Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Concurrent Error Detection in Montgomery Multiplication over Binary Extension Fields

Multiplication is one of the most important operations in finite field arithmetic. It is used in cryptographic and coding applications, such as elliptic curve cryptography and Reed-Solomon codes. In this paper, we consider the finite field multiplication used in elliptic curve cryptography and design concurrent error detection circuits. It is shown in the literature that the Montgomery multiplication can be used in cryptography to accelerate the scalar multiplication. Here, we use a parity-based concurrent error detection approach to increase the reliability of different Montgomery multipliers available in the literature. First, we consider bit-serial Montgomery multiplication and propose an error detection circuit. Then, we apply the same technique on the digit-serial Montgomery multiplication. Finally, we consider low time-complexity bit-parallel Montgomery multiplication and design the required components to implement the concurrent error detection circuits. ASIC implementations have been completed to analyze the time and area overheads of the proposed schemes. Also, the error detection capability is investigated by software simulations. We show that our approach results in efficient error detection schemes with small time and area overheads.
Induction of Short NFATc1/αA Isoform Interferes with Peripheral B Cell Differentiation

In lymphocytes, immune receptor signals induce the rapid nuclear translocation of preformed cytosolic NFAT proteins. Along with co-stimulatory signals, persistent immune receptor signals lead to high levels of NFATc1/αA, a short NFATc1 isoform, in effector lymphocytes. Whereas NFATc1 is not expressed in plasma cells, in germinal centers numerous centrocytic B cells express nuclear NFATc1/αA. When overexpressed in chicken DT40 B cells or murine WEHI 231 B cells, NFATc1/αA suppressed their cell death induced by B cell receptor signals and affected the expression of genes controlling the germinal center reaction and plasma cell formation. Among those is the Prdm1 gene encoding Blimp-1, a key factor of plasma cell formation. By binding to a regulatory DNA element within exon 1 of the Prdm1 gene, NFATc1/αA suppresses Blimp-1 expression. Since expression of a constitutive active version of NFATc1/αA interfered with Prdm1 RNA expression, LPS-mediated differentiation of splenic B cells to plasmablasts in vitro and reduced immunoglobulin production in vivo, one may conclude that NFATc1/αA plays an important role in controlling plasmablast/plasma cell formation.
‘Barriers’ to the growth of informal sector firms: A case study

Between 1960 and 1974, in the Punjab, Pakistan, many artisan units entered the production of small capacity tubewells. However, having reached a certain stage, even the largest and the most enterprising of these firms were unable to expand any further. This study, seeks to identify the factors that prevented their further growth. The article directs attention to the inability of the informal enterprise to adopt techniques that are essential for growth beyond a certain stage. The main source of this weakness lies in the fact that many of the skills associated with the use of these techniques are necessarily acquired through formal educational and training channels. The inability to expand beyond a certain stage is, therefore, identified with the inability to cross over into the modern sector. The barrier’ lies in the social and economic background of the informal firm's owner‐manager which limits his capacity to absorb and attract through the market skills and resources needed to adopt the necessary techni.
Microhook ab interno trabeculotomy, a novel minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, in eyes with open‐angle glaucoma with scleral thinning

Editor, A 63-year-old woman with steroidinduced glaucoma presented to our hospital with high intra-ocular pressure (IOP) in both eyes (OU). She had been treated with systemic prednisolone and topical betamethasone for 2 years for scleritis OU that associated with relapsing polychondritis. At referral, the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.5 in the right eye (OD) and 1.2 in the left eye (OS); the respective IOP values were 36 and 32 mmHg with topical 2% carteolol. No signs of active scleritis or intraocular inflammation were observed; however, patchy scleral thinning (Fig. 1A,B, white arrows) due to previous nodular scleritis and secondary cataract was observed OU. Because of the scleral thinning and the possibility of recurrent scleritis, the glaucoma surgeries that require creation of a scleral flap were unsuitable for this case, and therefore, trabeculotomy with an ab interno technique in combination with cataract surgery was performed OU (Video S1). Before trabeculotomy, phacoemulsification/aspiration and intra-ocular lens implantation were performed through a 2.4-mm-wide clear corneal incision. The anterior chamber was filled with a viscoelastic material to stabilize the chamber depth. Under visualization using a Swan–Jacob gonioprism lens (Ocular Instruments, Bellevue, WA, USA), a small goniotomy was created in the temporal angle using a 20-gauge microvitreoretinal (MVR) knife (Mani, Utsunomiya, Japan) inserted through the opposite side corneal side-port; the tip of a straight Sinskey microhook (Inami, Tokyo, Japan) then was inserted into Schlemm’s canal at the goniotomy site (Fig. 1C, black arrow) and moved circumferentially towards both the superior (Fig. 1D) and inferior sides to incise the inner wall of Schlemm’s canal and trabecular meshwork over 3 clock hours. The same trabeculotomy procedure was repeated in the nasal angle over 3 clock hours. No complications other than early postsurgical hyphema (Fig. 1E,F) developed perioperatively. The postoperative IOPs ranged between 7 and 10 mmHg OD and 8 and 14 mmHg OS. At the final visit 4 months postoperatively, the BCVA was 1.0 OU and the IOP was 8 mmHg OU with 2%
Robust Control in Global Warming Management: An Analytical Dynamic Integrated Assessment

Knightian uncertainty in climate sensitivity is analyzed in a two sectoral integrated assessment model (IAM), based on an extension of DICE. A representative household that expresses ambiguity aversion uses robust control to identify robust climate policy feedback rules that work well over IPCC climate-sensitivity uncertainty range [1]. Ambiguity aversion, together with linear damage, increases carbon cost in a similar way as a low pure rate of time preference. Secondly, in combination with non-linear damage it makes policy responsive to changes in climate data observations as it makes the household concerned about misreading sudden increases in carbon concentration rate and temperature as sources to global warming. Perfect ambiguity aversion results in an infinite expected shadow carbon cost and a zero carbon-intensive consumption path. Dynamic programming identifies an analytically tractable solution to the model.
Nutrition and carbon metabolism of Methanococcus voltae

Methanococcus voltae is a heterotrophic, H2-oxidizing methanogenic bacterium. In complex medium, this bacterium has a doubling time of 1.2 h at its temperature optimum of 38 degrees C. In defined medium, optimal growth is obtained with 0.75 mM isoleucine, 0.75 mM leucine, 2.5 mM acetate, 5 mM NH4Cl, 84 mM MgSO4, 0.4 M NaCl, 1 mM CaCl2, 10 microM Fe2O3, and 0.2 microM NiCl2. In addition, pantothenate, sodium selenate, and cobalt stimulate growth. Optimal growth is obtained between pH 6.0 and 7.0 with either H2 or formate as the electron donor. The volatile fatty acids 2-methylbutyrate and isovalerate can substitute for isoleucine and leucine, respectively. Cellular carbon is derived from acetate (31%), isoleucine (22%), leucine (25%), and carbon dioxide (23%). The amino acids and fatty acids are incorporated almost exclusively into protein. A comparison of the incorporation of U-14C-amino acids and 1-14C-fatty acids indicated that the fatty acids are degraded during incorporation into cell protein. The distribution of carbon from the amino acids suggests that acetyl coenzyme A is not a major intermediate in the degradation of these compounds. Thus, M. voltae may convert isoleucine and leucine to other amino acids by a unique mechanism. The lipid carbon is derived largely from acetate. Thus, the isoprenoid lipids are synthesized de novo from acetate rather than by degradation of leucine. The carbon in the nucleic acids is derived from carbon dioxide (45%), the C-1 of acetate (25%), the C-2 of acetate (22%), and isoleucine and leucine (7%). This labeling pattern is consistent with known biochemical pathways.
Efficient Trapdoor Commitment as Secure as Factoring with Useful Properties

Trapdoor commitment schemes are widely used for adding valuable properties to ordinary signatures or enhancing the security of weakly secure signatures. In this letter, we propose a trapdoor commitment scheme based on RSA function, and prove its security under the hardness of the integer factoring. Our scheme is very efficient in computing a commitment. Especially, it requires only three multiplications for evaluating a commitment when e = 3 is used as a public exponent of RSA function. Moreover, our scheme has two useful properties, key exposure freeness and strong trapdoor opening, which are useful for designing secure chameleon signature schemes and converting a weakly secure signature to a strongly secure signature, respectively.
Social dumping, catch-up or convergence? Europe in a comparative global context

‘Globalization’ has been a catch-all term for so many trends that we need to be careful not to use it as an excuse for sloppy thinking. In this Special Issue, we look at a set of concerns that have been linked to globalization, which we take to mean greater openness of economies, more ease of capital mobility and to some extent a new international division of labour and greater international labour mobility, coupled with pressure to develop common macro-economic monetary and fiscal policies, and growing pressure to develop similar social and labour market policy. The set of concerns is often called ‘social dumping’. The next section considers the components of this term in trying to provide a composite definition, bearing in mind that various analysts have used it in different ways. The third section briefly reviews some commonly held interpretations of the trends that we associate with pressures from globalization and provides a conceptual framework. The following section presents empirical findings, in the form of statistical analyses of social spending trends, then in the form of a summary of the insights from the four articles that follow this introduction. These were commissioned articles, dealing with four world regions in which tendencies towards social dumping could be expected, albeit in different ways. The regions are Latin America, East and South-east Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, and Southern Europe. That leaves out other regions, notably sub-Saharan Africa and most of Western Europe, but the following sections of this Introduction make some suggestions on how the debate should be pursued in those areas. The fifth section puts the findings from our studies into perspective and highlights some critical unanswered questions. The final section indicates the tasks for future work and how we are pursuing the topics in related research programmes.
Modelling Spot Prices in Deregulated Wholesale Electricity Markets: A Selected Empirical Review

The restructuring and deregulation of global electricity markets has brought about fundamental changes in the behaviour of wholesale spot prices. In turn, this has fostered a small but increasing volume of literature aimed at modelling and providing best-practice forecasts of electricity prices and price volatility, often employing very high-frequency data. The purpose of this article is to review the various time-series regression modelling approaches as they apply to competitive electricity markets throughout the world. Apart from discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the different approaches, the paper also examines the steps faced by researchers as they progressively move through the modelling process. The key findings of the studies are also discussed. Accordingly, the article provides guidance to those conducting empirical research on electricity prices and also as an aid for policymakers, managers and practitioners interpreting research outcomes.
Does the influence of obesity on prognosis differ in men and women? A study of obesity paradox in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

BACKGROUND Recent studies have reported the existence of obesity paradox in acute coronary syndromes (ACS). However, the occurrence of obesity paradox in men and women has not yet been thoroughly investigated, even though both genders differ in patterns and incidence of obesity. AIM Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether obesity influence on outcomes of patients with ACS varies by gender. METHODS This retrospective study included 341 patients admitted to hospital for treatment due to ACS in 2012. They were classified according to the World Health Organisation with use of body mass index (BMI) as normal weight, overweight, and obese. All patients received standard discharge medication. All-cause mortality was assessed during a mean follow-up time of 212 ± 121 days. RESULTS There were 82 (24%) normal weight, 160 (47%) overweight, and 99 (29%) obese patients. There were 252 (73.9%) men. All-cause mortality was lower in the obese and overweight vs. normal weight male patients (1.4% vs. 3.3% vs. 13.1%, respectively, p = 0.009). There was a trend favouring the normal weight and obese vs. overweight women (4.8% vs. 3.6% vs. 17.5%, respectively, p = 0.103). In the general population, after adjustment, BMI increase by one reduced risk by 15.6% (p = 0.015), and obesity reduced risk by 50.8% (p = 0.056). Obesity reduced risk for men by 69.4% (p = 0.015), and BMI increase by one reduced risk for men by 22% (p = 0.002). BMI and obesity were independent prognostic factors in men, whereas no such phenomenon was observed in women. CONCLUSIONS Only male patients seem to contribute to the obesity paradox observed in patients with ACS. The obesity paradox does not occur in female patients when considered separately. Obesity seems to have a different influence on outcomes in both genders, and this might be worthy of further studies.
The acylated (AG) to unacylated (UAG) ghrelin ratio in esterase inhibitor‐treated blood is higher than previously described

The acylated/unacylated ghrelin (AG/UAG) ratio has been reported to range from 0·02 to 0·3, suggesting biologically relevant independent regulation of each ghrelin isoform. However, AG is deacylated to UAG by esterases in blood samples, and esterase inhibition is critical for their accurate measurement. Our hypothesis is that at least part of the variation in reported AG and UAG values is due to inconsistent sample preparation.
A Retrospective Cohort Analysis Shows that Coadministration of Minocycline with Colistin in Critically Ill Patients Is Associated with Reduced Frequency of Acute Renal Failure

ABSTRACT Nonclinical studies have suggested that oxidative damage, caspase-mediated apoptosis, and inducible nitric oxide synthase levels may be involved in the pathogenesis of colistin (CST)-associated acute renal failure. MIN inhibits caspase 1, caspase 3, and inducible nitric oxide synthase, leading to the hypothesis that coadministration of CST with MIN (CST-MIN) may reduce the incidence of acute renal failure as well as produce additive or synergistic antimicrobial effects. A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Premier Research database to examine the impact of CST-MIN on acute renal failure. Inclusion criteria were as follows: age of ≥18 years, intensive care unit admission at CST initiation, primary International Classification of Diseases 9 (ICD-9) diagnosis of pneumonia or sepsis, nondialysis at hospital admission, and discharge between January 2010 and December 2015. ICD-9 code 584.XX or ICD-10 code N17 was used to define acute renal failure. Baseline comparisons, 1:8 propensity score matching, and confirmatory logistic regression analyses were conducted. In total, 4,817 patients received CST and met inclusion criteria; 93 received CST-MIN. Unadjusted frequency of acute renal failure was significantly lower in patients receiving CST-MIN than CST (11.8% versus 23.7%, P = 0.007). Similar results were seen in propensity score matching (12.0% versus 22.3%, P = 0.031) and logistic regression analyses (odds ratio of 0.403, P = 0.006). Mortalities and 30-day readmission rates were similar between groups. The acute renal failure rate was not impacted by prevalence of baseline renal disease. CST-MIN in critically ill patients may reduce CST-associated acute renal failure. Further evaluation of this combination in prospective clinical studies is warranted.
Financial Sector and Business Cycles Determinants in the EMU: An Empirical Approach (1996-2011)

This paper investigates potential business cycles determinants for the EMU countries among financial sector indicators examining at the same time the link between financial sector variables and business cycles volatility. We find that the total value of stocks traded, the private sector debt and the net inflows of FDI constitute significant determinants of business cycles fluctuations. Financial openness has an increasing effect on business cycles volatility while there is an unsettled relationship between financial depth and volatility. Another important finding of the paper is that the analysis provides evidence in favor of the occurrence of opportunistic political business cycles among EMU counterparts. The robustness of the above findings is verified via the use of relevant econometric methods such as EGLS, GLM and fixed-effect models.
Degrees of closure and economic success in the Norwegian labour market: field of study and non-Western immigrant performance

This article compares outcomes in the Norwegian labour market for non-Western immigrants and majority colleagues with professional or master’s degrees within three different fields of study: health science, social science and natural science. Professions have a higher degree of occupational closure, which may entail that non-Western immigrants with relevant educations achieve economic parity with the majority. Comparing employment rates and income equality among professionals and others with a master’s degree tests whether the professions in each field yield more egalitarian outcomes. The fields are analysed separately and the results show that a professional degree in natural science or social science has no equalising effect. Education leading to a health profession provides immigrants with a ‘labour market shelter’.
6‐Sulphatoxymelatonin Production in Breast Cancer Patients

The daily pattern of the major urinary metabolite of melatonin, 6‐sulphatoxymelatonin (aMT6s), was determined in women prior to having a breast biopsy. Women with malignant tumors appeared to have significantly lower 24 h concentrations of aMT6s with a decrease in the amplitude of the rhythm compared to women with benign tumors. The amount of urinary aMT6s was dependent upon the age of the subject but was not affected by either menopausal status or body mass index. However, when the women with malignant tumors were compared with a large group of normal women of the same age their aMT6s levels were not outside the normal range. The results show that a large control group and very accurate age matching are essential when investigating melatonin production in different groups of subjects.
A Comparison of DASH, PEM and Levine Questionnaires in Outcome Measurement of Carpal Tunnel Release

The objective of this study was to compare the 3 commonly used questionnaires DASH, PEM and Levine to assess which is the best as an outcome measure after carpal tunnel release. 50 patients (43 women and 7 men) with an average age of 56 years underwent minimally invasive carpal tunnel release. Patients were examined before the operation, and at 1 and 6 months after, according to the same protocol. They completed the DASH, PEM and Levine questionnaires and undertook total grip, key-pinch strengths, and sensation by filament tests. The results showed higher responsiveness to change in the Levine and the PEM, compared to the DASH at the 1- and 6-month-assessments. The Levine showed the highest validity as it correlated strongly with all functional measures, although all 3 questionnaires, including Levine, showed a discordance with total grip and key-pinch strength at the 1-month assessment. The instruments were characterized by various (excellent and poor) concurrent validity in the assumed periods of observation and all 3 showed high internal consistency.
The collapse of Io's primary atmosphere in Jupiter eclipse

Volcanic outgassing due to tidal heating is the ultimate source of a tenuous SO2 atmosphere around Jupiter's moon Io. The question of whether SO2 frost on the surface plays a part, and to what degree, in maintaining Io's atmosphere with the constant volcanic outgassing is still debated. It is believed that for a sublimation‐supported atmosphere, the primary atmosphere should collapse during eclipses by Jupiter, as the SO2 vapor pressure is strongly coupled to the temperature of the ice on the surface. No direct observations of Io's atmosphere in eclipse have previously been possible, due to the simultaneous need for high spectral and time sensitivity, as well as a high signal‐to‐noise ratio. Here we present the first ever high‐resolution spectra at 19 µm of Io's SO2 atmosphere in Jupiter eclipse from the Gemini telescope. The strongest atmospheric band depth is seen to dramatically decay from 2.5 ± (0.08)% before the eclipse to 0.18 ± (0.16)% after 40 min in eclipse. Further modeling indicates that the atmosphere has collapsed shortly after eclipse ingress, implying that the atmosphere of Io has a strong sublimation‐controlled component. The atmospheric column density—from pre‐eclipse to in‐eclipse—drops by a factor of 5 ± 2.
If the Large WTA-WTP Gap for Public Goods is Real (And There are Good Reasons to Think So) Conventional Welfare Measures are Simply Incorrect

A robust finding in economics is that decision-makers often exhibit a much smaller dollar willingness to pay (WTP) for an item than the minimum amount that they claim to be willing to accept (WTA) to part with it. The spread between these two numbers is particularly large for public goods, raising serious public policy concerns regarding which number, if either, is appropriate for valuing such goods. A traditional utility maximizing model is presented here that predicts - as both measures are currently calculated - that WTA will exceed WTP, quite plausibly by a substantial amount for public goods. Moreover, it is shown here that current measures of WTA, and not WTP, are likely to be more appropriate for use in public policy decisions about increases in the supply of public goods. The central argument stems from a failure to properly value public goods by traditional methods. First, since households cannot individually purchase public goods by generating income, they will under-generate any income that would have been devoted to public goods. Second, since households will be expected to generate income to buy (possibly quite poor) private good substitutes for the public good, the costs of the public good can come from reduced expenditures on the private good substitutes. That is, conventional welfare analysis implicitly assumes an initially optimal combination of leisure, private goods, and public goods when an increment to public goods is being contemplated when the initial combination will be sub-optimal in general - it will involve some mix of too much leisure and too many private good substitutes for the under-supplied public good. Welfare measures for increments to a public good, as currently practiced, are simply incorrect, undervaluing public goods by a potentially large amount.