Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Increasing Communications Security through Protocol Parameter Diversity ∗

Pulsing attacks use carefully synchronized high-rate low-duration bursts of traffic that are injected into a network to induce denial-of-service. These attacks are effective because the bursts force protocols into low-performance states. The synchronization relies on the fact that most computers run protocols with identical parameter values. The use of diverse parameter value could make the attacks much less likely to succeed. This paper describes how parameters in TCP protocol implementations can be automatically diversified, introduces several evaluation metrics, and assesses the efficacy of this defense using Kuzmanovic’s shrew pulsing attack. The experiments show that in a diversified environment under attack, some hosts can obtain near normal throughput, while average network throughput is improved for most (but not all) attack scenarios. Heterogeneity of parameter values among hosts is key to the defense.
Linear Quadratic Optimal Control Synthesis for a UAV

This paper depicts the application of linear quadratic optimal control to the longitudinal flight motion of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which has elevon control only. For a trimmed flight model obtained experimentally in previous study we develop in order a Linear Quadratic Regulators (LQR) controller followed by a Kalman filter based estimator for unmeasurable states. The LQR controller is then combined with the Kalman estimator using the separation principle to investigate the feasibility of altitude control. The simulation results show improvements compared with classical design counterparts in the sense that the combined approach offers more design flexibility and is able to tolerate the noisy environments. It shows reasonable altitude holding, taking off and landing performance. The schemes developed through this research will be incorporated in our existing autopilots. Biography
Web service composition in UML

As the number of available Web services is steadily increasing, there is a growing interest for reusing basic Web services in new, composite Web services. Several organizations have proposed composition languages (BPML, BPMN, BPEL4WS, BPSS, WSCI), but no winner has been declared so far. This work proposes a method that uses UML Activity models to design Web service compositions, and OMG's Model Driven Architecture (MDA) to generate executable specifications in different composition languages. The method utilizes standard UML constructs with a minimal set of extensions for Web services. An important step in the method is the transformation of WSDL descriptions into UML This information is used to complete the composition models. Another key aspect of the method is its independence of the Web service composition language. The user can thus select his preferred composition language - and execution engine - for realizing the composite Web service. Currently, the method has been implemented to support two executable composition languages BPEL4WS and WorkSCo, with corresponding execution engines. WorkSco is a Web service enabled workflow composition language. The method is illustrated with an example from a crisis management scenario.
An Improved in Vivo Deuterium Labeling Method for Measuring the Biosynthetic Rate of Cytokinins

An improved method for determining the relative biosynthetic rate of isoprenoid cytokinins has been developed. A set of 11 relevant isoprenoid cytokinins, including zeatin isomers, was separated by ultra performance liquid chromatography in less than 6 min. The iP-type cytokinins were observed to give rise to a previously-unknown fragment at m/z 69; we suggest that the diagnostic (204-69) transition can be used to monitor the biosynthetic rate of isopentenyladenine. Furthermore, we found that by treating the cytokinin nucleotides with alkaline phosphatase prior to analysis, the sensitivity of the detection process could be increased. In addition, derivatization (propionylation) improved the ESI-MS response by increasing the analytes' hydrophobicity. Indeed, the ESI-MS response of propionylated isopentenyladenosine was about 34% higher than that of its underivatized counterpart. Moreover, the response of the derivatized zeatin ribosides was about 75% higher than that of underivatized zeatin ribosides. Finally, we created a web-based calculator (IZOTOP) that facilitates MS/MS data processing and offer it freely to the research community.
Modulation of aqueous humor outflow facility by the Rho kinase-specific inhibitor Y-27632.

PURPOSE The goal of this study was to investigate the role of Rho kinase in the modulation of aqueous humor outflow facility. Rho kinase, a critical downstream effector of Rho GTPase is recognized to control the formation of actin stress fibers, focal adhesions, and cellular contraction. METHODS Expression of Rho GTPase, Rho kinase, and other downstream targets of Rho GTPase were determined in human trabecular meshwork (HTM) and Schlemm's canal (SC) primary cell cultures by Western blot analysis. The Rho kinase-specific inhibitor (Y-27632)-induced changes in actin stress fibers, focal adhesions, and protein phosphotyrosine status were evaluated by staining with rhodamine-phalloidin, anti-paxillin, and anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies, respectively. Myosin light-chain phosphorylation was determined by Western blot analysis. Y-27632-induced changes in SC cell monolayer permeability were quantitated using a colorimetric assay to evaluate horseradish peroxidase diffusion through SC cell monolayers grown in transwell chambers. Aqueous humor outflow facility was measured using enucleated porcine eyes and a constant-pressure perfusion system. RESULTS Treatment of HTM and SC cells with Y-27632 (10 microM) led to significant but reversible changes in cell shape and decreases in actin stress fibers, focal adhesions, and protein phosphotyrosine staining. SC cell monolayer permeability increased (by 80%) in response to Y-27632 (10 microM) treatment, whereas myosin light-chain phosphorylation was decreased in both HTM and SC cells. Aqueous humor outflow facility increased (40%-80%) in enucleated porcine eyes perfused with Y-27632 (10-100 microM), and this effect was associated with widening of the extracellular spaces, particularly the optically empty area of the juxtacanalicular tissue (JCT). The integrity of inner wall of aqueous plexi, however, was observed to be intact. CONCLUSIONS Based on the Rho kinase inhibitor-induced changes in myosin light-chain phosphorylation and actomyosin organization, it is reasonable to conclude that cellular relaxation and loss of cell-substratum adhesions in HTM and SC cells could result in either increased paracellular fluid flow across Schlemm's canal or altered flow pathway through the JCT, thereby lowering resistance to outflow. This study also suggests Rho kinase as a potential therapeutic target for the development of drugs to modulate intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients.
Author ' s personal copy Can a workplace have an attitude problem ? Workplace effects on employee attitudes and organizational performance ☆

In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier's archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o Using the employee opinion survey responses from several thousand employees working in 193 branches of a major U.S. bank, we consider whether there is a distinctive workplace component to employee attitudes despite the common set of corporate human resource management practices that cover all the branches. Several different empirical tests consistently point to the existence of a systematic branch-specific component to employee attitudes. " Branch effects " can also explain why a significant positive cross-sectional correlation between branch-level employee attitudes and branch sales performance is not observed in longitudinal fixed-effects sales models. The results of our empirical tests concerning the determinants of employee attitudes and the determinants of branch sales are consistent with an interpretation that workplace-specific factors lead to better outcomes for both employees and the bank, and that these factors are more likely to be some aspect of the branches' internal operations rather than some characteristic of the external market of the branch. Research that examines the productivity of very similar plants and establishments finds that some enterprises persistently operate much more efficiently than others. 1 The role of human resource management practices in explaining persistent productivity differences in seemingly similar enterprises has now received considerable attention in both intra-industry studies and cross-industry studies. 2 Do productivity outcomes still vary across worksites within a given industry even when they operate under a common set of management practices? If so, what might account for these differences? In this study, we address these questions by investigating employee responses to attitude surveys and productivity outcomes across work-sites in a large multi-establishment commercial bank. Bank branches are well suited to an investigation of how workplaces affect employee attitudes because they are small establishments and the workers do their jobs in sufficiently close proximity to constitute a genuine workplace. A first set of empirical tests investigates whether there is a distinctive workplace component to employee attitudes despite the common set of corporate human resource management practices that cover all the branches. 3 Three types of evidence are presented: (1) a comparison of the distribution …
An Improved Method of Outlier Detection Based on Frequent Pattern

Outlier detection is an interesting data mining task, which detects rare events. This paper focuses on the method of outlier detection based on frequent pattern (FP method for short). First we analyze the drawback of this method, and then an improved method (LFP method for short) has been presented. Finally, we evaluate the two methods by using several datasets and the experiment results show that LFP method outperforms FP method.
Two examples of discrete-time quantum walks taking continuous steps

This note introduces some examples of quantum random walks in d-dimensional Eucilidean space and proves the weak convergence of their rescaled n-step densities. One of the examples is called the Plancherel quantum walk because the "quantum coin flip" is the Fourier Integral (or Plancherel) Transform. The other examples are the Birkhoff quantum walks, so named because the coin flips are effected by means of measure preserving transformations to which the Birkhoff's Ergodic Theorem is applied.
A high molecular mass protein isolated from chicken gizzard: its localization at the dense plaques and dense bodies of smooth muscle and the Z-disks of skeletal muscle.

We purified a 450 kDa protein from a low-salt alkaline extract of chicken gizzard smooth muscle. This high molecular mass protein could be extracted with the low-salt alkaline solution at 37 degrees C but not at 4 degrees C. The 450 kDa protein was isolated from the extract by ammonium sulfate fractionation and following sequential column chromatography using hydroxylapatite, DEAE-Cellulofine A-800m and phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B resins. The partially purified protein molecule resembled a flexible rod with a globular head and an irregular-shaped tail. Its length was approximately 300 nm. The nucleotide sequence of the partial cDNA encoding this protein was determined and analyzed with a data base. The analysis showed that the protein revealed significant homology with the rod region of chicken filamin (57% homology in amino acid sequence). Immunoblot analysis showed that an affinity-purified antibody reacted exclusively with the 450 kDa protein band of smooth, skeletal and cardiac muscle tissues. By indirect immunofluorescence microscopy, we examined the localization of the 450 kDa protein in smooth and skeletal muscle cells. The affinity-purified antibody against the 450 kDa protein stained the dense plaques and dense bodies of smooth muscle, the peripheral region of Z-disks and the subsarcolemmal region of skeletal muscle. Immunoelectron microscopy confirmed the localization of the 450 kDa protein at the peripheral regions of the actin anchoring structures mentioned above. Judging from its amino acid sequence, molecular size, molecular shape, immunological reactivity and localization in muscle cells, the 450 kDa protein seemed to be a new component associated with the actin-anchoring structures of muscle tissues. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Environmental Scanning for Customer Complaint Identification in Social Media

Social media provides a platform for dissatisfied and frustrated customers to discuss matters of common concerns and share experiences about products and services. While listening to and learning from customer has long been recognized as an important marketing charge, how to identify customer complaints on social media is a nontrivial task. Customer complaint messages are highly distributed on social media, while noncomplaint messages are unspecific and topically diverse. It is costly and time consuming to manually label a large number of customer complaint messages (positive examples) and non-complaint messages (negative examples) for training classification systems. Nevertheless, it is relatively easy to obtain large volumes of unlabeled content on social media. In this paper, we propose a partially supervised learning approach to automatically extract high quality positive and negative examples from an unlabeled dataset. The empirical evaluation suggested that the proposed approach generally outperforms the benchmark techniques and exhibits more stable performance.
Operating and Evaluating Quadrature Modulators for Personal Communication Systems

The quadrature modulator is a fundamental radio component for worldwide digital wireless communication standards such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Digital Communications Systems—1800 MHz (DCS1800), Digital European Cordless Telecommunications (DECT), American and Personal Digital Cellular (ADC/PDC), Japanese Personal Handy Phone (PHP RCR28). A typical system application and the theory of operation of the quadrature modulator are described along with two practical evaluation methods. Radio system considerations are discussed for the quadrature modulator including phase and amplitude imbalances, DC offsets, time dependent phase errors, modulated carrier harmonics, and nonlinear impairments.
Household Balance Sheets, Aggregate Demand and Unemployment (The Quaid-i-Azam Lecture)

U.S. households accumulated debt at an unprecedented pace between 2001 and 2007. In the aftermath of the housing downturn, deleveraging by highly indebted households is the most important factor responsible for the current economic slump. The deleveraging process has led to sharp drops in both aggregate demand and employment. We argue that meaningful policies aimed at facilitating debt-reduction for under-water homeowners in the short run, and replacing non-contingent debt with contingent-debt in the long run are essential for a robust and sustained recovery.
Apriori - A Big Data Analysis - A Review

Apriori is designed to operate on databases containing transactions (for example, collections of items bought by customers, or details of a website frequentation). Other algorithms are designed for finding association rules in data having no transactions , or having no timestamps (DNA sequencing). Each transaction is seen as a set of items (an item set). Given a threshold , the Apriori algorithm identifies the item sets which are subsets of at least transactions in the database. Apriori uses a "bottom up" approach, where frequent subsets are extended one item at a time (a step known as candidate generation), and groups of candidates are tested against the data. The algorithm terminates when no further successful extensions are found.
A perturbation/correlation approach to force-guided robot control

Force guided robot control is a control scheme based on the interpretation of measured force acting on the robot end effector. A functional map relating the correction of motion to force measurements is generated based on the geometry of the workpiece and its kinematic behavior in interacting with the environment. In the traditional force-guided control schemes, the contact force measured by a force sensor is directly fed back to a feedback controller to generate a motion correction signal. However, the force information obtained at one point does not always contain sufficient information to determine the direction of motion. The forces measured are often erratic and noisy due to the friction at the contacting surfaces and the existence of irregular burrs. This often leads to a misjudgment of contact configurations and erratic control actions. Also, the erratic force feedback may lead to excessive contact forces and large friction, which impede smooth motion and incur jamming and damage to the objects. Therefore, it is important to maintain the contact force at an appropriate level. The issue central to force guided robot control is how to obtain reliable, consistent and copious force signals and extract useful information in order to successfully guide the robot while keeping the contact force at a desired level. In this thesis, instead of simply measuring contact forces, we take positive actions by giving perturbation to the end effector and observing the reaction forces to the perturbation in order to obtain much richer and more reliable information. By taking the correlation between the input perturbation and the resultant reaction forces, we can determine the gradient of the force profile and guide the part correctly. By applying a type of direct adaptive control, the contact force is maintained at the lowest level. This algorithm is applied to a pipe insertion task, in which the insertion force is minimized during the insertion. Based on the process model and stability analysis using the Popov stability criterion, conditions for stable, successful insertion despite nonlinearities and uncertainties in the environment are obtained. The theoretical results are verified using the experimental data. To generate high frequency perturbation, a vibratory end effector using piezoelectric actuators is designed and built. Also, this perturbation/correlation method is applied to a box palletizing task, in which a rectangular box is to be located in one corner of the wall while maintaining constant contact with the wall. Through both simulations and experiments, the feasibility and usefulness of these methods are demonstrated. Thesis Committee : Haruhiko Asada Professor, Mechanical Engineering Kamal Youcef-Toumi Professor, Mechanical Engineering Frank Feng Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Quantitative Proteomic Approach for MicroRNA Target Prediction Based on 18O/16O Labeling

Motivation Among many large-scale proteomic quantification methods, 18O/16O labeling requires neither specific amino acid in peptides nor label incorporation through several cell cycles, as in metabolic labeling; it does not cause significant elution time shifts between heavy- and light-labeled peptides, and its dynamic range of quantification is larger than that of tandem mass spectrometry-based quantification methods. These properties offer 18O/16O labeling the maximum flexibility in application. However, 18O/16O labeling introduces large quantification variations due to varying labeling efficiency. There lacks a processing pipeline that warrants the reliable identification of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). This motivates us to develop a quantitative proteomic approach based on 18O/16O labeling and apply it on Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) microRNA (miR) target prediction. KSHV is a human pathogenic y-herpesvirus strongly associated with the development of B-cell proliferative disorders, including primary effusion lymphoma. Recent studies suggest that miRs have evolved a highly complex network of interactions with the cellular and viral transcriptomes, and relatively few KSHV miR targets have been characterized at the functional level. While the new miR target prediction method, photoactivatable ribonucleoside-enhanced cross-linking and immunoprecipitation (PAR-CLIP), allows the identification of thousands of miR targets, the link between miRs and their targets still cannot be determined. We propose to apply the developed proteomic approach to establish such links. Method We integrate several 18O/16O data processing algorithms that we published recently and identify the messenger RNAs of downregulated proteins as potential targets in KSHV miR-transfected human embryonic kidney 293T cells. Various statistical tests are employed for picking DEPs, and we select the best test by examining the enrichment of PAR-CLIP-reported targets with seed match to the miRs of interest among top ranked DEPs returned by statistical tests. Subsequently, the list of DEPs picked by the selected statistical test is filtered with the criteria that they must have downregulated gene expressions, must have reported as targets by an miR target prediction algorithm SVMcrio, and must have reported as targets by PAR-CLIP. Result We test the developed approach in the problem of finding targets of KSHV miR-K1. The RNAs of three DEPs are identified as miR-K1 targets, among which RAB23 and HNRNPU are novel. Results from both Western blotting and Luciferase reporter assays confirm the novel targets. These results show that the developed quantitative approach based on 18O/16O labeling can be combined with genomic, PAR-CLIP, and target prediction algorithms for the confident identification of KSHV miR targets. The developed approach could also be applied in other applications.
Adolescents With d-Transposition of the Great Arteries Corrected With the Arterial Switch Procedure: Neuropsychological Assessment and Structural Brain Imaging

Background— We report neuropsychological and structural brain imaging assessments in children 16 years of age with d-transposition of the great arteries who underwent the arterial switch operation as infants. Children were randomly assigned to a vital organ support method, deep hypothermia with either total circulatory arrest or continuous low-flow cardiopulmonary bypass. Methods and Results— Of 159 eligible adolescents, 139 (87%) participated. Academic achievement, memory, executive functions, visual-spatial skills, attention, and social cognition were assessed. Few significant treatment group differences were found. The occurrence of seizures in the postoperative period was the medical variable most consistently related to worse outcomes. The scores of both treatment groups tended to be lower than those of the test normative populations, with substantial proportions scoring ≥1 SDs below the expected mean. Although the test scores of most adolescents in this trial cohort are in the average range, a substantial proportion have received remedial academic or behavioral services (65%). Magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities were more frequent in the d-transposition of the great arteries group (33%) than in a referent group (4%). Conclusions— Adolescents with d-transposition of the great arteries who have undergone the arterial switch operation are at increased neurodevelopmental risk. These data suggest that children with congenital heart disease may benefit from ongoing surveillance to identify emerging difficulties. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.clinicaltrials. gov. Unique identifier: NCT00000470.