Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Covert Communication over Adversarially Jammed Channels

Suppose that a transmitter Alice potentially wishes to communicate with a receiver Bob over an adversarially jammed binary channel. An active adversary James eavesdrops on their communication over a binary symmetric channel (BSC$(q))$, and may maliciously flip (up to) a certain fraction p of their transmitted bits based on his observation. We consider a setting where the communication must be simultaneously covert as well as reliable, i.e., James should be unable to accurately distinguish whether or not Alice is communicating, while Bob should be able to correctly recover Alice’s message with high probability regardless of the adversarial jamming strategy. We show that, unlike the setting with passive adversaries, reliable covert communication against active adversaries requires Alice and Bob to have a shared key (of length at least $\Omega$(log $n)$) even when Bob has a better channel than James. We present inner and outer bounds on the information-theoretically optimal throughputs as a function of the channel parameters, the desired level of covertness, and the amount of shared key available. Further, these bounds match for a wide range of parameters of interest. Full version [1]: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1805.02426. pdf
Inhibition of Insulin Release from Rat Pancreatic Islets by Drugs that Are Analogues of Dopamine

Various synthetic dopamine (DA) analogues have been shown to produce glucose intolerance and inhibit the compensatory increase in serum insulin during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). To investigate the possibility that there is a direct action of dopamine analogues to inhibit glucose-stimulated insulin release from the endocrine pancreas, the following compounds were compared with the effects of epinephrine (EPI) on isolated rat pancreatic islets: apomorphine (APO), pergolide, lergotrile, TL-99 (2-dimethylamino-6,7-dihydroxytetralin), and RDS-127 (2-di-n-propylamino-4,7-dimethoxyindane). EPI, TL-99, and pergolide inhibited insulin release in a concentration-dependent fashion (10 −7–10−5 M), whereas lergotrile inhibited at K)10−5 M but not at 10−6 M. RDS-127 and APO were ineffective at 10 −5 M, but produced a greater than 50% inhibition at 2 × 10−4;M. The potencies of the DA analogues fell into two groups: compounds that are approximately as active as EPI (e.g., TL-99 and pergolide) or compounds that are relatively inactive (e.g., APO, lergotrile, and RDS-127). The inhibitory actions of EPI, TL-99, and pergolide were blocked by the α2-adrenergic receptor antagonist yohimbine, whereas the DA receptor antagonist, sulpiride, had no effect, suggesting an action initiated at α2-adrenergic receptors. Drugs from both groups produced marked glucose intolerance and inhibited the compensatory increase in insulin during an OGTT. Adrenodemedullation blocked the glucose intolerance and inhibition of insulin release caused by RDS-127, whereas these effects of TL-99 were not attenuated. These data, obtained in vitro and in vivo, show that selective dopamine agonists, such as RDS-127, reduce glucose-stimulated insulin release indirectly through adrenal medullary secretions, whereas the effect of less selective agonists, such as TL-99, directly inhibit the release of insulin from the endocrine pancreas.
Effects of Tryptophan Depletion on Cognitive Functioning, Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms and Mood in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Preliminary Results

Background: Previous studies suggest that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with moderate cognitive deficits. There is also evidence for altered serotonergic transmission in OCD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of rapid plasma tryptophan depletion on cognitive functioning in OCD. Methods: A double-blind crossover study was conducted to explore the effects of tryptophan depletion on cognitive functioning, obsessive or compulsive (OC) symptoms and mood in OCD patients treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Results: After 5 h of tryptophan depletion, 6 out of 7 patients reported worsening of mood (placebo condition: 3 patients). No effect was found regarding OC symptoms. There was a small and nonsignificant improvement of nonverbal memory and fluency. Problem solving ability and verbal memory, in contrast, were slightly impaired after tryptophan depletion. The results, however, represented only tendencies without reaching significance. Conclusion: The results suggest that OC symptoms may not depend on the short-time availability of serotonin. As some critical cognitive functions improved following tryptophan depletion, there is no evidence from our study that neuropsychological impairment in OCD can be reduced to a lowered level of serotonin. Future studies are needed to further clarify these findings by use of larger samples.
The Cambridge capital controversies: contributions from the complex plane

ABSTRACT This article takes a fresh look at reswitching. When two production techniques are compared, reswitching occurs when one technique is more viable than the other at a high interest rate, switches to being less viable at a lower rate, and reswitches to being more viable again at even lower rates. For some, reswitching undermines the foundations of neoclassical economics because it belies the idea of a monotonic relationship between relative capital values and factor price. The reswitching equation is an nth degree polynomial having n roots, implying the existence of n interest rates. Conventional analysis uses one interest rate but ignores the others. We argue that the others should not be ignored because all rates are determined simultaneously, and when one rate shifts, all rates shift. We demonstrate that the Samuelson reswitching model possesses a ‘dual’ expression containing every interest rate, the rates being compressed into a composite, interest-rate variable, thereby establishing a role for interest rates previously thought lacking in use and meaning. The relationship between this composite interest rate and capital value does not exhibit reswitching. The notion of a composite interest rate has implications for economics beyond reswitching.
Applying a geospatial visualization based on USSD messages to real time identification of epidemiological risk areas in developing countries

The identification of epidemiological risk areas is one of the major problems in public health. Information management strategies are needed to design prevention and control of disease in the affected areas. This paper presents a model to optimize geographical data collection of suspected or confirmed disease occurrences using the USSD mobile technology, considering its wide adoption even in developing countries such as Paraguay. A Geographic Information System (GIS) is proposed for visualizing potential epidemiological risk areas in real time, aimed to support decision making and to implement prevention or contingency programs for public health.
Neural responses to grammatically and lexically degraded speech

ABSTRACT Linguistic stimuli that are degraded in various ways have been used in neuroimaging studies to uncover distinct roles in language processing for different brain regions. To identify regions differentially involved in grammatical and lexical processing, we spectrally rotated specific morphemes and manipulated morpheme order to create speech stimuli that were degraded either grammatically or lexically, yet were matched in intelligibility. Twelve participants were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as they listened to the grammatically and lexically degraded stimuli, interspersed with clear stimuli in the context of a familiar narrative. Contrary to our expectations, we did not find any brain regions that were selectively sensitive to grammatical or lexical degradation. However, there was less signal reduction than anticipated in response to degradation of either type. These findings may reflect increased attention to the degraded stimuli due to the narrative context, attenuating the signal decreases typically associated with reduced intelligibility.
Accounting for the Quality of Black Legislative Life: The View from the States

Theory: Differences in the experiences of and perceptions among African-American state legislators on the quality of black legislative life are the result of individual and contextual factors. Hypotheses: The quality of black legislative life will be greater among males, more senior members and those who serve in key leadership positions. Contextually, black perceptions of how blacks and black interests fare in state legislatures will be more positive among those who serve in legislatures in which African-Americans serve in greater proportions and where the balance between the two parties is more even. In addition, members who represent more affluent and white majority districts, serve outside the Deep South, and live in states with better race relations will report a higher quality of legislative life. Methods: Responses from a national survey of black state legislators conducted in 1991 are used to estimate the impact of individual and contextual variables on member perceptions of the quality of black legislative life. Results: The data support several of the hypotheses. More senior members, males, those who represent white majority and more affluent districts, those from outside the Deep South, and those who report better race relations are likely to view the black legislative experience more positively.
Automaticity of speech processing in early bilingual adults and children

We examine whether early acquisition of a second language (L2) leads to native-like neural processing of phonemic contrasts that are absent in the L1. Four groups (adult and child monolingual speakers of English; adult and child early bilingual speakers of English and Spanish, exposed to both languages before 5 years of age) participated in a study comparing the English /ɪ/ - /ε/ contrast. Neural measures of automatic change detection (Mismatch Negativity, MMN) and attention (Processing Negativity, PN and Late Negativity, LN) were measured by varying whether participants tracked the stimulus stream or not. We observed no effect of bilingualism on the MMN, but adult bilinguals differed significantly from adult monolinguals on neural indices of attention. The child bilinguals were indistinguishable from their monolingual peers. This suggest that learning a L2 before five years of age leads to native-like phoneme discrimination, but bilinguals develop increased attentional sensitivity to speech sounds.
Inspiratory flow-volume curve evaluation for detecting upper airway disease.

BACKGROUND The 2005 American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society guidelines on spirometry emphasize examination of the inspiratory curve of the flow-volume loop for evidence of intrathoracic or extrathoracic upper airway obstruction. We sought to determine how frequently evaluations are performed for abnormal inspiratory curves. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed all examinations performed in our pulmonary function testing laboratory over a 12-month period (n = 2,662). In patients with normal spirometry or a mild restrictive defect, we inspected the inspiratory curves for truncation, flattening, or absent loop. With patients who had an abnormal inspiratory curve, we examined 3 flow-volume loops to determine if more than one loop showed an inspiratory abnormality, and to assess changes in the mid-flow ratio (ratio of forced expiratory flow at 50% of the forced expiratory volume to forced inspiratory flow at 50% of the forced inspiratory volume), and we used the loop that had the best inspiratory and expiratory curves. We reviewed the medical records for underlying disease processes and evidence of upper airway evaluation. RESULTS One hundred twenty-three patients (4.6%) had an abnormal inspiratory curve. Sixty-nine (56%) of those 123 patients had inspiratory abnormalities on > 2 flow-volume loops. Evaluation of the inspiratory abnormality was undertaken in only 17% of all patients, and 30% of patients who had consistently abnormal inspiratory curves. A specific etiology was identified in 52% of the evaluated patients. Vocal cord dysfunction was the most frequent diagnosis. Utilizing the loop that had the combination of the best inspiratory and expiratory curves decreased the mid-flow ratio from 3.07 +/- 1.63 to 1.77 +/- 1.15. CONCLUSIONS An abnormal inspiratory curve in the presence of otherwise normal spirometry should prompt an evaluation for the etiology. If one of the flow-volume inspiratory curves shows an abnormality, all the inspiratory curves from that PFT session should be reviewed, and if more than one inspiratory curves is abnormal, both anatomical and functional evaluation should be undertaken for intrathoracic and extrathoracic upper airway obstruction.
Establishing a welfare advice service in family practices: views of advice workers and primary care staff.

BACKGROUND The placement of welfare advice services in family practice to assist patients with health-related social and economic issues (e.g. disability benefits) has gathered momentum over the last decade in the UK. This expansion of primary care raises a number of issues for practices hosting these services. OBJECTIVES To gain the views of advice workers and primary care staff about the issues raised in hosting a welfare advice service across 30 practices in inner city Bradford. METHODS Views were obtained through focus groups with six advice workers, and primary care staff in 14 practices. A questionnaire was also posted to all practice managers asking their opinions about the service. RESULTS The focus groups highlighted a number of advantages for patients, including improvements in health and quality of life through increased income and reduced stress from social and economic issues. For practice staff, the service provided a resource to refer patients for welfare advice, reducing the time spent dealing with welfare issues, thereby reducing workload. This was confirmed in the questionnaire to practice managers where 72% said the service had saved time for GPs and reception/office staff. The advice workers raised concerns about the perceived level of commitment to the service from some staff at some practices. Practice staff were particularly concerned about the need for feedback about referrals. CONCLUSION Providing welfare advice in family practice can act as a valuable resource for primary care staff helping to address their patients health-related social and economic needs.
The Financial Leverage Paradox – Is Leverage About Risk, Risk Reward or Something Else?

With the help of a simple question juxtaposing geared and ungeared positions, this paper analyzes the inherent ambiguity present in the concept of financial leverage. The answer to the question is not readily available as it depends on the way the question is understood. It may be perceived as being either about risk, risk reward or a mix of the two. The range of possible answers is virtually unlimited. Unfortunately, most of them, including one given by Miller in his Nobel Prize Lecture, are inconsistent with finance theory. This paradox is represented by the inability to answer the simple question in an unambiguous way, yet its gravity comes from the fact that it is neither noted nor debated in the literature. The confusion surrounding financial performance evaluation, ROE debate or executive pay are just a few examples of how lethal the leverage paradox can be. The leverage-driven financial crisis of recent years shows that the chaos in the literature exemplified by the paradox may easily spill over into real life.
Non-AIDS-defining events among HIV-1-infected adults receiving combination antiretroviral therapy in resource-replete versus resource-limited urban setting

Objective:To compare incidence and distribution of non-AIDS-defining events (NADEs) among HIV-1-infected adults receiving combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in urban sub-Saharan African versus United States settings. Design:Retrospective cohort analysis of clinical trial and observational data. Methods:Compared crude and standardized (to US cohort by age and sex) NADE rates from two urban adult HIV-infected cART-initiating populations: a clinical trial cohort in Gaborone, Botswana (Botswana) and an observational cohort in Nashville, Tennessee (USA). Results:Crude NADE incidence rates were similar: 10.0 [95% confidence interval 6.3–15.9] per 1000 person-years in Botswana versus 12.4 [8.4–18.4] per 1000 person-years in the United States. However, after standardizing to an older, predominantly male US population, the overall NADE incidence rates were higher in Botswana [18.7 (8.3–33.1) per 1000 person-years]. Standardized rates differed most for cardiovascular events (8.4 versus 5.0 per 1000 person-years) and non-AIDS-defining malignancies (8.0 versus 0.5 per 1000 person-years) – both higher in Botswana. Conversely, hepatic NADE rates were higher in the United States (4.0 versus 0.0 per 1000 person-years), whereas renal NADE rates [3.0 per 1000 person-years (United States) versus 2.4 per 1000 person-years (Botswana)] were comparable. Conclusion:Crude NADE incidence rates were similar between cART-treated patients in a US observational cohort and a sub-Saharan African clinical trial. However, when standardized to the US cohort, overall NADE rates were higher in Botswana. NADEs appear to be a significant problem in our sub-Saharan African setting, and the monitoring, prevention, and treatment of NADEs should be a critical component of care in resource-limited settings.
Infectious Complications after Mass Disasters: The Marmara Earthquake Experience

The Marmara earthquake occurred on 17 August 1999. There were 639 renal victims, of whom 477 needed some form of renal replacement therapy. Although several medical complications have been reported in the literature, there has been no detailed description of infectious complications in patients with crush syndrome after earthquakes. Data from 35 hospitals considering clinical and laboratory findings, as well as infectious complications and the results of microbiological examinations, were analysed. 223 out of 639 (34.9%) patients had infectious complications, which comprised the most frequent medical problem in the renal victims. The patients who suffered from infections had a higher mortality rate than those who did not (p=0.03). Sepsis and wound infection were the main presentation of the infectious complications. 121 (18.9%) patients suffered from sepsis; the mortality rate was higher in these patients (27.3%) than in victims who did not suffer from sepsis (12.4%, p<0.0001). In a multivariate model, sepsis was associated with increased mortality (p=0.0002, odds ratio 2.45, 95% confidence interval 1.52–3.96). 53 (8.2%) and 41 (6.4%) patients had wound and pulmonary infections, respectively. Most of the infections were nosocomial in origin and caused by Gram-negative aerobic bacteria and Staphylococcus spp. Infectious complications are common in renal victims of catastrophic earthquakes and are associated with increased mortality when complicated by sepsis.
Women's Quality of Life After Leaving an Abusive Relationship: The Effects of Past and Ongoing Intimate Partner Violence, Mastery and Social Support

i CO-AUTHORSHIP . iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT . iv DEDICATION . v TABLE OF CONTENTS. vi LIST OF TABLES . x LIST OF FIGURES . xi LIST OF APPENDICES . xii CHAPTER 1 – OVERVIEW TO THE DISSERTATION .
Canadian Mock Juror Attitudes and Decisions in Domestic Violence Cases Involving Asian and White Interracial and Intraracial Couples

This study manipulated the race of the defendant and the victim (White/White, White/Asian, Asian/Asian, and Asian/White) in a domestic violence case to examine the potential prejudicial impact of race on juror decision making. A total of 181undergraduate students read a trial transcript involving an allegation of spousal abuse in which defendant and victim race were manipulated using photographs. They then provided a verdict and confidence rating, a sentence, and responsibility attributions, and completed various scales measuring attitudes toward wife abuse and women. Findings revealed that female jurors were harsher toward the defendant than were male jurors. When controlling for attitudes toward Asians, jurors found the defendant guilty more often in cases involving interracial couples, as compared to same-race couples. Path analyses revealed various factors and attitudes involved in domestic violence trial outcomes. Findings contribute to the scarce literature on legal proceedings involving Asians, particularly in domestic violence cases. Outcomes also provide a model for relevant factors and characteristics of jurors in domestic violence cases. Roadblocks inherent in jury research are also discussed.
Methyl fingerprinting of the nucleosome reveals the molecular mechanism of high-mobility group nucleosomal-2 (HMGN2) association

The nucleosome represents the basic unit of chromatin, the DNA protein complex responsible for compacting the eukaryotic genome in the nucleus. Chromatin organization and functions are largely regulated at the nucleosomal level, and thus, understanding the structure, dynamics, and interactions of the nucleosome is essential to understanding the processes of gene transcription, recombination, replication, and repair. The work by Kato et al. (1) in PNAS provides a powerful tool to investigate the structural properties and interactions of the nucleosome in solution. Kato et al. (1) report resonance assignments of the methyl groups in the context of the intact nucleosome and use this information to elucidate the molecular basis of association of the high-mobility group nucleosomal-2 (HMGN2) effector.
Voices Still to be Heard

In a climate of self-determination it is essential to clarify what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people themselves feel about their cultural identity and future. These voices exist in a context of the great potential in Aboriginal culture and by contrast the severe problems which Aboriginal people face. Lippman (1994) argues that, although there is some evidence of Aboriginal status becoming more equitable, education being one instance to avail self-determination, data continue to reveal that Aboriginal mortality and morbidity rates lie in stark contrast to those of the general population of Australia. The death rate for Aboriginal men and women of 35 to 44 years is eight times higher than for the average non-Aboriginal (Ferrari, 1997). Queensland Health (1996) recently reported that Cape York has yet to experience the mortality gains seen by Indigenous populations in New Zealand and North America.
Empowering Chicana/o and Latina/o students: A framework for high school counselors

Researchers have documented that traditional counseling approaches to school counseling have failed to meet the social and cultural needs of Chicana/o and Latina/o high school students. The intent of this paper is to examine the role high school counselors can play in facilitating academic achievement for Chicana/o and Latina/o students by drawing on an empowerment approach to school counseling.