Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extending Trust Transitivity in Databases

management now-a-days provides a promising approach for supporting access control in open environments. Trust transfer is a common technique employed in trust management systems to establish relationships between the two parties involved in a transaction who are strangers. Trust negotiation occurs when the two parties establish trust over the web. The paper proposes a model showing how trust can be transferred from a previous trust context to a new trust context. General Terms Database Security trust is represented as a subjective real number between the range - 1 and +1. The model exhibits problems at the extreme edges and at 0. Secondly, the operators and algebra for manipulating trust values are limited and have trouble dealing with negative trust values. Marsh also pointed to difficulties with the concept of "negative" trust and its propagation. His model is complex and based on social and psychological factors. The model is highly theoretical and difficult to implement. It is particularly inappropriate for use in social networks because his focus was on interacting agents that could maintain information about history and observed behaviors. In social networks, users assign a single rating without explicit context or history to their neighbors and thus much of the information necessary for a system like Marsh's is missing.
Incidence, Virulence Factors, and Clonality among Clinical Strains of Non-O1, Non-O139 Vibrio cholerae Isolates from Hospitalized Diarrheal Patients in Kolkata, India

ABSTRACT The incidence of Vibrio cholerae non-O1, non-O139 strains from hospitalized patients with acute diarrhea constituted 27.4% (n = 54) of the total 197 V. cholerae strains isolated from patients in Kolkata, India, in 2003. Of 197 strains, 135 were identified as O1 serotype Ogawa and 2 were identified as O139. In the same time period, six O1 background rough strains that possessed all known virulence factors were identified. Serotype analysis of the non-O1, non-O139 strains placed 42 strains into 19 serogroups, while 12 remained O nontypeable (ONT); the existing serotyping scheme involved antisera to 206 serogroups. Detection of a good number of ONT strains suggested that additional serogroups have arisen that need to be added to the current serotyping scheme. The non-O1, non-O139 strains were nontoxigenic except for an O36 strain (SC124), which regulated expression of cholera toxin as O1 classical strains did. Additionally, strain SC124 carried alleles of tcpA and toxT that were different from those of the O1 counterpart, and these were also found in five clonally related strains belonging to different serogroups. Strains carrying tcpA exhibited higher colonization in an animal model compared to those lacking tcpA. PCR-based analyses revealed remarkable variations in the distribution of other virulence factors, including hlyA, rtxA, Vibrio seventh pandemic island I (VSP-I), VSP-II, and type III secretion system (TTSS). Most strains contained hlyA (87%) and rtxA (81.5%) and secreted cytotoxic factors when grown in vitro. Approximately one-third of the strains (31.5%) contained the TTSS gene cluster, and most of these strains were more motile and hemolytic against rabbit erythrocytes. Partial nucleotide sequence analysis of the TTSS-containing strains revealed silent nucleotide mutations within vcsN2 (type III secretion cytoplasmic ATPase), indicating functional conservation of the TTSS apparatus.
Improving Reliability of SRAM-Based FPGAs by Inserting Redundant Routing

This work proposes a new fault-tolerant method able to deal with open and shortcut circuit faults in SRAM-based FPGA routing connections. The bitflips provoked by upsets in the routing control memory cells are the major concern in SRAM-based FPGAs, since these memory cells represent the majority of the bits in the configuration bitstream. Even in an application hardened by triple modular redundancy (TMR), upsets in the routing bits still represent a major problem, due to the possibilities of short and open circuits that can happen in more than one redundant block of the TMR The idea presented in this paper is to create local redundancy in the routing, so that whenever the critical connection fails, the redundant one ensures a working connection by propagating the correct value. The proposed method is based on duplication of the internal critical connections. A detailed classification and test of each case solution is explained in this paper. Preliminary results show the efficiency of this method to reduce error due routing upsets.
Measuring and preventing potentially avoidable hospital readmissions: a review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE To review literature identifying key components for measuring avoidable readmissions, their prevalence, risk factors, and interventions that can reduce potentially avoidable readmissions. DATA SOURCES AND EXTRACTION Literature search using Medline, PubMed and the Cochrane Library up to June 2010, using the terms "avoidable", "preventable", "unplanned", "unnecessary", "readmission", and "rehospitalization". STUDY SELECTION A total of 48 original papers and review articles were selected for inclusion in this review. DATA SYNTHESIS Although hospital readmission seemed to be a term commonly used as an outcome indicator in many studies, it is difficult to make valid comparison of results from different studies. This is because the definitions of terms, methods of data collection, and approaches to data analysis differ greatly. The following criteria for studying hospital readmissions have been recommended: (a) identify hospital admissions and define relevant terms, (b) establish a clinical diagnosis for a readmission; (c) establish the purpose for a readmission, (d) set a discharge-to-readmission timeframe, and (e) identify the sources of information for assessing readmissions. Studies to identify avoidable readmissions usually involve medical records and chart reviews by clinicians using the classification scheme developed by the authors. The proportion of all readmissions assessed as preventable varies from 9 to 59% depending on the population of patients studied, duration of follow-up, type and methodology of the study and case-mix-related factors. A number of studies classified risk factors for readmission into four categories: patient, social, clinical, and system factors. Home-based interventions, intensive education/counselling, multidisciplinary care approaches, and telephone follow-up were the main types of interventions to address potentially avoidable readmissions. CONCLUSIONS A standard instrument to identify avoidable readmission is important in enabling valid comparisons within the system and at different timelines, so as to permit robust evaluation of interventions. The assessment of preventable risk factors for readmissions also provides a basis for designing and implementing intervention programmes.
Tracking changes of ground water quality of Kashan plain in line with potable water security context.

From the prominent factors included in the development plan of a region, access to a secure water resource is outstanding. Indeed the quantity of a given water resource is important but on the other hand, water quality is assuredly equally important which not only affects human health but also is an alarm for future implications and expresses the need for a comprehensive management and calls for future preventive measures. It is increasingly becoming difficult to ignore the magnitude of water quality monitoring on which notion, present study is based. This paper seeks to find temporal and spatial variation trends in water quality in Kashan plain to prevent upcoming vicissitudes owing to the consumption of contaminated water by identifying contaminated parts of the region. In this study parameters including Ca, Cl, Mg, Na, So4 and pH were considered and the extent maps of qualitative parameters was produced via Arc GIS 9.3 software according to the Kriging method. Regarding MAE and RMSE, Kriging method had the lowest error compared to IDW. Water quality classification is undertaken based on the Schuller classification. Results obtained from this research showed that in 2002, ground water had the appropriate quality for all elements and this is even true in 2009 but with exceptions for Cl and pH. But general trend of the water quality is a decreasing one so that the north to east direction could be regarded as the unsuitable parts for water extraction intentions. Results from the Principle Component Analysis method highlight the importance of Mg as the most influential element and emphasis on the need for more frequent sampling for the element as the representative of pollution in the region.
Morphology and physiology of skeletal muscle in aging rodents

Aging in the rodent is accompanied by a progressive loss of skeletal muscle fibers. The muscle twitch also becomes slower, probably as a result of fibertype conversion from “fast‐twitch” to “slow‐twitch. ” The loss of muscle fibers precedes signs of obvious weakness and appears to involve the loss of entire functioning motor units. In the mouse, this loss of motor units correlates with a loss of axons from the innervating nerve trunks.
Experiencing the Sights, Smells, Sounds, and Climate of Southern Italy in VR

This article explores what it takes to make interactive computer graphics and VR attractive as a promotional vehicle, from the points of view of tourism agencies and the tourists themselves. The authors exploited current VR and human-machine interface (HMI) technologies to develop an interactive, innovative, and attractive user experience called the Multisensory Apulia Touristic Experience (MATE). The MATE system implements a natural gesture-based interface and multisensory stimuli, including visuals, audio, smells, and climate effects.
The Agenda of Asian Studies and Digital Media in the Anthropocene

I explore the intersection of three forces: the changing status of humanities and, in particular, of Area Studies in the neoliberal era; the unsustainability of contemporary vision of humanity and the world in the Anthropocene; and the new methods, technologies, and partnerships that may help us re-prioritize and renew the intellectual goals and paradigm of Asian Studies globally.
A theory of the Earth: Hutton and Humpty Dumpty and Holmes

Abstract Paradoxes can be viewed as a bother or as a rich source of information. Paradoxes, fallacies and logical inconsistencies, along with the unstated assumptions behind old worldviews often form the foundation for a new worldview. This is where science differs from myth and just-so stories. Mantle dynamicists and geochemists have developed a worldview that, in many respects, is incompatible with modern theories of planetary accretion, geodynamics and geophysics, and with the geological context of volcanoes. A primordial undegassed mantle, as both the furnace and the fuel of midplate volcanoes, occupies a central role in the geochemical models. Although modern data alone are sufficient to overturn this view, it is interesting to address it in terms of its own assumptions, fallacies and inconsistencies, and the history of ideas. This is a vast field, so, in honour of James Hutton, I focus on volcanoes, their products, their causes and their sources. The following axioms are developed which point toward a different kind of world from the pristine primordial worldviews and the plume paradigm. • Linear volcanic chains delineate the stress field, not the displacement field, of the lithosphere. • Lithospheric architecture, not the core-mantle boundary, dictates the planform of convection in the mantle. • Incipient melting is the normal state of the upper mantle. • The lower mantle is depleted in the heat producing elements compared to the crust, upper mantle and the bulk silicate Earth. • The Earth is depleted in volatile elements. • High 3He/4He ratios in mantle materials imply a deficit of 4He. • Primordial heat contributes a significant part of the Earth’s heat flow. These axioms [A] are the inverse of the assumptions of the plume and primordial mantle paradigms [not-A] and the new and the old views are to each other as looking-glass worlds. An ‘axiom’ is a self-evident truth or an established rule. It is also an undemonstrated proposition concerning an undefined set of elements and relationships. The above ‘axioms’ [A] are not true axioms but [not-A] provide the axiomatic framework of the current world model. These [not-A] propositions are treated as self-evident truths so [A] can also be called axioms, even though they are falsifiable. The prevailing worldview, the ‘standard model’, attributes both melting and volcanic chains to deep mantle upwellings controlled by the bottom of the system with most of the original radioactivity and volatile inventory of the Earth in the deep mantle. This is not only inconsistent with modern data but also with the previous worldview embedded in the axioms. These axioms have not been pushed out by better ideas, or falsified; they have simply been overlooked or forgotten. Mantle dynamics is controlled from the top, not the bottom.
Specific Effect of Magnesium on Soil Erosion and Water Infiltration

This study was conducted to determine the effects of adsorbed Mg on erosion of soils exposed to rain. The effects of adsorbed Mg and Ca on soil erosion and infiltration rate (IR) of two soils (a Calcic Haploxeralf and a Typic Rhodoxeralf) exposed to rainfall, in the absence and presence of adsorbed Na, was studied. A drip-type rainfall simulator and deionized water were used at water-drop kinetic energy of 12.5 kJ m⁻³. The erosion rate of the soils was higher for the Mg-soils than for the Ca-soils. Both the steady-state IR and the cumulative water depth required to reach a steady-state IR were lower for Mg soils than for Ca soils. Adsorbed Mg by the montmorillonitic soil increased erosion and lowered IR, regardless of CaCO₃ content. The Ca aggregates were more stable than Mg aggregates, even in the presence of Na. The specific effect of Mg on soil erosion was explained by the presence of these ions on the external surfaces of the clay tactoids, and the wider hydration shell of the Mg ion, as opposed to that of the Ca ion. It was suggested that the steady-state infiltration and soil erosion rates are the result of two processes that occur in opposite directions: seal formation and soil detachment.
Adaptive Dimensioning of Cloud Data Centers

Cloud data centers (CDCs) provide key infrastructure for Cloud computing. Allocating computing resources is very important for the CDCs to function efficiently. Current allocation of resources in CDCs is mostly dedicated and static.However, workloads for Cloud applications are highly variable which cause poor application performance, poor resource utilization or both. In this paper, adaptive dimensioning methods for CDCs are developed so that right amount of computing resources are allocated for variable workloads to meet quality of service requirements.
Hydrological impact simulations of climate change on Lebanese coastal rivers / Simulations des impacts hydrologiques du changement climatique sur les fleuves côtiers Libanais

Abstract The significance of predicted climatic changes is still uncertain. The hydrological consequences of climatic changes on Lebanese catchments are analysed by means of different scenarios of rainfall variability and temperature increase. The conceptual rainfall–runoff model MEDOR, coupled to a stochastic model of rainfall and temperature, is used to estimate change in runoff by simulation of six scenarios. These test the response to the rainfall structure, to the duration of rainy events, their frequency, and the duration of the rainy season. The climate–runoff model is used to determine the impact of a temperature increase of 2 degrees on the flow characteristics of a watershed affected by seasonal snow cover. The modifications of the hydrological regimes are significant: droughts are predicted to occur 15 days to one month earlier; snowmelt floods are often replaced by rainfall floods; and the peak flow occurs two months earlier. These changes could have a great impact on water resources management in the future. Résumé La significativité des changements climatiques prévus reste incertaine. Les conséquences hydrologiques des changements climatiques sur des bassins versants Libanais sont analysées au moyen de différents scénarios de variabilité de la pluie et d'augmentation de la température. Le modèle pluie–débit conceptuel MEDOR, couplé à un modèle stochastique de pluie et de température, est utilisé pour estimer le changement dans l'écoulement via la simulation de six scénarios. Ceci permet de tester la réponse à la structure de la pluie, à la durée et la fréquence des événements pluvieux, et à la durée de la saison pluvieuse. Le modèle climat–débit est utilisé pour déterminer l'impact d'une augmentation de la température de 2 degrés sur les caractéristiques de l'écoulement d'un bassin versant présentant un couvert neigeux saisonnier. Les modifications des régimes hydrologiques sont significatives: les étiages sont plus précoces de 15 jours à un mois; les crues nivales sont souvent remplacées par des crues pluviales; et les écoulements extrêmes apparaissent deux mois plus tôt. Ces changements pourraient avoir un grand impact sur la gestion des ressources en eau dans le futur.
The initiation of DNA replication in the mitochondrial genome of yeast.

We report here the first direct demonstration that the active ori sequences of the mitochondrial genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are indeed origins of DNA replication, as previously postulated on the basis of compelling but indirect evidence. Basically, such sequences are formed by four regions: (i) GC clusters A and B, which are separated by a 29‐bp AT stretch; (ii) a central 200‐bp AT stretch, l; (iii) GC cluster C; (iv) a 16‐bp AT stretch r, which comprises a site for transcription initiation. The ori sequences investigated, ori 1 and ori 5, have opposite orientations on the parental wild‐type genome; ori 1 has but ori 5 does not have an additional 14‐bp AT stretch r', between cluster C and sequence r; they were carried by the genomes of two spontaneous petites. In both ori sequences, nascent DNA chains using as template the strand containing sequence r (the ‘r strand’) start at the r end of cluster C, are elongated towards sequence l, and follow an RNA primer starting at sequence r. Nascent DNA chains copied on the ‘non‐r strand’ start within cluster C, are elongated towards sequence r, and follow an RNA primer starting in sequence l just before cluster C. Ori 1 and 5 are, therefore, used as sites for RNA‐primed bidirectional replication of mitochondrial DNA. Several aspects of this process are discussed.
Murine leishmaniosis: a paradigm for the importance of T helper 1 and T helper 2 cells.

The murine model of leishmaniosis is a prototypic example for the critical role played by T helper cells in immunity to pathogens. Cytokines, such as interleukin-12 and interleukin-4, are the major regulatory factors for differentiation of naive T helper cells into T helper 1 and T helper 2 cells, respectively. T helper 1 cells, which are cellular immune mechanisms involving gamma interferon production, are associated with protection against murine leishmaniosis. Loss of T helper 1 activity (i.e., reduced gamma interferon production and lack of macrophage activation) leads to a fatal progressive course of murine leishmaniosis. Knowledge of the murine model of leishmaniosis is now contributing to studies of infectious diseases in humans, livestock and companion animals. Greater insight into the pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy of infectious diseases will be gained from the analysis of cytokine-dependent regulation of T helper responses during infection. In particular, the development of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines will benefit significantly from these studies.
Candidate Attractant Pheromones of Two Potentially Invasive Asian Cerambycid Species in the Genus Xylotrechus

ABSTRACT Research during the 1980s showed that male Xylotrechus pyrrhoderus Bates (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), a vineyard pest, produce (2S,3S)-2,3-octanediol and (S)-2-hydroxyoctan-3-one as possible pheromone components, but to our knowledge, field tests were not carried out.We confirmed that at least female X. pyrrhoderus were attracted by a 1:1 blend of these two compounds in field trials in Japan. Furthermore, more than 200 males and females of the congener Xylotrechus rufilius Bates were attracted by racemic 2-hydroxyoctan-3-one, and inhibited by syn-2,3-octanediol. Adult X. rufilius recently were intercepted in a shipment from China entering Baltimore, Maryland, raising concerns that this polyphagous species could establish in North America. Our results suggest that traps baited with 2-hydroxyoctan-3-one would be a valuable tool to assess whether X. rufilius has indeed become established, and to monitor for future introductions of X. rufilius.
High patient satisfaction of inflatable penile prosthesis insertion with synchronous penile plication for erectile dysfunction and Peyronie's disease.

INTRODUCTION Twenty to thirty percent of patients with Peyronie's disease (PD) have erectile dysfunction (ED) refractory to medical therapy and may benefit from a combined procedure addressing both conditions. AIM The aim of this study was to show the efficacy of inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) insertion and synchronous penile plication for correcting penile curvature and ED in patients with PD. METHODS A retrospective review was performed of all patients who underwent IPP insertion with synchronous penile plication at our tertiary care center between 2010 and 2013. All patients received an intraoperative saline intracorporal injection to induce an artificial erection. After the tunica albuginea was exposed via a standard transverse scrotal incision over the proximal penile shaft, the incision was retracted distally and/or laterally as needed for plication suture placement. Plication sutures were placed in parallel opposite the angle of greatest curvature. The incision was returned proximally to the standard penoscrotal junction for IPP insertion. Demographic and surgical data were collected from the patients' medical records. Patient satisfaction was assessed postoperatively using a nonvalidated questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The focus of this study was surgical outcomes, both technical and patient-reported satisfaction. RESULTS Eighteen patients with a mean age of 63 years underwent IPP insertion with synchronous penile plication. Patients presented with dorsal (n = 11), lateral (n = 2), and biplanar curvature (n = 5). Mean preoperative curvature was 39 degrees (range 30-60) and was corrected on average to <5 degrees (range <5-12) using a median of four plication sutures (range 3-6). Among 15 patients completing a postoperative satisfaction survey at a mean of 11 months, all reported improvement in their overall condition and penile curvature; one with biplanar deformity reported minor residual curvature. None reported continued pain or required suture release. CONCLUSIONS IPP insertion with synchronous penile plication for the correction of ED and PD is effective and results in high patient satisfaction.