Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mitigating Denial Of Services Using Secure Overlay Service Model

Denial of service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks continue to threaten the reliability of networking systems. Previous approaches for protecting networks from DoS attacks are reactive in that they wait for an attack to be launched before taking appropriate measures to protect the network. This leaves the door open for other attacks that use more sophisticated methods to mask their traffic. A secure overlay services (SOS) architecture has been proposed to provide reliable communication between clients and a target under DoS attacks. The SOS architecture employs a set of overlay nodes arranged in three hierarchical layers that controls access to the target. We propose an architecture called secure overlay services (SOS) that proactively prevents denial of service (DoS) attacks, which works toward supporting emergency services, or similar types of communication. The architecture uses a combination of secure overlay tunneling, routing via consistent hashing, and filtering. We reduce the probability of successful attacks by: 1) performing intensive filtering near protected network edges, pushing the attack point into the core of the network, where high-speed routers can handle the volume of attack traffic and 2) introducing randomness and anonymity into the forwarding architecture, making it difficult for an attacker to target nodes along the path to a specific SOSprotected destination. Using simple analytical models, we evaluate the likelihood that an attacker can successfully launch a DoS attack against an SOS protected network. Our analysis demonstrates that such an architecture reduces the likelihood of a successful attack to minuscule levels.
An Iterative Detection and Removal Method for Detecting Spatial Clusters of Different Densities

A fundamental element of exploratory spatial data analysis is the discovery of clusters in a spatial point dataset. When clusters with distinctly different local densities exist, the determination of suitable density level is still an unsolved problem. On that account, an iterative detection and removal method is proposed in this study. In each step of the novel method, there are two stages. In the detection stage, density level is statistically modeled as a significance level controlled by the number and support domain of the points in the dataset, and then a hypothesis test is used to detect the high‐density points. In the removal stage, the Delaunay triangulation network is used to construct clusters and support domains for the identified high‐density points, and then the high‐density points and their support domains are removed from the dataset. The detection and removal operation are iteratively implemented until no high‐density points can be detected. Experiments and comparisons show that the proposed method, on the one hand, outperforms four state‐of‐the‐art methods for detecting clusters of complex shapes and diverse densities, and on the other hand, no user‐specified parameters are required. In addition, the support domains of clusters are very useful for spatial analysis.
Selectively Learning Clusters in Multi-EAC

The Multiple-Criteria Evidence Accumulation Clustering (Multi-EAC) method, is a clustering ensemble approach with an integrated cluster stability criterion used to selectively learn the similarity from a collection of different clustering algorithms. In this work we analyze the original Multi-EAC criterion in the context of the classical relative validation criteria, and propose alternative cluster validation indices for the selection of clusters based on pairwise similarities. Taking several clustering ensemble construction strategies as context, we compare the adequacy of each criterion and provide guidelines for its application. Experimental results on benchmark data sets show the proposed concepts.
A Layered Event-Triggered Consensus Scheme

This paper studies the dynamics of multiagent systems with a multilayer structure, proposing a novel layered event-triggered scheme (LETS) for consensus. This LETS emphasizes on synchronous information transmission in the same layer but asynchronous message update between different layers, which differs from the existing centralized or distributed event-triggered schemes. Moreover, under the LETS, agents in different layers achieve asymptotical consensus eventually and the Zeno behavior is successfully eliminated. Furthermore, an algorithm is provided to avoid continuous event detection, verified by a numerical example.
First imaging of corotating interaction regions using the STEREO spacecraft

Plasma parcels are observed propagating from the Sun out to the large coronal heights monitored by the Heliospheric Imagers (HI) instruments onboard the NASA STEREO spacecraft during September 2007. The source region of these out‐flowing parcels is found to corotate with the Sun and to be rooted near the western boundary of an equatorial coronal hole. These plasma enhancements evolve during their propagation through the HI cameras' fields of view and only becoming fully developed in the outer camera field of view. We provide evidence that HI is observing the formation of a Corotating Interaction Region (CIR) where fast solar wind from the equatorial coronal hole is interacting with the slow solar wind of the streamer belt located on the western edge of that coronal hole. A dense plasma parcel is also observed near the footpoint of the observed CIR at a distance less than 0.1AU from the Sun where fast wind would have not had time to catch up slow wind. We suggest that this low‐lying plasma enhancement is a plasma parcel which has been disconnected from a helmet streamer and subsequently becomes embedded inside the corotating interaction region.
Technology for NbN HEB based multipixel matrix of THz range

—The influence of homogeneity disorder degree of the thin superconducting NbN film across of Si wafer on characteristics of the Hot Electron Bolometers (HEB) has been investigated. Our experiments have been carried out near the superconducting transition and far below it. The high homogeneity disorder degree of the NbN film has been achieved by preparing the Si substrate surface. The fabricated HEBs all have almost identical R (T) characteristics with a dispersion of Tc and the normal resistance R300 of not more than 0.15K and 2 Ω, respectively. The quality of the devises allows us to demonstrate clearly the influence of non-equilibrium processes in the S’SS’ system on the device performance. Our fabrication technology also allows creating multiplex heterodyne and direct detector matrices based the HEB devices.
“The first five seconds”: Contingent stepwise entry into an interaction as a means to secure sustained engagement in HRI

If robot systems are being deployed in real world settings with untrained users who happen to accidentally pass by or could leave at any moment in time, then this places specific demands on the robot system: it needs to secure and maintain the user's engagement. In this, a common and critical problem consists of entering into a ‘focused encounter’. It requires each interactional partner to closely react upon the other's actions on a very fine-grained level engaging in a stepwise and dynamic process of mutual adjustments. We report initial findings from a study in which we have developed a preliminary, simple solution to this problem inspired by work from Conversation Analysis [7]. Using this as an instrument to explore the impact of a ‘contingent’ (CE) vs. ‘non-contingent entry’ (NCE), we find that users who enter into the interaction in a dynamic and contingent manner show a significantly different way of interacting with the robot than the NCE group.
Aptamer-based lateral flow assays

Lateral flow assays as point-of-care devices have attracted interest due to their advantages including low costs, easy operation by non-specialized users and low analyte volumes needed. These advantages make lateral flow assays to superior tools for the on-site detection of analytes with qualitative or semi-quantitative results within minutes. Aptamers are single-stranded nucleic acid oligomers with distinct conformational shapes that can bind their corresponding targets via molecular recognition. Due to their specific properties like an efficient chemical synthesis, a longer shelf life and easy introduction of modifications aptamers seem to be ideal biological recognition elements. Moreover, they enable the design of intelligent detection schemes not available with antibodies. This review focuses on lateral flow assays utilizing aptamers as an element for molecular recognition. In the first part of the review, a brief overview on lateral flow assays and aptamers, regarding their generation and properties, will be given. In the second part, a review of recently published literature on this topic will demonstrate the broad spectrum of possible applications and analytes, detectable with aptamer-based lateral flow assays.
Possible Role of Glia in Cognitive Impairment in Schizophrenia

Cognitive impairment is a core disorder of the schizophrenia syndrome. Based on glial‐neuronal interactions, a pathophysiological model is proposed that could be explanatory for cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. The model consists of three main hypotheses concerning the pathophysiology in tripartite synapses, oligodendrocyte‐axonic interactions, and in the glial networks (astrocytic syncytium). In tripartite synapses nonfunctional astrocytic receptors may cause an unconstrained synaptic information flux, since they cannot be occupied by neurotransmitters (NTs). Therefore, a generalization of information processing may occur in the brain causing hallucinations, delusions, and thought disorder. If the oligodendrocyte‐axonic system decomposes, the brain is unable to process information in qualitative domains or categories. This may lead to severe incoherence phenomena such as thought disorder. Supposing that in the astrocytic syncytium gap junctions (g.js) normally form plaques functioning as memory devices, loss of function of g.j. may also cause cognitive impairment, since the syncytium decomposes and g.j. plaques cannot be generated. These hypotheses are experimentally testable. Finally, the problem of treatment of patients with schizophrenia is discussed, in case the presented model of schizophrenia might be verified.
Efficacy, acceptability and safety of guided imagery/hypnosis in fibromyalgia – A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials

This systematic review aimed at evaluating the efficacy, acceptability and safety of guided imagery/hypnosis (GI/H) in fibromyalgia. Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and SCOPUS were screened through February 2016. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing GI/H with controls were analysed. Primary outcomes were ≥50% pain relief, ≥20% improvement of health‐related quality of life, psychological distress, disability, acceptability and safety at end of therapy and 3‐month follow‐up. Effects were summarized by a random effects model using risk differences (RD) or standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Seven RCTs with 387 subjects were included into a comparison of GI/H versus controls. There was a clinically relevant benefit of GI/H compared to controls on ≥50% pain relief [RD 0.18 (95% CI 0.02, 0.35)] and psychological distress [SMD −0.40 (95% CI −0.70, −0.11)] at the end of therapy. Acceptability at the end of treatment for GI/H was not significantly different to the control. Two RCTs with 95 subjects were included in the comparison of hypnosis combined with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) versus CBT alone. Combined therapy was superior to CBT alone in reducing psychological distress at the end of therapy [SMD −0.50 (95% CI −0.91, −0.09)]. There were no statistically significant differences between combined therapy and CBT alone in other primary outcomes at the end of treatment and follow‐up. No study reported on safety. GI/H hold promise in a multicomponent management of fibromyalgia.
AdaptCache: Adaptive Data Partitioning and Migration for Distributed Object Caches

Caching is an important aspect of today's web enterprise systems, enhancing performance and reducing access frequency to the backend storage server. However, when implemented as an independent component, such as when using Memcached, access to the remote cache can lead to considerable overhead and delay. Instead, in this paper we propose a cooperative and integrated cache framework where each application server has its own local cache but can also access the caches of other servers. Our solution dynamically distributes objects across caches and requests across servers such that the load is equally distributed across servers and servers find the objects they need for request execution in their local cache most of the time. The challenge is to handle the complex workloads of current e-commerce sites where requests can access more than one object and change the object set they access over time, and different request types access overlapping sets of objects. As such, we look at a whole range of distribution mechanisms and analyze their behavior in detail. We evaluated the various alternatives using the YCSB and RUBiS benchmarks, showing that our approach is applicable in different dynamic workload scenarios and is able to autonomously capture workload changes and adapt instantly.
THE μHAMMER: INVESTIGATING CELLULAR RESPONSE TO IMPACT WITH A HIGH THROUGHPUT MICROFLUIDIC MEMS DEVICE

We report the application of stress to biological cells at unprecedented strain (50%), strain rate (180,000 s), and throughput (1,800 cells/min) using a high-speed, high actuation force magnetically-driven MEMS chip. This device is uniquely suited to study the effects of impact on large populations of inherently heterogeneous cells, enabling statistical analysis that can elucidate the cell-level ramifications of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). To demonstrate the capabilities of the μHammer, we applied TBIrelevant strains and strain rates to human leukemic K562 cells then monitored their proliferation for 9 days. We observed significantly repressed proliferation of the hit cells compared to both the negative and sham controls, indicating success in applying sublethal cellular damage. INTRODUCTION According to the CDC, approximately 2 million Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) occur in the United States each year, resulting from either physical impacts such as those common in sports injuries or percussive waves such as those following explosive blasts [1]. The symptoms of these injuries can linger for years after the incident and have far-reaching medical, societal, and economic impact. Little is known about TBI’s mechanisms of injury and loss of function, however, especially on the cellular level. This is due in part to the lack of instruments to replicate TBI-relevant loading conditions on individual cells. While several device platforms capable of applying compressive forces to individual cells exist (e.g. AFM, microplates), each is limited to some combination of low force (sub-μN), strain (<10%), and strain rate (<10 s) [2-4]. Even more limiting is the low throughput of these devices (tens of cells per experiment), which makes gathering sufficient data for sensitive biological analysis of inherently heterogeneous cell populations difficult if not impossible [5]. These deficiencies have particularly hindered investigations of TBI, which typically involve peak tissuelevel strains of 10-50% and strain rates of 10-1000 s, parameters that may be even higher on the cellular level due to localized heterogeneities [6, 7]. To address these critical needs, we have developed a microfluidic MEMS device, the “μHammer,” to subject individual cells to impact with an unprecedented combination of strain (1075%), strain rate (10,000+ s), and throughput (up to 3,000 cells/min). Cells are processed under sterile conditions and can be removed after the loading event for immediate analysis or cultured in vitro for long term tracking. Here, we demonstrate the capabilities of the μHammer by applying TBI-relevant strains and strain rates to a prototypical cell line, human leukemic K562 cells, and then monitoring their proliferation for 9 days. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Deletion of Braun Lipoprotein and Plasminogen-Activating Protease-Encoding Genes Attenuates Yersinia pestis in Mouse Models of Bubonic and Pneumonic Plague

ABSTRACT Currently, there is no FDA-approved vaccine against Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of bubonic and pneumonic plague. Since both humoral immunity and cell-mediated immunity are essential in providing the host with protection against plague, we developed a live-attenuated vaccine strain by deleting the Braun lipoprotein (lpp) and plasminogen-activating protease (pla) genes from Y. pestis CO92. The Δlpp Δpla double isogenic mutant was highly attenuated in evoking both bubonic and pneumonic plague in a mouse model. Further, animals immunized with the mutant by either the intranasal or the subcutaneous route were significantly protected from developing subsequent pneumonic plague. In mice, the mutant poorly disseminated to peripheral organs and the production of proinflammatory cytokines concurrently decreased. Histopathologically, reduced damage to the lungs and livers of mice infected with the Δlpp Δpla double mutant compared to the level of damage in wild-type (WT) CO92-challenged animals was observed. The Δlpp Δpla mutant-immunized mice elicited a humoral immune response to the WT bacterium, as well as to CO92-specific antigens. Moreover, T cells from mutant-immunized animals exhibited significantly higher proliferative responses, when stimulated ex vivo with heat-killed WT CO92 antigens, than mice immunized with the same sublethal dose of WT CO92. Likewise, T cells from the mutant-immunized mice produced more gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4. These animals had an increasing number of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells than WT CO92-infected mice. These data emphasize the role of TNF-α and IFN-γ in protecting mice against pneumonic plague. Overall, our studies provide evidence that deletion of the lpp and pla genes acts synergistically in protecting animals against pneumonic plague, and we have demonstrated an immunological basis for this protection.
Local Knowledge Assertions in a Changing World

When the state of the world changes due to an action performed by an agent in a multi-agent system, the views of other agents, and hence their knowledge, remain unaaected. We describe such situations using a simple modal logic. Traditionally, modal logics of knowledge are interpreted over global states of the multi-agent system. When actions are incorporated into such logics, it leads to high undecidability, whereas, if we see the assertions as made by the agents in the system at their local states, we get a decidable logic, for which we also provide a complete axiomatization. Interestingly, when we consider a corresponding local temporal logic of knowledge and (linear) time, the knowledge modality represents a `necessarily now' modality of present tense.
Patient-centred hand hygiene information in orthopaedics units: an evidence-based implementation project

Aim: This project aimed to improve patients’ knowledge on the importance of hand hygiene. It involved providing patients with a patient and family education on the importance of hand hygiene using a patient information leaflet that introduces the rationale of hand hygiene, possible consequences of poor hand hygiene, and the seven steps of hand hygiene. Methods: This projected used a preimplementation and postimplementation audit strategy using the Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research Into Practice programs. The implementation occurred in three phases over a period of 6 months from January 2014 to June 2014. The audits took place in two orthopaedic wards in a large acute care setting tertiary hospital in Singapore and involved a sample size of 54 patients. It involved going through the medical records of the cases, assessment of patient knowledge based on the audit criteria, and checking if the patients received the patient information leaflet on hand hygiene. Results: The postimplementation audit found significant improvements in all three audit criteria. The percentage of patients who demonstrated knowledge in the importance of hand hygiene saw an improvement of 48.1%. There was an improvement of 44.5% in nurses’ compliance to the documentation of patient education being carried out. The percentage of patients who received a patient information leaflet on hand hygiene saw an increase of 36.1%. Conclusion: This project demonstrated that a preimplementation and postimplementation audit is a viable method to implement change and translate evidence into practice. Through this project, patients gained an understanding on the importance of hand hygiene and could take better ownership of their well being. This may potentially improve hospitalization experience and benefit health outcomes. The positive results of this project are contributed by the enthusiastic involvement of all the stakeholders, from patients and their caregivers to the bedside nurses and nursing leaders. The sustenance will be an ongoing challenge to the project.
How Similar Are Similarity Searching Methods? A Principal Component Analysis of Molecular Descriptor Space

Different molecular descriptors capture different aspects of molecular structures, but this effect has not yet been quantified systematically on a large scale. In this work, we calculate the similarity of 37 descriptors by repeatedly selecting query compounds and ranking the rest of the database. Euclidean distances between the rank-ordering of different descriptors are calculated to determine descriptor (as opposed to compound) similarity, followed by PCA for visualization. Four broad descriptor classes are identified, which are circular fingerprints; circular fingerprints considering counts; path-based and keyed fingerprints; and pharmacophoric descriptors. Descriptor behavior is much more defined by those four classes than the particular parametrization. Using counts instead of the presence/absence of fingerprints significantly changes descriptor behavior, which is crucial for performance of topological autocorrelation vectors, but not circular fingerprints. Four-point pharmacophores (piDAPH4) surprisingly lead to much higher retrieval rates than three-point pharmacophores (28.21% vs 19.15%) but still similar rank-ordering of compounds (retrieval of similar actives). Looking into individual rankings, circular fingerprints seem more appropriate than path-based fingerprints if complex ring systems or branching patterns are present; count-based fingerprints could be more suitable in databases with a large number of repeated subunits (amide bonds, sugar rings, terpenes). Information-based selection of diverse fingerprints for consensus scoring (ECFP4/TGD fingerprints) led only to marginal improvement over single fingerprint results. While it seems to be nontrivial to exploit orthogonal descriptor behavior to improve retrieval rates in consensus virtual screening, those descriptors still each retrieve different actives which corroborates the strategy of employing diverse descriptors individually in prospective virtual screening settings.
A Low-Cost VLC Implementation for MPEG-4

In this brief, a low-cost technique to implement variable-length coding (VLC) is presented. Instead of using a large codeword table as with most traditional methods, we employ two smaller tables, symbol-address table and section-based table, to encode input symbols. Compared with previous methods, our VLC implementation can reduce about 17% to 38% of memory space for storing larger VLC tables in MPEG-4 application. Synthesis results show that the proposed VLC encoder and decoder occupy 19761 and 20187 gate counts, respectively.