Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DeepTraffic: Crowdsourced Hyperparameter Tuning of Deep Reinforcement Learning Systems for Multi-Agent Dense Traffic Navigation

We present a traffic simulation named DeepTraffic where the planning systems for a subset of the vehicles are handled by a neural network as part of a model-free, off-policy reinforcement learning process. The primary goal of DeepTraffic is to make the hands-on study of deep reinforcement learning accessible to thousands of students, educators, and researchers in order to inspire and fuel the exploration and evaluation of deep Q-learning network variants and hyperparameter configurations through large-scale, open competition. This paper investigates the crowd-sourced hyperparameter tuning of the policy network that resulted from the first iteration of the DeepTraffic competition where thousands of participants actively searched through the hyperparameter space.
A First Look at the Crypto-Mining Malware Ecosystem: A Decade of Unrestricted Wealth

Illicit crypto-mining leverages resources stolen from victims to mine cryptocurrencies on behalf of criminals. While recent works have analyzed one side of this threat, i.e.: web-browser cryptojacking, only commercial reports have partially covered binary-based crypto-mining malware. In this paper, we conduct the largest measurement of crypto-mining malware to date, analyzing approximately 4.5 million malware samples (1.2 million malicious miners), over a period of twelve years from 2007 to 2019. Our analysis pipeline applies both static and dynamic analysis to extract information from the samples, such as wallet identifiers and mining pools. Together with OSINT data, this information is used to group samples into campaigns. We then analyze publicly-available payments sent to the wallets from mining-pools as a reward for mining, and estimate profits for the different campaigns. All this together is is done in a fully automated fashion, which enables us to leverage measurement-based findings of illicit crypto-mining at scale. Our profit analysis reveals campaigns with multi-million earnings, associating over 4.4% of Monero with illicit mining. We analyze the infrastructure related with the different campaigns, showing that a high proportion of this ecosystem is supported by underground economies such as Pay-Per-Install services. We also uncover novel techniques that allow criminals to run successful campaigns.
Heavy-Tailed Data Breaches in the Nat-Cat Framework & the Challenge of Insuring Cyber Risks

Considering cyber risk as a (man-made) natural catastrophe (Nat-Cat) systematically clarifies the actuarial need for multiple levels of analysis, going beyond claims-driven statistics to forecast losses, and necessitating ambitious advances in scope, quality, and standards of both data and models. The prominent human component and dynamic and multi-type nature of cyber risk makes it uniquely challenging when compared with other Nat-Cat type risks. Despite noted limitations of data standards and models, using updated U.S. breach data, we show that this extremely heavy-tailed risk is getting significantly worse -- both in frequency and severity of private information items (ids) exfiltrated. The median predicted number of ids breached in the U.S. due to hacking, for the last 6 months of 2018, is about 0.5 billion, but there is a 5 percent chance that it exceeds 7 billion -- doubling the historical total! In view of this extreme loss potential, insurance principles indicate a need to reduce ambiguity through research and to provide a sufficient basis for writing sustainable insurance policies. However, as demand for extended insurance coverage exists, premium differentiation is deemed attractive to incentivize self-protection and internalize externalities.
Adversarial Robustness May Be at Odds With Simplicity

Current techniques in machine learning are so far are unable to learn classifiers that are robust to adversarial perturbations. However, they are able to learn non-robust classifiers with very high accuracy, even in the presence of random perturbations. Towards explaining this gap, we highlight the hypothesis that $\textit{robust classification may require more complex classifiers (i.e. more capacity) than standard classification. }$ In this note, we show that this hypothesis is indeed possible, by giving several theoretical examples of classification tasks and sets of "simple" classifiers for which: (1) There exists a simple classifier with high standard accuracy, and also high accuracy under random $\ell_\infty$ noise. (2) Any simple classifier is not robust: it must have high adversarial loss with $\ell_\infty$ perturbations. (3) Robust classification is possible, but only with more complex classifiers (exponentially more complex, in some examples). Moreover, $\textit{there is a quantitative trade-off between robustness and standard accuracy among simple classifiers. }$ This suggests an alternate explanation of this phenomenon, which appears in practice: the tradeoff may occur not because the classification task inherently requires such a tradeoff (as in [Tsipras-Santurkar-Engstrom-Turner-Madry `18]), but because the structure of our current classifiers imposes such a tradeoff.
Sparsification of Binary CSPs

A cut $\varepsilon$-sparsifier of a weighted graph $G$ is a re-weighted subgraph of $G$ of (quasi)linear size that preserves the size of all cuts up to a multiplicative factor of $\varepsilon$. Since their introduction by Benczur and Karger [STOC'96], cut sparsifiers have proved extremely influential and found various applications. Going beyond cut sparsifiers, Filtser and Krauthgamer [SIDMA'17] gave a precise classification of which binary Boolean CSPs are sparsifiable. In this paper, we extend their result to binary CSPs on arbitrary finite domains.
Medication Adherence and its Related Factors in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Angioplasty

Introduction: Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) has no effect on coronary artery atherosclerosis, thus the modification of physiological risk factors seems essential to prevent coronary artery disease (CAD). Then PCI patients have to receive multiple drug therapies in an attempt to prevent the recurrence of cardiac events. In spite of the evidence based on medication adherence to prevent post-PCI CAD development, medication adherence is the main concern for health care system. Accordingly, this study aims to determine the medication adherence and its related factors among these patients. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the statistical community was the patients undergoing PCI at medical educational hospital of Dr. Heshmat in Rasht, Iran. 269 patients were selected by convenient sampling method. The data were collected by a questionnaire consisting of 4 parts, namely the socio-individual factors, Morisky medication adherence scale, hospital anxiety and depression scale and cardiac patient’s self-efficacy scale. Data analysis was done by descriptive statistics and the significance variables in univariate analysis were examined in a multi logistic regression model through considering co-linearity. Results: The results showed that 75 patients (28%) didn’t adhere to the medication. In addition, the majority of them were reported to have clinical anxiety (44.2%) and mild depression (55.8%). Also, based on the results derived from multiple logistic regressions, only the spouse's educational level and family history of coronary artery disease were significant predictors of medication adherence. Conclusion: The current study findings display lack of complete post-PCI medication adherence, which underscores the importance of the existence of cardiac rehabilitation systems in the society. Therefore, it is recommended that cardiac rehabilitation centers be built in the society.
The Success of Dental Veneers According To Preparation Design and Material Type

BACKGROUND: Due to their high aesthetic outcome and long-term predictability, laminate veneers have become a common restorative procedure for anterior teeth. However, because of the variety in the preparation designs and the material types, the clinician faces a dilemma of which approach to use. AIM: To compare the survival rate of dental veneers according to different preparation designs and different material types. The sub-aim is to reach a favourable preparation design and material based on scientific evidence. METHODS: Comprehensive electronic search of the dental literature via PUBMED, MEDLINE and Scopus databases was performed using the following keywords: “porcelain veneers”, “composite veneers”, “all-ceramic veneers”, “success of porcelain veneers”, “preparation design”, “preparation geometry”, “patient’s satisfaction”. Additionally, references from the selected studies and reviews were searched for more information. RESULTS: Under the limitations of the available literature, the clinician preference is the decisive factor for choosing the preparation design. Nonetheless, incisal overlap preparation seems to have the most predictable outcome from all the preparation designs. CONCLUSION: Porcelain veneers show excellent aesthetic results and predictable longevity of the treatment, while composite veneers can be considered as a good conservative option, but with less durability.
Toxic Effects of Different Doses of Cyclophosphamide on Liver and Kidney Tissue in Swiss Albino Mice: A Histopathological Study

Background Cyclophosphamide (CPA) is an anti-cancer drug, used in chemotherapy. This is a toxic drug which targets the cancer cells and also the normal cells of the body. The original compound is inactive in vitro and exercises its biologic action through metabolites, chiefly phosphoramide mustard. The objective is to study the harmful effects of this drug on liver and kidney tissues. Methods To study the effect of cyclophosphamide on histology of liver and kidney, 40 adult male mice were taken and divided into two groups: control and test. Those in the test group were injected with the drug at doses of 100, 200, 250 mg/kg body weight. They were then sacrificed on day 7, 28 and 42. The liver and kidney tissue was processed, sectioned and stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin. Results Pathological changes were seen in the tissue within 7 days in high doses and after 28 days in low doses. As the dosage and the days administered increased, the changes were prominently seen and widespread. Pathology ranging from mild infiltration to necrosis and finally cytolysis were seen in liver and kidney tissue. Conclusion Our study has demonstrated the effect of a progressive increase in dosage of cyclophosphamide in albino mice, and pathological alterations were observed in histology of liver and kidney by sequentially increasing both the dosage and duration of treatment. Subsequently, regular monitoring of liver and kidney function tests in patients undergoing chemotherapeutic regimen with administration of ahepato and nephroprotective agent becomes vital.
Clinical Outcomes and Risk Factors of Meningitis among Children in Referral Hospital, Ethiopia, 2016: A Retrospective Chart Review

Background Meningitis remains a major cause of mortality and morbidity in patients in many countries of the world including Ethiopia. Information on clinical outcomes of meningitis, susceptibility of the causative microorganism to rationalize treatment and associated risk factors is scare. The objective of this study was to assess the risk factors and clinical outcomes of meningitis among children in Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia. Method A retrospective cross sectional study was conducted in Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital from January 2016 to May 2016. Data were checked for completeness, inconsistencies and entered into SPSS for windows version 20.0. Lottery method was used to select charts. One hundred seventy-nine pediatric patient files were used in the study. Result About 15% children with meningitis developed poor outcomes: developed complication, referred to higher facility, died and left against medical advice. In this study, season of admission [AOR= 5 (1.191, 20.991)], immunization status [AOR= 20.912 (3.325, 131.502)], clinical presentations [AOR= 8.779 (1.599, 48.192)] and corticosteroid administration [AOR= 8.215 (1.220, 55.328)] were the determinant factors for clinical outcome of meningitis. Conclusion In this study, about 15% of children with meningitis developed poor outcomes. The determinant factors for poor outcome of meningitis were: season of admission, immunization status, clinical presentations and corticoid administration. Creating community awareness about risk factors of meningitis, early diagnosis and treatment of cases, improving vaccination coverage and use of corticosteroids are recommended to improve the clinical outcome of children affected with meningitis.
Association of Epidemiological and Biochemical Factors with Premature Graying of Hair: A Case–Control Study

Background: Premature hair graying (PHG) is often a matter of great concern for patients as it is viewed as a sign of increasing age, debility, decreasing vigor, and may lead to low self-esteem and psychological morbidity. Its etiopathogenesis is not completely understood but genetic, and various acquired factors have been implicated. The present study was undertaken to evaluate various epidemiological and biochemical variables associated with PHG. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional case–control study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in North India for 1 year which comprised 120 patients and equal number of controls. Various epidemiological variables were recorded and compared to controls. Serum ferritin, serum calcium, serum Vitamin D, serum Vitamin B12, lipid profile, thyroid profile, and fasting blood sugar were measured and compared among cases and controls. Results: Significantly higher proportion of cases had atopic diathesis, sedentary lifestyle, family history, history of smoking, and higher perceived stress values as compared to controls. Hair oiling seemed to protect against premature graying. Significantly, lower levels of serum calcium, ferritin, Vitamin B12, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and high low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol were observed among cases. Conclusion: In the light of the present study, further studies with larger sample size are required to establish the definite etiological significance of these variables and formulate various preventive and therapeutic targets to prevent and treat PHG.
Artificial Intelligence in Cytopathology: A Neural Network to Identify Papillary Carcinoma on Thyroid Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology Smears

Introduction: Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for identification of papillary carcinoma thyroid is a moderately sensitive and specific modality. The present machine learning tools can correctly classify images into broad categories. Training software for recognition of papillary thyroid carcinoma on FNAC smears will be a decisive step toward automation of cytopathology. Aim: The aim of this study is to develop an artificial neural network (ANN) for the purpose of distinguishing papillary carcinoma thyroid and nonpapillary carcinoma thyroid on microphotographs from thyroid FNAC smears. Subjects and Methods: An ANN was developed in the Python programming language. In the training phase, 186 microphotographs from Romanowsky/Pap-stained smears of papillary carcinoma and 184 microphotographs from smears of other thyroid lesions (at ×10 and ×40 magnification) were used for training the ANN. After completion of training, performance was evaluated with a set of 174 microphotographs (66 – nonpapillary carcinoma and 21 – papillary carcinoma, each photographed at two magnifications ×10 and ×40). Results: The performance characteristics and limitations of the neural network were assessed, assuming FNAC diagnosis as gold standard. Combined results from two magnifications showed good sensitivity (90.48%), moderate specificity (83.33%), and a very high negative predictive value (96.49%) and 85.06% diagnostic accuracy. However, vague papillary formations by benign follicular cells identified wrongly as papillary carcinoma remain a drawback. Conclusion: With further training with a diverse dataset and in conjunction with automated microscopy, the ANN has the potential to develop into an accurate image classifier for thyroid FNACs.
Short-term Persistence of Protective Maternally Acquired Immunity in Neonates Delivered by Primiparous Women in Ibadan, Nigeria

Background Unresolved questions remain concerning the protective effect and duration of immunity acquired from mothers. This study investigated persistence of immunity against tetanus in the first two weeks of life among neonates in Nigeria. Methods In a longitudinal study, 244 primiparous mothers and their newborns were consecutively recruited at 16 selected Primary Healthcare Centres in Ibadan, Nigeria. All the newborns were tested for protection against tetanus using a validated rapid diagnostic, “Tetanos Quick Sticks” (TQS) on days 1, 7 and 14. Persistent immunity was defined as positive TQS result on day-14. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square and logistic regression at p = 0.05. Results There were 137(56.1%) male neonates; 87.7% were delivered at ≥37weeks of gestation. The prevalence of protective immunity against tetanus (PIaT) among neonates on day-1 was 63.5%; 119 out of 153 neonates remained positive to TQS test by day-14, giving a persistence rate of 77.8%. Independent predictors of persistent PIaT were residence in urban area (OR = 9.66; 95% CI = 2.42–38.45), maternal age (OR = 2.06; 95% CI = 1.49–2.85) and gestational age (OR = 1.84; 95% CI = 1.23–2.74). Conclusion Protective immunity against tetanus waned in some neonates over the first two weeks of life, and this decline was inversely related to maternal and gestational ages.
Diagnostic Value of Contrast-Enhanced Digital Mammography versus Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging for the Preoperative Evaluation of Breast Cancer

Purpose This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM) and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CEMRI) in preoperative evaluations, and to evaluate the effect of each modality on the surgical management of women with breast cancer. Methods This single-center, prospective study was approved by the Institutional Review Board, and informed consent was obtained from all patients. From November 2016 to October 2017, 84 patients who were diagnosed with invasive carcinoma (69/84) and ductal carcinoma in situ (15/84), and underwent both CEDM and CEMRI, were enrolled. Imaging findings and surgical management were correlated with pathological results and compared. The diagnostic performance of both modalities in the detection of index and secondary cancers (multifocality and multicentricity), and occult cancer in the contralateral breast, was compared. The authors also evaluated whether CEDM or CEMRI resulted in changes in the surgical management of the affected breast due to imaging-detected findings. Results Eighty-four women were included in the analysis. Compared with CEMRI, CEDM demonstrated a similar sensitivity (92.9% [78/84] vs. 95.2% [80/84]) in detecting index cancer (p=0.563). For the detection of secondary cancers in the ipsilateral breast and occult cancer in the contralateral breast, no significant differences were found between CEDM and CEMRI (p=0.999 and p=0.999, respectively). Regarding changes in surgical management, CEDM resulted in similar changes compared with CEMRI (30.9% [26/84] vs. 29.7% [25/84], p=0.610). Regarding changes in surgical management due to false-positive findings, no significant differences were found between CEDM and CEMRI (34.6% [9/26] vs. 44.0% [11/25], p=0.782). Conclusion CEDM demonstrated a diagnostic performance comparable with CEMRI in depicting index cancers, secondary cancers, and occult cancer in the contralateral breast. CEDM demonstrated similar changes in surgical management compared with CEMRI.
Development and Characterization of Nanostructured Pharmacosomal Mesophases: An Innovative Delivery System for Bioactive Peptides

Purpose: To potentially enhance the bioavailability and extend the bioactivity effectiveness of Isoleucine-Proline-Proline (IPP, an antihypertensive bioactive peptide of dairy origin), a novel Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Pharmacosomal Nanoparticle (LLCPNP) was synthesized, and its physicochemical and technological characteristics were studied. Methods: LLCPNPs precursors were developed using IPP and soy phosphatidylcholine via complex formation. Polarized light microscopy, small angle X-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic light scattering and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were employed to characterize the physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles. The in-vitro release and its related mechanisms were also studied. Results: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the complexation between the components of LLCPNPs. Phase behavior evaluation by polarized light microscope showed the characteristic birefringent texture. These findings along with those of small angle X-ray scattering and differential scanning calorimetry proved the formation of lamellar LLCPNPs. These particles represented nanometric size (<100 nm), high incorporation efficiency (93.72%) and proper physicochemical stability during long-term storage. In-vitro studies demonstrated a sustained release behavior fitted to non-Fickian diffusion and Higuchi kinetic models. Conclusion: The present study results emphasized that LLCPNPs could be proposed as an unrivaled carrier to promote the bioavailability, stability and shelf-life of nutraceutical and biopharmaceutical formulations containing bioactive peptides.
Effects of thyroid-stimulating hormone on adhesion molecules and pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial disorder, which affects the arterial wall. It has been reported that, hypothyroidism and thyroid hormone deficiency are related to cardiovascular disorders. Also, endothelial dysfunction plays an essential role in the development of atherosclerosis. We aimed to evaluate the effects of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) on pro-inflammatory tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and leukocyte adhesion, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and E-selectin in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). In this study, HUVEC cells were treated with 1 and 2 μM of TSH in different treatment times. The gene and protein expression of ICAM-1, VEGF, and E-selectin were performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, respectively. Likewise, TNF-α and IL-6 protein levels were determined by the ELISA method. VEGF, ICAM-1, and E-selectin as endothelial dysfunction markers and also, TNF-α and IL-6 as pro-inflammatory cytokines were detectable in HUVEC. Besides, the results of this study revealed that TSH treatment down-regulates TNF-α and IL-6. Evaluating the gene and protein expression data revealed the upregulation of ICAM-1, E-selectin, and VEGF in TSH treated cases in different periods of exposure. Considering the multiple actions of TSH, it could be concluded that TSH plays a controversial role in atherogenesis by anti-inflammatory effects and on the other side, angiogenesis and leukocyte adhesion induction which is related to vascular cell proliferation.