Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fast Dynamics in Internet Topology: Observations and First Explanations

By focusing on what can be observed by running traceroute-like measurements at a high frequency from a single monitor to a fixed destination set, we show that the observed view of the topology is constantly evolving at a pace much higher than expected. Repeated measurements discover new IP addresses at a constant rate, for long periods of times (up to several months). In order to provide explanations, we study this phenomenon both at the IP, and at the Autonomous System levels. We show that this renewal of IP addresses is partially caused by a BGP routing dynamics, altering paths between existing ASes. Furthermore, we conjecture that an intra AS routing dynamics is another cause of this phenomenon.
(Almost) practical tree codes

We consider the problem of stabilizing an unstable plant driven by bounded noise over a digital noisy communication link, a scenario at the heart of networked control. To stabilize such a plant, one needs real-time encoding and decoding with an error probability profile that decays exponentially with the decoding delay. The works of Schulman and Sahai over the past two decades have developed the notions of tree codes and anytime capacity, and provided the theoretical framework for studying such problems. Nonetheless, there has been little practical progress in this area due to the absence of explicit constructions of tree codes with efficient encoding and decoding algorithms. Recently, linear time-invariant tree codes were proposed to achieve the desired result under maximum-likelihood decoding. In this work, we take one more step towards practicality, by showing that these codes can be efficiently decoded using sequential decoding algorithms, up to some loss in performance (and with some practical complexity caveats). We supplement our theoretical results with numerical simulations that demonstrate the effectiveness of the decoder in a control system setting.
ProteinSeq: High-Performance Proteomic Analyses by Proximity Ligation and Next Generation Sequencing

Despite intense interest, methods that provide enhanced sensitivity and specificity in parallel measurements of candidate protein biomarkers in numerous samples have been lacking. We present herein a multiplex proximity ligation assay with readout via realtime PCR or DNA sequencing (ProteinSeq). We demonstrate improved sensitivity over conventional sandwich assays for simultaneous analysis of sets of 35 proteins in 5 µl of blood plasma. Importantly, we observe a minimal tendency to increased background with multiplexing, compared to a sandwich assay, suggesting that higher levels of multiplexing are possible. We used ProteinSeq to analyze proteins in plasma samples from cardiovascular disease (CVD) patient cohorts and matched controls. Three proteins, namely P-selectin, Cystatin-B and Kallikrein-6, were identified as putative diagnostic biomarkers for CVD. The latter two have not been previously reported in the literature and their potential roles must be validated in larger patient cohorts. We conclude that ProteinSeq is promising for screening large numbers of proteins and samples while the technology can provide a much-needed platform for validation of diagnostic markers in biobank samples and in clinical use.
Obfuscating Windows DLLs

We present two techniques to obfuscate the interfaces between application binaries and Windows system DLLs (dynamic-link libraries). The first technique obfuscates the related symbol information in the binary to prevent static analyses from identifying the invoked library functions. The second technique combines static linking with code obfuscation to avoid the external interface altogether, thus preventing dynamic attacks as well. This is done while still maintaining compatibility with multiple Windows versions, through run-time adaptation of the application. As the first concrete result of this ongoing research, we demonstrate and evaluate the techniques using a proof-of-concept tool applied to a simple test program.
A Memetic Algorithm for Performing Memory Assignment in Dual-Bank DSPs

To increase memory bandwidth, many programmable Digital-Signal Processors (DSPs) employ two on-chip data memories. This architectural feature supports higher memory bandwidth by allowing multiple data memory accesses to occur in parallel. Exploiting dual memory banks, however, is a challenging problem for compilers. This, in part, is due to the instruction-level parallelism, small numbers of registers, and highly specialized register capabilities of most DSPs. In this paper, we present a new methodology based on a Memetic Algorithm (MA) for assigning data to dual-bank memories. Our approach is global, and integrates several important issues in memory assignment within a single model. Special effort is made to identify those data objects that could potentially benefit from an assignment to a specific memory, or perhaps duplication in both memories. Our computational results show that the MA is able to achieve a 54% reduction in the number of memory cycles and a reduction in the range of 7%–42% in the total number of cycles when tested with well-known DSP kernels and applications. Our computational results also show that, when compared with the Genetic Algorithm in Ref. 3, the memetic algorithm is able to find solutions that, on average, have 7%–20% less cost, with the biggest improvements being found for larger problem instances.
Induction of rapid and reversible cytokeratin filament network remodeling by inhibition of tyrosine phosphatases

The cytokeratin filament network is intrinsically dynamic, continuously exchanging subunits over its entire surface, while conferring structural stability on epithelial cells. However, it is not known how cytokeratin filaments are remodeled in situations where the network is temporarily and spatially restricted. Using the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor orthovanadate we observed rapid and reversible restructuring in living cells, which may provide the basis for such dynamics. By examining cells stably expressing fluorescent cytokeratin chimeras, we found that cytokeratin filaments were broken down and then formed into granular aggregates within a few minutes of orthovanadate addition. After drug removal, gradual reincorporation of granules into the filament network was observed for aggregates that were either part of residual filaments or stayed in close apposition to remaining filaments. Even when cytokeratin filaments were no longer detectable, granules with low mobility were still able to reestablish a cytokeratin filament network. This process took less than 30 minutes and occurred at multiple foci throughout the cytoplasm without apparent correlation to alterations in the actin- and tubulin-based systems. Interestingly, the short-lived and rather small orthovanadate-induced cytokeratin granules contained the cytoskeletal crosslinker plectin but lacked the cytokeratin-solubilising 14-3-3 proteins. By contrast, the long-lived and larger cytokeratin aggregates generated after treatment with the serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid were negative for plectin but positive for 14-3-3 proteins. Taken together, our observations in living orthovanadate-treated interphase cells revealed modes of cytokeratin remodeling that qualify as basic mechanisms capable of rapidly adapting the cytokeratin filament cytoskeleton to specific requirements.
EXPONENTIAL STABILITY FOR THE WAVE EQUATION WITH WEAK NONMONOTONE DAMPING

We consider the wave equation with a weak nonlinear internal damping. First for a weak monotone damping in dimension 2, we prove that the energy of strong solutions decays exponentially to zero. This improves earlier results of Komornik and Nakao. Then we consider a class of nonmonotone dampings. For strong solutions, we give new results of strong asymptotic stability and we prove that the energy decays to zero with an explicit decay rate estimate.
[Pathways to psychiatric care and duration of untreated psychosis in first-episode psychosis patients].

To reduce the time of untreated psychosis it is necessary to know the patients' pathways to psychiatric care. For this reason we interviewed 50 first-episode patients with the Interview for the Retrospective Assessment of the Onset of Schizophrenia (IRAOS) for information about duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and about their help-seeking contacts before psychiatric admission. In contrast to other findings of long DUP, 50 % of our patients were admitted after 8 weeks (median) of untreated positive symptoms. The mean value of 62 weeks corresponds well with results of other studies. There were important differences in DUP depending on which kind of statistical parameter (median or mean) was used. Contrary to studies from other countries only 24 % of our patients had their first contact with a general practitioner. Between patients with short (< 1 year) and long (> 1 year) DUP no significant differences were found in contacts with helpers and in the duration from the first contact until psychiatric admission. However, patients with long DUP made their first contact with helpers significantly later after the beginning of positive symptoms than patients with short DUP.
Consumer adoption of online music services: the influence of perceived risks and risk relief strategies

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to offer insights into what consumers are looking for when downloading music and what different consumer groups might look for in commercial online music services, based on their current level of music downloading, and their likelihood of purchasing music online in the near future.Design/methodology/approach – The literature review focused on the risk and adoption theories. Interviews were used to help derive variables used in the design of a questionnaire. A web survey of 211 samples was used as a data collection method for this study.Findings – The results suggest that performance and time‐loss aspects of perceived risks are playing an important role, while social and psychological aspects of risks are of the least concern to consumers. Where different types of users are concerned, those with the most experience of downloading music are the least profitable segment to target. Non and Light downloaders, on the other hand, should be the focus of marketing activities, alt.
Erratic rains and erratic markets: Environmental change, economic globalisation and the expansion of shallow groundwater irrigation in West Africa

Climate change and land degradation have considerably altered the conditions for rain-fed agriculture in Northern Ghana. Furthermore, population pressure has led to continuous farming of available agricultural lands and thus caused land degradation. Crop failure and decreasing yields that result from these environmental changes have caused further impoverishment of what was already Ghana’s poorest region. In the past, youth often opted for migration to Ghana’s wealthier south, in order to supplement meagre agricultural livelihoods. However, since the mid-1990s many farmers have started to develop the shallow groundwater irrigation (SGI) capacities of their home region for vegetable gardening. This development has helped a great deal to ameliorate poverty and to reverse rural-urban migration. However, while the irrigators were initially able to profit from the development of good road access to northern Ghana and an increasing demand for vegetables in Ghana’s south, many now frequently meet with market failure. While the sale of fresh tomatoes is met with stiff competition from small-scale farmers from neighbouring Burkina Faso, Ghana’s market is flooded with cheap tomato paste from countries where the production of tomatoes is highly subsidised. Global and regional competition has started to render SGI, developed as a means to locally adapt to environmental change, increasingly risky. As markets become as unreliable as the rains, Ghanaian farmers now face the uphill task of dealing simultaneously with global climate change and globalisation.
Avian influenza pandemic threat and health systems response

Avian influenza is a panzootic and recurring human epidemic with pandemic potential. Pandemic requirements for a viral pathogen are: a novel virus must emerge against which the general population has little or no immunity; the new virus must be able to replicate in humans and cause serious illness; and the new virus must be efficiently transmitted from person to person. At present, only the first two conditions have been met. Nonetheless, influenza pandemics are considered inevitable. Expected worldwide human mortality from a moderate pandemic scenario is 45 million people or more than 75% of the current annual global death burden. Although mathematical models have predicted that an emerging pandemic could be contained at its source, this conclusion remains controversial among public health experts. The Terrestrial Animal Health Code and International Health Regulations are enforceable legal instruments integral to pandemic preparedness. Donor support in financial, material and technical assistance remains critical to disease control efforts – particularly in developing countries where avian influenza predominately occurs at present. Personal protective equipment kits, decontamination kits and specimen collection kits in lightweight, portable packages are becoming standardized. Air transport border control measures purporting to delay importation and spread of human avian influenza are scientifically controversial. National pandemic plans prioritize beneficiary access to antiviral drugs and vaccines for some countries. Other medical commodities including ventilators, hospital beds and intensive care units remain less well prioritized in national plans. These resources will play virtually no role in care of the overwhelming majority of patients worldwide in a pandemic. Prehospital care, triage and acute care all require additional professional standardization for the high patient volumes anticipated in a pandemic.
Changes in Intake of Fruits and Vegetables and Weight Change in United States Men and Women Followed for Up to 24 Years: Analysis from Three Prospective Cohort Studies

Background Current dietary guidelines recommend eating a variety of fruits and vegetables. However, based on nutrient composition, some particular fruits and vegetables may be more or less beneficial for maintaining or achieving a healthy weight. We hypothesized that greater consumption of fruits and vegetables with a higher fiber content or lower glycemic load would be more strongly associated with a healthy weight. Methods and Findings We examined the association between change in intake of specific fruits and vegetables and change in weight in three large, prospective cohorts of 133,468 United States men and women. From 1986 to 2010, these associations were examined within multiple 4-y time intervals, adjusting for simultaneous changes in other lifestyle factors, including other aspects of diet, smoking status, and physical activity. Results were combined using a random effects meta-analysis. Increased intake of fruits was inversely associated with 4-y weight change: total fruits -0.53 lb per daily serving (95% CI -0.61, -0.44), berries -1.11 lb (95% CI -1.45, -0.78), and apples/pears -1.24 lb (95% CI -1.62, -0.86). Increased intake of several vegetables was also inversely associated with weight change: total vegetables -0.25 lb per daily serving (95% CI -0.35, -0.14), tofu/soy -2.47 lb (95% CI, -3.09 to -1.85 lb) and cauliflower -1.37 lb (95% CI -2.27, -0.47). On the other hand, increased intake of starchy vegetables, including corn, peas, and potatoes, was associated with weight gain. Vegetables having both higher fiber and lower glycemic load were more strongly inversely associated with weight change compared with lower-fiber, higher-glycemic-load vegetables (p < 0.0001). Despite the measurement of key confounders in our analyses, the potential for residual confounding cannot be ruled out, and although our food frequency questionnaire specified portion size, the assessment of diet using any method will have measurement error. Conclusions Increased consumption of fruits and non-starchy vegetables is inversely associated with weight change, with important differences by type suggesting that other characteristics of these foods influence the magnitude of their association with weight change.
Antagonistic actions of renal dopamine and 5‐hydroxytryptamine: endogenous 5‐hydroxytryptamine, 5‐HT1A receptors and antinatriuresis during high sodium intake

1 The present study has examined the effect of (+)‐WAY 100135, a selective antagonist of 5‐HT1A receptors, and ketanserin, an antagonist of 5‐HT2 receptors, on the urinary excretion of Na+, K+, dopamine, 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT) and their metabolites in rats treated with the selective type A monoamine oxidase (MAO‐A) inhibitor, Ro 41–1049 (15 mg kg−1 day−1) in conditions of normal sodium (NS) and high sodium (HS; 1.0% NaCl in drinking water) intake. 2 Male Wistar rats were placed in metabolic cages and were given tap water (NS diet) in the first 4 days of the study and then challenged to a HS diet for another 7 days. Ro 41–1049 was given in drinking water only in the last 3 days of the HS diet, whereas (+)‐WAY 100135 (5 and 10 mg kg−1 day−1, s.c.) or ketanserin (2 mg kg−1 day−1, s.c.) were administered in the last 4 days of the HS intake period. 3 Daily urinary excretion (in nmol kg−1 day−1) of dopamine (82±2), 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC; 198±9), homovanillic acid (HVA; 915±47), 5‐HT (586±37) and 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5‐HIAA; 1035±64) in the HS intake period was similar or higher than that in NS diet (dopamine = 68±2, DOPAC=197±4, HVA=923±42, 5‐HT = 539±132, 5‐HIAA = 1286±95). The administration of Ro 41–1049 on 3 consecutive days reduced the urinary excretion of dopamine, DOPAC and HVA, respectively, by 35–51% (P<0.05), 73–85% (P<0.05) and 59–66% (P<0.05); the urinary excretion of 5‐HT increased 2 fold (P<0.01) and the levels of 5‐HIAA were reduced by 39–77% (P<0.05). 4 During HS intake (7 days), daily urinary excretion of Na+ increased 5.5 fold (from 6.7±0.2 to 36.5±0.9 mmol kg−1 day−1), without changes in the urinary excretion of K+ (from 11.2±0.2 to 11.9±0.5 mmol kg−1 day−1) and urinary osmolality (from 1083.8±26.7 to 1117.7±24.1 mOsm kg−1 H2O). MAO‐A inhibition during HS intake was found to produce a 47–68% decrease in Na+ excretion (from 39.1±0.7 to 15.1±2.5 mmol kg−1 day−1, n = 4; P<0.02) and urine volume (from 160.4±3.3 to 43.8±9.0 ml kg−1 day−1, n = 4; P<0.02) without changes in K+ (from 11.1±0.5 to 9.2±0.6 mmol kg−1 day−1, n = 4) and creatinine (from 29.1±2.3 to 28.4±2.1 mg kg−1 day−1) excretion; urine osmolality increased 2 fold (from 936.3±40.3 to 2210.7±157.4 mOsm kg−1 H2O, n = 4; P<0.02). Administration of (+)‐WAY 100135 (5 and 10 mg kg−1 day−1), but not of ketanserin (2 mg kg−1 day−1), was found to inhibit the antinatriuretic effect induced by Ro 41–1049 during HS intake. 5 It is suggested that MAO‐A inhibition during HS intake leads to an increased availability of 5‐HT in renal tissues, the effect of which is a decrease in the urinary excretion of Na+, involving the activation of tubular 5‐HTiA receptors.
Kinematics of OB-associations and the new reduction of the Hipparcos data

The proper motions of OB-associations computed using the old and new reductions of the Hipparcos data are in good agreement with each other. The Galactic rotation curve derived from an analysis of the line-of-sight velocities and proper motions of OB-associations is almost flat in the 3-kpc neighbourhood of the Sun. The angular rotation velocity at the solar distance is � 0 = 31 ± 1k m s −1 kpc −1 . The standard deviation of the velocities of OB-associations from the rotation curve is σ = 7.2 km s −1 . The distance scale for OB-associations should be shortened by 10–20 per cent. The residual velocities of OB-associations calculated for the new and old reductions differ, on average, by 3.5 km s −1 . The mean residual velocities of OB-associations in the stellar-gas complexes depend only slightly on the data reduction
SPOR KULÜBÜNE GÜVEN ÖLÇEĞİNİN GELİŞTİRİLMESİ: GEÇERLİLİK VE GÜVENİRLİLİK ÇALIŞMASI

Bu calisma ile spor kuluplerinin guvenirligi ne duzeyde sergilendigine yonelik taraftar algilarini betimlemeyi amaclayan, gecerli ve guvenilir bir olcme aracinin gelistirilmesi amaclanmistir. Arastirmanin verileri, Malatya, Kahramanmaras, Elazig, Kayseri, Izmir, Trabzon ve Samsun illerinde arastirmaya gonullu olarak katilan toplam 248 futbol taraftarindan toplanmistir. Arastirmada gecerlilik calismalari kapsaminda acimlayici ve dogrulayici faktor analizi yapilmistir. Guvenirlik calismalari kapsaminda ise Cronbach Alpha ic tutarlilik katsayilari, madde-toplam korelasyon katsayilari ve test-tekrar test korelasyon katsayilari hesaplanmistir. Elde edilen veriler uzerinden yapilan acimlayici faktor analizi sonucunda, olcegin 22 maddeden olusan 3 faktorlu bir yapiya sahip oldugu belirlenmistir. Yapilan dogrulayici faktor analiziyle de bu yapinin gecerliligi dogrulanmistir. Olcegin Cronbach-Alpha ic tutarlilik katsayisi Antrenore Guven boyutu icin “. 991”, Baskana Guven boyutu icin “. 978” ve Sporcuya Guven boyutu icin “. 987” olarak hesaplanmistir. Olcegin zamana karsi tutarliligini belirlemek uzere dokuz gun ara ile yapilan iki farkli uygulama arasindaki test-tekrar test korelasyon katsayisi ise “. 82” olarak hesaplanmistir. Yapilan gecerlik ve guvenirlik analizleri sonrasinda olcegin mevcut haliyle spor kuluplerinin guvenirligi ne duzeyde sergilendigine yonelik taraftar algilarini betimlemesinde kullanilabilecegi gorulmustur.
Critical Analysis of Rhinovirus RNA Load Quantification by Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR

ABSTRACT Rhinoviruses are the most frequent cause of human respiratory infections, and quantitative rhinovirus diagnostic tools are needed for clinical investigations. Although results obtained by real-time reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) assays are frequently converted to viral RNA loads, this presents several limitations regarding accurate virus RNA quantification, particularly given the need to reliably quantify all known rhinovirus genotypes with a single assay. Using an internal extraction control and serial dilutions of an in vitro-transcribed rhinovirus RNA reference standard, we validated a quantitative one-step real-time PCR assay. We then used chimeric rhinovirus genomes with 5′-untranslated regions (5′UTRs) originating from the three rhinovirus species and from one enterovirus to estimate the impact of the 5′UTR diversity. Respiratory specimens from infected patients were then also analyzed. The assay quantification ability ranged from 4.10 to 9.10 log RNA copies/ml, with an estimated error margin of ±10%. This variation was mainly linked to target variability and interassay variability. Taken together, our results indicate that our assay can reliably estimate rhinovirus RNA load, provided that the appropriate error margin is used. In contrast, due to the lack of a universal rhinovirus RNA standard and the variability related to sample collection procedures, accurate absolute rhinovirus RNA quantification in respiratory specimens is currently hardly feasible.