Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Single trace HQC shared key recovery with SASCA

This paper presents practicable single trace attacks against the Hamming Quasi-Cyclic (HQC) Key Encapsulation Mechanism. These attacks are the first Soft Analytical Side-Channel Attacks (SASCA) against code-based cryptography. We mount SASCA based on Belief Propagation (BP) on several steps of HQC’s decapsulation process. Firstly, we target the Reed-Solomon (RS) decoder involved in the HQC publicly known code. We perform simulated attacks under Hamming weight leakage model, and reach excellent accuracies (superior to 0.9) up to a high noise level (σ = 3), thanks to a re-decoding strategy. In a real case attack scenario, on a STM32F407, this attack leads to a perfect success rate. Secondly, we conduct an analogous attack against the RS encoder used during the re-encryption step required by the Fujisaki-Okamoto-like transform. Both in simulation and practical instances, results are satisfactory and this attack represents a threat to the security of HQC. Finally, we analyze the strength of countermeasures based on masking and shuffling strategies. In line with previous SASCA literature targeting Kyber, we show that masking HQC is a limited countermeasure against BP attacks, as well as shuffling countermeasures adapted from Kyber. We evaluate the “full shuffling” strategy which thwarts our attack by introducing sufficient combinatorial complexity. Eventually, we highlight the difficulty of protecting the current RS encoder with a shuffling strategy. A possible countermeasure would be to consider another encoding algorithm for the scheme to support a full shuffling. Since the encoding subroutine is only a small part of the implementation, it would come at a small cost.
A comparison of two dosing regimens of vaginally administered misoprostol for cervical ripening and induction of labour at term: A randomized controlled trial

Background: The use of misoprostol in induction of labour has become established, but there exist wide variations in the dosing regimen. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of two regimens of intravaginal misoprostol for cervical ripening and labour induction at term. Method: This prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted on 130 pregnant women at term in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria. Those who fulfilled the criteria were randomized into 2 groups to receive intravaginal misoprostol tablets for 24 hours. Study group (A) received 4 hourly 25 µg misoprostol and Control group (B) 6 hourly 50 µg of misoprostol. Student t test, chi-square and Fisher Exact test were used to compare variables. P< 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Both regimens were effective in cervical ripening and induction of labour with 93.8% and 98.5% achieving vaginal deliveries for 25 µg and 50 µg groups respectively. Oxytocin need was significantly higher (p<0.001) in group A (76.9%) compared to group B (23.1%). The Mean induction-delivery interval in hours was significantly shorter (p< 0.001) in group B (19.31±6.91) compared to group A (25.57±7.25). The percentage of women who delivered within 24 hours of commencement of induction was significantly higher (p= 0.002) in group B. There was no difference in the modes of deliveries in both groups (p =0.074). Tachysystole developed in two and three women in group A and B respectively. There were no significant differences between the two groups in neonates with Apgar score < 7 at 1 minute, Apgar score < 7 at 5 minutes, nor the proportion admitted to NICU. There was no difference in the incidence of adverse maternal effects in each group with p-values > 0.05. Conclusion: The mean induction-vaginal delivery interval and the number of women who delivered within 24 hours were better in 50µg group than 25µg group with no statistical significant difference in mode of deliveries, maternal and neonatal outcomes.
In vitro and in vivo tissue harmonic images obtained with parallel transmit beamforming by means of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing

— In classic pulse–echo ultrasound imaging, the data acquisition rate is limited by the speed of sound. To overcome this, parallel beamforming techniques in transmit (PBT) and in receive (PBR) mode have been proposed. In particular, PBT techniques, based on the transmission of focused beams, are more suitable for harmonic imaging because they are capable of generating stronger harmonics. Recently, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) has been investigated as a means to obtain parallel beamformed tissue harmonic images. To date, only numerical studies and experiments in water have been performed, hence neglecting the effect of frequency-dependent absorption. Here we present the first in vitro and in vivo tissue harmonic images obtained with PBT by means of OFDM, and we compare the results with classic B-mode tissue harmonic imaging. The resulting contrast-to-noise ratio, here used as a performance metric, is comparable. A reduction by 2 dB is observed for the case in which three parallel lines are reconstructed. In conclusion, the applicability of this technique to ultrasonography as a means to improve the data acquisition rate is confirmed.
Full Length

This paper presents a discussion on the phase-transformation aspects of additively manufactured Alloy 718 during the additive manufacturing (AM) process and subsequent commonly used post-heat treatments. To this end, fundamental theoretical principles, thermodynamic and kinetics modeling, and existing literature data are employed. Two diﬀerent AM processes, namely, laser-directed energy deposition and electron-beam powder-bed fusion are considered. The general aspects of phase formation during solidiﬁcation and solid state in Alloy 718 are ﬁrst examined, followed by a detailed discussion on phase transformations during the two processes and subsequent standard post heat-treatments. The eﬀect of cooling rates, thermal gradients, and thermal cycling on the phase transformation in Alloy 718 during the AM processes are considered. Special attention is given to illustrate how the segregated composition during the solidiﬁcation could aﬀect the phase transformations in the Alloy 718. The information provided in this study will contribute to a better understanding of the overall process–structure–property relationship in the AM of Alloy 718 718.
EVOLUTION OF A BEACH WITH AND WITHOUT A SUBMERGED BREAKWATER: EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION

In the present report experimental results about the efficiency of a submerged structure are presented. The experiment, carried out with random waves, covered about 2500 hours until equilibrium profile was reached. The most significant results are the good behaviour of the tested breakwater as a sand holding structure and its slowing effect produced on the shoreline backing, whereas the final position of the shoreline was nearly the same with and whithout breakwater.
Turbulence and mud sedimentation: A Reynolds stress model and a two-phase flow model

Two sophisticated research models, previously used and validated in internal flows, are now applied to sediment laden flows: they give a thorough insight into the vertical distribution of sediment concentration, flow-sediment interaction, stratification and inhibition of vertical mixing. The Reynolds stress model is well adapted to investigate stratification due to density effects: it gives information on turbulent fluxes of momentum and concentration, eddy diffusivity and eddy viscosity profiles, reduction of the bottom shear stress due to the presence of sediment. Results show that suspended sediments affect turbulence even at low concentrations of lg/1. A dimensional analysis seems to indicate that these stratification effects are not well accounted for in laboratory experiments. The two-phase flow model enables to describe the vertical profile of sediment in its continuity, from the water surface down to/through the bed, without any definition of the bed water interface. Cohesive sediment processes such as deposition, erosion or consolidation are treated as flow-particles interactions: thus, the model helps in identifying the governing parameters -floe size and density, effective stressand does not require the classical empirical laws commonly used to describe these processes.
EURASIAN JOURNAL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

Though it has recently become a contemporary financial management tool, stock repurchase can be so dangerous that it may raise concerns about insider trading and manipulative transactions. In fact, such concerns underlie the most important critique of stock repurchase and justify its prohibition, at least its restriction, in several jurisdictions to date. Turkey, as one of these jurisdictions, has latterly been updated in order to allow open market stock repurchases with certain restrictive provisions. We intend to explore why Turkish firms decide to repurchase their stocks. Having employed a conditional logistic regression model, the results reveal that signaling hypothesis, i.e. undervaluation and positive information dissemination, and excess capital and free cash flow hypothesis, i.e. excess cash distribution, hold for Turkish companies.
MIT Open Access Articles Effect of Short Chain Branching on the Interlamellar Structure of Semicrystalline Polyethylene

We use molecular simulations with a united atom force field to examine the effect of short chain branching (SCB) on the noncrystalline, interlamellar structure typical of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE). The model is predicated on a metastable thermodynamic equilibrium within the interlamellar space of the crystal stack and accounts explicitly for the various chain topologies (loops, tails, and bridges) therein. We examine three branched systems containing methyl, ethyl, and butyl side branches, and compare our results to high density polyethylene (HDPE), without branches. We also compare results for two united atom force fields, PYS and TraPPE-UA, within the context of these simulations. In contrast to conventional wisdom, our simulations indicate that the thicknesses of the interfacial regions in systems with SCB are smaller than those observed for a linear polyethylene without branches, and that branches are uniformly distributed throughout the interlamellar region. We find a prevalence of gauche states along the backbone due to the presence of branches, and an abrupt decrease in the orientational order in the region immediately adjacent to the crystallite.
Poor People's Beliefs and the Dynamics of Poor People's Beliefs and the Dynamics of Clientelism Clientelism

Why do some poor people engage in clientelism whereas others do not? Why does clientelism sometimes take traditional forms and sometimes more instrumental forms? We propose a formal model of clientelism that addresses these questions focusing primarily on the citizen’s perspective. Citizens choose between supporting broad-based redistribution or engaging in clientelism. Introducing insights from social psychology, we study the interactions between citizen beliefs and values, and their political choices. Clientelism, political inefficacy, and inequality legitimation beliefs reinforce each other leading to multiple equilibria. One of these resembles traditional clientelism, with disempowered clients that legitimize social inequalities. Community connectivity breaks this reinforcement mechanism and leads to another equilibrium where clientelism takes a modern, instrumental, form. The model delivers insights on the role of citizen beliefs for their bargaining power as well as for the persistence and transformation of clientelism. We illustrate the key mechanisms with ethnographic literature on the topic.
Experimental and Numerical Characterisation of the Elasto-Plastic Properties of Bovine Trabecular Bone and a Trabecular Bone Analogue Abstract

The inelastic pressure dependent compressive behaviour of bovine trabecular bone is investigated through experimental and computational analysis. Two loading configurations are implemented, uniaxial and confined compression, providing two distinct loading paths in the von Mises-pressure stress plane. Experimental results reveal distinctive yielding followed by a constant nominal stress plateau for both uniaxial and confined compression. Computational simulation of the experimental tests using the Drucker-Prager and Mohr-Coulomb plasticity models fails to capture the confined compression behaviour of trabecular bone. The high pressure developed during confined compression does not result in plastic deformation using these formulations, and a near elastic response is computed. In contrast, the crushable foam plasticity models provide accurate simulation of the confined compression tests, with distinctive yield and plateau behaviour being predicted. The elliptical yield surfaces of the crushable foam formulations in the von Mises-pressure stress plane accurately characterise the plastic behaviour of trabecular bone. Results reveal that the hydrostatic yield stress is equal to the uniaxial yield stress for trabecular bone, demonstrating the importance of accurate characterisation and simulation of the pressure dependent plasticity. It is also demonstrated in this study that a commercially available trabecular bone analogue material, cellular rigid polyurethane foam, exhibits similar pressure dependent yield behaviour, despite having a lower stiffness and strength than trabecular bone. This study provides a novel insight to the pressure dependent yield behaviour of trabecular bone, demonstrating the inadequacy of uniaxial testing alone. For the first time, crushable foam plasticity formulations are implemented for trabecular bone. The enhanced understanding of the inelastic behaviour of trabecular bone established in this study will allow for more realistic simulation of orthopaedic device implantation and failure.
A Small Estimated Euro Area Model with Rational Expectations and Nominal Rigidities Günter Coenen European Central Bank

The objective of this paper is to estimate a small model of the euro area to be used as a laboratory for evaluating the performance of alternative monetary policy strategies. We start with the relationship between output and inflation and investigate the fit of the nominal wage contracting model due to Taylor (1980) and three different versions of the relative real wage contracting model proposed by Buiter and Jewitt (1981) and estimated by Fuhrer and Moore (1995a) for the United States. While Fuhrer and Moore reject the nominal contracting model and find strong evidence in favor of the relative contracting model which induces a higher degree of inflation persistence, we find that both types of contracting models fit euro area data reasonably well. The best fitting specification is a version of the relative contracting model, but one that is theoretically more plausible than the one preferred by Fuhrer and Moore for U.S. data. A drawback of the euro area estimation is that the data are averaged over the member economies, which experienced different monetary policy regimes prior to the formation of EMU. While Germany enjoyed stable inflation with fairly predictable monetary policy, countries such as France and Italy experienced a long-drawn out and probably imperfectly anticipated disinflation. To investigate the validity of our results, we also obtain estimates for France, Germany and Italy separately. We find that the relative contracting model dominates in countries which transitioned out of a high inflation regime such as France and Italy, while the nominal contracting model fits German data better. Thus, an optimist may conclude that the independent European Central Bank will face a similar environment in the future as the Bundesbank did in Germany and pick the nominal contracting specification, while a pessimist, who suspects that stabilizing euro area inflation will require higher output losses, may want to pick the relative contracting specification. We close the model by estimating an aggregate demand relationship and investigate the consequences of the different wage contracting specifications for the output costs associated with stabilizing inflation, when interest rates are set according to Taylor’s rule.
Factors Inﬂuencing Small-Scale Fishers’ Individual Perceived Wellbeing Satisfaction in Southern Benin

: In southern Benin, the rapid growth of demographics and the need for ﬁshery products have forced public managers to adopt various management measures in the face of anti-ecological methods used by ﬁshers; however, these strategies are often formulated independent from the context. These measures have not remained without consequence on the daily lives of ﬁshers. This paper examines factors inﬂuencing ﬁshers’ individual perceived wellbeing satisfaction using the social-ecological system framework. Data on 205 small-scale ﬁshers’ demographic information, perception of job, and individual wellbeing satisfaction and governance subsystems were collected and analysed by the use of an ordered logistic regression. The results demonstrate that job satisfaction and ownership of water bodies (in contradiction to Ostrom’s advocation for commons management) affected ﬁshers’ individual perceived wellbeing satisfaction. Fishers likely value ownerships, affecting their perceived wellbeing mainly in the South East. The prohibition of certain ﬁshing gear decreases ﬁshers’ individual perceived wellbeing, indicating their attachment to these. Therefore, the question remains as to whether or not the scenarios of eco-sustainability of artisanal ﬁsheries can be managed in the same manner as those related urban dwellers and the public sector. This is in particular reference to the line between urban land property rights, urban dwellers and the state, and property rights on water bodies, ﬁshers, and the state.
A revision of Reduviasporonites Wilson 1962: Description, illustration, comparison and biological affinities

Abstract Geochemical analyses of specimens of Reduviasporonites suggests that it is most likely of algal, rather than fungal origin. As a probable alga, Reduviasporonites is unlikely to be integral to the process of mass extinction occurring at or near the Permian‐Triassic boundary, as suggested by Visscher and other workers because it cannot have acted as a saprophytic metaboliser of dead vegetation resulting from that event. Moreover, it ranges outside the postulated time of mass extinction by at least 10 million years. Optical and electron microscopy of topotype material confirms that Reduviasporonites Wilson 1962 is the senior synonym of Chordecystia Foster 1979, and Tympanicysta Balme 1980. Moreover the type species of the last two genera, assigned in 1999 to Reduviasporonites by Elsik as R. chalastus (Foster) and R. stoschianus (Balme), are conspecific. The type species, R. catenulatus Wilson 1962, differs from R. chalastus in that its constituent cells are significantly smaller, more rounded, and have less well developed connecting areas (terminal rims) between cells. Brazilea helbyi forma gregata Foster 1979, recorded only from the type material of R. chalastus, is likely to be a junior synonym of that taxon. The stratigraphic occurrences of the species of Reduvia‐sporonites suggest that R. catenulatus is most common in the Wordian (Kazanian) of Oklahoma, though specimens of the size range associated with R. catenulatus are present very rarely in the Early Triassic Mazzin Member of the Werfen Formation, Austria. R. chalastus is present in Capitanian to Griesbachian rocks spanning at least 10 million years, and outside the more narrow age span of the Permian—Triassic boundary. The size of the constituent cells present in R. chalastus appears to be related to paleolatitude with large examples occurring in the paleotemperate Permian of China, Russia, and Australia (Moura) and smaller specimens occurring in the paleotropical and paleoequatorial Permian of northern Australia, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom and Austria.
Globalization and Health Care Service Delivery in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH)

he study examined the effect of globalization on Health Care Service Delivery in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Lagos State Nigeria. It observed that the process of globalization in Nigeria has not been able to take cognizance of the desired T effective service delivery in the health sector. The identified problem notwithstanding, Nigeria's health care service has been engulfed with global practices such as e-record keeping, e-health care, e-payment system to mention but a few. It is on this basis that this study probed into the process of globalization practice in health care service delivery in Nigeria with specific reference to Lagos State Ministry of Health by examining the level of compliance in LASUTH. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested. The descriptive survey research method was adopted. One hundred and four (104) respondents were sampled from the Staff of LASUTH through a carefully structured questionnaire and the responses were complemented with In-Depth Interview (IDI). The findings of the study revealed that there is a strong relationship between structures of globalization and health care service delivery in LASUTH. The study also observed that it is not every aspect of public health that should be left to the external forces or be guided by corporate methods, rather governments have a vital role in creating an effective legal regulatory framework in which the public sector is enabled to operate. The study recommended among others that there is need for partnership between the private sector and government so as to be able to take advantage of a very good human resource in information technology as well as medicine in order to come up with appropriate solutions to the problems associated with healthcare delivery system in Nigeria. It is also necessary to have a state-of-the-art electronic health record system in place that can assist in attracting and retaining doctors and nurses to public health institutions in the country. The study concluded that when these suggested solutions proffered are implemented properly, Nigeria, health care system will stand the chance of providing effective and efficient service for health administration that can engender national development.
Re-Efficacy and Effects of Parenteral Pethidine or Meptazinol and Regional Analgesia for Pain Relief during Delivery. A Comparative Observational Study

Background: Peripartum anesthesia may consist of parenteral opioids and/or regional analgesia. There is only limited data in the literature comparing both methods in daily obstetric practice. This observational study investigated the opioids pethidine and meptazinol as well as regional analgesics with regard to their administration, efficacy, side effects and subjective maternal satisfaction with therapy. The rates of secondary regional analgesia administration after administration of the respective opioid served as a means of evaluating treatment. Methods: This study collected data on pain management during vaginal delivery in a German university hospital over a twelve month period. Severity of pain was measured intrapartum using a numerical rating scale. Maternal, neonatal and delivery-related data were obtained postpartum from the clinical records and from the mothers using a questionnaire. Results: The study is based on data obtained from 449 deliveries. Pain relief achieved by the administration of pethidine and meptazinol was similarly low; maternal satisfaction with the respective therapy was high. Meptazinol was usually administered intravenously (83% vs. 6%; p < 0.001), repeatedly (27% vs. 6%; p < 0.001) and closer to the birth (1.9 ± 2.7 h vs. 2.6 ± 2.8 h; p < 0.05) compared to pethidine. Secondary regional analgesia was more common after the administration of pethidine (16% vs. 8%; p < 0.05). Regional analgesia resulted in greater pain relief compared to opioid therapy (78% vs. 24% after 30 min; p < 0.001) and was associated with longer times to delivery (7.6 ± 2.5 h vs. 5.7 ± 2.5 h; p < 0.001) and higher levels of maternal satisfaction with therapy (6.1 ± 1.2 vs. 4.8 ± 1.6 on a 7-point scale; p