Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modifying Security Policies for the Satisfaction of Intransitive Non-Interference

The property of intransitive non-interference (INI) is widely used in the formal verification of security in computer systems and protocols. In our previous work, we derived conditions and algorithms for checking INI. If INI is not satisfied, then the behavior of the system must be modified in order to ensure its security. How to best modify a system's behavior is the subject of the current technical note. Two strategies are proposed: The first consists of enlarging the system's behavior (thus giving it more possibilities), and the second consists of reducing it (thus restricting the system's behavior). In both cases, however, we would like to modify the behavior as little as possible. For the first strategy that enlarges the behavior, we show that the solution is unique, that is, there is one smallest language that satisfies INI and contains the original language (called super-language). For the second strategy that reduces the behavior, the solution is not unique, that is, there may exist more than one maximal language that satisfies INI and is contained in the original language (called sub-language). We derive formulas and algorithms to perform these two types of modifications. We also illustrate our results by an example.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Pork Production Shower Facilities

ABSTRACT As methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been found in pigs, we sought to determine if MRSA is present in pork production shower facilities. In two production systems tested, 3% and 26% of shower samples were positive for MRSA. spa types identified included t034, t189, t753, and t1746.
Environmental Influences on Tobacco Use Among Asian American and Pacific Islander Youth

There is growing interest in understanding individual and environmental influences on youth risk behaviors, including tobacco use. The purpose of this article is to describe the processes and findings from a study that sought to increase the capacity of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community-based organizations to understand and address the environmental influences on tobacco use among AAPI youth. Using a multimethod approach to data collection that included GIS (geographic information system) mapping, Photovoice, and individual youth surveys, a team of community and university researchers conducted a 3-year study to assess and address the environmental influences of tobacco use among youth. Community-based participatory research principles guided the study and facilitated unique capacity building and analyses throughout the study period. Results in Long Beach from all three methods highlighted the associations between youth smoking and environmental factors: GIS mapping identified at least 77 separate locations of pro-tobacco influences, photographs captured many of these locations and provided youth leaders with opportunities to identify how other influences contributed to smoking risk, and surveys of youth indicated that perceived community safety and proximity to pro-tobacco influences were associated with smoking in the past 30 days. Subsequent community-based organization activities undertaken by study partners are also discussed, and lessons learned summarized.
Stem Cell-Based Therapies for Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract Summary: Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in loss of nervous tissue and consequently loss of motor and sensory function. There is no treatment available that restores the injury-induced loss of function to a degree that an independent life can be guaranteed. Transplantation of stem cells or progenitors may support spinal cord repair. Stem cells are characterized by self-renewal and their ability to become any cell in an organism. Promising results have been obtained in experimental models of SCI. Stem cells can be directed to differentiate into neurons or glia in vitro, which can be used for replacement of neural cells lost after SCI. Neuroprotective and axon regeneration-promoting effects have also been credited to transplanted stem cells. There are still issues related to stem cell transplantation that need to be resolved, including ethical concerns. This paper reviews the current status of stem cell application for spinal cord repair.
Threats and Security Analysis for Enhanced Secure Neighbor Discovery Protocol (SEND) of IPv6 NDP Security

IPv6 nodes use the Neighbor Discovery Protocol (NDP) to discover other nodes on the link, to determine their link-layer addresses to find routers, and to maintain reachability information about the paths to active neighbors. Secure Neighbor Discovery Protocol (SEND Protocol) is a security extension of Neighbor Discovery. The SEND protocol is designed to counter the threats to NDP. This paper presents the threats and security analysis for SEND and all the possible security options for more secure IPv6 Neighbor Discovery Protocol. Keyword: IPV6, Secured Neighbor Discovery Protocol, CGA, NDP
Directional Cuing of Target Choice in Human Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements

Perceptual attention and target choice for movement have many features in common. In particular, both generally are based on selection of a particular location in space. To ask whether motor control, like attention, also can exhibit target choice based on nonspatial features of the stimulus, we assessed the initiation of smooth pursuit eye movements when two targets move in different directions after human subjects have been cued which direction or color to track. The direction cue consisted of a patch of dots undergoing either 0% coherent motion or 50% coherent motion in the direction of motion of one of the subsequent targets. After a delay, the fixation spot was extinguished and two spots moved across the same small region of the visual field, one in the cued direction (“target”) and one in an orthogonal direction (“distracter”). After the 0% coherent cue, pursuit was approximately the vector average of responses to the two motions presented singly. After the 50% coherent cue, the initial pursuit response was biased strongly toward the target that moved in the cued direction. The impact of the cued direction persisted over delays of up to 1000 ms. Other cues about the direction of upcoming target motion biased the response similarly. Cues about target color also biased pursuit in the direction of motion of the cued target but were considerably less effective than cues indicating the direction of target motion. We conclude that target choice for movement, like perceptual attention, can be based on the features of the chosen target and not only its location in space.
DNA Methylation Markers Predict Outcome in Node-Positive, Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer with Adjuvant Anthracycline-Based Chemotherapy

Purpose: We have shown that DNA methylation of the PITX2 gene predicts risk of distant recurrence in steroid hormone receptor-positive, node-negative breast cancer. Here, we present results from a multicenter study investigating whether PITX2 and other candidate DNA methylation markers predict outcome in node-positive, estrogen receptor-positive, HER-2-negative breast cancer patients who received adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Experimental Design: Using a microarray platform, we analyzed DNA methylation in regulatory regions of PITX2 and 60 additional candidate genes in 241 breast cancer specimens. Using Cox regression analysis, we assessed the predictive power of the individual marker/marker panel candidates. Clinical endpoints were time to distant metastasis, disease-free survival, and overall survival. A nested bootstrap/cross-validation strategy was applied to identify and validate marker panels. Results: DNA methylation of PITX2 and 14 other genes was correlated with clinical outcome. In multivariate models, each methylation marker added significant information to established clinical factors. A four-marker panel including PITX2, BMP4, FGF4, and C20orf55 was identified that resulted in improvement of outcome prediction compared with PITX2 alone. Conclusions: This study provides further evidence for the PITX2 biomarker, which has now been successfully confirmed to predict outcome among different breast cancer patient populations. We further identify new DNA methylation biomarkers, three of which can be combined into a panel with PITX2 to increase the outcome prediction performance in our anthracycline-treated primary breast cancer population. Our results show that a well-defined panel of DNA methylation markers enables outcome prediction in lymph node-positive, HER-2-negative breast cancer patients treated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy.
Establishment of estimation method for manure-borne steroid estrogens

Because of the wide existence and serious endocrine disturbing for humans and animals, the steroid estrogen hormones have been focused more and more in recent years. Steroidal estrogen hormones such as 17β-estradiol and estrone are particular concerns because there is evidence that low nanogram per liter concentrations of them in water can adversely affect the reproductive biology of fish and other aquatic vertebrate species. The animal manure is one of the main sources of steroid estrogens to the environment. Based on the literatures review, the study established the basical models to estimate the excretion of 17β-estradiol and estrone from five types of animals including pig, dairy cattle, beef cattle, layer and broiler. We tried to assess the yearly excretion of steroid estrogens from farm animals in China and compare the difference of excretion rates between five types of animal feces and urine. On the basis of current studies on the estrogens, the tendency for the future research in this field was discussed and suggested.
The long term predictive value of preoperative pressure flow studies in the resolution of overactive bladder after insertion of a retropubic midurethral sling

To identify if the short term association of pressure flow rates with resolution of overactive bladder (OAB) is maintained in the long term in patients with mixed urodynamic incontinence treated with a retropubic midurethral sling. To assess if other demographic factors are associated with the long term resolution of OAB.
Increased adhesion of neutrophils to retinal vascular endothelial cells exposed to hyperosmolarity.

Recent studies suggest that leukocytes may contribute to capillary occlusion and endothelial cell injury in diabetic retinopathy. The present study is an attempt to determine whether high glucose concentration/hyperosmolar conditions would increase neutrophil adhesion to retinal endothelial cell monolayers. Confluent monolayers of bovine retinal endothelial cells were incubated for 24 hr in 96-well microtiter plates in 5.5, 20, 50 or 100 mM glucose using 20, 50 or 100 mM mannitol as osmotic controls. After 24 hr the cells were observed by phase microscopy, washed, and then incubated with isolated human neutrophils for 20 min. Non-adherent neutrophils were washed from the monolayers, and the number of adherent neutrophils was determined using an Elisa assay for neutrophil elastase. Adhesion of neutrophils to confluent monolayers of human umbilical vein and bovine aortic endothelial cells at all levels of glucose were assayed in a similar fashion for comparison. Neutrophil adherence to bovine retinal endothelial cells was significantly increased (P < 0.05, n = 8; paired t-test) at all elevated glucose concentrations compared with adherence at control (5.5 mM) glucose concentration. The effect was also concentration dependent with 20, 50 and 100 mM glucose resulting in 35, 57 and 70% increases respectively over controls. However, mannitol at equal concentrations produced similar increases in neutrophil adherence, indicating that the increases in adhesion caused by elevated glucose concentration were due to hyperosmolarity and not some special effect of glucose. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Learning High Precision Rules to Make Predictions of Morbidities in Discharge Summaries

The Duluth entries in the 2008 I2B2 Obesity Challenge used supervised machine learning techniques that relied on bag of words unigram features found in discharge summaries to predict if a patient is obese or suffers from any of 15 related co‐morbidities. We found that the RIPPER rule learning algorithm created high precision models that exceed the mean precision of all the participating systems by a significant degree. It also discovers simple and informative rules that allow us to better understand the domain. However, no supervised learning algorithm that we experimented with was able to perform well on the minority judgments which make up less than 1% of the total training and test data.
Mlp24 (McpX) of Vibrio cholerae Implicated in Pathogenicity Functions as a Chemoreceptor for Multiple Amino Acids

ABSTRACT The chemotaxis of Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of cholera, has been implicated in pathogenicity. The bacterium has more than 40 genes for methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein (MCP)-like proteins (MLPs). In this study, we found that glycine and at least 18 l-amino acids, including serine, arginine, asparagine, and proline, serve as attractants to the classical biotype strain O395N1. Based on the sequence comparison with Vibrio parahaemolyticus, we speculated that at least 17 MLPs of V. cholerae may mediate chemotactic responses. Among them, Mlp24 (previously named McpX) is required for the production of cholera toxin upon mouse infection. mlp24 deletion strains of both classical and El Tor biotypes showed defects in taxis toward several amino acids, which were complemented by the expression of Mlp24. These amino acids enhanced methylation of Mlp24. Serine, arginine, asparagine, and proline were shown to bind directly to the periplasmic fragment of Mlp24. The structural information of its closest homolog, Mlp37, predicts that Mlp24 has two potential ligand-binding pockets per subunit, the membrane distal of which was suggested, by mutational analyses, to be involved in sensing of amino acids. These results suggest that Mlp24 is a chemoreceptor for multiple amino acids, including serine, arginine, and asparagine, which were previously shown to stimulate the expression of several virulence factors, implying that taxis toward a set of amino acids plays critical roles in pathogenicity of V. cholerae.
CDMA downlink system capacity enhancement through generalized RAKE reception

The benefit of generalized RAKE reception to downlink system capacity is studied. System capacity is evaluated for certain cell and user outage probabilities. Fast fading, noise correlation, power control, and soft handoff are all included in our study. The site selection diversity transmission (SSDT) approach to power allocation between soft handoff links is shown to be optimal in the sense that it minimizes total transmit power to a given user. Numerical results show that G-RAKE receivers can improve system capacity by as much as 30-45% in a highly dispersive channel.
FUZZY-CLASSIFICATION AND ZIPLOCK SNAKES FOR ROAD EXTRACTION FROM IKONOS IMAGES

In this paper we propose an approach for automatic road extraction from pan-sharpened IKONOS images which makes use of the 1 m resolution as well as the multispectral information. The approach consists of three main steps and can be seen as an add-on to the approach of Wiedemann (2001). In the first step, training areas for a multispectral classification are extracted in all channels using the Steger differential geometric line operator. Additionally, there have to be parallel edges with a homogeneous area between them within a neighborhood of the extracted lines. In the second step, the training areas are used for a fuzzy multispectral classification. With it, additional road pixels are extracted. The number of misclassifications is minimized by means of a rank filter. In the final step, gaps in the preliminary road network generated with the approach of Wiedemann (2001) are closed by means of ziplock line snakes employing the classification results. Examples show the validity of the approach.
Scheduling and composing with Risset eternal accelerando rhythms

Jean-Claude Risset described an “eternal accelerando” illusion, related to Shepard tones, in which a rhythm can be constructed to give the perception of continuous acceleration. The effect can in principle be derived from any rhythmic template, producing patterns with aspects of fractal self-similarity. Any attempt to use it compositionally must address the difficult issue of scheduling events (notes, beats) and structural changes in a way that integrates with the multi-layered self-similar rhythmic structure. In this paper we develop an approach to scheduling rhythms, melodies and structural changes over a Risset accelerando (or decelerando) framework. We derive the mappings which allow note sequences and sample playback to be incorporated. We discuss some compositional choices available within this framework, and demonstrate them via audio examples.
Pattern of Success Vs. Pattern of Failure: Adaptive Authentication Through Kolmogorov–Smirnov (K-S) Statistics

Smartphones have become a basic necessity in lives of all human beings. Apart from the core functionality of communication, these become a medium for storage of sensitive personal information, financial data and official documents. Hence, there is an inevitable need to emphasize on securing access to such devices considering the nature of data being stored. In addition, accessibility and authentication methods need to secure, robust, and user-friendly. This paper discusses an adaptive authentication mechanism with a nonparametric classification approach, Kolmogorov–Smirnov (K-S) statistic, which is coupled with the use of lock pattern dynamics as a secure and user-friendly two-factor authentication method. The data used for experimental exploration were collected from a systematically programmed Android device to capture the temporal parameters when individuals drew lock patterns on the touch screen. Each user has his individualistic way of drawing the pattern, which is used as the key for identifying imposters from valid users.
A multispecies exclusion model inspired by transcriptional interference

We introduce exclusion models of two distinguishable species of hard rods with their distinct sites of entry and exit under open boundary conditions. In the first model both species of rods move in the same direction whereas in the other two models they move in the opposite direction. These models are motivated by the biological phenomenon known as transcriptional interference. Therefore, the rules for the kinetics of the models, particularly the rules for the outcome of the encounter of the rods, are also formulated to mimic those observed in transcriptional interference. By a combination of mean-field theory and computer simulation of these models we demonstrate how the flux of one species of rods is completely switched off by the other. Exploring the parameter space of the model we also establish the conditions under which switch-like regulation of two fluxes is possible; from the extensive analysis we discover more than one possible mechanism of this phenomenon.
Polymeric IgA is Complexed with Secretory Component (SC) on the Surface of Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells

Viable suspensions of columnar cells were obtained from the surface and outer crypt epithelium of human colon mucosa by a combined treatment with citrate and EDTA solutions and mechanical disruption, but without the use of enzymes. A substantial fraction of the isolated cells contained free SC and secretory IgA in a cytoplasmic distribution that corresponded to previously reported immunohistochemical and immunoelectron‐microscopical results obtained with tissue sections. On their surface the same cells were shown to bear SC complexed with J‐chain‐containing polymeric IgA, whereas only occasional traces of free SC were found. IgM was detected in the surface patches which contained the largest concentrations of SC and IgA. These findings demonstrate that in SC‐producing epithelial cells SC molecules become exposed on the plasma membrane, thereby being able to bind specifically J‐chain‐containing IgA and IgM present in the tissue fluid. Such adsorptive complexing is probably a prerequisite for the selective pinocytotic transport of these two Ig classes through glandular epithelium in man.
Cardiac performance in the zebrafish breakdance mutant

SUMMARY In the Tübingen screen a breakdance mutant of zebrafish (bre) was described as an arrhythmia, in which the ventricle beats only with every second atrial contraction (2:1 rhythm). Surprisingly, a careful analysis of the effect of the breakdance mutation on cardiac performance of the zebrafish during development between 3 d.p.f. and 14 d.p.f revealed that homozygous bre mutants did not always show the 2:1 rhythm. Cardiac activity was continuously recorded for a period of 20 min in each larva, and during this period we observed that heart rate randomly switched between the 2:1 rhythm and a 1:1 rhythm. Furthermore, at 28°C and at 31°C the expression of the 2:1 rhythm decreased with development. At 31°C this was in part due to a significantly reduced survival rate of mutants beyond 4 d.p.f. Besides development, temperature had a marked effect on the expression of the 2:1 rhythm, and during the first days of development the expression of the 2:1 rhythm was significantly higher at elevated incubation temperatures. By contrast, in the 2:1 beating heart ventricular contraction rate was about 80 beats min-1 throughout development irrespective of the temperature, and even in the 1:1 rhythm mutants showed a significant bradycardia at all three temperatures (25°C, 28°C or 31°C). Compared to wild-type animals, cardiac output was significantly lower in bre mutants. Pressure traces recorded in the ventricle of mutants revealed a prolonged relaxation phase, indicating that the second pacemaker current could not be conveyed to the ventricle (AV-block). This phenotype is comparable to the human Long QT Syndrome, an arrhythmia caused by a modification of an ion channel involved in cardiac repolarization. The bradycardia and the modified temperature sensitivity of heart rate suggested that the activity of the pacemaker cells was also affected by this mutation.
Development of an insect metalloproteinase inhibitor drug carrier system for application in chronic wound infections

The insect metalloproteinase inhibitor (IMPI) represents the first peptide capable of inhibiting virulence‐mediating microbial M4‐metalloproteinases and is promising as a therapeutic. The purpose of this study was to develop a suitable drug carrier system for the IMPI drug to enable treatment of chronic wound infections. Specifically, we studied on poloxamer 407 hydrogels, examining the influence of several additives and preservatives on the rheological parameters of the hydrogels, the bioactivity and release of IMPI.
Research on Texts of Accidents and Risks using Morphological Analysis

In this research, we applied morphological analysis to abstract the psychological information of writer. Chasen is a Japanese software for morphological analysis. Two types of texts are evaluated. (1) Explanation of the outline of well-known accident or trouble. (2) Author’s impression about the accident or trouble. Frequencies of verb, adjective, adverb, Rentaishi, conjunction, particle, auxiliary verb and exclamation are compared in both texts. It was found that the frequency of adverb is higher in the author’s impressions. The tf-idf of adverb was also examined. it was found that the tf-idfs of adverbs belong to two groups are significantly different.