Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Secure Deduplication and Data Security with Efficient and Reliable Convergent Key Management

: Secure deduplication is a technique for eliminating duplicate copies of storage data, and provides security to them. To reduce storage space and upload bandwidth in cloud storage deduplication has been a well-known technique. For that purpose convergent encryption has been extensively adopt for secure deduplication, critical issue of making convergent encryption practical is to efficiently and reliably manage a huge number of convergent keys. The basic idea in this paper is that we can eliminate duplicate copies of storage data and limit the damage of stolen data if we decrease the value of that stolen information to the attacker. This paper makes the first attempt to formally address the problem of achieving efficient and reliable key management in secure deduplication. We first introduce a baseline approach in which each user holds an independent master key for encrypting the convergent keys and outsourcing them. However, such a baseline key management scheme generates an enormous number of keys with the increasing number of users and requires users to dedicatedly protect the master keys. To this end, we propose Dekey, User Behavior Proﬁling and Decoys technology. Dekey new construction in which users do not need to manage any keys on their own but instead securely distribute the convergent key shares across multiple servers for insider attacker. As a proof of concept, we implement Dekey using the Ramp secret sharing scheme and demonstrate that Dekey incurs limited overhead in realistic environments. User profiling and decoys, then, serve two purposes. First one is validating whether data access is authorized when abnormal information access is detected, and second one is that confusing the attacker with bogus information. We posit that the combination of these security features will provide unprecedented levels of security for the deduplication in insider and outsider attacker.
Making a voting system depend only on orders of preference reduces its manipulability rate

For any non-trivial voting system, there exists manipulable situations where a coalition of voters, by casting an insincere ballot, may secure an outcome that is better from their point of view. In this paper, we investigate how it is possible to reduce the manipulability rate, which is the probability of such situations in a given culture, i.e. a probabilistic structure of the population. We prove that when electors are independent, the culture meets a condition that we call decomposability. And when this condition is met, for any voting system that uses more complex ballots than orders of preferences (for example grades), there exists a "reasonable" voting system that depends only on orders of preference and whose manipulability rate is at most as high. Combining this result with Condorciﬁcation theorem from Durand et al. (2014) and Green-Armytage et al. (2014), we conclude that when searching for a "reasonable" voting system whose manipulability is minimal, one can restrict to those that depend only on orders of preference and meet the Condorcet criterion.
Domain adaptive bootstrapping for named entity recognition

Bootstrapping is the process of improving the performance of a trained classifier by iteratively adding data that is labeled by the classifier itself to the training set, and retraining the classifier. It is often used in situations where labeled training data is scarce but unlabeled data is abundant. In this paper, we consider the problem of domain adaptation: the situation where training data may not be scarce, but belongs to a different domain from the target application domain. As the distribution of unlabeled data is different from the training data, standard bootstrapping often has difficulty selecting informative data to add to the training set. We propose an effective domain adaptive bootstrapping algorithm that selects unlabeled target domain data that are informative about the target domain and easy to automatically label correctly. We call these instances bridges, as they are used to bridge the source domain to the target domain. We show that the method outperforms supervised, transductive and bootstrapping algorithms on the named entity recognition task.
A Matrix Model for Designing and Implementing Multi-firewall Environments

Firewalls are core elements in network security, the effectiveness of firewall security is dependent on configuring the firewall policy correctly. A firewall policy describes the access that will be permitted or denied from the trusted network. In a corporate network several firewalls are setup and administrated by different individuals. The consistency between those firewall policies is crucial to corporate network security. However, the managing of these has become a complex and error-prone task. Bad configurations may cause serious security breaches and network vulnerabilities. In particular, conflicting filtering rules lead to block legitimate traffic or to accept unwanted packets. In this paper, we provide a firewall policy matrix for helping guide firewall administrators and designers overcome differences in interpreting firewall policies. The matrix presents how each firewall policy allows or denies traffic through the various firewalls in a distributive environment. The model was also tested in a university environment.
Application of Artificial Neural Network in Fluid Mechanics Teaching Evaluation System

Based on the neural network method, a neural network model for comprehensive evaluation of teaching levels in fluid mechanics is built because the classic statistics method and static model can not meet the demand of precision to the nonlinear and uncertain system. The structure of the neural network model is described. The model is trained with fifty samples and tested with twenty samples. The test results agree well with the actual situation ,showing that the model is effective in evaluating the teaching levels
Industry track: adaptive wireless video streaming proxy for home entertainment networks

In this paper, we propose an adaptive wireless video streaming proxy (AWVSP) for distributing broadcast quality video coded using conventional non-scalable MPEG profiles. A fast Rate-Distortion optimized Data Partitioning (RDDP) algorithm is employed to dynamically adapt the data rate of the MPEG video in real-time to sporadically varying wireless channel. A rate-matching algorithm is used to determine the adaptive data rate based on transmission buffer-occupancy. Our simulation results indicate the superior performance of the proposed AWVSP in terms of perceived video quality measured in both PSNR and playback smoothness.
Distributed energy resources in grid interactive AC microgrids

Increased penetration of distributed energy resources (DER) and large-scale deployment of renewable energy sources are challenging the entire architecture of traditional power system. Microgrid, featuring higher flexibility and reliability, becomes an attractive candidate for the configuration of future electrical power system. This paper gives an overview of DER units in the grid interactive ac microgrid. The options in structures and control methods of power electronics interfaced DER units are described. Instantaneous load sharing strategies among DER units in the islanded microgrid operations are discussed pointing out the importance of closed loop system output impedance for the power electronics interfaced DER units.
Validity of a Smartphone-Based Application for Determining Sprinting Performance

Recent innovations in smartphone technology have led to the development of a number of applications for the valid and reliable measurement of physical performance. Smartphone applications offer a number of advantages over laboratory based testing including cost, portability, and absence of postprocessing. However, smartphone applications for the measurement of running speed have not yet been validated. In the present study, the iOS smartphone application, SpeedClock, was compared to conventional timing lights during flying 10 m sprints in recreationally active women. Independent samples t-test showed no statistically significant difference between SpeedClock and timing lights (t(190) = 1.83, p = 0.07), while intraclass correlations showed excellent agreement between SpeedClock and timing lights (ICC (2,1) = 0.93, p = 0.00, 95% CI 0.64–0.97). Bland-Altman plots showed a small systematic bias (mean difference = 0.13 seconds) with SpeedClock giving slightly lower values compared to the timing lights. Our findings suggest SpeedClock for iOS devices is a low-cost, valid tool for the assessment of mean flying 10 m sprint velocity in recreationally active females. Systematic bias should be considered when interpreting the results from SpeedClock.
Dynamics of Biofilm Formation and the Interaction between Candida albicans and Methicillin-Susceptible (MSSA) and -Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Polymicrobial biofilms are an understudied and a clinically relevant problem. This study evaluates the interaction between C. albicans, and methicillin- susceptible (MSSA) and resistant (MRSA) S. aureus growing in single- and dual-species biofilms. Single and dual species adhesion (90 min) and biofilms (12, 24, and 48 h) were evaluated by complementary methods: counting colony-forming units (CFU mL-1), XTT-reduction, and crystal violet staining (CV). The secretion of hydrolytic enzymes by the 48 h biofilms was also evaluated using fluorimetric kits. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to assess biofilm structure. The results from quantification assays were compared using two-way ANOVAs with Tukey post-hoc tests, while data from enzymatic activities were analyzed by one-way Welch-ANOVA followed by Games-Howell post hoc test (α = 0.05). C. albicans, MSSA and MRSA were able to adhere and to form biofilm in both single or mixed cultures. In general, all microorganisms in both growth conditions showed a gradual increase in the number of cells and metabolic activity over time, reaching peak values between 12 h and 48 h (ρ<0.05). C. albicans single- and dual-biofilms had significantly higher total biomass values (ρ<0.05) than single biofilms of bacteria. Except for single MRSA biofilms, all microorganisms in both growth conditions secreted proteinase and phospholipase-C. SEM images revealed extensive adherence of bacteria to hyphal elements of C. albicans. C. albicans, MSSA, and MRSA can co-exist in biofilms without antagonism and in an apparent synergistic effect, with bacteria cells preferentially associated to C. albicans hyphal forms.
On the Post-Unification Development of Public and Private Pay in Germany

German post-unification in the 1990s is a period that was marked by substantial economic change, part of which was East German wages building towards the much higher West German levels. This paper studies the public-private pay gap in the fast changing economic and political environment of the 1990s using panel estimation techniques which control for unobserved individual heterogeneity. It shows that, while the overall pay gap between public and private sector stayed remarkably constant in the West, earnings differences in the East increased threefold in the late 1990s resulting in a substantial wage premium in the public sector. It is suggested that this premium is a result of the politically induced gap between pay and actual productivity. Furthermore, results vary greatly by gender indicating significantly larger female earnings differentials. Several institutional and political arguments are presented to explain this phenomenon.
TransportML: A Middleware for Location-Based Services Collaboration

Location-Based Services (LBS) are information and entertainment services, accessible with mobile devices and making use of the position of the mobile device. Although LBS are now widely used, better results could be obtained by merging information issued by severai services. Inter-LBS collaboration is still uncommon althongh a lot of work is done on service orchestration languages such as WS-BPEL 2.0. One of the obstacles is that LBS are created and updated on the fly. This dynamism makes manual composition scenario update difficult. To tackle this problem, we introduce TransportML, a middleware for inter-LBS collaboration, in an automatic fashion. TransportML relies on technologies such as Web services and semantic Web. In this platform, services are discovered and collaboration scenarios are elaborated on the fly. As a consequence, the platform is auto-adaptive and composition scenario maintenance is no longer required.
Analytic model of a PMSM considering spatial harmonics

This work deals with the development of a complete analytic model for a surface mounted permanent magnet synchronous machine. Magnetic field in the air-gap, electromagnetic torque and induced electromotive force EMF are represented as sum of spatial-temporal components. Furthermore, parameters of the single phase equivalent circuit are obtained also in the same way. The proposed analytical model takes into consideration the effect of the stator slots on the performance of the machine. Finally, the accuracy of the model is evaluated comparing the results with that obtained in a numerical analysis.
Identification and Analysis of the Gap Region in the 23S Ribosomal RNA from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is a Gram-negative coccobacillus which can cause certain severe extra-oral infections as well as forms of human periodontal disease such as localized juvenile periodontitis. In contrast to many prokaryotic and eukaryotic species which exhibit an intact 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) molecule, examination of six A. actinomycetemcomitans strains-including three serogroup representative strains and two strains from non-human primates-revealed that this micro-organism does not produce an intact 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) molecule but, rather, two smaller forms of 1.8 kb and 1.2 kb designated as 23Sa and 23Sβ fragments. On the other hand, 14 other strains of Actinobacillus, Haemophilus, and Pasteurella species demonstrated intact 23S rRNA. The sequence of the region of the 23S rRNA gene in A. actinomycetemcomitans strain ATCC 43718 containing the cleavage site was determined by dideoxynucleotide sequencing, while the location of the 3' and 5' termini of the 23Sa and 23Sβ fragments was resolved by S1 nuclease mapping and cDNA primer-extension. A deletion of 112 bases was noted in comparisons of base sequences from A. actinomycetemcomitans rRNA and rDNA. The DNA intervening sequence was localized to nucleotide 1180 of the Escherichia coli 23S rRNA map. While the primary structure of the gap region showed little homology with the gap regions described in other organisms, the secondary structure was similar to that previously described in the parasitic helminth Schistosoma japonicum. Restriction enzyme and nucleotide sequence analysis of the gap region in eight other A. actinomycetemcomitans strains showed it to be highly conserved.
Sonographic incidence of tendon microtears in athletes with chronic Achilles tendinosis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the number and distribution of tendon microtears in asymptomatic controls and athletes with chronic Achilles tendinitis or partial thickness tears using high resolution ultrasound. METHODS: The mean number of microtears in three random tendon cross sections were recorded per tendon third in 19 asymptomatic volunteers, 16 athletes with symptomatic chronic Achilles tendinitis, and eight athletes with partial Achilles tendon rupture. RESULTS: Microtears were most numerous in the middle third section of the Achilles tendon. Some 67% of tendons in the control group had no microtears, and 28% showed a single microtear. Only 18% of the athletes with chronic Achilles tendinitis and none of the athletes with partial tendon rupture were without microtears in the middle third of their Achilles tendon. Of the tendons with chronic tendinitis, 13% had more than three microtears per section which increased to 87% in tendons exhibiting partial rupture. CONCLUSIONS: There appears to be an association between microtear formation and Achilles tendon rupture.
A novel approach to multi-robots formation based on the rules of planetary system

A novel approach called planetary system-based formation is proposed in this paper, which has effectively achieved formation for multi-robot by adjusting the distance and angle between the leader and the follower-robots, thus enables robots to successfully avoid collision and obstacles. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis in theory and simulation are presented to illustrate the feasibility and the stability of the planetary system-based approach.
De-Skilled and Devalued: The Labour Market Experience of Polish Migrants in the UK Following EU Enlargement

The UK is one of a minority of older European Union Member States that chose not to restrict the ability of nationals from the eight Central and Eastern European countries, which acceded to the EU in 2004, from accessing its labour market. Relying on extracts from qualitative interviews with Polish migrants, this article reflects on the experience of post-accession EU8 migrant workers in the UK. In particular, it examines how UK law on the registration of migrant workers from the accession countries, and EU law on the recognition of qualifications, may be contributing to the initial occurrence of de-skilling whereby migrants’ skills and education are devalued in the host society. It seems that the emphasis in the UK placed on the ‘usefulness’ of such EU8 workers may be diverting attention from the occurrence of ‘brain waste’.
DNA Damage and Base Excision Repair in Mitochondria and Their Role in Aging

During the last decades, our knowledge about the processes involved in the aging process has exponentially increased. However, further investigation will be still required to globally understand the complexity of aging. Aging is a multifactorial phenomenon characterized by increased susceptibility to cellular loss and functional decline, where mitochondrial DNA mutations and mitochondrial DNA damage response are thought to play important roles. Due to the proximity of mitochondrial DNA to the main sites of mitochondrial-free radical generation, oxidative stress is a major source of mitochondrial DNA mutations. Mitochondrial DNA repair mechanisms, in particular the base excision repair pathway, constitute an important mechanism for maintenance of mitochondrial DNA integrity. The results reviewed here support that mitochondrial DNA damage plays an important role in aging.
Powerful High-Velocity Dispersion Molecular Hydrogen Associated with an Intergalactic Shock Wave in Stephan’s Quintet

We present the discovery of strong mid-infrared emission lines of molecular hydrogen of apparently high-velocity dispersion (~870 km s-1) originating from a group-wide shock wave in Stephan's Quintet. These Spitzer Space Telescope observations reveal emission lines of molecular hydrogen and little else. This is the first time an almost pure H2 line spectrum has been seen in an extragalactic object. Along with the absence of PAH-dust features and very low excitation ionized gas tracers, the spectra resemble shocked gas seen in Galactic supernova remnants, but on a vast scale. The molecular emission extends over 24 kpc along the X-ray-emitting shock front, but it has 10 times the surface luminosity as the soft X-rays and about one-third the surface luminosity of the IR continuum. We suggest that the powerful H2 emission is generated by the shock wave caused when a high-velocity intruder galaxy collides with filaments of gas in the galaxy group. Our observations suggest a close connection between galaxy-scale shock waves and strong broad H2 emission lines, like those seen in the spectra of ultraluminous infrared galaxies where high-speed collisions between galaxy disks are common.
Isolation of primary mouse retinal ganglion cells using immunopanning-magnetic separation

Purpose To establish an effective system for isolating primary retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) from newborn mice. Methods The retinas were separated from enucleated eyeballs of Crl:CD-1 mice on postnatal day 1 to 4. RGCs were purified using three different methods, including two-step immunopanning (TSI), direct magnetic separation (DMS), and immunopanning-magnetic separation (IMS). Harvested cells were maintained for 24 h in a defined medium and then examined with immunocytochemistry, western immunoblotting, and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for glial cell–specific glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and amacrine cell-specific syntaxin 1. Results As determined with immunofluorescence staining, RGCs purified by TSI were sparsely mixed with GFAP-positive astrocytes, and RGCs isolated by DMS were frequently mixed with syntaxin 1-positive amacrine cells. However, RGCs collected by IMS were seldom contaminated by GFAP-positive or syntaxin 1-positive cells. On western immunoblots, TSI cells showed significant GFAP expression, and DMS cells showed apparent syntaxin 1 expression, but IMS cells did not. Results of the real-time RT–PCR showed a similar tendency to those of the immunocytochemistry and western immunoblots. Conclusion Primary mouse RGCs were highly purified by the IMS method, combining the benefits of the TSI and DMS methods. This isolation method may provide a good experimental system for studying glaucoma in vitro.
Turning Unplanned Overpayment into Status Signals: Benefits of Mentioning the Price Paid

We investigate how mentioning the price paid to others (which we refer to as price-dropping) can be used to the negative experience that occurs when consumers realize they unintentionally overpaid for a product. Specifically, we show that by engaging in price-dropping, consumers re-appropriate the overpayment into a conspicuous consumption signal that improves their satisfaction. Two studies demonstrate that the effect of price-dropping is mitigated when consumers who had overpaid have low sensitivity to status cues, and also when the audience of the price-drop is unreceptive to status cues. We discuss how price-dropping has implications for retailer pricing policies and the customer experience, along with avenues for future research.
Universal Lengths in Microbial Genomes and Implication for Early Genome Growth

We report the discovery of a set of universal lengths that characterize all microbial complete genomes. The Shannon information [Shannon 1948] of 108 complete microbial genomes relative to those of their respective randomized counterparts are computed and the results are summarized in a two-parameter exponential relation: Lr(k) = (42± 21)× 2.64, 2 ≥ k ≥ 10, where Lr is a ”root-sequence length” in nucleotides (nt) and k is the length of the oligonucleotides with which the genome is analyzed. The method of the analysis does not attend to k ≥ 11 owing to the finite lengths 0.4 to 7 Mb of the microbial genomes. The relation means that for a given k the Shannon information of any microbial complete genome, irrespective of its length, is the same as that of a random sequence of length Lr(k) having the same base composition of the genome. We show that artificial sequences generated by maximally stochastic short segmental duplications from random root-sequences of about 200 nt long have Shannon information and root-sequence lengths very similar to those of microbial genomes. This implies that the ancestors of microbial genomes mainly grew by segmental duplication shortly after they acquired a length of around 200 nt. The inference is that the ancestral genomes lived in an RNA world and replicated and duplicated with small ribozymes or their precursors.