Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Observing the Randomness in RO-Based TRNG

The paper deals with true random number generators using a set of ring oscillators as proposed by Sunar et al. in 2007. The original generator has been recently enhanced by Wold and Tan by introducing flip-flops at the output of each ring. We show in the first part of the paper that both original and enhanced architectures have exactly the same behavior when composed of ideal components (they have the same mathematical model), but they have very different behavior in physical devices, as observed by Wold and Tan. However, while reducing the number of rings as they have proposed, the security proof of Sunar et al. does not hold any more. In order to demonstrate that, we will show that the proportion of the pseudo-randomness compared to the true-randomness in the generated random raw signal is much bigger than expected. Our simulation model shows that the generator using more than 18 ideal jitter-free rings having slightly different frequencies and producing thus only pseudo-randomness, will always let the tests pass. We conclude that reducing the number of rings not only makes the security proof of Sunar et al. not hold, but it makes the generator more vulnerable, since the pseudo-randomness is easy to manipulate.
What’s the value of a degree? Evidence from Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia

ABSTRACT The Middle East and North Africa region has the world’s lowest returns to education. This paper examines what the value of a degree is using nationally representative labour market surveys from Egypt (2012), Jordan (2010) and Tunisia (2014). Specifically, the authors estimate Mincer models for levels and years of schooling. They find that returns are highest in Tunisia and lowest in Egypt, although all three countries fall short of the global average. Higher education is where returns are greatest. They also analyse the returns by sub-groups: sex; age group; and sector. The returns are higher for women than men in Egypt. The younger generation has lower returns than the older generation in Egypt. The private sector in Egypt and Tunisia has lower returns than the public sector. One reason for the low returns is that many individuals are overeducated relative to position requirements.
A New Generation of Evidence: The Family Is Critical to Student Achievement

This report covers 66 studies, reviews, reports, analyses, and books. Of these 39 are new; 27 have been carried over from previous editions. An ERIC search was conducted to identify relevant studies. Noting that the most accurate predictor of student achievement is the extent to which the family is involved in his or her education, this report presents a collection of research papers on the function and importance of family to a student's achievement and education in school and the community. The research is divided into two categories: (1) studies on programs and interventions from early childhood through high school, including school policy; and (2) studies on family processes. The first category presents studies that evaluate or assess the effects of programs and other interventions, including early childhood and preschool programs and home visits for families with infants and toddlers, programs to help elementary and middle schools work more closely with families, and high school programs and community efforts to support families in providing wider opportunities for young people. The second category presents studies on the way that families behave and interact with their children, including the relationship between parent involvement and student achievement from the family perspective, characteristics of families as learning environments and their effects on student performance, and class and,cuitural mismatch. Two pages are devoted to each study. Each study is summarized; key elements of the program and important findings are presented. Major findings indicate that the family makes critical contributions to student achievement from the earliest childhood years through high sehool, and efforts to improve children's outcomes are much more effective when the family is actively involved. (AP) A NEW GENERATION OF EVIDENCE The Family Is Critical to Student Achievement Edited by Anne T. Henderson and Nancy Berla Published by National Committee for Citizens in Education Copyright 1994 National Committee for Citizens in Education
Classical super-radiance in Kerr–Newman–anti-de Sitter black holes

We study in detail the modes of a classical scalar field on a Kerr–Newman–anti-de Sitter (KN-AdS) black hole. We construct sets of basis modes appropriate to the two possible boundary conditions (“reflective” and “transparent”) at timelike infinity, and consider whether super-radiance is possible. If we employ “reflective” boundary conditions, all modes are non-super-radiant. On the other hand, for “transparent” boundary conditions, the presence of super-radiance depends on our definition of positive frequency. For those KN-AdS black holes having a globally time-like Killing vector, the natural choice of positive frequency leads to no super-radiance. For other KN-AdS black holes, there is a choice of positive frequency which gives no super-radiance, but for other choices there will, in general, be super-radiance.
CELL POPULATION CHANGES IN THE INTESTINAL MUCOSA OF PROTEIN-DEPLETED OR STARVED RATS

The effect of a protein-free diet and starvation on the duration of the rat ileal crypt cell cycle time was studied by Quastler's technique of labeled mitoses. Rats were fed a protein-free diet for 3, 7, or 11 wk or were starved for 7 or 10 days. Progressive protein depletion resulted in a progressive lengthening of the cycle time (GT), due primarily to a lengthening of the synthetic phase (S) of the cycle. The presynthetic gap (G1) was the same as the control value after 3 wk and lower, but not significantly so, due to the large variability, after 11 wk. The duration of the postsynthetic gap (G2) plus mitotic phase (M) was not affected by the diet. As the dietary stress became more severe, the cell cycle also became more variable. Although the GT of rats starved for as long as 10 days was only slightly different from the control, the relative duration of the components of the cycle changed significantly. S and G2 were longer in the starved animals while G1 was of shorter duration.
Analysing the effects of fiscal policy and assessing its sustainability

This thesis presents three empirical analyses of the macroeconomic effects and sustainability of fiscal policy. Three key issues are examined: the transmission mechanism for fiscal policy shocks in Korea, the sustainability of government debt in three selected countries (Korea, the UK, and the US), and the effects of fiscal consolidation on macroeconomic activity. The main findings are as follows. First, government spending has a positive effect on the economy. Capital spending is likely to boost the economy more effectively than current spending. Second, there is a cointegrating relationship between the variables in Korea and the US, but not in the UK. That means fiscal policy in Korea and the US is sustainable, while fiscal policy in the UK is not. Third, fiscal consolidation is not likely to be expansionary in terms of GDP growth. The results also show that fiscal consolidation in time of high debt-to-GDP ratios, the spending-base, or high sovereign risk has fewer negative effects on economic growth than fiscal consolidation in time of low debt-to-GDP ratios, the tax-base, or low sovereign risk. The economic growth rate, government spending-based fiscal consolidation, low long-term interest rates, and higher sovereign risk have significant effects on reducing debt-to-GDP ratio.
Effects of scuba diving programmed classes on Bosnian war veterans with amputations

Aim: Diving is an ideal sport for almost all people with physical disabilities, and therefore, has been increasingly popular as a way of rehabilitation for such people. The aim of this study was to determine the attainment of the elements of diving techniques, and the effects of programmed instruction of diving on the psychosocial status of war veterans with amputations. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on a sample of 12 male participants. In order to assess the psychosocial status of the applied sample, five different psychological scales were implemented before and after the diving training. Data analysis was performed using parametric and nonparametric statistics. Results: After the three-week diving program, results show that the distribution of data has changed and is in favour of the final measurement. There is a statistically significant difference between initial and final measurements given that the Z = -3.06 index is significant at the level of (p < 0.01) adopted the elements of diving technique. The results indicate that in patients with amputations, there has been an improvement in the Perception of Social Support. Conclusion: T he study showed that after a three-week programmed diving training, the quality of life of people with disabilities has improved and they adopted elements of diving techniques. This shows that people with disabilities are as well qualified for recreational diving when accompanied by a diving instructor, which again suggests that disability in and under water does not represent a barrier for recreational underwater activities.
Synchronous liver resection with cytoreductive surgery for the treatment of liver and peritoneal metastases from colon cancer: results from an Australian centre

Treatment of peritoneal metastases (PM) and liver metastases (LM) from colon cancer remains controversial. LM has been viewed as exclusion criterion for cytoreductive surgery (CRS) on the basis that such spread represents systemic disease. CRS and intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) has gained increasing recognition as a treatment modality for selected patients with colon cancer and PM. This study analyses results of CRS and IPC for colon cancer and synchronous resection for treatment of LM and PM.
An unblinded, randomised phase II study of platinum-based chemotherapy with vitamin B12 and folic acid supplementation in the treatment of lung cancer with plasma homocysteine blood levels as a biomarker of severe neutropenic toxicity

Background Vitamin B12 and folic acid (referred to as vitamin supplementation) improves the toxicity profile of pemetrexed containing regimens. Low baseline vitamin B12 and folate levels are reflected in a raised total homocysteine level (HC). Studies have suggested that pretreatment HC levels predict neutropenia toxicity. We have tested supplementation with vitamin B12 and folate in non-pemetrexed platinum-based regimens to decrease treatment-related toxicity and looked for a correlation between toxicity and change in homocysteine levels. Patient and method Eighty-three patients with advanced lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma were randomly assigned to receive platinum-based chemotherapy with (arm A) or without (arm B) vitamin B12 and folic acid supplementation. The primary end point was grade 3/4 neutropenia and death within 30 days of treatment. Secondary end points included quality of life, overall survival (OS) and the relationship between baseline and post supplementation HC levels and toxicity. Results In the intention-to-treat population, no significant difference was seen between the two groups with respect to chemotherapy-induced grade 3/4 neutropenia and death within 30 days of chemotherapy (36% vs 37%; p=0.966, emesis (2% vs 6%; p=0.9) or OS (12.3 months vs 7 months; p=0.41). There was no significant difference in survival rates by baseline HC level (p=0.9). Decrease in HC with vitamin supplementation was less frequent than expected. High baseline HC levels decreased with vitamin supplementation in only 9/36 (25%) patients (successful supplementation). Post hoc analysis showed that patients in arm A who were successfully supplemented (9/36=25%) had less neutropenic toxicity (0% vs 69%; p=0.02) compared to unsupplemented patients. Conclusions The addition of vitamin B12 and folic acid to platinum-containing regimens did not overall improve the toxicity, quality of life or OS. Rates of grade 3/4 neutropenia at 36/37% was as predicted. Further studies to increase the rate of successful supplementation and to further test the biomarker potential of post supplementation HC levels in predicting chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in platinum-based chemotherapy are warranted. Trial registration number: EudracCT 2005-002736-10 ISRCTN8734355.
The intangible benefits of vaccination – what is the true economic value of vaccination?

Previous economic evaluations of new vaccines largely focussed on a narrow set of benefit categories, including primarily health gains and disease-related medical cost-savings, which probably resulted in underestimates of the true value of these vaccines. Other economic benefits of vaccines could be considered to assess the full economic value of vaccination, such as, for example, impact of the human papillomavirus vaccine on women's fertility through the decrease in precancerous lesions and, therefore, in the number of diagnostic and treatment interventions, which can be associated with an increased risk of subsequent pregnancy complications. Vaccines’ impact on resource allocation at hospital level or on antimicrobial resistance, such as pneumococcal conjugate vaccines that have substantially reduced infections due to antimicrobial non-susceptible strains, thereby rendering the residual disease easier to treat, are other examples of intangible benefits of vaccination. These benefits are generally not considered in economic evaluations because they may not be immediately visible and are difficult to quantify. However, they should be taken into consideration in health technology assessments to enable those responsible for healthcare policies to make well-informed decisions on vaccination.
The shock-acoustic waves generated by earthquakes

Abstract. We investigate the form and dynamics of shock-acoustic waves generated by earthquakes. We use the method for detecting and locating the sources of ionospheric impulsive disturbances, based on using data from a global network of receivers of the GPS navigation system, and require no a priori information about the place and time of the associated effects. The practical implementation of the method is illustrated by a case study of earthquake effects in Turkey (17 August and 12 November 1999), in Southern Sumatra (4 June 2000), and off the coast of Central America (13 January 2001). It was found that in all instances the time period of the ionospheric response is 180–390 s, and the amplitude exceeds, by a factor of two as a minimum, the standard deviation of background fluctuations in total electron content in this range of periods under quiet and moderate geomagnetic conditions. The elevation of the wave vector varies through a range of 20–44°, and the phase velocity (1100–1300 m/s) approaches the sound velocity at the heights of the ionospheric F-region maximum. The calculated (by neglecting refraction corrections) location of the source roughly corresponds to the earthquake epicenter. Our data are consistent with the present views that shock-acoustic waves are caused by a piston-like movement of the Earth’s surface in the zone of an earthquake epicenter. Key words. Ionosphere (ionospheric disturbances; wave propagation) – Radio science (ionospheric propagation)
In vitro transfer of fixed nitrogen from diazotrophic filamentous cyanobacteria to black mangrove seedlings

Two isolates of the diazotrophic filamentous cyanobacterium Microcoleus chthonoplastes, one obtained from black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) pneumatophores and one from cyanobacterial mats, were inoculated onto young mangrove seedlings to evaluate nitrogen transfer from the bacterium to the plants under in vitro conditions in closed system experiments. Total nitrogen and 15N incorporation in plant parts were measured. The levels of total N and 15N in the inoculated leaves were significantly higher than in noninoculated plants.
A Pilot Study of Mindfulness-Based Exposure Therapy in OEF/OIF Combat Veterans with PTSD: Altered Medial Frontal Cortex and Amygdala Responses in Social–Emotional Processing

Combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among returning veterans, and is a serious and debilitating disorder. While highly effective treatments involving trauma exposure exist, difficulties with engagement and early drop may lead to sub-optimal outcomes. Mindfulness training may provide a method for increasing emotional regulation skills that may improve engagement in trauma-focused therapy. Here, we examine potential neural correlates of mindfulness training and in vivo exposure (non-trauma focused) using a novel group therapy [mindfulness-based exposure therapy (MBET)] in Afghanistan (OEF) or Iraq (OIF) combat veterans with PTSD. OEF/OIF combat veterans with PTSD (N = 23) were treated with MBET (N = 14) or a comparison group therapy [Present-centered group therapy (PCGT), N = 9]. PTSD symptoms were assessed at pre- and post-therapy with Clinician Administered PTSD scale. Functional neuroimaging (3-T fMRI) before and after therapy examined responses to emotional faces (angry, fearful, and neutral faces). Patients treated with MBET had reduced PTSD symptoms (effect size d = 0.92) but effect was not significantly different from PCGT (d = 0.43). Improvement in PTSD symptoms from pre- to post-treatment in both treatment groups was correlated with increased activity in rostral anterior cingulate cortex, dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and left amygdala. The MBET group showed greater increases in amygdala and fusiform gyrus responses to Angry faces, as well as increased response in left mPFC to Fearful faces. These preliminary findings provide intriguing evidence that MBET group therapy for PTSD may lead to changes in neural processing of social–emotional threat related to symptom reduction.
Secrecy and reliable Byzantine detection in a Gaussian untrusted two-hop link

We consider a Gaussian two-hop link where the source and the destination can communicate only via a relay node who is both an eavesdropper and a Byzantine attacker. Both the source and the destination have transmission capability, and the relay node receives a superposition of their transmitted signals plus noise. The proposed coding scheme ensures that the probability of an undetected Byzantine attack decreases exponentially fast with respect to the number of channel uses NT while the loss in the secrecy rate can be made arbitrarily small. This improves our previous result where this probability only decreased exponentially with respect to √(NT).
Functional imaging techniques for evaluation of sarcomas

Sarcomas are often characterised by significant histopathologic heterogeneity, both between and within tumours. This heterogeneity reflects physiologic, biochemical and genetic processes that are amenable to characterisation by functional imaging. Although anatomically based imaging modalities such as plain radiography, X-ray computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remain the primary diagnostic modalities for staging sarcomas, nuclear medicine approaches including gamma camera scintigraphy and positron emission tomography (PET) are being used increasingly to provide complementary information in specific clinical situations. These include biopsy guidance within anatomically complex masses, staging, therapeutic response assessment and evaluation of residual mass lesions after treatment. This review aims to address the range of nuclear medicine techniques available for evaluation of bone and soft tissue sarcomas. A subsequent review discusses the clinical application of these techniques with a particular focus on PET.
Low-complexity time-domain channel estimators for mobile wireless OFDM systems

This paper proposes low-complexity time-domain channel estimators for OFDM systems. Time-domain channel estimation combined with frequency domain equalization is an attractive approach, since it can provide lower complexity and better estimator performance than pure frequency domain processing. In the particular case of constant modulus (M-PSK) modulation, we show that the transmission matrix is unitary. Therefore, the simple correlator channel estimator turns out to be optimal. For the case of non-constant envelope the transmission matrix is not unitary any more, but its corresponding correlation matrix is strongly diagonal. Therefore, a low-complexity approximate LS solution is proposed which avoids matrix inversion. A study of decision-feedback errors is performed, which suggest that iterative re-decoding of the data further improves the channel estimates. Simulations carried out for a wide range of mobile speeds demonstrate that the proposed estimators, using only 2% of pilot data, outperform recently proposed [T. Roman et al, 2003] time-and frequency-domain approaches.
Ancient DNA reveals Holocene loss of genetic diversity in a South American rodent

Understanding how animal populations have evolved in response to palaeoenvironmental conditions is essential for predicting the impact of future environmental change on current biodiversity. Analyses of ancient DNA provide a unique opportunity to track population responses to prehistoric environments. We explored the effects of palaeoenvironmental change on the colonial tuco-tuco (Ctenomys sociabilis), a highly endemic species of Patagonian rodent that is currently listed as threatened by the IUCN. By combining surveys of modern genetic variation from throughout this species' current geographic range with analyses of DNA samples from fossil material dating back to 10 000 ybp, we demonstrate a striking decline in genetic diversity that is concordant with environmental events in the study region. Our results highlight the importance of non-anthropogenic factors in loss of diversity, including reductions in smaller mammals such as rodents.
Emergence of Third Spaces: Exploring Trans Students’ Campus Climate Perceptions Within Collegiate Environments

Our study aims to understand trans students’ perceptions of campus climate, with a particular focus on students’ demographics, academic experiences, and cocurricular experiences. We use Bhabha’s concept of third space as an epistemological lens and Rankin and Reason’s transformational tapestry model as a theoretical framework. Using a national sample of 207 trans collegians from the National LGBTQ Alumnx Survey, we utilize regression analysis supplemented by an analysis of open-ended responses to highlight the experiences of trans respondents. Results demonstrate the relationship between trans students’ campus climate perceptions and year of graduation, outness, academic training, and LGBTQ academic/cocurricular experiences. We close by discussing campus climate experiences and the third space that trans students must navigate within colleges and universities, and we provide recommendations for higher-education practitioners and scholars.