Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Network Oblivious Transfer by Srinivasan Raghuraman

Motivated by the goal of improving the concrete efficiency of secure multiparty computation (MPC), we study the possibility of implementing an infrastructure for MPC. We propose an infrastructure based on oblivious transfer (OT), which would consist of OT channels between some pairs of parties in the network. We devise informationtheoretically secure protocols that allow additional pairs of parties to establish secure OT correlations using the help of other parties in the network in the presence of a dishonest majority. Our main technical contribution is an upper bound that matches a lower bound of Harnik, Ishai, and Kushilevitz (Crypto 2007), who studied the number of OT channels necessary and sufficient for MPC. In particular, we characterize which n-party OT graphs G allow t-secure computation of OT correlations between all pairs of parties, showing that this is possible if and only if the complement of G does not contain the complete bipartite graph Knt,,, as a subgraph. Thesis Supervisor: Professor Shafrira Goldwasser Title: RSA Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Combining Linear and Nonlinear Diffusion

Abstract In this paper we study a generalized porous medium equation where the diffusion rate, say m(x) -spatially heterogeneous- is assumed to be linear, m = 1, on a piece of the support domain, Ω1 and slow nonlinear, m(x) > 1, in its complement, Ωm := Ω \ Ω̄1. More precisely, we characterize the existence of positive solutions and construct the corresponding global bifurcation diagram as one of the parameters of the model changes, showing that a continuous transition occurs between the diagrams of the completely linear case (Ω = Ω1) and of the completely nonlinear case (Ωm = Ω). As a result, the effect of a localized slow diffusion rate with varying support is completely characterized. Our analysis is imperative in order to design porous media multi-components systems with changing diffusion rates.
0 50 61 18 v 1 2 4 Ju n 20 05 The Bianchi identity and weak gravitational lensing

We consider the Bianchi identity as a field equation for the distortion of the shapes of images produced by weak gravitational lensing. Using the spin coefficient formalism of Newman & Penrose [1], we show that certain complex components of the Weyl and Ricci curvature tensors are directly related to fundamental observables in weak gravitational lensing. In the case of weak gravitational fields, we then show that the Bianchi identity provides a field equation for the Ricci tensor assuming a known Weyl tensor. From the Bianchi identity, we derive the integral equation for weak lensing presented by Miralda-Escude [2], thus making the Bianchi identity a first principles equation of weak gravitational lensing. This equation is integrated in the important case of an axially symmetric lens and explicitly demonstrated in the case of a point lens and a SIS model.
Symmetric and centered binomial approximation of sums of locally dependent random variables

Stein’s method is used to approximate sums of discrete and locally dependent random variables by a centered and symmetric Binomial distribution. Under appropriate smoothness properties of the summands, the same order of accuracy as in the Berry-Essen Theorem is achieved. The approximation of the total number of points of a point processes is also considered. The results are applied to the exceedances of the r -scans process and to the Mat´ern hardcore point process type I.
An Experiment Aimed at Gender Apartheids Being Evaluated In Terms ofThe Trust Factor

The trust factor is an important topic for all companies. It is important especially in order to provide the loyalty of employee and high motivation. In that study being experimented the trust factors impacts on the gender apartheid in the companies, it is defined that the perception of gendern apartheid haven‘t developed in the companies having the trust factor and all employees have showed similar tendency , as well. It is concluded that the trust factor for the company is highly in company, having been done research.
The mammalian epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a member of the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases

The mammalian epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a member of the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) that has been implicated in cellular proliferation, migration and differentiation, as well as the generation and progression of tumors (Moghal and Sternberg, 1999). Although there has been a great deal of progress towards understanding how signal transduction through these receptors is regulated, less is known about the mechanisms that control production of active forms of their ligands. Like its vertebrate homologs, the DrosophilaEGFR (Egfr) mediates various inductive signaling events in several tissues to regulate normal embryonic and adult development (Ray and Schüpbach, 1996; Perrimon and Perkins, 1997; Schweitzer and Shilo, 1997). The Egfr is involved in many different aspects of development and its signaling activity is precisely controlled by both activating and inhibiting ligands (Perrimon and McMahon, 1999; Freeman, 2000). The multiple tissue-specific activities of the Egfr are regulated in part by three activating ligands: Vein (Vn) (Schnepp et al., 1996), Spitz (Spi) (Rutledge et al., 1992) and Gurken (Grk) (Neuman-Silberberg and Schüpbach, 1993). Each of these ligands contains an EGF repeat similar to that of transforming growth factor α (TGFα), a known ligand of the vertebrate EGFR. Vn is most similar to the mammalian neuregulin ligand, which possesses an immunoglobulin (Ig)like domain in addition to the core EGF domain. Vn has a patially regulated expression pattern and is required for cell proliferation during embryogenesis and for cell fate determination in the embryo and wing (Schnepp et al., 1996; Simcox et al., 1996; Yarnitzky et al., 1997). As it is a soluble, secreted protein, it may not need processing for its activation. Spi is required in many developmental processes (Schweitzer and Shilo, 1997; Wasserman and Freeman, 1998). Like the Egfr itself, spi expression is temporally and spatially broad, raising the question of how the precise activation of the Egfr is achieved. The mechanism that underlies this regulation relies in tightly controlled post-translational activation of Spi. Like its mammalian counterpart TGF α, Spi is expressed as a functionally inactive transmembrane protein with the active EGF domain outside the cell. Subsequent proteolytic cleavage of the extracellular portion of the molecule generates a soluble and potent Egfr ligand (Freeman, 1994; Schweitzer et al., 1995a; Golembo et al., 1996). The activation of Spi requires two additional proteins (Schweitzer et al., 1995a; Guichard et al., 1999), Rhomboid-1 (Rho-1), a predicted seven transmembrane domains protein (Bier et al., 1990), and Star (S), a single-pass transmembrane protein (Kolodkin et al., 1994). Consistent with this view, rho-1, S and spi mutants have nearly identical embryonic phenotypes (Bier et al., 1990; Mayer and Nüsslein-Volhard, 175 Development 129, 175-186 (2002) Printed in Great Britain © The Company of Biologists Limited 2002 DEV5971
An Improved Track Initial Algorithm Based by Waveform Agility

Currently tracking Track initiation in most core processes, how to achieve multiple objectives in a complex environment more accurate track initiation is still the key and difficult problems of target tracking. Waveform agile radar is currently the latest breakthroughs in the field of cognitive technology radar aspect, it is different from the conventional radar characteristics are mainly from the environment (including the target) in continuous learning to improve target detection capability. This paper introduces minimum gate volume to logic track initiation algorithm, which thesis proposes a track initiation agility algorithm by controlling gate volume to reduce amount of clutter, which improves success rate and accuracy of track. Keywords-Waveform agility; Covariance control; Data rate; Joint agility; Track initial.
There’s a lid for every pot! The relationship between performance measurement and administrative activities in Italian ministries

Abstract Following the spread of performance measurement (PM) in public organisations, a vast literature has developed on its functioning and difficulties. This paper intends to investigate the relationship between administration activities, which can by their nature have different characteristics, and PM systems. The application of PM in the Italian ministries through the analysis of 1,511 objectives/indicators shows the relevance of administrative activities in influencing the ability to measure performance and suggests that neglecting this link is detrimental to the evaluation system and undermines its ability to provide a reliable representation of the contribution of public organisation in relation to performance.
Apples-Chap 19

Elizabeth H. Beers,1 D. Max Suckling,2 Ronald J. Prokopy3 and Jesús Avilla4 1Washington State University, Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, Wenatchee, Washington, USA; 2The Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand Ltd, Canterbury, New Zealand; 3Department of Entomology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA; 4Centro UdL-IRTA de R+D de Lleida, Universidad de Lleida, Lleida, Spain
Priming Expectancies: Effects on Neurophysiological Indices of Expectancy Violations and Drinking Behavior

Investigations of the anticipated effects of alcohol indicate that cognitive frameworks are highly correlated with drinking and other variables associated with alcohol use, explaining up to 50% of the variance in drinking outcomes (Goldman, Darkes, & Del Boca, 1999; Goldman, 2002; Goldman et al., 2006; Goldman, Reich, & Darkes, 2006). Furthermore, alcohol expectancies appear to mediate the relationship between a variety of risk factors, such as sensation seeking, and alcohol outcomes (Darkes, Greenbaum, & Goldman, 2004). The current study examined the relationship of these cognitive networks with a physiological index of expectancy violation Participants were presented with statements reflecting a wide range of alcohol outcome effects, which either violated or confirmed the participant’s own set of alcohol expectancies, while the ERPs evoked by these stimuli were recorded. As predicted, the P300 amplitude elicited by negative alcohol expectancy stimuli was positively correlated with the degree of endorsement of positive/arousing expectancies on the self-report measure. That is, the higher the individual’s positive/arousing expectancies, the larger the P300 elicited by stimuli asserting the negative effects of alcohol. There was no significant correlation, however, between P300 amplitude elicited by positive alcohol expectancy
State of Shocks Synchronization among Members of the GCC

This paper examines fluctuations of aggregate supply and demand shocks across the GCC countries. It argues that the world oil price influences aggregate demand and supply of these countries. Thus, in contrast to other studies, a SVAR model is used to identify structural shocks by including the oil price. The aggregate supply and demand shocks are then analyzed. The correlations of supply shocks among the member countries are either negative or low positive. Similarly, the correlations of demand shocks, except few pairs of countries, are also negative and low positive. Thus, shocks are not synchronized. These results are different than the results found in other similar studies probably due to the model specification. The implication of the findings is that the GCC countries would find it difficult to adjust supply and demand shocks if they form their aspired Gulf Monetary Union.
Six Months Clinical Follow up of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Diabetic and Non Diabetic Patients in Southern Iran

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a life threatening disease accompanied by several micro- and macrovascular complications, including coronary artery disease. Several modalities are available for interventional revascularization of coronary artery lesions, but their efficacy in diabetic patients has not been studied separately. We aimed to evaluate the effect of drug eluting stents in diabetic patients. Methods: Two hundred patients entered this study and were followed up for at least six months after their stenting. Clinical and angiographic outcome was compared in diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Results: Single vessel disease was the most common form in both groups, and LAD was the most common site of stenting. The majority of patients had a type C lesion. We observed no difference in the measured outcomes between the two arms of the study. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that DES can be used as an alternative for bypass surgery in diabetic patients with coronary artery diseases.
II : FGIDs : DIAGNOSTIC GROUPS Esophageal Disorders

Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Wingate Institute of Neurogastroneterology, Centre for Neuroscience and Trauma, Blizard Institute Queen Mary University of London UK, London, United Kingdom; MetroHalth Medical Center, The Esophageal and Swallowing Center, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio; Division of Gastroenterology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Division of Upper Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan; Division of Medicine-Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Feinberg School of Medicine Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; CHU de Bordeaux, Gastroenterology Department, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
Strategies for Reducing Secondary or Vicarious Trauma: Do They Work?

This cross-sectional design study sought to assess whether therapists believed and engaged in commonly recommended forms of prevention for secondary and vicarious trauma and whether engaging in these activities resulted in lower levels of distress. In this study of 259 therapists, time spent with counseling trauma victims was the best predictor of trauma scores. Although participants generally believed in the usefulness of recommended coping strategies including leisure activities, self-care activities and supervision, these beliefs did not translate into time devoted to engaging in the activities. Most importantly, there was no association between time devoted to coping strategies and traumatic stress scores. Intervention strategies for trauma counselors that focus on education of therapists and augmenting coping skills unduly individualize the problem. [Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention 6:1–9 (2006)]
Standards of Behavior and Time Generate Tacit Cooperation in a Hierarchical Relationship

This paper provides a game theoritic rationale for the use of standards of behavior in hierarchies. lt proves that the common knowledge of such standards in a long term relationship generates tacit cooperation as long as the time horizon is far enough and that intermediary observations are feasible. Though mathematically similar to the well known equation effect it is argued that the observed result is more robust with respect to the players incentive to view their relationship through such a formalization.
International Conference on Information Systems ( ICIS ) 2008 Is IT Really Becoming a Commodity ?

Academics and others have claimed that IT is becoming a commodity input, one that can no longer confer a competitive advantage. If IT is becoming a commodity, the role played by IT in most firms should be akin to that played by utilities. We conduct an event-study to determine whether IT is becoming a commodity. We use the volatility of a firm’s stock price to certain macroeconomic news (news about shrinking or expanding demand) to compare the stock price behavior of utility firms with that of IT firms. We find that although the IT industry as a whole is not becoming a commodity, there are some firms within the IT industry that are similar to a utility. In addition, we find that the view that IT can confer a competitive advantage (as perceived by financial markets) was stronger during the dotcom boom period than at other times in the study period (1980-2007).
Democratization in the Middle East - A Comparative Case Study

One of the unsolved puzzles in democratization studies today is the prevalence of authoritarian regimes in the Middle East. Previous comparative studies have overlooked the region because it does not contain a single case of successful democratization. Middle Eastern scholars, on the other hand, tend to lack the theoretical tools on what it would take for this area to democratize. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the factors behind the level of (non-)democratization in the MENA-region. I will argue that democratization in the Middle East takes place on three different levels: international, national and societal. The study combines statistical data with process tracing analysis, in order to corroborate the evidence. Twelve variables, covering a wide range of democratization theories, are tested on four cases: Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. From this, I am able to confirm or discard certain theories, as well as establish the factors that are relevant for each case. Among other things, I am able to refute the claim that a Muslim population affects democratization negatively; to confirm the validity of the rentier state theory; to show that path dependency and political parties matter; and that FDI and aid can play a part in the future democratization of the Middle East.
A mouse model for the cystic fibrosis AF 508 mutation

Most cystic fibrosis (CF) patients produce a mutant form (AF508) of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), which is not properly processed in normal cells but is active as a chloride channel in several experimental systems. We used a double homologous recombination ('Hit and Run') procedure to generate a mouse model for the AF508 mutation. Targeted embryonic stem (ES) cells (Hit clones) were found; of these either 80 or 20% of the clones had lost the AF508 mutation, depending on the distance between the linearization site in the targeting construct and the AF508 mutation. Correctly targeted clones underwent a second selection step resulting in ES cell clones (Run clones) heterozygous for the AF508 mutation with an efficiency of 2-7%. Chimeric mice were generated and offspring homozygous for the AF508 mutation showed electrophysiological abnormalities in nasal epithelium, gallbladder and in the intestine, and histological abnormalities in the intestine, typical of CF. Our data suggest that the AF508 mice have residual AF508 CFTR activity which would explain the mild pathology of the AF508 mice. The AF508 mouse may provide a useful model for the study of the processing defect of AF508 CFTR and for the development of novel therapeutic approaches based on circumvention of the processing block.
Salt stress in popcorn genotypes trigger changes of antioxidant enzymes

Salinity is a major problem in agriculture because it can alter the metabolism of plants and affect crop yield. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of NaCl on growth, key antioxidants and changes in the expression of genes encoding antioxidant enzymes. Two popcorn genotypes, IAC125 and UFMV2, experienced reduction in growth as the salt concentration increased. Increase in chlorophyll content and damage to the plasma membrane was observed. Consequently, changes in osmotic activity led to reduced water content in the leaves. Increased concentration of salt increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in two popcorn genotypes but maximum activity was observed in the IAC125 genotype. Such enzymatic activities occur in order to maintain the levels of lipid peroxidation under salt stress, indicating that this genotype is tolerant to salinity conditions. The ZmAPX, ZmCAT, ZmSOD (Cu/Zn) and ZmSOD (Mn) genes increased their expression as salinity increased. The ZmSOD (Fe) gene was highly regulated in the IAC125 genotype under salt stress, but low regulation was observed in the UFM2 genotype, regardless of the salt concentration. The enhancement in tolerance against salt stress indicates that the genes involved in the antioxidative process are triggered by oxidative stress induced by abiotic stresses. These results showed that the popcorn varieties have different levels of salt tolerance due to the differential expression pattern of the antioxidant genes. The up-regulation of antioxidant enzymatic activity could lead to increased scavenging of excessive free radicals and reduce oxidative stress.
A Framework for Context-Aware Visualization in Cyber Defense

We present a conceptual framework for selecting and evaluating visualizations that support network vulnerability identification and classification. We examined the relationships between network vulnerabilities and the tasks of network defenders to identify visualizations that facilitate reasoning and critical thinking processes across abstraction levels – i.e., from tabular representation to figurative graphical representation to geometric graphical representation. Contextual factors provide additional characterizations that guide the selection and evaluation process. This framework is intended to: (1) aid designers, developers, and researchers when creating and testing visualizations included in cyber security tools and (2) aid trainers and network defenders trying to understand how or why certain visualizations are more suited for specific purposes.
Application of BSP Method to the Methylation Detection of BZIP17 Homologous Genes in Allotetraploid Raphanobrassica and Its Parents

In order to understand the expression regulation mechanism of parent origin orthologous genes in the allopolyploid genome, the bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP) method was optimized. The results showed that the methylaiton rate of BZIP17 homologous gene promoters in allotetraploid Raphanobrassica and its parents was ranged from 3.8% to 18.8%. Moreover, the expression level of BZIP17 genes in the allotetraploid and its parents were detected using quantitative real-time PCR, which summarized that the expression regulation of BZIP17 homologous genes is correlated with promoter methylation and other mechanisms. So, it was suggested that the BSP method could be applied to the methylation detection of more homologous genes, for the researches of molecular evolution patterns of allopolyploid homologous genes.