Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A novel dual-threshold SIFT-based copy-move forgery detection

Given the large number of digital images in Internet and social networks, verification of image integrity is crucial. Copy-move forgery is one of the most common types of forgery. Through this kind of forgery, undesired objects are hidden or desired objects are duplicated so that the meaning in the images is altered. This paper proposed a robust matching method for SIFT-based copy-move forgery detection. The use of dual thresholds can reliably detect multiple copied and moved regions in an image. Experimental results have shown that the proposed method is robust towards occlusions and different degrees of geometric manipulations such as rotation and scaling.
Enterovirus71 (EV71) Utilise Host microRNAs to Mediate Host Immune System Enhancing Survival during Infection

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) is a self-limiting viral disease that mainly affects infants and children. In contrast with other HFMD causing enteroviruses, Enterovirus71 (EV71) has commonly been associated with severe clinical manifestation leading to death. Currently, due to a lack in understanding of EV71 pathogenesis, there is no antiviral therapeutics for the treatment of HFMD patients. Therefore the need to better understand the mechanism of EV71 pathogenesis is warranted. We have previously reported a human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (HT29) based model to study the pathogenesis of EV71. Using this system, we showed that knockdown of DGCR8, an essential cofactor for microRNAs biogenesis resulted in a reduction of EV71 replication. We also demonstrated that there are miRNAs changes during EV71 pathogenesis and EV71 utilise host miRNAs to attenuate antiviral pathways during infection. Together, data from this study provide critical information on the role of miRNAs during EV71 infection.
On the Security of Permutation-Only Image Encryption Schemes

Permutation is a commonly used primitive in multimedia (image/video) encryption schemes, and many permutation-only algorithms have been proposed in recent years for the protection of multimedia data. In permutation-only image ciphers, the entries of the image matrix are scrambled using a permutation mapping matrix which is built by a pseudo-random number generator. The literature on the cryptanalysis of image ciphers indicates that the permutation-only image ciphers are insecure against ciphertext-only attacks and/or known/chosenplaintext attacks. However, the previous studies have not been able to ensure the correct retrieval of the complete plaintext elements. In this paper, we revisited the previous works on cryptanalysis of permutation-only image encryption schemes and made the cryptanalysis work on chosen-plaintext attacks complete and more efficient. We proved that in all permutationonly image ciphers, regardless of the cipher structure, the correct permutation mapping is recovered completely by a chosenplaintext attack. To the best of our knowledge, for the first time, this paper gives a chosen-plaintext attack that completely determines the correct plaintext elements using a deterministic method. When the plain-images are of size M × N and with L different color intensities, the number n of required chosen plain-images to break the permutation-only image encryption algorithm is n = ΓlogL(MN)1. The complexity of the proposed attack is O (n · M N) which indicates its feasibility in a polynomial amount of computation time. To validate the performance of the proposed chosen-plaintext attack, numerous experiments were performed on two recently proposed permutation-only image/video ciphers. Both theoretical and experimental results showed that the proposed attack outperforms the state-of-theart cryptanalytic methods.
On the Role of Democracy in the Ethnicity-Growth Relationship: Theory and Evidence

We study the relationship between ethnic diversity and economic performance and, in particular, focus on economic growth under democracy and dictatorship. We build a theory which emphasizes the public spending channel, and show that the relationship between public spending and ethnic diversity is qualitatively different under the two regimes. Our model also delivers that if the dictator is sufficiently corrupt, then growth is bound to be higher under a democracy irrespective of the degree of ethnicity. We then consider a panel of the most and least ethnically diverse nations and address potential endogeneity problems. Our empirical results robustly show that democracy has a significantly positive effect on growth, irrespective of the degree of ethnicity. We also show that the marginal effect of ethnicity on growth in the presence of democracy is always positive, irrespective of the type of estimator used. Finally, we establish that the negative marginal impact of increases in ethnicity can always be overcome by democracy.
Revised deformation history of the central Andes: Inferences from Cenozoic foredeep and intermontane basins of the Eastern Cordillera, Bolivia

Investigation of Cenozoic deformation, sediment accumulation, and provenance in the Eastern Cordillera of Bolivia at 17–21°S indicates major shortening (60–140 km) and foredeep development followed by limited internal shortening and intermontane basin development. Contrasting histories of shortening, deposition, sediment dispersal, and detrital composition distinguish a formerly extensive Paleogene foredeep exposed along an eastern belt of synclines from a zone of principally Neogene intermontane basins in the central Eastern Cordillera. New 40Ar/39Ar ages of 25–17 Ma for interbedded tuffs reveal latest Oligocene–early Miocene accumulation in intermontane basins at rates <80 m/Myr, several times lower than Andean foredeeps. Although poorly dated, foredeep evolution probably coincided with middle Eocene–Oligocene deformation and denudation in adjoining regions to the west. A mid‐Cenozoic transition from foredeep to intermontane conditions may be attributable to emplacement of a basement‐involved tectonic wedge beneath the Eastern Cordillera. In this interpretation, wedge emplacement drove flexural foredeep subsidence from roughly 40 to 25 Ma, whereas subsequent accumulation occurred in localized internally drained basins in elevated intermontane areas. Regardless of the regional subsurface structural geometry, 40Ar/39Ar ages define a 25–21 Ma onset of intermontane sedimentation that signifies the termination of major upper crustal shortening over large parts of the Eastern Cordillera and possibly the age of initial shortening in the Interandean and Subandean zones to the east. In contrast to several popular models, the revised tectonic history presented here suggests significant pre‐Neogene shortening in the Eastern Cordillera and underscores the large uncertainties in estimates of long‐term shortening rates in the Andes.
Prevalence of HIV-1 drug resistance in treated patients with viral load >50 copies/mL in 2009: a French nationwide study.

BACKGROUND Surveillance of HIV-1 drug resistance in treated patients with plasma viral load (VL) >50 copies/mL. METHODS The protease and reverse transcriptase (RT) genes were systematically sequenced in samples from 756 patients with VL >50 copies/mL in 2009. The genotyping results were interpreted for each antiretroviral drug (ARV) by using the ANRS algorithm v21. Weighted analyses were used to derive representative estimates of percentages of patients. Prevalence rates were compared with those obtained in 2004 among patients with VL >1000 copies/mL. RESULTS Sequences were obtained for 506 patients. Sequencing was successful in 45%, 80% and 96% of samples with VL of 51-500, 501-1000 and >1000 copies/mL, respectively. Resistance or possible resistance to at least one ARV was observed in 59% of samples. Overall, 0.9% of samples contained viruses resistant to all drugs belonging to at least three drug classes. All resistance prevalence rates were significantly lower in 2009 than in 2004. CONCLUSION In France, where 86% of patients were receiving combination antiretroviral therapy in 2009, only 15.0% of patients had a VL >50 copies/mL, suggesting that only 8.9% of treated patients could potentially transmit resistant viruses. Only 0.08% of patients harboured viruses fully resistant to at least three antiretroviral drug classes. Further studies are needed to determine whether resistance continues to decline over time.
A secure image retrieval method based on homomorphic encryption for cloud computing

In this paper, a secure image retrieval method for cloud computing is proposed, which can guarantee the security of the image content while not sacrificing the retrieval performance. The method is implemented based on CBIR (content-based image retrieval) framework. To perform the secure image retrieval, three kinds of low-level image features are firstly extracted from images, including color, texture and shape features. Locality preserving projections (LPP) is then applied to reduce the dimension of these image features. Secondly, image features are protected by the Paillier homomorphic encryption algorithm according to its homomorphic characteristics. Finally, similarity measurement is directly conducted between the encrypted features, and the top 12 similar images are treated as the retrieval results. The security and communication cost analysis of the proposed method are analyzed. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve the consistent retrieval results with the conventional CBIR method in the plaintext domain while providing adequate security.
Binary-level Function Profiling for Intrusion Detection and Smart Error Virtualization

Most current approaches to self-healing software (SHS) suffer from semantic incorrectness of the response mechanism. To support SHS, we propose Smart Error Virtualization (SEV), which treats functions as transactions but provides a way to guide the program state and remediation to be a more correct value than previous work. We perform runtime binary-level profiling on unmodified applications to learn both good return values and error return values (produced when the program encounters “bad” input). The goal is to “learn from mistakes” by converting malicious input to the program’s notion of “bad” input. We introduce two implementations of this system that support three major uses: function profiling for regression testing, function profiling for host-based anomaly detection (envinroment-specialized fault detection), and function profiling for automatic attack remediation via SEV. Our systems do not require access to the source code of the application to enact a fix. Finally, this paper is, in part, a critical examination of error virtualization in order to shed light on how to approach semantic correctness.
Privacy preserving frequent itemset mining

One crucial aspect of privacy preserving frequent itemset mining is the fact that the mining process deals with a trade-off: privacy and accuracy, which are typically contradictory, and improving one usually incurs a cost in the other. One alternative to address this particular problem is to look for a balance between hiding restrictive patterns and disclosing nonrestrictive ones. In this paper, we propose a new framework for enforcing privacy in mining frequent itemsets. We combine, in a single framework, techniques for efficiently hiding restrictive patterns: a transaction retrieval engine relying on an inverted file and Boolean queries; and a set of algorithms to "sanitize" a database. In addition, we introduce performance measures for mining frequent itemsets that quantify the fraction of raining patterns which are preserved after sanitizing a database. We also report the results of a performance evaluation of our research prototype and an analysis of the results.
(N,0) motion-compensated lifting-based wavelet transform

Motion compensation has been widely used in both DCT- and wavelet-based video coders for years. The recent success of the temporal wavelet transform based on motion-compensated lifting suggests that a high-performance, scalable wavelet video coder may soon outperform the best DCT-based coders. However, motion-compensated lifting does not implement exactly its transversal equivalent unless certain conditions on motion are satisfied. We review those conditions, and we discuss their importance. We derive a new class of temporal transforms, the so-called 1-N transversal or (N,0) lifting transforms, that are particularly interesting if those conditions on motion are not satisfied. We compare experimentally the 1-3 and 5-3 motion compensated wavelet transforms for the ubiquitous block-motion model used in all video compression standards. For this model, the 1-3 transform outperforms the 5-3 transform due to the need to transmit additional motion information in the latter case. This interesting result, however, does not extend to motion models satisfying the transversal/lifting equivalence conditions.
An Evolutionary Approach for Improving the Quality of Automatic Summaries

Automatic text extraction techniques have proved robust, but very often their summaries are not coherent. In this paper, we propose a new extraction method which uses local coherence as a means to improve the overall quality of automatic summaries. Two algorithms for sentence selection are proposed and evaluated on scientific documents. Evaluation showed that the method ameliorates the quality of summaries, noticeable improvements being obtained for longer summaries produced by an algorithm which selects sentences using an evolutionary algorithm.
Fuzzy sliding-mode control for a Mini-UAV

This work addresses a fuzzy sliding-mode controller, which is mainly composed of the sliding mode controller and the fuzzy inference mechanism, for a mini unmanned air vehicle (UAV) with propellers to follow the predetermined trajectory. In this paper, a sliding-mode controller with a sliding surface is designed. And a fuzzy sliding-mode controller is proposed, such that a simple fuzzy inference mechanism is adopted to estimate the upper bound of lumped uncertainty. Therefore, the fuzzy sliding-mode controller is proposed in which the fuzzy inference mechanism with centre of membership functions is investigated. Accordingly, trajectory tracking control of a mini-UAV using the proposed control strategies is illustrated while a mini-UAV is flying. Finally, we employ the Lyapunov stability theory to achieve the stability analysis of the overall nonlinear tracking system. Extensive simulation results are obtained to validate the effectiveness of the fuzzy sliding-mode controller.
Alpha Channel for Integrity Verification Using Digital Signature on Reversible Watermarking QR

Based on the increased awareness towards digital rights in commercial activity, the internet and media demands protection to enhance security. In this paper, predicated level of reversible watermarking scheme for image integrity and tamper detection or localization aspect. The proposed integrity analysis process is based on the region of interest watermarking with signatures and the use of alpha channel. Also integrity is analyzed at three distinct levels, which are used for the detection of modification, modified location and forensic analysis respectively. Behind this a digital watermark with 2D Barcode is a widely interesting research in the security field. Here this paper proposes a matrix barcode with the three level image watermarking using QR code and digital signature to verify image copyrights. A new watermarking method via the use of alpha channel is proposed. The alpha channel is used for controlling the transparency of the image. In proposed watermarking framework, it allows a user with an appropriate hash function SHA to verify the authenticity, integrity & ownership of an image. It is used as a metric in localization of tampered regions. The schemes successfully localize attack. The analysis scheme has shows high fidelity and is capable of localizing modified regions in watermarked image or localization of tampering. Mainly the channel watermarking can added to make system more robust to detect tampering attacks. Sole Purpose is to verify the integrity i.e. tamper verification.
Stable gait planning and motion control of two cooperative humanoid robots

Control of the humanoid robots requires appropriate gait planning that satisfies stable walking. In this study, a Modified Transpose Jacobian (MTJ) control algorithm for object manipulation by two humanoid robots is developed. Such cooperative humanoid robots may typically get employed in hazardous situation and industrial applications. In the present paper, a high performance and robust controller was developed for the safe load handling, transportation and trajectory tracking. The MTJ algorithm, based on an approximated feedback linearization approach, employs stored data of the control command in the previous time step, to yield an improved performance. First, dynamic equations of the robot were derived. In order to verify the obtained dynamics equations, another model for the considered system has been developed using Matlab/SimMechanics simulation software. Comparison between the results obtained from these two dynamics models confirms the validity of the proposed analytical approach. Then, the stable walking gait based on ZMP approach was planned. Furthermore, the MTJ controller was applied to the robots and for comparison, the Transpose Jacobian (TJ) was also utilized. Significantly, it is shown that the MTJ yields smaller trajectory tracking errors than the TJ controller, without requiring high gains as TJ or extra computations as model-based algorithms which may not be feasible for on-line implementations.
Apodized Lyot coronagraph for VLT-SPHERE: laboratory tests and performances of a first prototype in the visible

We present some of the High Dynamic Range Imaging activities developed around the coronagraphic test-bench of the Laboratoire A. H. Fizeau (Nice). They concern research and development of an Apodized Lyot Coronagraph (ALC) for the VLT-SPHERE instrument and experimental results from our testbed working in the visible domain. We determined by numerical simulations the specifications of the apodizing filter and searched the best technological process to manufacture it. We present the results of the experimental tests on the first apodizer prototype in the visible and the resulting ALC nulling performances. The tests concern particularly the apodizer characterization (average transmission radial profile, global reflectivity and transmittivity in the visible), ALC nulling performances compared with expectations, sensitivity of the ALC performances to misalignments of its components.
A multiscale retinex with low computational cost

In this paper, we propose a multi-scale retinex (MSR) in the wavelet transformation domain. Retinex method mainly of two steps: estimation and normalization of illumination. Illumination has only low-frequency components. The estimation of illumination can be performed by using the coarse component in the wavelet expansion of input image. Therefore, high-frequency components in the wavelet expansion are preserved. The proposed Retinex can preserve the high-frequency components of the input image, and get a better enhanced image compared to the output of standard MSR. The output of standard MSR is a weighted sum of several different SSR outputs. Thus, the MSR algorithm has still heavy processing to deal such as motion pictures because of Gaussian filter with wide surround space is used. On the other hand, in our method, Gaussian filtering is applied to half or quarter the size of original image. Furthermore, the surround space of Gaussian filter can be set small. Thus, the computational cost is only 1% of the standard MSR.
The relationship of speech intelligibility with hearing sensitivity, cognition, and perceived hearing difficulties varies for different speech perception tests

Listeners vary in their ability to understand speech in noisy environments. Hearing sensitivity, as measured by pure-tone audiometry, can only partly explain these results, and cognition has emerged as another key concept. Although cognition relates to speech perception, the exact nature of the relationship remains to be fully understood. This study investigates how different aspects of cognition, particularly working memory and attention, relate to speech intelligibility for various tests. Perceptual accuracy of speech perception represents just one aspect of functioning in a listening environment. Activity and participation limits imposed by hearing loss, in addition to the demands of a listening environment, are also important and may be better captured by self-report questionnaires. Understanding how speech perception relates to self-reported aspects of listening forms the second focus of the study. Forty-four listeners aged between 50 and 74 years with mild sensorineural hearing loss were tested on speech perception tests differing in complexity from low (phoneme discrimination in quiet), to medium (digit triplet perception in speech-shaped noise) to high (sentence perception in modulated noise); cognitive tests of attention, memory, and non-verbal intelligence quotient; and self-report questionnaires of general health-related and hearing-specific quality of life. Hearing sensitivity and cognition related to intelligibility differently depending on the speech test: neither was important for phoneme discrimination, hearing sensitivity alone was important for digit triplet perception, and hearing and cognition together played a role in sentence perception. Self-reported aspects of auditory functioning were correlated with speech intelligibility to different degrees, with digit triplets in noise showing the richest pattern. The results suggest that intelligibility tests can vary in their auditory and cognitive demands and their sensitivity to the challenges that auditory environments pose on functioning.
1 2 Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 agonism attenuates 3 lung ischemia-reperfusion injury 4 5 6 7

2 Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 agonism attenuates 3 lung ischemia-reperfusion injury 4 5 6 7 Matthew L. Stone, Ashish K. Sharma, Yunge Zhao, Eric J. Charles, William F. Johnston, 8 Irving L. Kron, Kevin R. Lynch and Victor E. Laubach 9 10 11 12 Departments of Surgery and Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Running Head: S1PR1 agonism attenuates lung ischemia-reperfusion injury 24 25 26 Corresponding Author: Victor E. Laubach, PhD 27 Department of Surgery 28 University of Virginia 29 P.O. Box 801359 30 Charlottesville, VA 22908 31 Email: laubach@virginia.edu 32 33 34 35 36 Articles in PresS. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol (April 24, 2015). doi:10.1152/ajplung.00302. 2014
Bifurcations in Delay Differential Equations and Applications to Tumor and Immune System Interaction Models

In this paper, we consider a two-dimensional delay differential system with two delays. By analyzing the distribution of eigenvalues, linear stability of the equilibria and existence of Hopf, Bautin, and Hopf--Hopf bifurcations are obtained in which the time delays are used as the bifurcation parameter. General formula for the direction, period, and stability of the bifurcated periodic solutions are given for codimension one and codimension two bifurcations, including Hopf bifurcation, Bautin bifurcation, and Hopf--Hopf bifurcation. As an application, we study the dynamical behaviors of a model describing the interaction between tumor cells and effector cells of the immune system. Numerical examples and simulations are presented to illustrate the obtained results.