Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Linear and nonlinear optical susceptibilities of Maxwell Garnett composites: Dipolar spectral theory

A theory of linear and nonlinear optical susceptibilites of disordered composites consisting of nanospheres in a dielectric host ~Maxwell Garnett composites! is developed. The theory is based on a spectral representation in the dipole approximation. Numerical computations are performed in the framework of the dipolar spectral theory to obtain the linear dielectric function and third-order hypersusceptibility. For the fill factors f ~from 0.001 to 0.12! considered, our spectral function agrees within the expected 10% error with the previously published function. We have introduced a material independent spectral representation for hypersusceptibilities. The third-order hypersusceptibility x c shows regions of strong enhancement ~by up to four orders of magnitude for a silver composite! The mean-field theory provides a reasonable approximation only at very low fill factors (f &10 23 ). For f *0.04, the mean-field theory fails dramatically almost everywhere, except for distant wings of the spectral contour ~very far from optical resonances! A physical effect responsible for the failure of the mean-field theories and contributing to the resonant enhancement of nonlinear susceptibilities is large fluctuations of local fields in the resonant region. @S0163-1829~99! 01748-8#
Requirements for an IaaS deployment language in federated Clouds

The advent of advanced virtualized IT infrastructures that can be provisioned as on-demand services, known as Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) Cloud Computing, has created new research challenges and opportunities. The capability to rapidly allocate and deallocate seemingly infinite amounts of system resources is a defining characteristic of this technological trend. Operating multi-tier applications on a continuously changing environment is one of the big challenges in IaaS Cloud Computing. This challenge is even more daring, if applications are not running at one specific Cloud site but on multiple different sites of various providers. This work is motivated by the need for new deployment description approaches that target application run-time aspects in federated Clouds. We propose six key requirements for IaaS deployment description languages that facilitates continuous application deployment on a permanently changing infrastructure across multiple Cloud sites: software deployment on dynamic virtual machine resource pools, continuous system supervision and change management, a generic model for federated Clouds, automated software configuration management, multi-tier dependency management, and use of a machine-readable language.
Comparative study of PSS and FACTS-POD for power system performance enhancement

In this paper a comparative performance of different FACTS-POD devices such as Static Var Compensator (SVC), Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM), Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitor (TCSC) and Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC) with Power Oscillation Damper (POD) as supplementary controller is analyzed with respect to power oscillation damping capability, system loss reduction and transient stability. For performance analysis the eigenvalue analysis and Time domain simulation results are compared for results validation. The controllers such as power oscillation damper and power system stabilizer (PSS) are tuned according to eigenvalue analysis by considering system stability. The main objective is to reduce the peak overshoot and settling time of inter area oscillations thereby improving power system stability. Here IEEE-14 bus is used as the test system and the simulation platform used is MATLAB/PSAT toolbox. Results shows that by proper tuning of POD with FACTS controllers the power oscillations are damped faster than conventionally used PSS.
Fujisaki-Okamoto IND-CCA hybrid encryption revisited

At Crypto’99, Fujisaki and Okamoto [10] presented a nice generic transformation from weak asymmetric and symmetric schemes into an IND-CCA hybrid encryption scheme in the Random Oracle Model. From this transformation, two specific candidates to standardization were designed: EPOC-2 [9] and PSEC2 [16], based on Okamoto-Uchiyama and El Gamal primitives, respectively. Since then, several cryptanalysis of EPOC have been published, one in the Chosen Ciphertext Attack game and others making use of a poor implementation that is vulnerable to reject timing attacks. The aim of this work is to avoid these attacks from the generic transformation, identifying the properties that an asymmetric scheme must hold to obtain a secure hybrid scheme. To achieve this, some ambiguities in the proof of the generic transformation [10] are described, which can lead to false claims. As a result the original conversion is modified and the range of asymmetric primitives that can be used is shortened. In second place, the concept of Easy Verifiable Primitive is formalized, showing its connection with the Gap problems. Making use of these ideas, a new security proof for the modified transformation is given. The good news is that the reduction is tight, improving the concrete security claimed in the original work for the Easy Verifiable Primitives. For the rest of primitives the concrete security is improved at the cost of stronger assumptions. Finally, the resistance of the new conversion against reject timing attacks is addressed.
Changes in Inner and Outer Retinal Layer Thicknesses after Vitrectomy for Idiopathic Macular Hole: Implications for Visual Prognosis

Purpose To investigate sequential post-operative thickness changes in inner and outer retinal layers in eyes with an idiopathic macular hole (MH). Methods Retrospective case series. Twenty-four eyes of 23 patients who had received pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for the closure of MH were included in the study. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography C-scan was used to automatically measure the mean thickness of the inner and outer retinal layers pre-operatively and up to 6 months following surgery. The photoreceptor outer segment (PROS) length was measured manually and was used to assess its relationship with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Results Compared with the pre-operative thickness, the inner layers significantly thinned during follow-up (P = 0.02), particularly in the parafoveal (P = 0.01), but not perifoveal, area. The post-operative inner layer thinning ranged from the ganglion cell layer to the inner plexiform layer (P = 0.002), whereas the nerve fiber layer was unaltered. Outer layer thickness was significantly greater post-operatively (P = 0.002), and especially the PROS lengthened not only in the fovea but also in the parafovea (P < 0.001). Six months after surgery, BCVA was significantly correlated exclusively with the elongated foveal PROS (R = 0.42, P = 0.03), but not with any of the other thickness parameters examined. Conclusions Following PPV for MH, retinal inner layers other than the nerve fiber layer thinned, suggestive of subclinical thickening in the inner layers where no cyst was evident pre-operatively. In contrast, retinal outer layer thickness significantly increased, potentially as a result of PROS elongation linking tightly with favorable visual prognosis in MH eyes.
Neutrophil antimicrobial proteins enhance Shigella flexneri adhesion and invasion

Shigella flexneri is an enteric pathogen that causes massive inflammation and destruction of the human intestinal epithelium. Neutrophils are the first cells of the innate immune system recruited to the site of infection. These cells can attack microbes by phagocytosis, Neutrophil Extracellular Trap (NET) formation and degranulation. Here, we investigated how neutrophil degranulation affects virulence and show that exposure of Shigella to granular proteins enhances infection of epithelial cells. During this process, cationic granular proteins bind to the Shigella surface causing increased adhesion which ultimately leads to hyperinvasion. This effect is mediated by changes in the surface charge, since a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mutant with a negative surface shows enhanced hyperinvasion compared with wild‐type Shigella. We propose that Shigella evolved to use host defence molecules to enhance its virulence and subvert the innate immune system.
Side-Channel Protections for Cryptographic Instruction Set Extensions

Over the past few years, the microprocessor industry has introduced accelerated cryptographic capabilities through instruction set extensions. Although powerful and resistant to side-channel analysis such as cache and timing attacks, these instructions do not implicitly protect against power-based side-channel attacks, such as DPA. This paper provides a specific example with Intel’s AES-NI cryptographic instruction set extensions, detailing a DPA, along with results, showing two ways to extract AES keys by simply placing a magnetic field probe beside two capacitors on a motherboard hosting an Intel Core i7 Ivy Bridge microprocessor. Based on the insights of the DPA, methods are then presented on how to mitigate the leaks, in software, providing a dial for diverting the optimal amount of resources required for a prescribed security requirement.
Teacher leaders’ work with peers in a Quasi-formal teacher leadership model

ABSTRACT Building on evolving conceptions of teacher leadership in the literature, this article argues that an integration of both positional and empowering elements of teacher leadership are the seeds of an evolved approach to teacher leadership for instructional improvement. Using data from a study of quasi-formal teacher leadership, the research examines how teacher leaders play a positive role in schools and fulfil a series of needs of teachers. However, the constraints of teacher leaders’ instructional authority limits their ability to influence the instructional practices of their peers. The findings clarify the distinction between school-level and individual-level teacher leadership.
A "Small World" Approach to Heterogeneous Networks

We consider a heterogeneous (also called "hybrid") ad-hoc network with wired and wireless links. This type of network was previously considered by Kulkarni and Viswanath in (9) where achievable transport capacity growth rates were demonstrated for a structured wired infrastructure. The present paper improves on this work by demonstrating that efficiency can be increased significantly if the wired links are introduced at random. 1. Introduction. In this paper we consider the effect of adding a wired in- frastructure to an unstructured (ad-hoc) wireless network. The impact of such a modification on the original wireless network can be tremendous. Unlike the wireless channel, which suffers both from interference issues as well as from path loss over large distances, the wired infrastructure can provide low-cost transport of a signifi- cant amount of data over large distances without interference with other simultaneous communications. However, the existence of such an infrastructure often carries a sig- nificant cost in and of itself. Thus, in particular, one would like to use as little wired infrastructure as necessary. A systematic study of scaling laws in ad-hoc wireless networks has been initiated in the work of Gupta, Kumar and Xie (6),(21) and (5). In particular, Xie and Kumar showed that for a large range of path loss models the transport capacity (the distance - bandwidth product) of a purely wireless network scales no better than Θ( √ n )w hen the network size is fixed. Furthermore, Gupta and Kumar demonstrated how such scaling laws are achievable for all path loss models using an interference-avoiding communication sp rotocol. The recent work by Kulkarni and Viswanath (10) gives a simple deterministic protocol that achieves the scaling laws of Gupta and Kumar (6) eliminating much of the complexity of the original routing protocol. The protocol in (10) is based on the related problem of packet routing on a square grid of parallel processors (7),(11). The protocol is straightforward and deterministic and thus provides a natural starting point to include a wired infrastructure into the ad-hoc wireless network. The reference
A Framework for the Implementation of Eco-Efficient Business Systems

Environmental sustainability is an important issue for many individuals, businesses, and governments nowadays. One of the road blocks to sustainable practice is cost, which is an important consideration, particularly for business. The eco-efficiency movement was initiated to address this concern. This chapter reviews the eco-efficiency concept and explains why it is becoming a current issue for many organizations today. The chapter further aims to understand eco-efficient implementation strategies and methods, and the important role that information systems play in creating the required organizational capabilities for these implementations. A framework of eco-efficiency implementation is developed through mapping eco-efficiency strategies to different implementation methods. The framework illustrates how each method is suitable for a particular eco-efficiency strategy. With the understanding that information systems form an integral part of most eco-efficiency implementations, the role of information systems in creating eco-efficiency capabilities is highlighted to enrich the framework.
Heterokont Predator Develorapax marinus gen. et sp. nov. – A Model of the Ochrophyte Ancestor

Heterotrophic lineages of Heterokonta (or stramenopiles), in contrast to a single monophyletic group of autotrophs, Ochrophyta, form several clades that independently branch off the heterokont stem lineage. The nearest neighbors of Ochrophyta in the phylogenetic tree appear to be almost exclusively bacterivorous, whereas the hypothesis of plastid acquisition by the ancestors of the ochrophyte lineage suggests an ability to engulf eukaryotic alga. In line with this hypothesis, the heterotrophic predator at the base of the ochrophyte lineage may be regarded as a model for the ochrophyte ancestor. Here, we present a new genus and species of marine free-living heterotrophic heterokont Develorapax marinus, which falls into an isolated heterokont cluster, along with the marine flagellate Developayella elegans, and is able to engulf eukaryotic cells. Together with environmental sequences D. marinus and D. elegans form a class-level clade Developea nom. nov. represented by species adapted to different environmental conditions and with a wide geographical distribution. The position of Developea among Heterokonta in large-scale phylogenetic tree is discussed. We propose that members of the Developea clade represent a model for transition from bacterivory to a predatory feeding mode by selection for larger prey. Presumably, such transition in the grazing strategy is possible in the presence of bacterial biofilms or aggregates expected in eutrophic environment, and has likely occurred in the ochrophyte ancestor.
Polymorphisms in MYH9 are associated with diabetic nephropathy in European Americans.

BACKGROUND Polymorphisms in the non-muscle myosin IIA gene (MYH9) are associated with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and non-diabetic end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in African Americans and FSGS in European Americans. We tested for association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MYH9 with T2DM-ESRD in European Americans; additionally, three APOL1 gene variants were evaluated. METHODS Fifteen MYH9 SNPs and two APOL1 SNPs plus a 6-bp deletion were genotyped in 1963 European Americans, 536 cases with T2DM-ESRD and 1427 non-nephropathy controls (467 with T2DM and 960 without diabetes). RESULTS Comparing T2DM-ESRD cases with the 467 T2DM non-nephropathy controls, single variant associations trending toward significance were detected with SNPs rs4821480, rs2032487 and rs4281481 comprising part of the major MYH9 E1 risk haplotype [P-values 0.053-0.055 recessive, odds ratio (OR) 6.08-6.14]. Comparing T2DM-ESRD cases to all 1427 non-nephropathy controls, we confirmed evidence of association in these three SNPs as well as in the fourth E1 SNP (rs3752462) (P-values 0.017-0.035, OR 1.41-3.72). APOL1 G1/G2 nephropathy risk variants were rare in individuals of European American heritage, present in 0.28% of chromosomes in T2DM-ESRD cases and 0.32% of controls. CONCLUSIONS MYH9 SNPs rs4821480, rs2032487, rs4281481 and rs3752462 are associated with T2DM-ESRD susceptibility in European Americans. The APOL1 risk variants are not present at appreciable frequency in this cohort with T2DM-ESRD. Therefore, polymorphisms in MYH9 appear to influence nephropathy risk in this sample.
A Comparison of Four Character-Level String-to-String Translation Models for (OCR) Spelling Error Correction

Abstract We consider the isolated spelling error correction problem as a specific subproblem of the more general string-to-string translation problem. In this context, we investigate four general string-to-string transformation models that have been suggested in recent years and apply them within the spelling error correction paradigm. In particular, we investigate how a simple ‘k-best decoding plus dictionary lookup’ strategy performs in this context and find that such an approach can significantly outdo baselines such as edit distance, weighted edit distance, and the noisy channel Brill and Moore model to spelling error correction. We also consider elementary combination techniques for our models such as language model weighted majority voting and center string combination. Finally, we consider real-world OCR post-correction for a dataset sampled from medieval Latin texts.
A SPANNER IN THE WORKS FOR SGR 1900 + 14 AND G 42 . 8 + 0 . 6 ?

We have extensively searched for periodic signals from the soft gamma repeater SGR 1900+14, at 430 and 1410 MHz with the Arecibo telescope. Our observations did not reveal the 5.16-s periodicity discovered by Hurley et al. (1998). We place pulsed flux-density upper limits of 150 and 30 μJy at 430 and 1410 MHz respectively. In the course of the 1410-MHz search we discovered a 226-ms radio pulsar, PSR J1907+0918. Its period derivative implies that the age of J1907+0918 is only 38 kyr, making it one of the youngest members of the known pulsar population. Independent lines of evidence in support of this apparent youth are the unusually high degree of circular polarization and a relatively flat radio spectrum. The close proximity of PSR J1907+0918 to the supernova remnant G42.8+0.6 suggests that it may be the neutron star produced in this supernova explosion, rather than SGR 1900+14. Subject headings: stars: neutron — pulsars: individual (PSR J1907+0918) — stars: individual (SGR 1900+14) — supernova remnants: individual (G42.8+0.6)
Improved Equilibrium Enumeration for Bimatrix Games

The enumeration of all equilibria of a bimatrix game is a classical algorithmic problem in game theory. As shown by Vorob’ev (1958), Kuhn (1961), and Mangasarian (1964), all equilibria can be represented as convex combinations of the vertices of certain polyhedra defined by the payoff matrices. Simplified by a projective transformation that eliminates the payoff variable, these polyhedra have the form P1 = {x ∈ IR | x ≥ 0M , B>x ≤ 1N}, P2 = { y ∈ IR | Ay ≤ 1M , y ≥ 0N} . The players’ payoff matrices are A and B . These are w.l. o.g. positive, so that P1 and P2 are bounded and therefore polytopes. The disjoint sets M and N contain the row and column indices, respectively, which represent the pure strategies of the two players. The vectors 0 and 1 have all components equal to zero and one, respectively. The elements x in P1−{0M} and y in P2−{0N} represent the mixed strategies of the two players after normalization so that their components sum up to one. After this normalization, the right hand sides in B>x ≤ 1N and Ay ≤ 1M denote the expected payoff to the other player. If any of these inequalities is binding (holds as equality), the pure strategy corresponding to that inequality is optimal. In equilibrium, any pure strategy must be optimal or have probability zero. Hence, any Nash equilibrium of (A,B) corresponds to a complementary pair (x, y) in P1 × P2 where any inequality in M ∪N in the above definition of P1 and P2 is binding for x or for y.
Carbon Nanotube- and Carbon Fiber-Reinforcement of Ethylene-Octene Copolymer Membranes for Gas and Vapor Separation

Gas and vapor transport properties were studied in mixed matrix membranes containing elastomeric ethylene-octene copolymer (EOC or poly(ethylene-co-octene)) with three types of carbon fillers: virgin or oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon fibers (CFs). Helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, methane, and carbon dioxide were used for gas permeation rate measurements. Vapor transport properties were studied for the aliphatic hydrocarbon (hexane), aromatic compound (toluene), alcohol (ethanol), as well as water for the representative samples. The mechanical properties and homogeneity of samples was checked by stress-strain tests. The addition of virgin CNTs and CFs improve mechanical properties. Gas permeability of EOC lies between that of the more permeable PDMS and the less permeable semi-crystalline polyethylene and polypropylene. Organic vapors are more permeable than permanent gases in the composite membranes, with toluene and hexane permeabilities being about two orders of magnitude higher than permanent gas permeability. The results of the carbon-filled membranes offer perspectives for application in gas/vapor separation with improved mechanical resistance.
Personal and corporate saving in South Africa

Low domestic saving rates in South Africa may perpetuate a low-growth trap. The decline in government saving, a major reason for the overall decline in saving, is now being reversed. However, personal saving rates have fallen since 1993, and corporate rates since 199S, and both may decline further with lower real interest rates. It is important to understand both personal and corporate saving behavior in order to formulate policies to raise the domestic saving rate in line with the needs of economic growth. This article summarizes previous work on the household sector, emphasizing the role of financial liberalization, assets, and income expectations, and explains sectoral links and policy implications. Further, it analyzes South Africa's corporate saving rate in detail. Models are developed both for the share of profits in national income, including the roles of the terms of trade, tax effects, and the price to unit labor cost ratio, and for the share of corporate saving in profits, which is found to depend on inflation, the real interest rate, dividend taxation, and financial liberalization. Corporate saving is remarkably under-researched, given its importance in many economies. This research thus puts the saving and growth concerns of Kaldor into a modern empirical context.