Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Edge based robust image watermarking scheme for copyright protection of images

Digital image watermarking is one of the dominant means to catch out the unauthorized use of copyrighted images. It inserts secret information (watermark) into the host image that helps in finding the rightful ownership of image. Watermarking is one of the solutions to prevent unlicensed use of digital media. This solution can help the protection of ownership rights by embedding the copyright information in the intended media. There are various algorithms to embedding a watermark image into digital image (host or original). The proposed work is skilled with insertion of watermark images into host or original image in the edge positions. Ultimately, produce high invisibility while embedding into reference image and extraction of watermark might be without any distortions. This type of insertion makes easy and free from the false positive errors. For finding the quality of the extracted watermark image and efficiency of algorithm, we used a well-known quality measure functions for images, such as PSNR (peak signal to noise ration) and Jaccard function. The results of proposed work give high invisibility of the inserted watermark image, with very less distortions of the extracted watermark image.
Ensemble methodology for demand forecasting

Generating forecast is undoubtedly one of the most important sector in any industry. It not only helps the demand planner of the company which is focusing primarily on the future forecasting of the sales but also the inventory management and its handling cost. Down the line of the companys supply chain, a wrong forecast can impact in an alternate way of incurring heavy cost. Apart from this a correct forecasting leading to a good accuracy says how the profit and loss of the company depends upon. This heavily depends upon the predicting machine that the company is using for the forecasting. Demand planners look for a consistently accurate results over a period of time. Where the accuracy of the forecast is not only good but also the algorithm is stable in a long period of time. This we have illustrated through the analysis and the model takes care of the stability of a particular algorithm selected for a SKU. In this paper we want to highlight a new ensemble technique using the averaging method which not only gives priority to the algorithm which consistently maintains a good accuracy but also decreases the deviation from the actual sales. Based upon the history it tries to give the importance to the one which predicts better and penalizes other algorithms which deviate from the actual sales.
Runtime Verification for Decentralized and Distributed Systems ∗

This chapter surveys runtime verification research related to distributed systems. We report solutions that study how to monitor system with some distributed characteristic, solutions that use a distributed platform for performing a monitoring task, and foundational works that present semantics for decomposing monitors or expressing specifications amenable for distributed systems. We will identify some characteristics that distinguish distributed monitoring from centralized monitoring, and characteristics that allow to classify distributed runtime verification works based on features of the executing platforms, the specification language and the system description. Then, we will use these characteristics to describe and compare the distributed runtime verification solutions proposed in the research
Eavesdropping on the Arctic: Automated bioacoustics reveal dynamics in songbird breeding phenology

Soundscape-level acoustic recordings revealed delay in arrival of songbird community to arctic breeding grounds. Bioacoustic networks could vastly expand the coverage of wildlife monitoring to complement satellite observations of climate and vegetation. This approach would enable global-scale understanding of how climate change influences phenomena such as migratory timing of avian species. The enormous data sets that autonomous recorders typically generate demand automated analyses that remain largely undeveloped. We devised automated signal processing and machine learning approaches to estimate dates on which songbird communities arrived at arctic breeding grounds. Acoustically estimated dates agreed well with those determined via traditional surveys and were strongly related to the landscape’s snow-free dates. We found that environmental conditions heavily influenced daily variation in songbird vocal activity, especially before egg laying. Our novel approaches demonstrate that variation in avian migratory arrival can be detected autonomously. Large-scale deployment of this innovation in wildlife monitoring would enable the coverage necessary to assess and forecast changes in bird migration in the face of climate change.
De Novo Assembly and Discovery of Genes in Potato ( Solanum tuberosum L . ) under Drought Stress and Rehydration

As a non-grain crop, potato represents an important food source worldwide. Tuberization, yield and quality of potato can be seriously affected by drought stress. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying potato leaf’s response to drought stress and rehydration remain inadequately studied. Here, we subjected a potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) variety, Kexin1, to drought stress treatment (DT), drought stress control (DCK), rehydration treatment (RT), and rehydration control (RCK) at seedling stage. Through transcriptome sequencing analyses, there were 655 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in DT vs DCK, 644 DEGs were identified in RT vs RCK, 3443 DEGs were identified in DT vs RT. Interestingly, among the 115 shared genes in DT vs CK and RT vs RCK, 8 genes showed opposite expression trend. The functions of these genes, include major facilitator superfamily, sugar transporter, ferritin, and glycoside hydrolase. It is likely that these eight genes play an important role in potato recovery from drought. Based on the differentially expressed genes, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis identified some important pathways, such as ‘flavonoid biosynthesis’ and ‘stilbenoid, diarylheptanoid and gingerol biosynthesis’ significantly enriched in DT vs CK, ‘glutathione metabolism’ and ‘plant-pathogen interaction’ significantly enriched in RT vs RCK. In addition, we used quantitative real-time PCR and validated the expression patterns for 10 genes that were identified through RNA-seq as being involved in transcript abundance changes under drought stress and rehydration. The globally sequenced genes showed a significant proportion of the potato transcriptome, and the expression results may shed light to further disseminate the knowledge on the drought tolerance of potato, providing a theoretical framework for the cultivation of new potato varieties. © 2018 Friends Science Publishers
Quantifying Graph Anonymity, Utility, and De-anonymity

In this paper, we study the correlation of graph da-ta's anonymity, utility, and de-anonymity. Our main contributions include four perspectives. First, to the best of our knowledge, we conduct the first Anonymity-Utility-De-anonymity (AUD) correlation quantification for graph data and obtain close-forms for such correlation under both a preliminary mathematical model and a general data model. Second, we integrate our AUD quantification to SecGraph [31], a recently published Secure Graph data sharing/publishing system, and extend it to Sec-Graph+. Compared to SecGraph, SecGraph+ is an improved and enhanced uniform and open-source system for comprehensively studying graph anonymization, de-anonymization, and utility evaluation. Third, based on our AUD quantification, we evaluate the anonymity, utility, and de-anonymity of 12 real world graph datasets which are generated from various computer systems and services. The results show that the achievable anonymity/de-anonymity depends on multiple factors, e.g., the preserved data utility, the quality of the employed auxiliary data. Finally, we apply our AUD quantification to evaluate the performance of state-of-the-art anonymization and de-anonymization techniques. Interestingly, we find that there is still significant space to improve state-of-the-art de-anonymization attacks. We also explicitly and quantitatively demonstrate such possible improvement space.
Adolescents' Perceptions on Smartphone Applications (Apps) for Health Management

Results: Of the 20 participants, 55% were male, 40% Latino, and 50% Black, with mean age of 15.1 years (SD 1.7). Forty percent had used health apps for tasks such as managing a medical condition or achieving a fitness goal. The overall ‘‘look and feel’’ of apps impacted adoption. Barriers to use included low awareness, competing priorities, and negative impressions, including the perception that health apps were designed primarily for adults. Facilitators to use included general features of the app (interface design, multimedia content, customizability, and rewards) and social influence.
Roosting Ecology of the Tent‐Roosting Bat Artibeus watsoni (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in Southwestern Costa Rica 1

We described the plants used as roost resources by Artibeus watsoni in southwestern Costa Rica, assessed roost fidelity, and compared roosting ecology between two sites, Golfito and Corcovado, which vary in the degree of human influence. A total of 349 tents from 25 different plant species were used by A. watsoni as roosts; some plant species (e.g., Carludovica palmata, Asplundia alata, Heliconia imbricata and Calathea lutea) were modified into tents with significantly higher frequency than others. The highest tents above the ground were observed in Philodendron popenoei and Rhodospatha wendlandii, whereas tents in Philodendron grandipes and A. alata were significantly lower than any other species. Asplundia alata and R. wendlandii also had the highest frequency of leaves modified per plant. Fidelity of bats to tents was low, although bats used several tents intermittently within a restricted area. Males generally were more faithful to tents than females, although not significantly so. This observation, along with indirect evidence of leaf modification, suggests that males are primarily responsible for tent construction. The two study sites differed in the plants used for roosting and in tent fidelity. Bats in Corcovado used a greater variety of plant species for tent roosting, whereas bats in Golfito were more faithful, suggesting that roosting resources were scarcer at the latter site.
Quantifying the Contribution of Different Cloud Types to the Radiation Budget in Southern West Africa

The contribution of cloud to the radiation budget of southern West Africa (SWA) is poorly understood and yet it is important for understanding regional monsoon evolution and for evaluating and improving climate models, which have large biases in this region. Radiative transfer calculations applied to atmospheric profiles obtained from the CERES– CloudSat–CALIPSO–MODIS (CCCM) dataset are used to investigate the effects of 12 different cloud types (defined by their vertical structure) on the regional energy budget of SWA (5°–10°N, 8°W–8°E) during June–September. We show that the large regional mean cloud radiative effect in SWA is due to nonnegligible contributions from many different cloud types; eight cloud types have a cloud fraction larger than 5% and contribute at least 5% of the regional mean shortwave cloud radiative effect at the top of the atmosphere. Low clouds, which are poorly observed by passive satellite measurements, were found to cause net radiative cooling of the atmosphere, which reduces the heating from other cloud types by approximately 10%. The sensitivity of the radiation budget to underestimating low-cloud cover is also investigated. The radiative effect of missing low cloud is found to be up to approximately −25 W m−2 for upwelling shortwave irradiance at the top of the atmosphere and 35 W m−2 for downwelling shortwave irradiance at the surface.
Pop‐Inference: An educational application to evaluate statistical differences among populations

Abstract Pop‐Inference is an educational tool designed to help teaching of hypothesis testing using populations. The application allows for the statistical comparison of demographic parameters among populations. Input demographic data are projection matrices or raw demographic data. Randomization tests are used to compare populations. The tests evaluate the hypothesis that demographic parameters differ among groups of individuals more that should be expected from random allocation of individuals to populations. Confidence intervals for demographic parameters are obtained using the bootstrap. Tests may be global or pairwise. In addition to tests on differences, one‐way life table response experiments (LTRE) are available for random and fixed factors. Planned (a priori) comparisons are possible. Power of comparison tests is evaluated by constructing the distribution of the test statistic when the null hypothesis is true and when it is false. The relationship between power and sample size is explored by evaluating differences among populations at increasing population sizes, while keeping vital rates constant.
Prednisolone and chlormethine inhibit multiple myeloma through inhibition of Notch / NF-κB-mediated angiogenesis

In multiple myeloma, bone marrow angiogenesis parallels tumor progression and correlates with disease activity. In this study, we examined the effects of prednisolone and chlormethine on myeloma cell viability, apoptosis and the expression of angiogenic factors. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and RPMI 8226 cells were treated with various concentrations of prednisolone and chlormethine at different time points. CCK-8 was used to analyze cell viability, and cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to measure the expression of angiogenic factors. Administration of prednisolone and chlormethine alone or combination inhibited cell viability, arrested cell cycle and induced cell apoptosis of HUVECs and RPMI 8226 cells. Treatment of HUVECs and RPMI 8226 cells with prednisolone and chlormethine alone or combination caused a decrease of angiogenic factors, such as Notch-1, NF-κBp65, VEGF, bFGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9. Prednisolone and chlormethine inhibit multiple myeloma angiogenesis by inhibiting Notch/NF-κB signaling pathway. Notch/NF-κB signaling pathway can be a target for the treatment of multiple myeloma.
EXPRESSION OF HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN (HSP A1A) AND MNSOD GENES FOLLOWING VITRIFICATION OF MOUSE MII OOCYTES WITH CRYOTOP METHOD

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two vitrification protocols on mouse metaphase stage II (MII) oocytes and evaluate their effects on the expression of heat shock protein A1A (HSP A1A) and MnSOD genes. Materials and Methods: Groups of approximately 15 oocytes without cumulus complex- es were collected and vitrified with 10% (v/v) ethylene glycol (EG) + 10% (v/v) dimethyl- sulphoxide (DMSO) + 0.5M sucrose in group A (VSI) and 14.5% (v/v) EG + 14.5% PROH + 0.5M sucrose in group B (VSII), respectively. Thawing after vitrification was performd by placing the oocytes into 1M sucrose for 1 minute and two diluted solutions, each for 3 minutes. After thawing, the oocytes were fertilized and cultured in vitro to develop into the pronuclear stage. The survival rate of vitrified-warmed oocytes and rate of fertilization were evaluated. In addition, gene expressions (HSP A1A, MnSOD and β actin) of vitrified- warmed oocytes were also examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: Survival rates of each group were separately compared to the control. The result showed significant differences between each experimental group compared to the control (p≤ 0.001). The survival rate of oocytes after warming was higher in VSI (91.2% ± 1.7) compared to VSII (89.2% ± 1.5) but there were no significant differences between the two groups. The rate of fertilization was significantly (p≤0.05) reduced in vitrified-warmed (VSI: 39% ± 5.8; VSII: 34% ± 5.7) oocytes compared to the control (88.36% ± 2.3). The ex- pression of MnSOD increased in the vitrified-warmed oocytes when compared to control oocytes. We also detected HSP A1A only in the control and VSI group. Conclusion: Vitrification of oocytes by cryotop resulted in high survival rate; low develop- mental competence and fertilization rate of vitrified-warmed oocytes which may be a result of changing expression of important genes after thawing.
Factors Affecting the Performance of Single-Chamber Soil Microbial Fuel Cells for Power Generation ∗ 1

There is limited information about the factors that affect the power generation of single-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) using soil organic matter as a fuel source. We examined the effect of soil and water depths, and temperature on the performance of soil MFCs with anode being embedded in the flooded soil and cathode in the overlaying water. Results showed that the MFC with 5 cm deep soil and 3 cm overlaying water exhibited the highest open circuit voltage of 562 mV and a power density of 0.72 mW m−2. The ohmic resistance increased with more soil and water. The polarization resistance of cathode increased with more soil while that of anode increased with more water. During the 30 d operation, the cell voltage positively correlated with temperature and reached a maximum of 162 mV with a 500 Ω external load. After the operation, the bacterial 16S rRNA gene from the soil and anode was sequenced. The bacteria in the soil were more diverse than those adhere to the anode where the bacteria were mainly affiliated to Escherichia coli and Deltaproteobacteria. In summary, the two bacterial groups may generate electricity and the electrical properties were affected by temperature and the depth of soil and water.
Evaluation of CERT Secure Coding Rules through Integration with Source Code Analysis Tools

Abstract : This report describes the results of a study to evaluate the effectiveness of secure coding practices, including the use of static analysis tools coupled with secure coding rule sets such as the CERT C Programming Language Secure Coding Standard (CERT 07a) and the CERT C++ Programming Language Secure Coding Standard (CERT 07b). This study represents a joint effort between the CERT Secure Coding Initiative and JPCERT/CC. The CERT Secure Coding Initiative was established to work with software developers and software development organizations to eliminate vulnerabilities resulting from coding errors before they are deployed. The goal of this effort is to reduce the number of vulnerabilities to a level where they can be handled by existing vulnerability analysis teams around the world and decrease remediation costs by eliminating vulnerabilities before software is deployed. JPCERT/CC is the first CSIRT (computer security incident response team) established in Japan. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the efficacy of the CERT Secure Coding Standards and source code analysis tools in improving the quality and security of commercial software projects. Two static analysis tools, Fortify Source Code Analysis (SCA) from Fortify Software and Compass/ROSE from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory were selected for their extensibility as well as overall effectiveness. Checkers were then developed for each of the tools to check code for violations of the CERT C and C++ Secure Coding Standards. The tools were then provided to Software Research Associates, Inc., Japan, which evaluated the extended versions of Fortify SCA and Compass/ROSE on two existing projects: an electronic toll collection (ETC) system-related GUI application written in C++ and an IP-TV Service Protocol Stack (IP-TV) written in the C programming language. The project successfully extended source code analysis tools to discover software defects in both projects evaluated.
Intraspinal transplantation of endothelial progenitor cells provides neuroprotection after spinal cord injury in rats

Primary injury of the spinal cord leads to local vascular disruption and parenchymal damage, which contribute to secondary degeneration. Extenuating cell death and enhancing angiogenesis constitute an attractive therapeutic approach for spinal cord injury (SCI). Transplantation of umbilical cord blood derived-endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) has been shown to promote functional recovery of injured spinal cord. In this study, we examined the neuroprotective effects of bone marrow derived-EPCs in a rat model of spinal cord injury (SCI). We established the rat SCI model by the modified Allen method and immediately transplanted EPCs into the lesion site with an EPC culture medium as a control. Administration of EPCs resulted in increased VEGF-A protein expression, and subsequent angiogenesis, attenuated apoptotic cell death, increased neuronal preservation, and reduced number of astrocytes. Moreover, EPC-treated rats exhibited significant improvements in tissue preservation and behavioral recovery. These data reveal that transplantation of EPCs could effectively provide neuroprotection following SCI and ultimately promote SCI recovery. The results also indicate that administration of EPCs is a promising therapeutic method for SCI.
nalysis of differential protein expression during the early stage of in vitro uberization in taro

Tuberization is a complex and multilevel developmental process. Many important metabolic changes in the early stage of tuberization are crucial to the tuber differentiation and development. In this study, we attempted to identify proteins differentially expressed in the early stage of in vitro tuberization in taro (Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum) by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry (MS). Protein samples from shoot tips cultured in 8% sucrose media at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 d eywords: aro (Colocasia esculenta) n vitro tuberization arly stage wo-dimensional polyacrylamide gel lectrophoresis (2-DE) were separated with 2-DE. A total of 13 differentially expressed proteins were analyzed with MS. Four proteins via, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, alcohol dehydrogenase, chloroplast protein synthesis elongation factor (EF-Tu), and ankyrin repeat protein HBP1 were successfully identified during in vitro tuberization of taro. This implies that important metabolic changes, including sucrose metabolism, signal transduction and cell defense, occurred in the early stage of in vitro tuberization in taro. ifferentially expressed proteins
Attosecond time-resolved streaked photoemission from Mg-covered W(110) surfaces

We formulate a quantum-mechanical model for infrared-streaked photoelectron (PE) emission by ultrashort extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulses from an adsorbate-covered metal surface, exposing the influence of microscopic PE dispersion in substrate and adsorbate on the interpretation of streaked photoemission spectra and photoemission time delays. We validate this numerical model first by reproducing measured relative photoemission delays (a) between valence-band and 2p-core-level (CL) PEs emitted from clean Mg(0001) surfaces and (b) between conduction-band (CB) and 4f -CL PEs from clean W(110) surfaces at two XUV-pulse central photon energies. Next, applying this model to ultrathin Mg adsorbate layers on W(110) substrates, we reproduce (i) the measured nonmonotonic dependence of relative photoemission delays between CB and Mg(2p) PEs and (ii) the monotonic dependence of relative delays between W(4f ) and Mg(2p) PEs in a recent experiment [S. Neppl et al., Nature (London) 517, 342 (2015)].