Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Whitening Black-Box Neural Networks

Many deployed learned models are black boxes: given input, returns output. Internal information about the model, such as the architecture, optimisation procedure, or training data, is not disclosed explicitly as it might contain proprietary information or make the system more vulnerable. This work shows that such attributes of neural networks can be exposed from a sequence of queries. This has multiple implications. On the one hand, our work exposes the vulnerability of black-box neural networks to different types of attacks -- we show that the revealed internal information helps generate more effective adversarial examples against the black box model. On the other hand, this technique can be used for better protection of private content from automatic recognition models using adversarial examples. Our paper suggests that it is actually hard to draw a line between white box and black box models.
Membrane and Capillary Components of Lung Diffusion in Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

RATIONALE Autopsied lungs of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) demonstrate impaired alveolar development with larger and fewer alveoli, which is consistent with our previous physiologic findings of lower pulmonary diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DL(CO)) in infants and toddlers with BPD compared with healthy controls born at full term (FT). However, it is not known whether the decreased DL(CO) in infants with BPD results from a reduction in both components of DL(CO): pulmonary membrane diffusing capacity (D(M)) and Vc. OBJECTIVES We hypothesized that impairment of alveolar development in BPD results in a decrease in both D(M) and Vc components of DlCO but that the D(M)/Vc ratio would not differ between the BPD and FT groups. METHODS DL(CO) was measured under conditions of room air and high inspired oxygen (90%), which enabled D(M) and Vc to be calculated. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS D(M) and Vc increased with increasing body length; however, infants with BPD had significantly lower D(M) and Vc than FT subjects after adjustment for race, sex, body length, and corrected age. In contrast to D(M) and Vc, the D(M)/Vc ratio remained constant with increasing body length and did not differ for infants with BPD and FT subjects. CONCLUSIONS Our findings are consistent with infants with BPD having impaired alveolar development with fewer but larger alveoli, as well as a reduced Vc.
Exploring prevention and perpetrator aspects concerning employee fraud in organisations

Are organisations becoming more vulnerable to theft in this electronic age? The recent rise in reported incidents of thefts in all types of organisations seems to suggest this to be the case. Since there is a large amount of possible employee-based prevention, perpetrator and outside factors are embedded into the many constructs of theft and criminal behaviour; factor analysis techniques, in addition, are used to test seven hypotheses about these contributing factors. Constructs, variables and research questions were derived from the literature. Employee theft susceptibility is a function of the organisation (characteristics), prevention, and the perpetrator factor constructs. However, based on a sample of 214 professional employees from a wide range of organisation types and sizes within the Pittsburgh, PA metropolitan area, it was determined that not all these factors were found to be significant. The renamed factor groupings found in the study included the following constructs: Organisation Type, Prevention, Perpetrator, Internal Controls, Trust and Loyalty, Screening Techniques, and Outside Verification. In essence, the independent variable, Perpetrator, significantly predicts employee theft susceptibility within the organisation, as opposed to organisational characteristics and prevention constructs.
Principals, agents and contracts

Research Funding Organisations (RFOs) in the public sector are intermediaries between the state and academic research. Principal-agent theory has been used to illuminate the relations between RFOs and state institutions. This paper explores the extension of principal-agent concepts to the study of relations between RFOs and academic research, through analysis of the awards made to researchers and their institutions by nine RFOs in six countries, as well as one supranational RFO. This analysis reveals generic similarities within the expected variety. One common feature is that RFO awards are contracts for the delegation of resources. Their embedded characteristics offer new opportunities for the study of science policy and practice. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.
Evidence of Adverse Selection in the Individual Health Insurance Market

In this article the author tests the market for individual health insurance to determine if adverse selection is present. Evidence is found that low risk consumers do purchase less insurance in the individual market than they do in the group market. This finding is consistent with adverse selection existing in the individual market for insurance. However, the finding may also be explained by low risks being off their demand curve in the group market. A second finding of the study is that equilibrium in the individual market is characterized by a subsidization of high risk consumers' insurance purchases by low risks. This is consistent with the pooling equilibrium models of Wilson and Miyazaki but not the separating equilibrium model of Rothschild and Stiglitz. The number of people without health insurance in the United States is estimated to be in excess of 36.8 million. ' Since the possibility of the need for high cost health care faces everyone, the uninsured population stands at risk of, at best, significant financial setback should the need for expensive health care treatment become necessary. At worst, the uninsured may be unable to acquire access to an increasingly expensive but at times life-giving health care delivery system. Numerous reasons have been advanced to explain why people do not have medical insurance. The reasons include the risk-taking nature of some individuals, financial inability of some to afford medical insurance, ignorance of the risks covered by medical insurance, as well as adverse selection. Dahlby (1983) found that adverse selection leads to reduced insurance consumption by low risks in the automobile insurance market. Beliveau (1981) tested for adverse selection in the life insurance market and similarly found that adverse selection leads to reduced insurance consump
Unpacking the local: A cultural analysis of tourism entrepreneurship in Murter, Croatia

In recent years, there has been a paradigmatic shift articulated by the 'cultural' turn of tourism geography. Within the cultural analysis of economic relations the embrace of complexity and diversity has become essential to broadening our understanding of tourism development processes. This paper seeks to engage with local cultural perspectives, which inform these 'new' ways of theorizing tourism. This study focuses on small-scale tourism entrepreneurship in the village of Murter in the Balkans set against the backdrop of economic transition in a post-war environment. It is argued that the role of local values is critical in the re-emergence of tourism as a key economic sector and the shaping of small enterprise culture. The analysis utilizes an 'insider' perspective as a key positioning element in the discussion.
Community assault--the cost of rough justice.

South Africa is no stranger to violent crime with murder, rape and serious assault directly affecting around one in fifty people per annum.1 Approximately 21% of the South African population reside in KwaZulu-Natal province that has some of the country’s highest rates of poverty and violent crime.2 Law enforcement in such rural areas is challenging and as a result some 40% of households are dissatisfied by the levels of policing in their communities.3 Unpunished crimes and an inadequate justice system have led communities to resort to their own form of retribution.4, Severe beatings, termed Community Assault (CA), are administered by members of the local community when alleged criminals are caught. This practice intends to inflict serious injury rather than to kill, serve as punishment for the alleged perpetrator and a warning for potential offenders. This alternative to the conventional justice system has been used in 4-6% of all crimes committed in South Africa.3 We highlight the inhuman practices that occur as a result of the failing South African criminal justice system and further quantify the range of serious injuries that are sustained secondary to CA and reinforce the importance of early medical intervention.
Ca2+‐ and thromboxane‐dependent distribution of MaxiK channels in cultured astrocytes: From microtubules to the plasma membrane

Large‐conductance, voltage‐ and Ca2+‐activated K+ channels (MaxiK) are broadly expressed ion channels minimally assembled by four pore‐forming α‐subunits (MaxiKα) and typically observed as plasma membrane proteins in various cell types. In murine astrocyte primary cultures, we show that MaxiKα is predominantly confined to the microtubule network. Distinct microtubule distribution of MaxiKα was visualized by three independent labeling approaches: (1) MaxiKα‐specific antibodies, (2) expressed EGFP‐labeled MaxiKα, and (3) fluorophore‐conjugated iberiotoxin, a specific MaxiK pore‐blocker. This MaxiKα association with microtubules was further confirmed by in vitro His‐tag pulldown, co‐immunoprecipitation from brain lysates, and microtubule depolymerization experiments. Changes in intracellular Ca2+ elicited by general pharmacological agents, caffeine or thapsigargin, resulted in increased MaxiKα labeling at the plasma membrane. More notably, U46619, an analog of thromboxane A2 (TXA2), which triggers Ca2+‐release pathways and whose levels increase during cerebral hemorrhage/trauma, also elicits a similar increase in MaxiKα surface labeling. Whole‐cell patch clamp recordings of U46619‐stimulated cells develop a ∼3‐fold increase in current amplitude indicating that TXA2 stimulation results in the recruitment of additional, functional MaxiK channels to the surface membrane. While microtubules are largely absent in mature astrocytes, immunohistochemistry results in brain slices show that cortical astrocytes in the newborn mouse (P1) exhibit a robust expression of microtubules that significantly colocalize with MaxiKα. The results of this study provide the novel insight that suggests that Ca2+ released from intracellular stores may play a key role in regulating the traffic of intracellular, microtubule‐associated MaxiKα stores to the plasma membrane of developing murine astrocytes. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
High-order delta-sigma modulator with switched-current feedback memory cell

In this paper, we present a design of the fully differential high-order multi-stage noise shaping (MASH) delta-sigma modulator (DSM). To improve the transmission error, a current feedback method is used in the proposed switched-current feedback memory cell (FMC) to decrease the input impedance. Furthermore, the entire memory cell is designed in a coupled differential replicate (CDR) form to eliminate the clock feedthrough (CFT) error. Note that the DSM is simulated with TSMC 0.18 mum CMOS process technology. And that, the simulation results reveal that the peak signal to noise plus distortion ratio (SNDR) is 83 dB at 10.24 MHz sampling rate with 40 kHz bandwidth, and the power dissipation is 12.3 mW.
Prisoners Without Trial: Japanese Americans in World War II

Part of Hill and Wang's Critical Issues Series and well established on college reading lists, PRISONERS WITHOUT TRIAL presents a concise introduction to a shameful chapter in American history: the incarceration of nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II. With a revised final chapter and expanded recommended readings, Roger Daniels's updated edition examines a tragic event in our nation's past and thoughtfully asks if it could happen again.
Lay Public or Experts? e‐Participation in Authorization for GMO Products in the European Union

In the European Union, for the first time, lay people can participate directly in the procedure of assessment of GMO (genetically modified organisms) products, an exercise normally reserved for scientists and legal experts. What makes this a unique strategy of participation is that for each single application for authorization, lay people have the opportunity to express their views. This article presents the result of the first in-depth analysis of this type of Internet participatory exercise in the first years of its implementation. It shows that, despite generally participatory technology assessment aims at deliberative consensus on technical questions, this forum is instead a way to expose the work of regulative authorities to public scrutiny and to express dissent and opposition to the European Commission policy on GMOs.
EEG coherence, lateral preference and schizophrenia

SYNOPSIS The EEG synchrony between hemispheres during cognitive activity differs from that during rest. With common reference recording and a visual imagery task it increases in healthy right-handers and neurotic patients, and it decreases in healthy left-handers and schizophrenic patients. It is suggested that this implies a less lateralized brain organization in schizophrenia which may account for the often reported association with left-handedness. When associated with impaired corpus callosum transmission, it may contribute to the disturbed behaviour and thought processes in this condition.
Impact of total efficiency of multiple element antennas on diversity and capacity

For analyzing the effect of antenna efficiency on MIMO communications, it is convenient to express the total efficiency of a multiple element antenna (MEA) as a diagonal matrix of the total efficiencies of the embedded elements. Using this, the impact of the MEA total efficiency on the diversity gain and information theoretic capacity is formulated and demonstrated. A diversity order and a capacity order are defined from an equivalent number of idealized (lossless, uncorrelated, uncoupled, equal power) branches, similar to the concept of degrees of freedom. This equivalent branch metric allows the performances of different MEA designs to be compared.
Wealth as a Determinant of Comparative Advantage

This paper shows that a country's wealth can be an important determinant of comparative advantage when access to credit differs across sectors of the economy. Wealthier nations exhibit a comparative advantage toward goods produced in sectors facing more severe financial imperfections. These sectors are typically populated by small firms. Empirically this paper documents that these sectors are also labor intensive. Consequently, this theory partially offsets traditional sources of comparative advantage and offers an explanation for Trefler's missing trade mystery and the Leontief paradox. Furthermore, the theory makes the relation between trade and income distribution endogenous.
Calculation of melting curves for DNA

A method is reported for calculating the melting curve of a DNA molecule of random base sequence, including in the formalism the dependence of the free energy of base pair formation on the size of a denatured section. Some explicit results are shown for a “typical” base sequence, in particular the probability of helix formation at individual base pairs in several different regions of the molecule and the amount of melting from the end of the chain. Particular attention is drawn to the variation of local melting behavior from one region of the molecule to another. It is found that sections rich in AT melt at relatively low temperatures with a fairly broad transition curve, whereas regions rich in GC pairs melt at higher temperatures (as expected) with a very abrupt, local transition curve. To account qualitatively for the results one may divide melting into two kinds of processes: (a) the nucleation and growth of denatured regions, and (b) the merging together of two denatured sections at the expense of the intervening helix. The first of these processes dominates in the first stages of melting, and leads to rather broad local melting curves, whereas the second process predominates in the later stages, and occurs, in a particular part of the molecule, over a very narrow temperature range. It is estimated that the average length of a helix plus adjacent coil section at the midpoint of the transition is approximately 600 base pairs. Since transition curves which measure the local melting behavior reflect local compositions fluctuations, these curves contain information about the broad outlines of base sequence in the molecule. Some suggestions are made concerning experiments by which this potential information source could be exploited. In particular, it is pointed out that one might hope to map AT or GC rich regions at particular genetic loci in a biologically active DNA molecule. Values of the relevant parameters found earlier for the transition of homopolymers produce melting curves for a DNA of random base sequence which are in good agreement with the experimental transition curve for T2 phage DNA. Hence the present theoretical picture of the melting of polynucleotides is at least internally self‐consistent.
Community participation in biofilm matrix assembly and function

Significance Candida albicans is the most common fungal pathogen and frequently grows as a biofilm. These adherent communities tolerate extremely high concentrations of antifungals due in large part to the protective extracellular matrix. The present studies observe a novel reliance on multiple matrix constituents for structure and function. Furthermore, the results demonstrate how the biofilm community assembles these matrix components in the extracellular space. Our findings reveal a coordinated mechanism by which the defining trait of the biofilm lifestyle arises and identify a number of potential therapeutic targets. Biofilms of the fungus Candida albicans produce extracellular matrix that confers such properties as adherence and drug resistance. Our prior studies indicate that the matrix is complex, with major polysaccharide constituents being α-mannan, β-1,6 glucan, and β-1,3 glucan. Here we implement genetic, biochemical, and pharmacological approaches to unravel the contributions of these three constituents to matrix structure and function. Interference with synthesis or export of any one polysaccharide constituent altered matrix concentrations of each of the other polysaccharides. Each of these was also required for matrix function, as assessed by assays for sequestration of the antifungal drug fluconazole. These results indicate that matrix biogenesis entails coordinated delivery of the individual matrix polysaccharides. To understand whether coordination occurs at the cellular level or the community level, we asked whether matrix-defective mutant strains could be coaxed to produce functional matrix through biofilm coculture. We observed that mixed biofilms inoculated with mutants containing a disruption in each polysaccharide pathway had restored mature matrix structure, composition, and biofilm drug resistance. Our results argue that functional matrix biogenesis is coordinated extracellularly and thus reflects the cooperative actions of the biofilm community.
Commitment and Cost of Equity Capital: An Examination of Timely Balance Sheet Disclosure in Earnings Announcements

In this paper, I examine the relation between disclosure commitment and cost of equity capital using accelerated earnings announcement disclosures as a measure of commitment. In settings characterized by imperfect market competition, I find that firms which consistently disclose balance sheet detail in relatively timely earnings announcements have lower costs of capital compared to other firms. This result is statistically significant and economically meaningful, and is robust to various alternative measurements for cost of capital, and alternative designs addressing endogeneity and underlying information quality. Overall, this result is important because it highlights additional dimensions of disclosure commitment (consistency and timeliness), while incorporating important features from theoretical models (information quality and market competition). In particular, my results suggest that consistency and timeliness are salient features of firms' disclosure behavior that have predictable and robust relations with capital market outcomes. This result is robust to controlling for underlying information quality; however, consistent with theory, it is conditional on low levels of market competition.
Intra-Industry Effects of a Regulatory Shift: Capital Market Evidence from Penn Square

In this paper, the authors use stock market data to examine the intraindustry effects of the July 5, 1982, closure of the Penn Square Bank. A sample of fifty-four bank stocks is divided into four portfolios: industry, money center, Texas, and upstream. The latter group consists of banks that had purchased loans directly from Penn Square. The authors' objective is to determine whether FDIC Chairman Isaac's decision to close, rather than merge, Penn Square had an industry-wide contagion effect or a firm-specific information effect. The authors conclude that the stock market reaction to the Penn Square closure represents a rational investor response to new bank-specific information. Copyright 1989 by MIT Press.
Operating Profit Behavior Around Ipos in a Rational Equilibrium with Asymmetric Information

In this paper we determine the strategic exercise of an IPO option in a framework of asymmetric information. Private owners are exposed to the idiosyncratic risk of the firm while public investors are not fully informed about the type of the firm. Idiosyncratic risk creates an incentive for private owners to sell out to investors in a public offering. However, asymmetric information about the type of the firm creates an incentive for high type firms to engage public investors in a learning process before entering the IPO market. The equilibrium is characterized by intervals of firms entering the IPO market, where the intervals depend on the history of cash flow realizations. In equilibrium, owners use cash-flow realizations to signal to investors. We find that owners will tend to go public in years of extra-ordinary cash-flow realizations, and will refrain from entering the IPO market in years of poor relative performance. Consistent with empirical evidence, our theory predicts a significant appreciation in operating margins in the years leading up to the IPO, and significant declines in operating margins thereafter. We show that this behavior will persist even after one controls for some suitably defined peer group, and for the health of the overall economy. We also predict abnormal returns to equity in the pre-IPO period; a negative return at the announcement of the IPO, tendency of firms to go public after extra-ordinary years; and a shorter time to going public when idiosyncratic risk is high. Closed form solutions are provided for all relevant statistics.