Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Privacy-Preserving Smart Metering Scheme Using Linkable Anonymous Credential

Smart grid, as the next power grid, can efficiently monitor, predicate, and control energy generation/consumption by using the real-time users' electricity information. However, the fine-grained user energy consumption information may reveal the private information of the user. In this paper, we construct a linkable anonymous credential protocol based on Camenisch-Lysyanskaya (CL) signature. Then, we propose a privacy preserving smart metering scheme based on the new linkable anonymous credential. In addition to providing privacy protection for the user, our protocol also has the security properties of message authentication and traceability of fault smart metering. And there are some other useful features in our protocol, such as no need of trust-third party, dynamic users' enrollment and revocation, and complex statistical analysis of the energy use information. The computation cost and communication overhead of our scheme is O(1), which is independent of the user number. The simulation results show that our scheme is efficient.
A Universal and Robust Integrated Platform for the Scalable Production of Human Cardiomyocytes From Pluripotent Stem Cells

Recent advances in the generation of cardiomyocytes (CMs) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), in conjunction with the promising outcomes from preclinical and clinical studies, have raised new hopes for cardiac cell therapy. We report the development of a scalable, robust, and integrated differentiation platform for large‐scale production of hPSC‐CM aggregates in a stirred suspension bioreactor as a single‐unit operation. Precise modulation of the differentiation process by small molecule activation of WNT signaling, followed by inactivation of transforming growth factor‐β and WNT signaling and activation of sonic hedgehog signaling in hPSCs as size‐controlled aggregates led to the generation of approximately 100% beating CM spheroids containing virtually pure (∼90%) CMs in 10 days. Moreover, the developed differentiation strategy was universal, as demonstrated by testing multiple hPSC lines (5 human embryonic stem cell and 4 human inducible PSC lines) without cell sorting or selection. The produced hPSC‐CMs successfully expressed canonical lineage‐specific markers and showed high functionality, as demonstrated by microelectrode array and electrophysiology tests. This robust and universal platform could become a valuable tool for the mass production of functional hPSC‐CMs as a prerequisite for realizing their promising potential for therapeutic and industrial applications, including drug discovery and toxicity assays.
High-efficiency ultraviolet inscription of Bragg gratings in microfibers

In this paper, we demonstrate high-efficiency inscription of Bragg gratings in microfiber. Strong Bragg gratings are easily inscribed using a 193-nm excimer laser and phase mask in microfiber drawn from the 62.5/125- μm standard multimode fiber (MMF) with no additional photosensitization treatment. The enlarged photosensitive core offered by the MMF provides a sufficient overlap between the fundamental mode and the induced refractive index modulation region, which significantly enhances the grating inscription efficiency. The grating inscription in the microfiber is even more efficient than that in the original MMF because the multibeam interference-induced fringe fuzziness in the normal size fiber does not occur as the fiber diameter down to the scale that is comparable with the Talbot length of the ultraviolet (UV)-writing light. The proposed method is beneficial for sensing and device applications of microfiber Bragg grating (mFBGs) because of the ease of fabrication, high coupling strength, and large wavelength separation between individual resonant dips.
Is the Value Effect Seasonal? Evidence from Global Equity Markets

This paper extends the research on value premium by examining patterns of seasonality exhibited in the book-to-market effect in major global equity markets. The results provide evidence supporting the January effect in the value premium phenomenon. Using stock market indices for Asia Pacific; Europe, Australasia, and Far East (EAFE); and Europe, with and without the U.K., Scandinavian countries, the U.K., U.S., and Japan form 1975 through 2007, the paper provides out-of-sample evidence from twentyone countries that comprise different index portfolios. As a robustness measures, we use regression analysis, paired means tests, and non-parametric tests to examine whether the persistence of the anomalous January value premium is real and significant. The annualized excess January value premium ranges from 42.96 percent for Scandinavian countries to 9.24 percent for EAFE markets with 20.28 percent for U.S. Even though such a predictable pattern exists, our analysis suggests that large standard deviations would not allow a viable investment strategy.
The association between income, education, and experiences of discrimination in older African American and European American patients.

OBJECTIVE Racial/ethnic discrimination has adverse effects on health outcomes, as does low income and education, but the relationship between discrimination, income, and education is not well characterized. In this study, we describe the associations of discrimination with income and education in elderly African Americans (AA) and European Americans (EA). DESIGN Cross-sectional observational study involving computer-assisted telephone survey. SETTING Southeastern United States. PARTICIPANTS AA and EA Medicare managed care enrollees. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Discrimination was measured with the Experience of Discrimination (EOD) scale (range 0-35). We used zero-inflated negative binomial models to determine the association between self-reported income and education and 1) presence of any discrimination and 2) intensity of discrimination. RESULTS Among 1,800 participants (45% AA, 56% female, and mean age 73 years), EA reported less discrimination than AA (4% vs. 47%; P < .001). AA men reported more discrimination and more intense discrimination than AA women (EOD scores 4.35 vs. 2.50; P < .001). Both income and education were directly and linearly associated with both presence of discrimination and intensity of discrimination in AA, so that people with higher incomes and education experienced more discrimination. In adjusted models, predicted EOD scores among AA decreased with increasing age categories (3.42, 3.21, 2.99, 2.53; P < .01) and increased with increasing income (2.36, 3.44, 4.17; P < .001) and education categories (2.31, 3.09, 5.12; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS This study suggests future research should focus less on differences between racial/ethnic groups and more on factors within minority populations that may contribute to healthcare disparities.
Awareness of memory functioning in patients with stroke who have a good functional outcome

Abstract Primary objective: To determine whether patients with stroke who have a good functional outcome show awareness of memory functioning and whether over- and under-estimation of memory performance are differentially related to neuropsychological performance. Research design: Prospective cohort study. Methods and procedures: The Barrow Neurological Institute Screen for Higher Cerebral Functions and a brief neuropsychological assessment were used to evaluate language, orientation, attention, visuospatial problem-solving, perception, reasoning, executive functioning, memory, affect and awareness of memory functioning. As for the latter, the patient’s estimate of memory functioning was compared with his or her actual memory performance. Patients were divided into three groups: good-estimators (estimated performance = actual performance), over-estimators (estimated performance > actual performance) and under-estimators (estimated performance < actual performance). Main outcomes and results: In total, 54 patients with stroke were included, of whom 27 patients were classified as good-estimators, 19 as over-estimators and eight as under-estimators. Compared to good-estimators, over-estimators had significantly lower scores for all cognitive domains. Under-estimators had significantly poorer affect compared to good-estimators. Conclusions: These preliminary results suggest that over- and under-estimation of memory functioning can be observed in patients with stroke who have a good functional outcome and that they may reflect distinct underlying neuropsychological processes.
A microeconomic interpretation for the system optimal traffic assignment problem with nonadditive path cost

Using a Bergson–Samuelson welfare function, we outline a microeconomic interpretation of the effects of the non-linearity in the time/cost relationship for travellers in a congested transport network. It is demonstrated that a marginal cost traffic flow assignment following Wardrop's second principle, although it minimizes the total cost of a transport network, may reduce social welfare compared to the market equilibrium assignment based on Wardrop's first principle. A welfare-maximizing assignment model is presented and used to show that if the travellers' utility functions are linear, the assignment that maximizes social welfare will be the same as the assignment that minimizes total network cost, but if users' utility functions are non-linear (reflecting the traditional non-satiation and diminishing marginal utility axioms), the two assignments will be different. It is further shown that the effects of this non-linearity are such that a welfare-maximizing assignment will meet with less user resistance than a minimum total network cost assignment.
Reproduction of Danwei Institutional Features in the Context of China's Market Economy: The Case of Haidian District's High-Tech Sector

The literature on the political and economic transition from Communism, developed largely in the context of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, has been dominated by the idea that horizontal forms of social and political association displace the vertically structured, segmented forms of social control and organization which are characteristic of traditional Communist systems. Social forces, by linking together in broadly based, horizontally structured associations such as industry-wide labour unions and associations of private entrepreneurs, are able to break out of the vertical structures of control and strengthen their collective bargaining position vis-a-vis the state. New associations of entrepreneurs, workers, religious organizations and eventually political parties emerge and coalesce and further strengthen the power of civil society against the state. Economic liberalization is seen as a particular catalyst to this process. Market reforms weaken the state's centralized control and enable social forces to mobilize autonomously.
Income Inequality and Macroeconomic Instability: A Stock-Flow Consistent Approach with Heterogeneous Agents

This paper introduces heterogeneous microeconomic behavior into a demand-driven stock-flow consistent model with endogenous credit creation, so as to study the joint dynamics of both the personal and the functional distribution of income, household debt and aggregate demand. The distinctive feature is in that the aggregation of heterogeneous agents is not performed numerically as in traditional agent-based models, but by means of an innovative analytical methodology, originally developed in statistical mechanics and recently imported into macroeconomics. Numerical and analytical results reveal that while boosting aggregate demand, a raise in the minimum wage and a reduction in wage inequality can also lead the economy toward more sustainable paths in both household debt and the degree of ’financialisation’. These results are shown to be the exact opposite to the observed responses of the economy to a raise in the interest rate charged on bank loans.
Customer Satisfaction Measurement Model Based on QFD

With the development of the American Customer satisfaction index (ACSI), research on customer satisfaction measurement or evaluation methods have become significant in the last decade. Most of international customer satisfaction barometers or indices are evolved based on the cause and effect relationship model of ACSI. Of critical importance to validity of customer satisfaction indices is how to construct a measurement attribute or indicator model and provide an effective implementation method effectively. Quality Funcion Deployment (QFD) is a very useful tool for translating the customer voice into product design through quality engineering. In fact, this is a methodology for measuring and analyzing evaluation indicators by their relationship matrix. In this paper, we will make an effort to integrate the framework of QFD into teh measurement problem of customer satisfaction, and also develop a new multi‐phase QFD model for evaluation of Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI). From the houses of quality in this model, the evaluation indicators impacting on customer’s global satisfaction are identified by means of their relationship matrix. Then the evaluation indicator hierarchy and its measurement method for the customer satisfaction index are presented graphically. Furthermore, survey data from the Chinese autombobile maintenance sector and a relevant case study are utilized to show the implementation method of the QFD model used to measure and analyze of customer satisfaction.
HPLC Method for Determination of inositol Tri-, Tetra-, Penta-, and Hexaphosphates in Foods and Intestinal Contents

A HPLC method was developed for separation and quantitative determination of inositol tri-, tetra-, penta-, and hexaphosphates. The method included extraction of inositol phosphates with HCI, separation of the inositol phosphates from the crude extract by ion-exchange chromatography, and ion-pair C18 reverse phase HPLC analysis using formic acid/methanol and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in the mobile phase. The inositol 3–6 phosphates of raw and extruded bran, soy flour, and intestinal contents were determined by HPLC and compared to phytate determinations by two iron precipitation methods. Inositol 3–5 phosphates were found in extruded products and intestinal contents. The HPLC method was rapid and gave reproducible values, which differed from those obtained by the precipitation methods in some samples.
Common Trend and Common Currency: Australiaand New Zealand

This note empirically examines the existence of common trend between the bilateral real exchange rates of Australia and New Zealand with two of their major trading partners, Japan and the United States, as base countries. Results from Johansen cointegration analysis show that New Zealand and Australia bilateral real exchange rates with Japan as the base country share a common stochastic trend, which can be interpreted in terms of an optimum currency area. This no longer holds should the United States be selected as the base country. This might shed light on the impact of comparative advantage in the regional trade among Australia, New Zealand, and Japan in a liberalized environment.
Relationship between regulatory status, quality of care, and three-year mortality in Canadian residential care facilities: a longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVES To compare the mortality rate in regulated and unregulated facilities, controlling for confounding variables, and investigate the effect of care quality on residents' length of survival. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING At baseline, subjects were assessed in their living environment with respect to their functional autonomy, cognitive abilities, and quality of care. Vital status, disease-related information, and hospitalization data were retrieved three years later from the subjects' medical files. STUDY DESIGN A three-year follow-up study of 299 residents from 88 long-term care facilities located in the province of Quebec, Canada. The effect of regulatory status and quality of care on length of survival was investigated by means of multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models, from both traditional and competing risks perspectives. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Controlling for age, comorbidity, and baseline functional abilities, a resident's length of survival is not significantly influenced by the regulatory status of the facility in which he or she lived at baseline. However, residents with poor quality ratings at baseline had shorter survival times than those provided with good care. Median survival was 28 months among residents classified as receiving inadequate care compared to 41 months for those adequately cared for (p = 0.0217). CONCLUSIONS The study suggests that quality of care has a much stronger influence on resident outcomes than regulation per se. This finding underscores the relevance of testing innovative interventions aimed at improving the quality of care provided in long-term care facilities, regardless of their regulatory status.
DETECTION OF OYSTER AND GROUNDWATER DISCHARGE IN TIDAL FLATS USING SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR PI No . : 358

Tidal flat, a transition zone between the ocean and land, forms a unique ecosystem, providing the habitat for various specious of fauna and flora, which is very important in purifying pollutants discharged from land and in providing marine products such as oysters and many kinds of shellfishes [1]. Thus, monitoring and mapping of tidal flat is urgently needed for sustainable managements and the conservation of tidal flats. However, tidal flat is very tough place to access and investigate. Microwave remote sensing technique can provide broad spatial coverage and temporally regular observations. Most studies using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) – one of the microwave remote sensing – have been conducted to extract surface geophysical parameters on bare soils or on vegetation areas. Very few studies have been carried out for monitoring and mapping of tidal flats [2-4]. Tidal flats can also be considered as bare soil, but they are different from typical bare soil from an electromagnetic scattering point of view. Furthermore, benthic fauna habitats in tidal flats can form a relatively rough surface by their unique structure or their survival activities. So they can make distinguished scattering signatures which are different from the background mud or sand flats. In this study, we tried to extract the distribution of oyster reefs by analyzing their unique scattering characteristics from polarimetric SAR data. We also investigated why the oyster reefs can be generated naturally in these tidal flats.
ZnO nanoparticles and root colonization by a beneficial pseudomonad influence essential metal responses in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Abstract Nanoparticles (NPs) incorporated into commercial products are reactive on plants. Here, the influence of a root-associated bacterium, Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6 (PcO6) on the responses of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) to commercial ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) was examined. ZnO NPs (250–1000 mg Zn/kg) significantly (p = 0.05) impacted root elongation after 7 days; only at 1000 mg/kg was shoot growth significantly inhibited. Zn solubilized from ZnO NPs correlated with root growth inhibition (r2 = 0.8709); solubility of Fe (r2 = 0.916) and Mn (r2 = 0.997), and shoot accumulation of Zn (r2 = 0.9095), Fe (r2 = 0.9422) and Mn (r2 = 0.789). Root ferric reductase activity diminished 31% in NP-exposed plants. Amendments with Zn ions at 6 mg/kg, corresponding to Zn solubilized from the NPs, did not replicate the responses, suggesting a nano-specific contribution of the ZnO. Neither NPs (500 mg Zn/kg) nor Zn ions affected root colonization by PcO6. Siderophore production by PcO6 increased 17% by exposure to NPs and 11% with Zn ions (18 mg/kg). PcO6 restored plant ferric reduction under NP exposure, but decreased uptake of Zn and Fe, 58 and 18%, respectively, suggesting soil bacteria could reduce plant accumulation of metals under toxic exposure levels, while negatively affecting uptake of essential elements. Collectively, these findings demonstrated that growth and balance of essential metals in bean exposed to ZnO NPs were influenced by the NPs and bacterial colonization of NP-exposed roots, indicating subtle effects of NPs in plant nutrition.
MAPK signaling control of colon cancer metastasis

Mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways convert extracellular signals into specific cellular responses through a cascade of phosphorylation events. Hence, tight regulation of these signaling pathways is essential for normal cell function and deregulation leads to various diseases including tumorigenesis. Three major MAPK families have been found deregulated in cancer: ERK1 and ERK2 (ERK1/2), p38 MAPK and the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). In non-transformed cells, ERK1/2 are involved mainly in the mitogenesis response whereas p38 MAPK and JNK mediate cellular stress and inflammatory responses.
An Analysis of Chaining in Multi-Label Classification

The idea of classifier chains has recently been introduced as a promising technique for multi-label classification. However, despite being intuitively appealing and showing strong performance in empirical studies, still very little is known about the main principles underlying this type of method. In this paper, we provide a detailed probabilistic analysis of classifier chains from a risk minimization perspective, thereby helping to gain a better understanding of this approach. As a main result, we clarify that the original chaining method seeks to approximate the joint mode of the conditional distribution of label vectors in a greedy manner. As a result of a theoretical regret analysis, we conclude that this approach can perform quite poorly in terms of subset 0/1 loss. Therefore, we present an enhanced inference procedure for which the worst-case regret can be upper-bounded far more tightly. In addition, we show that a probabilistic variant of chaining, which can be utilized for any loss function, becomes tractable by using Monte Carlo sampling. Finally, we present experimental results confirming the validity of our theoretical findings.
Discourses of Mobility and Polycentric Development: A Contested View of European Spatial Planning

This article carries out an analysis of the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP), a policy document which represents a critical moment in the emergence of a new discourse of European spatial development. The analytical approach probes at the power relations which have shaped the ESDP framework and its contents, focusing on the twin core themes of spatial mobility and polycentricity. The analysis concludes that in the contested policy process a new spatial discourse of economic competitiveness is emerging at the expense of social and environmental interests. This new discourse will be further contested as implementation takes place in an uncertain policy environment.