Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards a Theory of Cloud Computing in the Protocol-Composition Framework

Cloud computing in general, refers to any service delivered on-demand to customers over the Internet. This paper investigates protocol-composition framework in the context of multi-party computation. We show that if a protocol realizes its functionality with respect to the derived adversary-environment security, then the protocol realizes this functionality with respect to the protocol-composition security.
Diversity, ecology and evolution of monocaulous plants in New Caledonia

The convergent evolution in growth habit is a fundamental phenomenon linking plant ecology and evolution. Remarkably illustrated in island biotas, this phenomenon has never been identified in the original and megadiverse New Caledonian biodiversity hotspot. Through an approach combining plant architecture, functional traits, taxonomy, phylogeny and environmental data, this thesis analyses the evolutionary history of the scarcely known monocaulous growth habit in New Caledonia. Monocauls are self-supporting woody plants whose cardinal functions rely on a single visible stem. In New Caledonia, they are represented by 182 dicotyledonous species belonging to 41 genera and 30 families and are critically endangered. The repeated evolution of the monocaulie in New Caledonia, resulting from at least 31 independent events, is one of the most remarkable cases of convergence in insular environments. In the genus Atractocarpus (Rubiaceae), monocauly evolved recently two to three times through branch reductions into inflorescences, emphasizing the importance of heterochronic processes in the evolution of growth habit. Monocauly is strongly correlated with several traits illustrating major constraints in functional coordination. The evolution of monocauly is strongly associated with rainforests and ultramafic substrate, and seems to have contributed to the diversification of lineages by niche partitioning. The remarkable convergence toward monocauly in New Caledonia can be explained by four major hypotheses: (i) the structural features of rainforests (related to cyclone frequency and intensity) favoring unidirectional exploration of space, (ii) the edaphic constraints associated with ultramafic substrate favoring architectural pauperization, (iii) the historical absence of large native browsers to which monocauls are particularly sensitive, and (iv) the persistence of rainforest during – and spread-out after – glacial episodes that served as refugia and further provided ecological opportunities.
Gene expression in caged fish as a first‐tier indicator of contaminant exposure in streams

The development of sensitive, biologically based indicators of contaminant exposure (i.e., biomarkers) is an ongoing topic of research. These indicators have been proposed as a first‐tier method of identifying contaminant exposure. The primary objective of this research was to implement a biomarker‐based method of exposure assessment using caged fish and real‐time reverse‐transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rtRT‐PCR) measurements of gene expression. Primers were developed for the CYPIA, metallothionein, and vitellogenin genes in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchyus mykiss), cutbow trout (Oncorhynchyus clarkii × mykiss), and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Each of these genes has been shown to respond specifically to planar aromatic compounds, heavy metals, and environmental estrogens, respectively. Juvenile fish were placed in cages and exposed in situ at reference and contaminated sites on the Cache la Poudre River (CO, USA), the Arkansas River (CO, USA), the St. John River (NB, Canada), and two urban creeks near Dayton (OH, USA). Quantitative gene expression was determined using rtRT‐PCR. Biomarker expression profiles were obtained that demonstrated differences in CYP1A, metallothionein, and vitellogenin mRNA production unique to each site, indicating that specific types of compounds were bioavailable and present in sufficient concentrations to elicit transcriptional responses in the organism. These findings support the use of a biomarker‐based approach to exposure identification and assessment.
Human gait analysis for the unmanned research center exoskeleton (UTRCEXO) with the precedence walking assistance mechanism

In this paper, we analyze human gait patterns, including knee and hip joint torques, and muscle activities for the unmanned research center exoskeleton (UTRCEXO). The UTRCEXO will implement a precedence walking assistance mechanism based on the human gait analysis and compare muscle activity reduction in the future.
Split-Window Coefficients for Land Surface Temperature Retrieval From Low-Resolution Thermal Infrared Sensors

In this letter, we provide a complete set of split-window coefficients that can be used to retrieve land surface temperature (LST) from thermal infrared sensors onboard the most popular remote-sensing satellites: ERS-ATSR2, ENVISAT-AATSR, Terra/Aqua-MODIS, NOAA series-AVHRR, METOP-AVHRR3, GOES series-IMAGER, and MSG1/MSG2-SEVIRI. The coefficients have been obtained by minimization from an extensive simulated database constructed from MODTRAN radiative transfer code calculations, emissivity spectra extracted from spectral libraries, and spectral response functions of the thermal bands considered. This letter also analyzes the magnitude of the error on the LST retrieval and the contribution to the error of the different uncertainties. Results are summarized in a lookup table useful for scientists interested on land surface retrievals at global scale, thereby facilitating and homogenizing the task of retrieving this parameter from different common sensors.
A Novel Rat Model of Orthodontic Tooth Movement Using Temporary Skeletal Anchorage Devices: 3D Finite Element Analysis and In Vivo Validation

The aim of this animal study was to develop a model of orthodontic tooth movement using a microimplant as a TSAD in rodents. A finite element model of the TSAD in alveolar bone was built using μCT images of rat maxilla to determine the von Mises stresses and displacement in the alveolar bone surrounding the TSAD. For in vivo validation of the FE model, Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 25) were used and a Stryker 1.2 × 3 mm microimplant was inserted in the right maxilla and used to protract the right first permanent molar using a NiTi closed coil spring. Tooth movement measurements were taken at baseline, 4 and 8 weeks. At 8 weeks, animals were euthanized and tissues were analyzed by histology and EPMA. FE modeling showed maximum von Mises stress of 45 Mpa near the apex of TSAD but the average von Mises stress was under 25 Mpa. Appreciable tooth movement of 0.62 ± 0.04 mm at 4 weeks and 1.99 ± 0.14 mm at 8 weeks was obtained. Histological and EPMA results demonstrated no active bone remodeling around the TSAD at 8 weeks depicting good secondary stability. This study provided evidence that protracted tooth movement is achieved in small animals using TSADs.
Energy efficiency analysis of link layer backoff schemes on point-to-point Markov fading links

Backoff algorithms are traditionally employed in multiple access networks, like Ethernet, to recover from packet collisions. We propose and carry out the analysis for three types of link layer backoff schemes-linear, binary exponential, geometric-on point-to-point wireless fading links, where packet errors occur non-independently. In such a scenario, the back-off schemes are shown to achieve better energy efficiency without compromising much on the link layer throughput performance.
Comparaison de l'approche transactionnelle des SIG avec l'approche multidimensionnelle pour l'analyse de données spatio-temporelles

Marie-Josee Proulx detient un B.Sc. et une M.Sc. en Sciences Geomatiques a l'Universite Laval. Elle travaille depuis 1995 dans l'equipe de bases de donnees spatiales et SIG du Centre de recherche en geomatique sous la direction du Dr Yvan Bedard. Elle possede une experience a la fois en recherche fondamentale et en recherche appliquee, et a contribue a plusieurs conferences et articles scientifiques tant sur le plan national qu'international. Ses principaux champs d'interets portent sur les bases de donnees multidimensionnelles, les ontologies spatiales et les metadonnees.
SiGe HBT Technology Based on a 0.13- $\mu{\rm m}$  Process Featuring an  ${f}_{\rm MAX}$  of 325 GHz

A self-aligned SiGe HBT technology achieving a cutoff frequency (f<sub>T</sub>) of 253 GHz was developed using a selective SiGe epitaxial growth process. Germanium concentration in an i-SiGe layer just under a p<sup>+</sup> intrinsic base region was raised to 27.4% to improve f<sub>T</sub>, and boron concentration in the intrinsic base region reached 2.4 × 10<sup>20</sup> cm<sup>-3</sup> as a deposition to maintain a breakdown voltage of 1.5 V. A 0.13-μm SiGe BiCMOS technology geometrically advanced from an earlier 0.18-μm version shrinks the emitter width from 0.2 to 0.12 μm to reduce collector-base capacitance and base resistance. It achieves a maximum oscillation frequency (f<sub>MAX</sub>) of 325 GHz. This technology can be applied to optical and mm wave communication systems.
Social Supervision, Ethics and Risk: An Evaluation of How Ethical Frameworks Might Be Applied within the Social Supervision Process

Service users subject to section 41 of the Mental Health Act 1983 come under the scrutiny of both the mental health and the criminal justice systems. Much of the sociological literature in this area focuses on the growth of risk-related practices in which risk management is arguably displacing more traditional notions of care. Social workers who are working with service users subject to section 41 are faced with a number of ethical dilemmas. This paper outlines Kantian, utilitarian and virtue ethics and their possible application to work with service users subject to section 41. The ethical dilemmas in applying risk assessment tools are then examined. Finally, the article draws on published research of service user views in order to consider ethical dilemmas further. The author concludes by considering how social workers might apply the ethical principles discussed.
Anxiety and Speaking English as a Second Language

Second language anxiety has a debilitating effect on the oral performance of speakers of English as a second language. This article describes a research project concerning the conceptualization of second language speaking anxiety, the relationship between anxiety and second language performance, and the major reported causes of second language anxiety. The participants in this study were advanced English for academic purposes (EAP) students studying on intensive EAP courses immediately prior to entering Australian universities (N = 275). The second language speaking anxiety scale (SLSAS) was developed for the study. This instrument provided evidence for a dual conceptualization of anxiety reflecting both oral communication within and outside the language learning classroom. The scale was validated using confirmatory factor analysis. The analysis indicated second language speaking anxiety to be a significant predictor of oral achievement. Reported causes of anxiety were investigated through interviews. The results indicate that the most frequent source of anxiety was interacting with native speakers. Evidence for two types of anxious language learner emerged; retrieval interference and skills deficit. There was an indication from the study that English language learners from Confucian Heritage Cultures (CHCs), China, Korea and Japan were more anxious language learners than other ethnic groups.
Evaluation of bias in familial risk estimates: a study of common cancers using Swedish population-based registers.

BACKGROUND Bias in estimates of familial cancer may result if population-based registers fail to identify relatives as affected when disease occurs before the start-up of registration (ie, "left-truncation" of family history). METHODS Apparent familial relative risks (among offspring of parents with cancer) of colorectal, lung, breast, and prostate cancers and melanoma in a Swedish cohort were compared with relative risks in a simulated population. The study cohort (approximately 7 million individuals) was based on the Swedish MultiGenerational Register linked to the Swedish Cancer Register for the period 1961-2002. A similar population of related individuals (approximately 7 million) with complete family information was simulated by using the R-package PopLab and used to estimate the sensitivity of the observed family history. This sensitivity was then used to calculate corrected age group-specific and overall risks, which were compared with the apparent familial risks of cancer in the cohort. RESULT The apparent familial risks for colorectal, lung, breast, and prostate cancers and melanoma were 1.99 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.85 to 2.14), 2.05 (95% CI = 1.86 to 2.26), 1.84 (95% CI = 1.76 to 1.92), 2.33 (95% CI = 2.19 to 2.48), and 2.68 (95% CI = 2.35 to 3.07), with corresponding absolute rates of 3.69, 2.59, 16.05, 10.38, and 2.96 per 10 000 person-years, among offspring of parents diagnosed with the same cancer. Corrected age group-specific and overall estimates of the familial risks were close to these apparent risks for all studied cancers (all approximately 2.0), except for melanoma. For melanoma, the corrected estimate of 3.18 (95% CI = 2.73 to 3.64) was somewhat larger than the apparent estimate and was not included in the confidence interval for the apparent estimate. When the exposure of interest was a parent affected at a younger age, this bias was more pronounced; the apparent estimate for melanoma changed from 4.07 (95% CI = 3.21 to 5.16) to 5.67 (95% CI = 4.51 to 6.83) after correction. CONCLUSIONS For common cancers, risk estimates from the Swedish MultiGenerational cohort do not generally appear to be biased by left-truncation.
A concept for dual gaseous and electric energy transmission

The trend towards decentralization of electricity production, the rising share of stochastic generators and more stringent consumer needs govern the planning of future networks. A widely discussed concept is that of integrated planning of chemical and electrical power systems. The "vision of future energy networks" project goes one step further and proposes a common infrastructure for both gas and electricity. A combined transmission device (a so-called interconnector), consisting of a hollow electrical conductor with internal gas flow, will offer several benefits such as simpler overall planning, synergetic effects and new opportunities like inline storage of chemical energy. The gas flow can be used for the cooling of the electrical conductor. The extracted heat can be reused at the terminals. In a first step, a generic model for a device with non-isothermal compressible gas flow and electricity transmission has been developed to investigate the operation characteristics and limitations of the interconnector. A particular issue is the coupling between the transmitted electrical and chemical power, as the gas flow also serves to cool down the electrical conductor. Physical and construction aspects limit the possible operation range of chemical versus electrical power. This work presents the methodology used to determine these limitations and their implications on the operation of the interconnector. The principle of combined energy transmission can be extended to liquid chemical energy, district heating and further energy carriers
Duodenal versus gastric feeding in medical intensive care unit patients: A prospective, randomized, clinical study*

Objective:To determine whether medical intensive care unit (ICU) patients receiving nasoduodenal (ND) feedings achieve optimal nutritional support and better clinical outcomes compared with patients receiving nasogastric (NG) feedings. Design:A prospective, randomized, clinical study. Setting:Medical ICU of a university-affiliated tertiary medical center. Patients:One hundred twenty-one medical ICU patients required enteral feeding. Interventions:Patients were randomized to receive enteral feeding. One group received ND feedings and the other group received NG feedings. All patients followed the same protocol. Measurements and Main Results:The primary outcome of optimal nutritional support was assessed by measurement of time to goal tube feed rate and daily calorie and protein intake. Secondary clinical outcomes included number of ICU, hospital and ventilator days, number of the days in the study, blood–glucose levels, incidence of vomiting, diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding, tube replaced, tube clogged, fever, bacteremia, and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and mortality rate. Results showed that the ND group had a higher average daily calorie and protein intake compared with NG group and achieved nutritional goals earlier. In terms of clinical outcomes, patients in the ND group had a lower rate of vomiting and VAP. The other clinical outcomes such as number of ICU days, hospital days, ventilator days, blood–glucose level, tube replaced or clogged, diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding, fever, bacteremia, and mortality rate were not significantly different between two groups. Conclusions:Patients who received ND feedings achieved nutritional goals earlier than those who received NG feeding. ND feeding group also has a lower rate of vomiting and VAP in the medical ICU setting.
Information Technology Self-Leadership

Despite the high level of information technology (IT) investments, IT is underutilized. This paper focuses on how IT can be utilized to innovate task processes, therefore contributing to performance. This paper conceptualizes and theorizes about ‘information technology (IT) self-leadership’. I define IT self-leadership as the behaviors of an individual that bring about a process innovation in the accomplishment of a task by incorporating information technologies, where the task definition does not explicitly refer to a need to use any information technologies. This paper concludes with the research model and the accompanying propositions. I expect that the characteristics of the individuals (such as their general self-leadership and computer self-efficacy) as well as the organizational climate (including formal leadership and the IT-related social norms) contribute to IT self-leadership. IT self-leadership, in turn, contributes to performance. I also expect that task motivation moderates the influence of general self-leadership on IT self-leadership.
Relationship between sympathetic activity and pain intensity in fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVES Fibromyalgia (FM) is a syndrome characterised by chronic musculoskeletal pain, hyperalgesia on specific areas of tenderness (tender points) and by an autonomic nervous system dysfunction consistent with sympathetic overactivity. It is not known whether there is any relationship between the amount of cardiovascular sympathetic activity and the magnitude of pain. Our objective was to assess this potential relationship in patients with FM. METHODS Electrocardiogram, finger blood pressure, respiration and post-ganglionic sympathetic discharge activity (muscle sympathetic nerve activity, MSNA) were continuously recorded at rest in 25 patients with primary FMS. The autonomic profile was assessed by MSNA and spectral indices of cardiac sympathetic (LFRR) and vagal (HFRR) modulation and of sympathetic vasomotor control (LF-SAP) computed by spectrum analysis of RR and systolic arterial pressure (SAP) variability. Cardiac baroreflex function was evaluated by the index α (αLF). Baroreceptor modulation of the sympathetic vasomotor control (sBRS) was assessed by the MSNA/diastolic pressure relationship. RESULTS Pain intensity was linearly correlated with LFRR/HFRR (r² = 0.21; p=0.03), LFSAP (r² = 0.26; p=0.02) and MSNA (burst rate) (r² = 0.45; p=0.003). Pain intensity was inversely correlated with the αLF index (r² = 0.24; p=0.02) and the sBRS (r² = 0.28; p=0.03). Thus, the higher the sympathetic drive to the heart and vessels, the higher the magnitude of chronic pain. Also, the gains of both the cardiac and MSNA baroreceptor control were inversely related to the pain intensity. CONCLUSIONS These findings raise the theoretical possibility that in FM patients the use of anti-adrenergic agents might lessen chronic pain intensity by reducing the underlying excessive sympathetic activity.
Peptic upper gastrointestinal bleeding: diagnosis and treatment. A monocentric experience on a 5 years period.

AIM We evaluated all the cases of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhages admitted in the Department of Endoscopy of our Clinic during a 5 years period. MATERIAL AND METHOD 810 patients were included in our study, 64.3% males and 36.7% females, mean age 58.7 +/- 15.2 years (17-96 years). The main cause of the upper digestive hemorrhage was peptic ulcer (82.6%), equally divided in gastric and duodenal. All the ulcers were assessed according to the Forrest classification. RESULTS Endoscopic haemostasis was performed in 40% of all cases, only epinephrine injection (1/10,000) in 44.4% of cases; combined therapy (injection + clip or thermocoagulation) in 40.3% of the cases and clip or thermocoagulation alone in 15.3% of the cases. A marked reduction of haemostasis using epinephrine injection alone (as monotherapy) was observed during the period of study. Postendoscopic treatment rebleeding occurred in 19.8% of cases; 3.6% of the patients have had a fatal outcome and surgical treatment was needed in 2.7% of cases. CONCLUSION In an experienced Department of Endoscopy, the majority of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhages can be endoscopically treated with good results. In the last years, endoscopical haemostatic bitherapy (adrenaline injection+clipping or bipolar coagulation) replaced injection of adrenaline like monotherapy for ulcer hemostasis.
Communication: Counter-ion solvation and anomalous low-angle scattering in salt-free polyelectrolyte solutions.

We investigate the influence of counter-ion solvation on the homogeneity of salt-free polyelectrolyte solutions based on a coarse-grained model that includes an explicit solvent. We show that the solvation of the counter-ions can cause a transformation between a nearly homogeneous to a non-uniform polymer solution, in which there is both a chain clustering and the formation of large charge-free domains, i.e., "voids. " The emergence of these heterogeneous structures induced by counter-ion solvation is accompanied by the localization and formation of counter-ion rich domains that are symptomatic of emergent effective long-range attractive interchain interactions.
Autophagy and Inflammatory Response in the Tumor Microenvironment

Cell death is the last fate of the life cycle of cells. Different pathways involved in cell death are known to date, and are mostly represented by apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy. Autophagy is one of the most preserved cell death pathways, characterized by the elimination of large parts of cytoplasmic components after being consumed by a double-membraned vesicle called an autophagosome. The formed autophagosome then fuses with a lysosome containing degrading enzymes and leads to the digestion of the autophagosome content. Autophagy is triggered by stress-related inducers, and is partially dependent on apoptotic proteins. It plays a major role in cancer, particularly in the tumor microenvironment where it has a paradoxical function in acting as a tumor suppressor and also as a tumor promoter. In the tumor microenvironment, autophagy regulates the differentiation of macrophages into tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and fibroblasts into cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). TAMs and CAFs are abundantly present in the tumor microenvironment, and participate actively in tumor growth, tumor invasiveness, and tumor resistance to chemotherapy.