Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Morwilog: an ACO-based system for outlining multi-step attacks

Threat detection is one of the basic mechanisms for protecting a network, as prevention does not suffice. Finding an attack is difficult because the most harmful ones are specially prepared against a specific victim and crafted for the first time. The contribution of a human expert is still needed for their detection, no matter how effective automatic methods used nowadays can appear. Moreover, in many occasions intrusions can only be efficiently detected by analyzing its effects on more than one element in the network. Event and alert recollection offers a way to centralize information from a heterogeneous set of sources. Then, it can be normalized to a common language and analyzed as a whole by a security system. In this paper we propose Morwilog, an ant-inspired method for standing out the relationship between actions belonging to the same complex attack. Morwilog is conceived as a framework for alert correlation to be integrated in a multi-modular security system. Reinforcement learning is incorporated to it thanks to feedback from a human security expert.
Lagrangian speckle model and tissue-motion estimation-theory [ultrasonography]

It is known that when a tissue is subjected to movements such as rotation, shearing, scaling, etc., changes in speckle patterns that result act as a noise source, often responsible for most of the displacement-estimate variance. From a modeling point of view, these changes can be thought of as resulting from two mechanisms: one is the motion of the speckles and the other, the alterations of their morphology. In this paper, the authors propose a new tissue-motion estimator to counteract these speckle decorrelation effects. The estimator is based on a Lagrangian description of the speckle motion. This description allows the authors to follow local characteristics of the speckle field as if they were a material property. This method leads to an analytical description of the decorrelation in a way which enables the derivation of an appropriate inverse filter for speckle restoration. The filter is appropriate for linear geometrical transformation of the scattering function (LT), i.e., a constant-strain region of interest (ROI). As the LT itself is a parameter of the filter, a tissue-motion estimator can be formulated as a nonlinear minimization problem, seeking the best match between the pre-tissue-motion image and a restored-speckle post-motion image. The method is tested, using simulated radio-frequency (RF) images of tissue undergoing axial shear.
Cationic liposomes as non‐viral carriers of gene medicines: Resolved issues, open questions, and future promises

The clinical success of gene therapy is critically dependent on the development of efficient and safe gene delivery reagents, popularly known as “transfection vectors. ” The transfection vectors commonly used in gene therapy are mainly of two types: viral and non‐viral. The efficiencies of viral transfection vectors are, in general, superior to their non‐viral counterparts. However, the myriads of potentially adverse immunogenic aftermaths associated with the use of viral vectors are increasingly making the non‐viral gene delivery reagents as the vectors of choice. Among the existing arsenal of non‐viral gene delivery reagents, the distinct advantages associated with the use of cationic transfection lipids include their: (a) robust manufacture; (b) ease in handling and preparation techniques; (c) ability to inject large lipid:DNA complexes; and (d) low immunogenic response. The present review highlights the major achievements in the area of designing efficacious cationic transfection lipids, some of the more recent advances in the field of cationic liposomes‐mediated gene transfer and targeted gene delivery, some unresolved issues and challenges in liposomal gene delivery, and future promises of cationic liposomes as gene‐carriers in non‐viral gene therapy. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 27, No. 5, 696–722, 2007
Measurement of thickness and refractive index of Zn1-xMgxO film grown on sapphire substrate by molecular beam epitaxy

The thickness and refractive index of Zn 1- x Mg x O film grown on A-sapphire substrate by molecular beam epitaxy were measured by ellipsometry. Combined with Mg content measured by inductively coupled plasma (ICP), the curves showing the relationships of thickness with film growth condition and the refractive index with the Mg content in the film were deduced by numerical analysis, which may serve as a theoretical basis for controlling the thickness and the refractive index in Zn 1- x Mg x O film growth process.
Gag proteins of the two Drosophila telomeric retrotransposons are targeted to chromosome ends

Drosophila telomeres are formed by two non-LTR retrotransposons, HeT-A and TART, which transpose only to chromosome ends. Successive transpositions of these telomeric elements yield arrays that are functionally equivalent to the arrays generated by telomerase in other organisms. In contrast, other Drosophila non-LTR retrotransposons transpose widely through gene-rich regions, but not to ends. The two telomeric elements encode very similar Gag proteins, suggesting that Gag may be involved in their unique targeting to chromosome ends. To test the intrinsic potential of these Gag proteins for targeting, we tagged the coding sequences with sequence of GFP and expressed the constructs in transiently transfected Drosophila-cultured cells. Gag proteins from both elements are efficiently transported into the nucleus where the protein from one element, HeT-A, forms structures associated with chromosome ends in interphase nuclei. Gag from the second element, TART, moves into telomere-associated structures only when coexpressed with HeT-A Gag. The results suggest that these Gag proteins are capable of delivering the retrotransposons to telomeres, although TART requires assistance from HeT-A. They also imply a symbiotic relationship between the two elements, with HeT-A Gag directing the telomere-specific targeting of the elements, whereas TART provides reverse transcriptase for transposition.
Speech Audiometry

IN spite of the many articles in recent years on the subject of speech audiometry, it seems that otologists in general are not fully aware of its value in diagnosis and prognosis. The reasons for otologists' lack of enthusiasm for the newer testing procedures are probably two-fold. First, the otologist is apt to be unfamiliar with the audiologists' terminology, e.g. "discrimination score", "articulation function", "social adequacy index", etc.; second, he is appalled by the thought of the cost of apparatus required for doing speech testing. It is perhaps unfortunate that in most papers dealing with speech audiometry, diagrams have been published of apparatus that appears complicated and expensive. However, it must be remembered that the authors of these papers were reporting investigative work, and elaborate apparatus was necessary for their purpose. Perfectly adequate speech audiometry_can be done with relatively simple apparatus in the otologist's office, as has been pointed out by Work (1949). It is a mistake for otologists to think that elaborate expensive equipment is essential for speech audiometry. Speech audiometers, records, etc., are now available commercially at a cost of approximately $400—-£130. Speech audiometry differs from the pure tone audiogram only in two main aspects: 1. The test material used isjspeech rather than_pure tones. 2. The hearing is measured not only at threshold but at supra-threshold intensities. A third and an important difference between the two methods is that in pure tone audiometry the examiner relies on the patient to tell
THEMED SECTION: MOLECULAR PHARMACOLOGY OF G PROTEIN-COUPLED RECEPTORS REVIEW Therapeutic potential for novel drugs targeting the type 1 cholecystokinin receptor

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a physiologically important gastrointestinal and neuronal peptide hormone, with roles in stimulating gallbladder contraction, pancreatic secretion, gastrointestinal motility and satiety. CCK exerts its effects via interactions with two structurally related class I guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein)-coupled receptors (GPCRs), the CCK1 receptor and the CCK2 receptor. Here, we focus on the CCK1 receptor, with particular relevance to the broad spectrum of signalling initiated by activation with the natural full agonist peptide ligand, CCK. Distinct ligand-binding pockets have been defined for the natural peptide ligand and for some non-peptidyl small molecule ligands. While many CCK1 receptor ligands have been developed and have had their pharmacology well described, their clinical potential has not yet been fully explored. The case is built for the potential importance of developing more selective partial agonists and allosteric modulators of this receptor that could have important roles in the treatment of common clinical syndromes. British Journal of Pharmacology (2010) 159, 1009–1021; doi:10.1111/j.1476-5381.2009. 00489.x; published online 18 November 2009
Molecular and Phenotypic Characterization of Transgenic Tobacco Expressing the Arabidopsis IRT1 Gene

In order to enhance the iron accumulation in plants, the primers were designed based on the Arabidopsis thaliana IRT1 sequence in GenBank. The total RNA of Arabidopsis thaliana roots was extracted after iron deficiency treatment for 24h. The cDNA of IRT1 gene was cloned by RT-PCR and then was inserted into the pBluescript II SK+ vector. After confirmed by endonuclease digestion assay and gene sequencing, the IRT1 gene was subcloned into the Sac I and BamH I targeting sites of the vector pBI121, and the plant expression vector pBI121IRT1 was constructed. The pBI121IRT1 vector was transformed into the wild type tobacco by Agrobacterium mediated method. Seventy-six resistant shoots were obtained by Kanamycin selection. 21 were identified by PCR and PCR-Southern detection. Five transformants were selected to perform the physiological assay respectively. The results showed the leaf chlorophyll contents were higher in the transformants than in the control, while the leaf MDA contents were lower in the transformants. It indicated that the IRT1 gene enhanced the iron uptake in the transformants and improved the transformants&#8242; resistance to iron deficiency.
Effect of boundary conditions and heat source distribution on temperature distribution in friction stir welding

Welding experiments on Al-6005A have been carried out using a fully instrumented milling machine. The power input was calculated from the measured torque and forces. The thermal cycles were measured at various locations close to the weld centreline. A finite element pseudo-steady-state uncoupled thermal model was developed, taking into account the influence of the welding parameters on the power input. The distribution of the total power input between surface and volume heat sources was also studied. The measured and predicted thermal cycles are in good agreement when proper contact conditions between the workpiece and the backing plate are introduced.
Study of constitutive behavior of ferroelectrics via self-consistent modeling and neutron diffraction

The central goal of this study is to develop a reliable self-consistent model to describe the constitutive behavior of polycrystalline ferroelectrics and to predict their lattice strain and texture evolution. Starting with the model developed by Huber et al. formulations and refinements were added to increase both the functionality and the accuracy of the model’s results. These refinements include methods for calculating lattice strain, tracking the number of domains contributing to diffraction patterns, locking the domain switching at a specified level, inputting initial grain orientation distribution, and a correction for a major flaw in the previous model: the phenomenon of reverse domain switching. To validate the model’s predictions, in-situ neutron diffraction experiments were conducted on polycrystalline BaTiO3 under uniaxial compression. It was found that the data analysis required a close inspection due to lattice strain anisotropy and leading to a systematic study of different analysis methods: the single peak method, the regular whole-pattern Rietveld method (with no strain anisotropy), and the improved Rietveld method which offers limited strain anisotropy analysis. The latter was judged to be the most appropriate for ferroelectrics and it was further improved by new formulations to permit lattice strain anisotropy analysis for tetragonal and hexagonal crystal structures. The comparison of model predictions and diffraction data from BaTiO3 yielded the following observations: (i) domain switching starts at very low stresses (< 10 MPa) and proceeds gradually; (ii) domains with c-axes closer to the loading axis start switching earlier and experience more switching; (iii) lattice-plane-specific (hkl) strains, with the exception of (111), exhibit apparent hardening after switching starts. The level of agreement between the model and the experimental data was satisfactory, particularly considering the relative simplicity of the model. Keeping in mind the basic assumptions present in the model, it can be a useful analytical tool in the study of ferroelectric constitutive behavior when combined with diffraction experiments.
Photodynamic therapy with fullerenes

Fullerenes are a class of closed-cage nanomaterials made exclusively from carbon atoms. A great deal of attention has been focused on developing medical uses of these unique molecules especially when they are derivatized with functional groups to make them soluble and therefore able to interact with biological systems. Due to their extended π-conjugation they absorb visible light, have a high triplet yield and can generate reactive oxygen species upon illumination, suggesting a possible role of fullerenes in photodynamic therapy. Depending on the functional groups introduced into the molecule, fullerenes can effectively photoinactivate either or both pathogenic microbial cells and malignant cancer cells. The mechanism appears to involve superoxide anion as well as singlet oxygen, and under the right conditions fullerenes may have advantages over clinically applied photosensitizers for mediating photodynamic therapy of certain diseases.
GeoPPRA: An Energy-Efficient Geocasting Protocol in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

In this paper, a variant of the conventional multicasting called geocasting, or location-based multicasting, is presented. The proposed scheme combines anycasting, restricted broadcasting, and local broadcasting to deliver packets to a group of nodes presented in a specific geographic region called geocast region. Also, the proposed scheme utilizes a pheromone-aided multipath algorithm (PPRA) to perform energy-efficient load balancing that increases the network lifetime. We compare the performance of GeoPPRA with well-known geocasting protocol GAMER via simulation. The simulation results show significant reductions of energy consumption, while maintaining comparable delivery ratio defined as the ratio of successfully delivered data packets to the total data packets sent from the source to one of the geocast group members.
Contribution of Direct Heating, Thermal Conduction and Perfusion During Radiofrequency and Microwave Ablation

Heat based tumor ablation methods such as radiofrequency (RF) and microwave (MW) ablation are increasingly accepted treatment methods for tumors not treatable by traditional surgery. Typically, an interstitial applicator is introduced under imaging guidance into the tumor, and tissue is destroyed by heating to above -50degC, with maximum tissue temperatures over 100degC. Since high thermal gradients occur during the procedure, thermal conduction contributes significantly towards tissue heating. We created finite element method (FEM) computer models of RF and MW applicators, and determined the thermal conduction term, the resistive (for RF) or dielectric (for MW) loss term, and perfusion term. We integrated these terms over the heating period to obtain relative contribution towards tissue temperature rise (indegC) as a function of distance from the applicator. We performed simulations without and with perfusion, where perfusion was assumed to stop above 50degC. During the first 6 minutes, direct heating by RF and MW were dominating throughout the tissue. Over the treatment period (12 min for RF, and 6 min for MW), thermal conduction was dominating at distances between than 12 and 19 mm from the RF electrode, while for MW ablation direct heating dominated everywhere. Even though thermal conduction significantly contributes towards tissue heating during ablative therapies, direct heating by RF or MW is dominating throughout most of the tissue volume. Tissue cooling due to perfusion is more significant during RF heating, in part due to the longer treatment times
Energy Efficient MAC protocols for Wireless Sensor Networks : A Survey

The term "wireless" has become a generic and allencompassing word used to describe communications in which electromagnetic waves to carry a signal over part or the entire communication path Due to tremendous success of wireless voice and messaging services, it is hardly surprising that wireless communication is beginning to be applied to the domain of personal and business computing. Wireless sen1sor network are one of the category belongs to ad-hoc networks. Sensor network are also composed of nodes. Here actually the node has a specific name that is “Sensor” because these nodes are equipped with smart sensors A sensor node is a device that converts a sensed characteristic like temperature, vibrations, pressure into a form recognize by the users. Energy efficient techniques play a significant role in saving the energy. There are many existing Topology control protocols, each one is having its own advantages as well as disadvantages. This paper presents MAC layer challenges, relevant features of MAC standards, classifications of MAC protocols, sources of energy loss in MAC protocols, and techniques to reduce these losses.
Box Me Dumb Human installation

In this article, the Box Me Dumb Human installation is described. In this installation, a large leather bunny puppet with red glowing eyes is boxed by the player, while insulting/motivating him/her with arguments taken from the AI debate. The player is fighting for all that is good about humanity, what distinguishes it from abstract mechanism, and he/she is fighting against the machine or system.
Crowdsourcing prior information to improve study design and data analysis

Though Bayesian methods are being used more frequently, many still struggle with the best method for setting priors with novel measures or task environments. We propose a method for setting priors by eliciting continuous probability distributions from naive participants. This allows us to include any relevant information participants have for a given effect. Even when prior means are near-zero, this method provides a principle way to estimate dispersion and produce shrinkage, reducing the occurrence of overestimated effect sizes. We demonstrate this method with a number of published studies and compare the effect of different prior estimation and aggregation methods.
A simple trajectory generation method for biped walking

This paper proposes a simple trajectory generation method for biped walking. This method needs only three trajectory control parameters, which are the stepping cycle, the length of a step and the max height of swing foot. The trajectory of robot's stance leg is generated by using the 3DLIPM (three dimensional linear inverted pendulum mode), and the combination of sinusoid curves is used to generate the swing leg's trajectory. This method has been applied on an actual biped robot. The result shows that this simple method is suitable for practical application well.
Magnetic entropy change and magnetic-field-induced strain in polycrystalline Ni 47 Mn 32 Ga 21 alloy

The Ni 47 Mn 32 Ga 21 polycrystalline alloy is prepared by the directional solidification technique. The components and the microstructure of the alloy are investigated using SEM, metallography and EDS methods. The magnetic entropy change in the process of the structural and magnetic phase transition, and magnetic-field-induced strains with pressure are also studied through analyzing the magnetization as a function of temperature, and the isotherm magnetization and magnetic field-induced strain curves. The results show that there is little difference between the component and the designed component. The alloy is comprised mainly of martensitic phase at room temperature. In the heating process, the magnetic entropy change reaches a maximum value and has a larger peak half width near Curie temperature(365 K). The maximum value of the magnetic entropy change is -1.45 J/kg ·K in a magnetic field of 747 kA/m and its peak half width is 21 K. The Ni 47 Mn 32 Ga 21 alloy exhibits excellent free recoverability of the magnetic-field-induced strains at room temperature(298 K). The magnetic-field-induced strain reaches a saturated value of -670×10 -6 without extra stress in a field of 480 kA/m. When the compressive stressis parallel to the direction of the magnetic field, the magnetic-field-induced strain increases evidently with the increase of the pressure, which reaches -1300×10 -6 under a pressure of 27.3 MPa. Meanwhile the strain does not reach the saturated value.
Integrating prokaryotes and eukaryotes: DNA transposases in light of structure

DNA rearrangements are important in genome function and evolution. Genetic material can be rearranged inadvertently during processes such as DNA repair, or can be moved in a controlled manner by enzymes specifically dedicated to the task. DNA transposases comprise one class of such enzymes. These move DNA segments known as transposons to new locations, without the need for sequence homology between transposon and target site. Several biochemically distinct pathways have evolved for DNA transposition, and genetic and biochemical studies have provided valuable insights into many of these. However, structural information on transposases – particularly with DNA substrates – has proven elusive in most cases. On the other hand, large-scale genome sequencing projects have led to an explosion in the number of annotated prokaryotic and eukaryotic mobile elements. Here, we briefly review biochemical and mechanistic aspects of DNA transposition, and propose that integrating sequence information with structural information using bioinformatics tools such as secondary structure prediction and protein threading can lead not only to an additional level of understanding but possibly also to testable hypotheses regarding transposition mechanisms. Detailed understanding of transposition pathways is a prerequisite for the long-term goal of exploiting DNA transposons as genetic tools and as a basis for genetic medical applications.
Microstereolithography and other Fabrication Techniques for 3D MEMS

Preface. Microelectromechanical Systems. Fundamentals of Polymer Synthesis for MEMS. Stereolithography (SL). Microstereolithography Techniques I--Scanning Method. Microstereolithography Techniques II--Projection Method. Polymeric MEMS Architecture with Silicon, Metal, and Ceramics. Combined Silicon and Polymeric Structures. Micromolding. Applications. Appendix 1: Some Polymers for MEMS. Appendix 2: An Example of CAD Model and NC Codes for Microstereolithography. Index.
Sex Stereotypes and Conversational Agents

This paper presents some insights into the effect of ‘virtual gender’ on the way people interact with, make sense of, and build relationships with conversational agents. The focus is on the linkage between sex stereotypes and aggression, in the form of verbal abuse towards the machine. Implications for design of embodied conversational agents are discussed.