performance of the proposed scheme is better compared to NPRWATG when the number of connection requests increases in the network.
A Shorter Version of Student Accommodation Preferences Index (SAPI)

This study aims to develop a short but valid and reliable instrument for the examination of student accommodation preferences. This study draws upon the instrument developed by Khozaei et al. (2011), the student accommodation preferences index (SAPI). The construct validity of the instrument was assessed through an exploratory factor analysis using a principal components analysis with varimax rotation, by which 6 factors were extracted with 64 items. Because the questionnaire is lengthy, the current study aimed to develop a valid and reliable shorter version of the instrument to examine student accommodation preferences, thereby extending the previous work by collecting data from a subsequent sample. The confirmatory factor analysis and subsequent iterative process yielded a valid and reliable student accommodation preferences instrument (SAPI) with only 29 items. This is much shorter than the original 60-item instrument. The iterative process was performed by considering good measurement theory and retaining at least 4 items per construct. This shorter revised instrument has been shown to be both valid and reliable.