Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does Red Noise Increase or Decrease Extinction Risk? Single Extreme Events versus Series of Unfavorable Conditions

Recent theoretical studies have shown contrasting effects of temporal correlation of environmental fluctuations (red noise) on the risk of population extinction. It is still debated whether and under which conditions red noise increases or decreases extinction risk compared with uncorrelated (white) noise. Here, we explain the opposing effects by introducing two features of red noise time series. On the one hand, positive autocorrelation increases the probability of series of poor environmental conditions, implying increasing extinction risk. On the other hand, for a given time period, the probability of at least one extremely bad year (“catastrophe”) is reduced compared with white noise, implying decreasing extinction risk. Which of these two features determines extinction risk depends on the strength of environmental fluctuations and the sensitivity of population dynamics to these fluctuations. If extreme (catastrophic) events can occur (strong noise) or sensitivity is high (overcompensatory density dependence), then temporal correlation decreases extinction risk; otherwise, it increases it. Thus, our results provide a simple explanation for the contrasting previous findings and are a crucial step toward a general understanding of the effect of noise color on extinction risk.
Development of a Rumor and Spam Reporting and Removal Tool for Social Media

Spamming persists as a problem in Social Networking Sites (SNS). About 8.7% of the total accounts of Facebook are fake or duplicate. These fake accounts are spreading rumors. Facebook believes 14.3 million of these accounts were created for spamming. Sometimes these accounts are being used to fulfil personal vendetta. Using spam filters seems to be insufficient as Facebook is struggling to clean up the spam while users are falling in traps like clickbait. On the other hand rumors in SNS causing severe trouble on a large scale. In recent time a violent incident took place in Ramu, Bangladesh on the basis of a rumor spread through Facebook. Rumors like this affecting us as individuals, our society. The main challenge of a rumor detection tool is the accuracy of the system and the time it takes to give the results. An accuracy having 90% accuracy may not be enough in the time of natural disasters or war as remaining 10% can cause havoc. Again if the system takes too much time no matter what the result is, it may be too late. We designed a tool which can quickly detect if a post is a spam or rumor. This tool responds to a user query for a post and try to verify the authenticity of a post with the help of Facebook community. This tool is designed to give a quick verdict so that it can be useful to prevent a viral malcontent in Social Networking sites. We implemented this tool on Facebook. We used Facebook Graph API to select groups of users with relevant knowledge about the topic who can contribute to determine the authenticity of the post.
Diffusion on a Sphere with Localized Traps: Mean First Passage Time, Eigenvalue Asymptotics, and Fekete Points

A common scenario in cellular signal transduction is that a diffusing surface-bound molecule must arrive at a localized signaling region on the cell membrane before the signaling cascade can be completed. The question then arises of how quickly such signaling molecules can arrive at newly formed signaling regions. Here, we attack this problem by calculating asymptotic results for the mean first passage time for a diffusing particle confined to the surface of a sphere, in the presence of N partially absorbing traps of small radii. The rate at which the small diffusing molecule becomes captured by one of the traps is determined by asymptotically calculating the principal eigenvalue for the Laplace operator on the sphere with small localized traps. The asymptotic analysis relies on the method of matched asymptotic expansions, together with detailed properties of the Green's function for the Laplacian and the Helmholtz operators on the surface of the unit sphere. The asymptotic results compare favorably with .
A Parallel Algorithm for Enumerating Joint Weight of a Binary Linear Code in Network Coding

In this paper, we present a parallel algorithm for enumerating joint weight of a binary linear (n, k) code, aiming at accelerating assessment of its decoding error probability for network coding. To reduce the number of pairs of code words to be investigated, our parallel algorithm reduces dimension k by focusing on the all-one vector included in many practical codes. We also employ a population count instruction to compute joint weight of code words with a less number of instructions. Our algorithm is implemented on a multi-core CPU system and an NVIDIA GPU system using Open MP and compute unified device architecture (CUDA), respectively. We apply our implementation to a sub code of a (127,22) BCH code to evaluate the impact of acceleration.
CyclicMAC: A Cyclic MAC Scheduling Scheme for Gathering Data from Heterogeneous Sensors

Many data gathering systems require the deployment of heterogeneous sensors to detect various aspects of the target and the use of wireless networks to transmit sensed data to the control center. The data rates of the heterogeneous sensors may range from a few bytes per minute to megabytes per second. To support the transmissions of such diverse rates of data through the wireless network, we propose a novel MAC scheduling scheme, CyclicMAC. CyclicMAC assigns each sensor a cyclic MAC schedule according to the data rates of its sensed as well as relaying data, without causing any channel contention. As far as we know, CyclicMAC is the first to address at the same time all three design issues in MAC scheduling: heterogeneous data rate, end-to-end latency, and storage for scheduling table, for multihop wireless sensor networks.
Validation vector grade (VVG): a new coverage metric for validation and test

Current code coverage metrics used in high level VLSI design methodology are based on statement, branch, toggle and condition coverages of the HDL code obtained by simulating validation vectors. These measures allow the designer to find sections of the HDL code not executed during validation. Feedback from the code coverage analysis helps generate additional vectors to exercise previously unexercised functionality. In this paper, we explore the relationship between results of RTL code coverage and the gate level fault coverage. Based on the observations of this empirical study we propose a new and improved code coverage metric "Validation Vector Grade (VVG)". The VVG-approach modifies code coverage metrics by adding the concepts of observability and arithmetic fault library. VVG is an improved validation metric, which can also be used for early testability analysis at the RT level. Results of the VVG-approach at RT level are shown to be good indicators of the structural fault coverage. Experiments on actual telecommunication VLSI chip designs show that the VVG reported at the RT level can predict the post-synthesis gate level fault coverage with an error margin less than 4%. Also, the improvements in VVG at the RT level due to high-level design changes or added vectors track improvements in gate level fault coverage.
Interventions for replacing missing teeth: different types of dental implants.

BACKGROUND Dental implants are available in different materials, shapes and with different surface characteristics. In particular, numerous implant surface modifications have been developed for enhancing clinical performances. OBJECTIVES To test the null hypothesis of no difference in clinical performance between various root-formed osseointegrated dental implant types. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE and EMBASE. Handsearching included several dental journals. We checked the bibliographies of relevant clinical trials and review articles for studies outside the handsearched journals. Two extensive personal libraries were consulted. We wrote to authors of the identified randomised controlled trials (RCTs), to more than 55 oral implant manufacturers; we used personal contacts and we asked on an internet discussion group in an attempt to identify unpublished or ongoing RCTs. No language restriction was applied. The last electronic search was conducted 21st March 2003. SELECTION CRITERIA All RCTs of oral implants comparing osseintegrated implants with different materials, shapes and surface properties having a follow up of at least 1 year. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We carried out a quality assessment of the included RCTs and contacted the authors for missing information. We independently extracted the data in duplicate. We followed the Cochrane Oral Health Group's statistical guidelines. MAIN RESULTS Twenty-five different RCTs were identified. Ten of these RCTs, reporting results from a total of 428 patients, were suitable for inclusion in the review. Nine different implant types were compared with a follow up ranging from 1 to 3 years. All implants were made in commercially pure titanium and had different shapes and surface preparations. On a patient rather than per implant basis there were no statistically significant differences for failures, marginal bone level changes on intraoral radiographs and peri-implantitis between various implant systems. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS There was no evidence that any of the implant systems evaluated was superior to the other. However, these findings are based on a few RCTs all having short follow-up periods and few participants. More RCTs should be conducted, with follow up of at least 5 years and including a sufficient number of patients to detect a true difference if any exists. Such trials should be reported according to the CONSORT guidelines (http://www.consort-statement.org/).
Controlling the localization and migration of optical excitation

In the nanoscale structure of a wide variety of material systems, a close juxtaposition of optically responsive components can lead to the absorption of light by one species producing fluorescence that is clearly attributable to another. The effect is generally evident in systems comprising two or more light-absorbing components (molecules, chromophores or quantum dots) with well-characterised fluorescence bands at similar, differentiable wavelengths. This enables the fluorescence associated with transferred energy to be discriminated against fluorescence from an initially excited component. The fundamental mechanism at the heart of the phenomenon, molecular (resonance) energy transfer, also operates in systems where the product of optical absorption is optical frequency up-conversion. In contrast to random media, structurally organised materials offer the possibility of pre-configured control over the delocalization of energy, through molecular energy transfer following optical excitation. The Förster mechanism that conveys energy between molecular-scale components is strongly sensitive to specific forms of correlation between the involved components, in terms of position, spectroscopic character, and orientation; one key factor is a spectroscopic gradient. Suitably designed materials offer a broad scope for the widespread exploitation of such features, in applications ranging from chemical and biological sensing to the detection of nanoscale motion or molecular conformations. Recently, attention has turned to the prospect of actively controlling the process of energy migration, for example by changing the relative efficiencies of fluorescence and molecular energy transfer. On application of static electric fields or off-resonant laser light – just two of the possibilities – each represents a means for achieving active control with ultrafast response, in suitably configured systems. As the principles are established and the theory is developed, a range of new possibilities for technical application is emerging. For example, applications can be envisaged for new forms of all-optical switching and transistor action. There is also interest in engaging with the interplay of optical excitation and local nanoscale force, exploiting local responses to changes in dispersion forces, accompanying molecular energy transfer.
Parser Evaluation Across Frameworks without Format Conversion

In the area of parser evaluation, formats like GR and SD which are based on dependencies, the simplest representation of syntactic information, are proposed as framework-independent metrics for parser evaluation. The assumption behind these proposals is that the simplicity of dependencies would make conversion from syntactic structures and semantic representations used in other formalisms to GR/SD a easy job. But (Miyao et al., 2007) reports that even conversion between these two formats is not easy at all. Not to mention that the 80% success rate of conversion is not meaningful for parsers that boast 90% accuracy. In this paper, we make an attempt at evaluation across frameworks without format conversion. This is achieved by generating a list of names of phenomena with each parse. These names of phenomena are matched against the phenomena given in the gold standard. The number of matches found is used for evaluating the parser that produces the parses. The evaluation method is more effective than evaluation methods which involve format conversion because the generation of names of phenomena from the output of a parser loaded is done by a recognizer that has a 100% success rate of recognizing a phenomenon illustrated by a sentence. The success rate is made possible by the reuse of native codes: codes used for writing the parser and rules of the grammar loaded into the parser.
The use of smartphones on General Internal Medicine wards

Summary Objective: To describe the uses of institutional and personal smartphones on General Internal Medicine wards and highlight potential consequences from their use. Methods: A mixed methods study consisting of both quantitative and qualitative research methods was conducted in General Internal Medicine wards across four academic teaching hospitals in Toronto, Ontario. Participants included medical students, residents, attending physicians and allied health professionals. Data collection consisted of work shadowing observations, semi-structured interviews and surveys. Results: Personal smartphones were used for both clinical communication and non-work-related activities. Clinicians used their personal devices to communicate with their medical teams and with other medical specialties and healthcare professionals. Participants understood the risks associated with communicating confidential health information via their personal smartphones, but appear to favor efficiency over privacy issues. From survey responses, 9 of 23 residents (39%) reported using their personal cell phones to email or text patient information that may have contained patient identifiers. Although some residents were observed using their personal smartphones for non-work-related activities, personal use was infrequent and most residents did not engage in this activity. Conclusion: Clinicians are using personal smartphones for work-related purposes on the wards. With the increasing popularity of smartphone devices, it is anticipated that an increasing number of clinicians will use their personal smartphones for clinical work. This trend poses risks to the secure transfer of confidential personal health information and may lead to increased distractions for clinicians. Citation: Tran K, Morra D, Lo V, Quan S, Wu R. The use of smartphones on General Internal Medicine wards: A mixed methods study. Appl Clin Inf 2014; 5: 814–823 http://dx.doi. org/10.4338/ACI-2014-02-RA-0011
Sampled-Data Synchronization of Markovian Coupled Neural Networks With Mode Delays Based on Mode-Dependent LKF

This paper investigates sampled-data synchronization problem of Markovian coupled neural networks with mode-dependent interval time-varying delays and aperiodic sampling intervals based on an enhanced input delay approach. A mode-dependent augmented Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional (LKF) is utilized, which makes the LKF matrices mode-dependent as much as possible. By applying an extended Jensen’s integral inequality and Wirtinger’s inequality, new delay-dependent synchronization criteria are obtained, which fully utilizes the upper bound on variable sampling interval and the sawtooth structure information of varying input delay. In addition, the desired stochastic sampled-data controllers can be obtained by solving a set of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, two examples are provided to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method.
Tiny jump-oriented programming attack (A class of code reuse attacks)

Code reuse attacks such as return oriented programming and jump oriented programming become the most popular exploitation methods among attackers. A large number of practical and non-practical defenses have been proposed that differ in their overhead, the source code requirement, detection rate and implementation dependencies. However, a usual aspect among them is to consider the common behavior of code reuse attacks, which is the construction of a gadget chain. Therefore, the implication of a gadget and the minimum size of an attack chain are a matter of controversy. Conservative or relaxed thresholds may cause false positive and false negative alarms respectively. The main contribution of this paper is to provide a tricky aspect of code reuse techniques, called Tiny Jump-oriented Programming (Tiny-JOP) that demonstrates the ineffectiveness of the threshold based detection methods. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach by implementing a sample proof of concept shell-code and exploiting a real-world buffer overflow vulnerability in HT Editor 2.0. 20.
The IL-27 p28 Subunit Binds Cytokine-Like Factor 1 to Form a Cytokine Regulating NK and T Cell Activities Requiring IL-6R for Signaling1

IL-27 is formed by the association of a cytokine subunit, p28, with the soluble cytokine receptor EBV-induced gene 3 (EBI3). The IL-27R comprises gp130 and WSX-1. The marked difference between EBI3−/− and WSX-1−/− mice suggests that p28 has functions independent of EBI3. We have identified an alternative secreted complex formed by p28 and the soluble cytokine receptor cytokine-like factor 1 (CLF). Like IL-27, p28/CLF is produced by dendritic cells and is biologically active on human NK cells, increasing IL-12- and IL-2-induced IFN-γ production and activation marker expression. Experiments with Ba/F3 transfectants indicate that p28/CLF activates cells expressing IL-6Rα in addition to the IL-27R subunits. When tested on CD4 and CD8 T cells, p28/CLF induces IL-6Rα-dependent STAT1 and STAT3 phosphorylation. Furthermore, p28/CLF inhibits CD4 T cell proliferation and induces IL-17 and IL-10 secretion. These results indicate that p28/CLF may participate in the regulation of NK and T cell functions by dendritic cells. The p28/CLF complex engages IL-6R and may therefore be useful for therapeutic applications targeting cells expressing this receptor. Blocking IL-6R using humanized mAbs such as tocilizumab has been shown to be beneficial in pathologies like rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. The identification of a new IL-6R ligand is therefore important for a complete understanding of the mechanism of action of this emerging class of immunosuppressors.
The effect of temperature on spontaneous action potential discharge of the isolated sinus venosus from winter and summer plaice (Pleuronectes platessa)

The spontaneous cardiac pacemaker activity and conformation were recorded in vitro, using intracellular recording methods, from heart tissue of summer- and winter-caught plaice. The effects of changing temperature on the pacemaker rate, duration of action potential and diastolic depolarization were investigated by altering the temperature of the superfusing medium. The resting intrinsic rate of discharge was significantly greater in pacemaker cells from winter plaice (P=0.05), but there was no significant difference between winter and summer fish in the apparent Arrhenius activation energies for this process. However, there was a significant difference in the estimated intercept, indicating a thermal shift in the processes underlying the spontaneous pacemaker rhythm. There was no significant difference in the diastolic depolarization duration recorded from winter and summer fish over the temperature range 4­22 °C. The major effect of previous environmental temperature was on the duration of the action potential (P<0.02), indicating that the observed changes in pacemaker discharge rate were not influenced by the processes that determine the duration of the pacemaker diastolic depolarisation but were modulated by the channel events that give rise to the action potential.
Characterization of a composite injury model of severe lower limb bone and nerve trauma

Severe extremity trauma often results in large zones of injury comprising multiple types of tissue and presents many clinical challenges for reconstruction. Considerable investigation is ongoing in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine therapeutics to improve reconstruction outcomes; however, the vast majority of musculoskeletal trauma models employed for testing the therapeutics consist of single‐tissue defects, offering limited utility for investigating strategies for multi‐tissue repair. Here we present the first model of composite lower limb bone and nerve injury, characterized by comparison to well‐established, single‐tissue injury models, using biomaterials‐based technologies previously demonstrated to show promise in those models. Quantitative functional outcome measures were incorporated to facilitate assessment of new technologies to promote structural and functional limb salvage following severe extremity trauma. Nerve injury induced significant changes in the morphology and mechanical properties of intact bones. However, BMP‐mediated segmental bone regeneration was not significantly impaired by concomitant nerve injury, as evaluated via radiographs, microcomputed tomography (μCT) and biomechanical testing. Neither was nerve regeneration significantly impaired by bone injury when evaluated via histology and electrophysiology. Despite the similar tissue regeneration observed, the composite injury group experienced a marked functional deficit in the operated limb compared to either of the single‐tissue injury groups, as determined by quantitative, automated CatWalk gait analysis. As a whole, this study presents a challenging, clinically relevant model of severe extremity trauma to bone and nerve tissue, and emphasizes the need to incorporate quantitative functional outcome measures to benchmark tissue engineering therapies. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.