Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
iMeasure Security (iMS): A Framework for Quantitative Assessment of Security Measures and its Impacts

ABSTRACT As business systems are getting interconnected, the importance of security is growing at an unprecedented pace. To protect information, strong security measures need to be implemented and continuously updated and monitored to ensure their promise against present and future security breaches. However, the growth of networked systems and the increasing availability of sophisticated hacking tools make the task of securing business systems challenging. To enhance the security strength and to justify any investment in security-related products, it becomes mandatory to assess the security measures in place and estimate the level of security provided by them. The existing standards to certify the strength of a security system are qualitative, lack consideration of the countermeasures and do not consider the impact of security breaches. Consequently, there is a need for an alternative approach to estimate the security strength of a system in a quantitative manner. This paper aims to provide an extensible framework called iMeasure Security (iMS) that quantifies the security strength of an enterprise system by considering the countermeasures deployed in its network, analyzes the business impact of the security breaches, and provides insights as to how the level of security can be improved from current levels.
First-principles study of electronic transport coefficients of point-defective metallic species: aluminum and its bimetallic alloys

The electronic transport coefficients, such as electrical and thermal conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient, of aluminum (Al) and its bimetallic alloys (Al2Cu, Al12Mg17, AlZr3) with point defects are studied based on first-principles calculations and the Boltzmann transport equation. Defects in alloys can lead to changes in electronic structures, such as group velocity and density of states, resulting in deviations in transportation distributions. In this manner, these defects affect electronic transport coefficients. In this study, changes of transport coefficients by defects are described by temperature and chemical potential energy. The defects have a negative impact on the conductivity of metal alloys. However, it is found that this effect is relatively small at certain Wyckoff sites. In addition, it is noted that the defects may lead to useful features in terms of thermoelectricity. This study will support understanding and designing the metal alloys by theoretical anticipations of the transport coefficients by defects, according to changes of temperature and chemical potential energy.
Phase Equilibrium in Oil-Refrigerant Solution R 134a / SW22

V.V. Zhidkov, V.P. Zhelezny, P.V. Zheleznl "NORD" Association Zhucovsky Ave., 2, Donetsk, 340112, Ukraine phone (0622) 63 14 90, fax (0622) 63 07 80 2 Thermophysical Engineering Department The Odessa State Academy of Refrigeration Petra Velikogo St.l/3, Odessa, 270100, Ukraine phone (0482) 68 13 90, fax (0482) 23 89 31 In this work the results of experimental study of phase equilibria in the refrigerant R134a-oil SW22 mixture were discussed. It was shown that this mixture has limited solubility with upper critical point. Method of approximation of the exfoliation line was proposed. Results of studies of liquid-vapor phase equilibria in this mixture were analyzed. General features of saturated vapor pressure temperature and concentration dependence of the refrigerant-oil solution were analyzed too. Method of description of the experimental data was proposed which did not need a big volume of the initial information. System of the equations was proposed for describing the experimental data. Nomenclature Ps Pressure, 10 Pa T Temperature, K x Concentration of 134a (wt %) p Density, kg/m --c ln(TJT)reduced temperature Subscript c s nb " Critical point Saturated point Normal boiling Boiling point Dewp::>int Introduction At present time the refrigerant Rl34a is widely used in domestic refrigerators. Its thermodynamic properties were well known. By this time some firms produce refrigerating oil for domestic refrigerators , freezers and air-conditioners. But Rl34a has big value of the Global Warming Potential GWP=l300 and lower, as to compare with Rl2, energetical effectiveness of cooling equipment. Marking this shortcomings it must be said that refrigerator's working media is not pure RI34a but its mixture with refrigerating oil. So an optimal choice of the oil determines the energetical effectiveness of refrigerator to a considerable extent. In spite of that there are few literature data on phase equilibria in real working media. List of refrigerating oils produced by
What do we need to do to “green” data-center networks? A fundamental perspective

While traditional information theory has driven the choice of communication strategies for most of today's communication systems, it focuses almost exclusively on minimizing the transmit power of the system. In modern short-distance applications, including high-speed data-center networks, the energy consumed in the circuitry to enable reliable between servers can dominate the transmit energy across the links. Recent theoretical results and empirical observations show that in such situations, operating close to the traditional information-theoretic limits can be highly inefficient from a system-level energy-perspective. In this position paper, we use these results to propose a way forward for obtaining energy-efficient strategies for future Ethernet, including the NGBASE Ethernet which is currently being standardized. We also introduce our Total Energy Minimization platform, TotEM, that will collect information to enable communication system designers to make the most energy-efficient choices.
Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF‐2) induced transdifferentiation of retinal pigment epithelium: Generation of retinal neurons and glia

In the present study we report that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF, FGF‐2) promotes the transdifferentiation of Xenopus laevis larval retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) into neural retina. Using specific antibodies we have examined the cellular composition of the regenerated retinal tissue. Our results show that, in addition to retinal neurons and photoreceptors, glial cells were also regenerated from the transdifferentiated RPE. These results were specific to FGF‐2, since other factors that were tested, including acidic FGF (aFGF, FGF‐1), epidermal growth factor (EGF), laminin, ECL, and Matrigel, exhibited no activity in inducing retinal regeneration. These results are the first in amphibians demonstrating the functional role of FGF‐2 in inducing RPE transdifferentiation. Transplantation studies were carried out to investigate retinal regeneration from the RPE in an in vivo environment. Sheets of RPE implanted into the lens‐less eyes of larval hosts transformed into neurons and glial cells only when under the influence of host retinal factors. In contrast, no retinal transdifferentiation occurred if the RPE was implanted into the enucleated orbit. Taken together, these results show that the amphibian RPE is capable of transdifferentiation into neuronal and glial cell‐phenotypes and implicate FGF‐2 as an important factor in inducing retinal regeneration in vitro. Dev. Dyn. 209:387–398, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Amino-Terminus of Nitric Oxide Sensitive Guanylyl Cyclase α1 Does Not Affect Dimerization but Influences Subcellular Localization

Background Nitric oxide sensitive guanylyl cyclase (NOsGC) is a heterodimeric enzyme formed by an α- and a β1-subunit. A splice variant (C-α1) of the α1-subunit, lacking at least the first 236 amino acids has been described by Sharina et al. 2008 and has been shown to be expressed in differentiating human embryonic cells. Wagner et al. 2005 have shown that the amino acids 61–128 of the α1-subunit are mandatory for quantitative heterodimerization implying that the C-α1-splice variant should lose its capacity to dimerize quantitatively. Methodology/Principal Findings In the current study we demonstrate preserved quantitative dimerization of the C-α1-splice by co-purification with the β1-subunit. In addition we used fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) based on fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) using fusion proteins of the β1-subunit and the α1-subunit or the C-α1 variant with ECFP or EYFP. Analysis of the respective combinations in HEK-293 cells showed that the fluorescence lifetime was significantly shorter (≈0.3 ns) for α1/β1 and C-α1/β1 than the negative control. In addition we show that lack of the amino-terminus in the α1 splice variant directs it to a more oxidized subcellular compartment. Conclusions/Significance We conclude that the amino-terminus of the α1-subunit is dispensable for dimerization in-vivo and ex-vivo, but influences the subcellular trafficking.
Mining frequent k-edge-connected subgraphs

The output of frequent pattern mining is a large amount of redundant frequent patterns, causing a hard problem in the process of data mining and knowledge discovery. Incorporating the information of edge connectivity into the gSpan algorithm, we propose an efficient algorithm for mining frequent k-edge-connected subgraphs in a given graph dataset. Exactly, when the DFS code tree goes through depth-first search, the k-edged connectivity of each node is examined using DIJKSTRA algorithm and Menger theorem firstly. Then, based on the established properties of edge connectivity, one edge extensions of graph G are pruned selectively. Finally, all the frequent k-edge-connected graphs are output through the decision rule. The experiments show its validity of output reduction and feature representation.
Dynamic Self-Assembly: Growth and Breakage of Synthetic DNA Nano-Structures

Author(s): Green, Leopold Noel | Advisor(s): Franco, Elisa | Abstract: Biological systems reconfigure their shape in response to external stimuli at the level of single cells, tissues, and organs, for a variety of purposes such as growth, development, and self-repair. Cell shape reconfiguration is accomplished by directing the spatial organization of molecular materials (for example, cytoskeletal proteins) through molecular circuits which sense, process, and transmit information. Embedding a similar architecture in a synthetic material may greatly advance our ability to build responsive materials which can grow, reconfigure, and self-repair. DNA and RNA are programmable biological polymers which have been used to rationally build sensors and circuits, and a variety of nanostructures. The integration of nucleic acid circuits and structures promises to yield a new class of complex, reconfigurable materials. We aim at directing assembly and disassembly of DNA nanostructures with dynamic DNA inputs and circuits, mimicking the organization of dynamic cellular materials.We focus on DNA nanotubes, and design pathways to control growth and breakage of tubes assembled from double crossover tiles. Our tiles include a toehold domain enabling strand invasion at the sticky ends of tiles. Invasion rapidly weakens the self-assembled structure, causing the nanotubes to collapse into smaller fragments. Removal of DNA species used for invasion, through second layer of strand displacement (denoted as anti-invasion), allows the nanotubes to reassemble isothermally. Our design thus makes it possible to control growth reversibly. We demonstrate this directed assembly process through a variety of experimental assays including optical microscopy and time-lapse movies, atomic force microscopy, and gel electrophoresis. We also characterize the influence of experimental design parameters such as toehold orientation (inside vs. outside of tube) and length, buffer conditions, and temperature, showing the overall tunability of breakage and reassembly dynamics.Here, we bridge dynamic and structural DNA nanotechnology and demonstrate the programmable, dynamic control of self-assembly of DNA nanotubes, a well-known class of micron-sized DNA nanostructures. Nanotube assembly and disassembly is controlled with nucleic acid inputs and with transcriptional systems including an autonomous molecular oscillator.
Output feedback robust stabilization of uncertain linear systems with saturating controls: an LMI approach

The problem of robust controller design is addressed for an uncertain linear system subject to control saturation. No assumption is made concerning open-loop stability, and no a priori information is available regarding the domain of stability. A saturating linear output feedback law and a safe set of initial conditions are determined using a heuristic based on iterative LMI relaxation procedures. A readily implementable algorithm based on standard numerical techniques is described and illustrated on two numerical examples.
Towards simultaneous recognition, localization and mapping for hand-held and wearable cameras

This paper presents a system which combines single-camera SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) with established methods for feature recognition. Besides using standard salient image features to build an on-line map of the camera's environment, this system is capable of identifying and localizing known planar objects in the scene, and incorporating their geometry into the world map. Continued measurement of these mapped objects improves both the accuracy of estimated maps and the robustness of the tracking system. In the context of hand-held or wearable vision, the system's ability to enhance generated maps with known objects increases the map's value to human operators, and also enables meaningful automatic annotation of the user's surroundings. The presented solution lies between the high order enriching of maps such as scene classification, and the efforts to introduce higher geometric primitives such as lines into probabilistic maps.
Utility max-min fair flow control for multipath communication networks

This paper considers flow control and resource allocation problem as applied to multipath communication networks. We propose a novel distributed algorithm, show and prove that among all the sources with generic increasing and bounded utilities (no need to be concave) in steady state, the utility max-min fairness is achieved, which is essential in providing application QoS (Quality of Service) guarantee. In addition, by combining a first order Lagrangian method and filtering mechanism, the resulted approach eliminates typical oscillating behavior for the multipath network and possesses a rapid convergence property.
Pro/Anti-Inflammatory Cytokine Imbalance in Postischemic Left Ventricular Remodeling

Objectives. Cytokines play an important role in left ventricular remodeling consequent to myocardial ischemia. The aim of this study was to correlate cytokine production and lymphocyte apoptosis to post-ischemic left ventricular remodeling in patients affected by acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing primary cutaneous angioplasty (PCI). Methods. In 40 patients, affected by AMI and undergoing PCI, we evaluated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 10 (IL10) production and apoptosis on day 1, day 3, day 7, 1 month and 6 months after PCI. Patients were divided into two subgroups of remodeling or not remodeling by echocardiographic criteria. Results. In the subgroup of remodeling patients, at each timepoint TNF-α production was increased significantly in comparison with the subgroup of not remodeling patients. IL10 production was statistically lower in remodeling subjects than in not remodeling ones 1 and 6 months after reperfusion. There were no differences between the two groups as regards lymphomonocyte apoptosis. Conclusions. We found an increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α and a corresponding decrease of anti-inflammatory/regulatory cytokine IL10 in remodeling patients and we concluded that this cytokine imbalance resulted in pro-inflammatory effects which might contribute to the progression of left ventricular remodeling.
Effects of material characteristics and clearance size on dynamics of a slider-crank mechanism with two sliders and revolute clearance joints

This article presents influences of clearance size and material parameters on the dynamic response of a slider-crank mechanism with imperfect revolute joints in dry contacting condition. The mechanism was created by Solidworks and a finite element method in ANSYS software was used to analyze the effects which presented and discussed. The simulation results revealed that the acceleration of two sliders was obviously shaking with high peaks when the clearance size equal to 0.3 mm which differ from the ideal joint. Moreover, the smaller Young’s modulus material of journals indicated the significant effects on acceleration of mechanical systems. The reasons are due to a suddenly increase of contact force when the journal impacted into the bearing in imperfect revolute joints. The simulation results for the clearance size equal to 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm and 0.4 mm were close to an ideal joint. It demonstrated that clearance size and material characteristic played an important role in dynamics analysis of mechanical systems.
Analysis of Correlated Expert Judgments from Extended Pairwise Comparisons

We develop a Bayesian multivariate analysis of expert judgment elicited using an extended form of pairwise comparisons. The method can be used to estimate the effect of multiple factors on the probability of an event and can be applied in risk analysis and other decision problems. The model, which parallels Bayesian models for combining expert judgments, provides predictions of the quantity of interest that incorporate dependencies among the various experts. In this form we may learn about the dependencies between the experts from their responses. The analysis is applied to a real data set of expert judgments elicited during the Washington State Ferries Risk Assessment. The effect of the statistical dependence among experts is compared to an analysis assuming independence among them.
Ten years of genetic fuzzy systems: current framework and new trends

Although fuzzy systems demonstrated their ability to solve different kinds of problems in various applications, there is an increasing interest on augmenting them with learning capabilities. Two of the most successful approaches to hybridise fuzzy systems with adaptation methods have been made in the realm of soft computing: neuro-fuzzy systems and genetic fuzzy systems hybridise the approximate reasoning method of fuzzy systems with the learning capabilities of neural networks and evolutionary algorithms. The article focuses on genetic fuzzy systems, paying special attention to genetic fuzzy rule based systems, giving a brief overview of the field.
Birth Characteristics and Subsequent Risks of Maternal Cardiovascular Disease: Effects of Gestational Age and Fetal Growth

Background— Prior studies showing an inverse relationship between low birth weight in offspring and maternal risks of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are limited by lack of information on gestational age and/or insufficient adjustment for confounders. Methods and Results— In a nationwide Swedish study, we included information on 923 686 women and their first singleton births between 1983 and 2005. Cox proportional hazards models were used to study associations between gestational length, fetal growth, and maternal incident hospitalization or death from CVD (coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular events, and heart failure). Multivariable adjusted models accounted for birth year, income, education, country of birth, smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and preeclampsia. The risk of maternal CVD increased with decreasing gestational age whereas the risk increase related to fetal growth appeared to be restricted to very small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants. Compared with mothers of non-SGA infants born at term, the hazard ratio of CVD ranged from 1.39 (95% confidence interval 1.22–1.58) to 2.57 (95% confidence interval 1.97–3.34) among mothers to moderately and very preterm infants, respectively. There was a significant interaction between preterm birth and fetal growth with respect to mothers' risk of CVD (P<0.001). Among mothers to very SGA infants, the hazard ratio of CVD ranged from 1.38 (95% confidence interval 1.15–1.65) to 3.40 (95% confidence interval 2.26–5.11) in mothers to term and very preterm infants, respectively. Conclusions— Delivery of a preterm or SGA infant is associated with later life maternal hospitalization or death from CVD even after accounting for socioeconomic factors, smoking, and pregnancy-related complications.
A set-based association test identifies sex-specific gene sets associated with type 2 diabetes

Single variant analysis in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has been proven to be successful in identifying thousands of genetic variants associated with hundreds of complex diseases. However, these identified variants only explain a small fraction of inheritable variability in many diseases, suggesting that other resources, such as multilevel genetic variations, may contribute to disease susceptibility. In this work, we proposed to combine genetic variants that belong to a gene set, such as at gene- and pathway-level to form an integrated signal aimed to identify major players that function in a coordinated manner conferring disease risk. The integrated analysis provides novel insight into disease etiology while individual signals could be easily missed by single variant analysis. We applied our approach to a genome-wide association study of type 2 diabetes (T2D) with male and female data analyzed separately. Novel sex-specific genes and pathways were identified to increase the risk of T2D. We also demonstrated the performance of signal integration through simulation studies.
Edinburgh Research Explorer Detection of Mammalian Virulence Determinants in Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 Viruses: Multivariate Analysis of Published Data

Highly pathogenic avian inﬂuenza (HPAI) virus H5N1 infects water and land fowl and can infect and cause mortality in mammals, including humans. However, HPAI H5N1 strains are not equally virulent in mammals, and some strains have been shown to cause only mild symptoms in experimental infections. Since most experimental studies of the basis of virulence in mammals have been small in scale, we undertook a meta-analysis of available experimental studies and used Bayesian graphical models (BGM) to increase the power of inference. We applied text-mining techniques to identify 27 individual studies that experimentally determined pathogenicity in HPAI H5N1 strains comprising 69 complete genome sequences. Amino acid sequence data in all 11 genes were coded as binary data for the presence or absence of mutations related to virulence in mammals or nonconsensus residues. Sites previously implicated as virulence determinants were examined for association with virulence in mammals in this data set, and the sites with the most signiﬁcant association were selected for further BGM analysis. The analyses show that virulence in mammals is a complex genetic trait directly inﬂuenced by mutations in polymerase basic 1 (PB1) and PB2, nonstructural