Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Security Assessment and Evaluation of VPNs: A Comprehensive Survey

The use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) has witnessed an outstanding rise as they aim to provide confidentiality and anonymity to communication. Despite this enormous and ubiquitous usage, VPNs come with various security, misconfiguration, and performance related issues thereby hindering the users to take maximum advantage of this revolutionary technology. To address this concern, VPN users must choose the most secure and perfect VPN solution for the smooth functioning of daily life activities. Generally, no clear set of directions is available for assisting a common VPN user thereby accentuating the need to develop an elucidated and coherent checklist that thoroughly helps in evaluating any VPN based on its security, performance, auditing, and management function. This research comprehensively surveys VPN technologies, its features, working principles, and compliance principles that evolved over the last two decades. Based on it, this research presents a new methodology in the form of a feature-enriched template to comprehensively analyze a VPN solution. Each VPN feature is given its score against the potential damage it may cause in case of failure and the probability of occurrence of that failure. In this way, the corporate sector and individual users can quantitatively and qualitatively grade available options while choosing a VPN and use it effectively.
Inexact Newton's method solutions to the incompressible Navier-Stokes and energy equations using standard and matrix-free implementations

Fully implicit Ncwton's mcthod is coupled with conjugate gradient-likc itcrativc algorithms to form inexact Newton algorithms for solving the stcady, incompressible, Navicr-Stokes and encrgy equations in primitive variables. Finitc volumc diffcrcncing is employed using the power law convection-diffusion scheme on a uniform, but slaggcrcd mesh. The wcll known model problcm of natural convection in an enclosed cavity is solvcd. Thrce conjugatc gradient-like algorithms arc sclcctcd from a class of algorithms bascd upon thc Lanczos biorthogonalization proccdurc; namely, the conjugate gradicnts squarcd algorithm (CGS), the transpose-frce quasi-minimal rcsidual algorithm (QMRCGS), and a morc smoothly convcrgcnt version of thc bi-conjugate gradicnts algorithm (Bi-CGSTAB). A fourth algorithm is bascd upon the Arnoldi proccss, namcly the popular gcncralized minimal rcsidual algorithm (GMRES). The performance of a standard incxact Ncwton's mcthod implementation is comparcd with a matrix-frec implementation. Rcsults indicatc that thc performance of the matrix-free implemcntation is strongly dcpcndcnt upon grid size (numbcr of unknowns) and thc sclcction of the conjugatc gradient-like mcthod. GMRES was found to be supcrior to the Lanczos bascd algorithms within the contcxt of a matrix-frcc implcmcnlation. Among the Lanczos bascd algorithms, QMRCGS and Bi-CGSTAB wcrc bctter suitcd to thc matrix-frce implcmcntation than CGS bccausc of thcir smoothcr convcrgcncc behavior.
Fast ignition of a compressed inertial confinement fusion hemispherical capsule by two proton beams

A hemispherical conically guided indirectly driven inertial confinement fusion capsule has been considered. The fast ignition of the precompressed capsule driven by one or two laser-accelerated proton beams has been numerically investigated. The energy distribution of the protons is Gaussian with a mean energy of 12MeV and a full width at half maximum of 1MeV. A new scheme that uses two laser-accelerated proton beams is proposed. It is found that the energy deposition of 1kJ provided by a first proton beam generates a low-density cylindrical channel and launches a forward shock. A second proton beam, delayed by a few tens of ps and driving the energy of 6kJ, crosses the low-density channel and heats the dense shocked region where the ignition of the deuterium-tritium nuclear fuel is achieved. For the considered capsule, this new two-beam configuration reduces the ignition energy threshold to 7kJ.
Effect of experimentally introduced interaural frequency mismatch on sentence recognition in bilateral cochlear-implant listeners

Bilateral cochlear-implant users experience interaural frequency mismatch because of asymmetries in array insertion and frequency-to-electrode assignment. To explore the acute perceptual consequences of such mismatch, sentence recognition in quiet was measured in nine bilateral cochlear-implant listeners as frequency allocations in the poorer ear were shifted by 1.5, 3 and 4.5 mm using experimental programs. Shifts in frequency allocation >3 mm were found to reduce bilateral sentence scores below those for the better ear alone, suggesting that the poorer ear interfered with better-ear perception. This was not a result of fewer active channels; deactivating electrodes without frequency shifting had minimal effect.
VARIABILITY OF RADIATION FROM CIRCUMSTELLAR GRAINS SURROUNDING R CORONAE BOREALIS.

Radiation at IR wavelengths from circumstellar grains surrounding R CrB has been observed for approximately three years. Variations of flux with time have been larger at a wavelength of 3.5 microns than at 11 microns. Observations at IR and visual wavelengths of R CrB are presented in a graph. Another graph shows the change in the shape of the excess radiaton between two observations spaced by a period of about one year.
Revisiting Myth in the Sphere of Gendered Objectification: An Analysis of the Poem “Helen of Troy does Countertop Dancing” by Margaret Atwood

ABSTRACT Poetry is a literary form where the poet expresses himself or herself through the representations they have carved. It defines a literary expression where the beliefs and perceptions get represented using mythical aspects to enhance cultural meanings. Margaret Atwood is well-known for using mythical female characters in her poems by placing them in the contemporary sphere. As Guerin once remarked, a tribe or a country might come together through mythology to engage in shared psychological and spiritual pursuits. The female characters which Atwood brings into her poems are metaphors representing the socio-political and cultural state of the modern era in which females are placed now in the present times. In her poem, “Helen of Troy Does Countertop Dancing,” Atwood brings in the historical figure of the famous Helen of Troy, who is well known in the literary domain for her beauty which formed the basis for the Trojan War. The paper argues how the aspect of revisiting myth in the poem trounces objectification by using the notion of female resistance.
Push and pull motivations of international voluntary workers on organic farms (the WWOOFers)

ABSTRACT Why do some tourists leave the beaten track and spend time and energy working in remote farms for food and accommodation through the WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) network? WWOOF now celebrates its 50th anniversary. This study draws on a Norwegian survey of 1184 WWOOF respondents from 92 countries. It is the first large-scale quantitative study to establish a motivation profile for volunteer tourists, who are members of the WWOOF. The analyses revealed seven primary motivations: Immigration, Escapism, Genuine Norwegian Interest, Sustainable Lifestyle, Cheap Travel, Constraints, and Secondary Image. Pull motivations were stronger than push motivations. The former represents an urge to take on a journey while the latter represents the attraction to a certain goal. Two motivation factors combined push and pull motivations. Six of the factors were interpreted as self-interest and one as altruistic motivation. The results both support some and challenge other studies on this subject.
Nyquist's and Thevenin's Theorems Generalized for Nonreciprocal Linear Networks

It is shown that an N‐node nonreciprocal linear network, with a system of internal thermal noise generators at temperature T, is equivalent to the source‐free network together with a set of correlated nodal current generators, with infinite internal impedance, such that 〈iris*〉Avdν=2kT(yrs+ysr*)dν where yrs is an element of the network admittance matrix and ir is the rth nodal noise current with frequency v. The noise sources can also be represented by a system of nodal voltage generators, with infinite internal admittance, such that 〈vrvs*〉Avdν=2kT(zrs+zsr*)dν. The application of these results to a system of coupled antennas in an equi‐thermal enclosure is noted and necessary conditions for the realizability of passive nonreciprocal networks are derived.
Theory of the photoacoustic effect with solids

When chopped light impinges on a solid in an enclosed cell, an acoustic signal is produced within the cell. This effect is the basis of a new spectroscopic technique for the study of solid and semisolid matter. A quantitative derivation is presented for the acoustic signal in a photoacoustic cell in terms of the optical, thermal, and geometric parameters of the system. The theory predicts the dependence of the signal on the absorption coefficient of the solid, thereby giving a theoretical foundation for the technique of photoacoustic spectroscopy. In particular, the theory accounts for the experimental observation that with this technique optical absorption spectra can be obtained for materials that are optically opaque.
Stabilization for a class of minimum phase hybrid systems under an average dwell‐time constraint

We consider the class of nonlinear systems in normal form with unitary relative degree whose zero and output dynamics are affected by state jumps fulfilling an average dwell‐time constraint. Under a minimum‐phase assumption requiring the existence of a compact set, which is globally pre‐asymptotically stable for the hybrid zero dynamics, we show how to design continuous, global state‐ and semiglobal output‐feedback control laws. The proposed design methodology extends to the considered class of hybrid systems well‐known design techniques for robustly stabilizing the class of continuous‐time minimum‐phase nonlinear systems having unitary relative degree. Examples are given to show the usefulness of the technical result. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of brokenness on cloud-climate sensitivity

Abstract A study has been made of the effect of brokenness on the infrared and albedo feedback of clouds in climate models using a simplified treatment of broken cloudiness. It is shown that the individual feedback terms computed using the plane-parallel assumption differ markedly from the computations performed for a regular array of cuboidal clouds. If the cloudiness changes such that clear areas become cloudy but the nature of the broken cloud field remains unchanged, then both the feedbacks are magnified, the infrared more so than the albedo. However, if individual elements in the cloud field are increased horizontally in a constrained area, the feedbacks can be enhanced or diminished depending on the cloud fraction and aspect ratio of the elements. It is also shown that, in the global average, the ratio of the change in outgoing infrared flux to global albedo, as deduced from satellite measurements, will be larger than model simulators using planiform clouds.
Phenotypic subtyping via contrastive learning

Defining and accounting for subphenotypic structure has the potential to increase statistical power and provide a deeper understanding of the heterogeneity in the molecular basis of complex disease. Existing phenotype subtyping methods primarily rely on clinically observed heterogeneity or metadata clustering. However, they generally tend to capture the dominant sources of variation in the data, which often originate from variation that is not descriptive of the mechanistic heterogeneity of the phenotype of interest; in fact, such dominant sources of variation, such as population structure or technical variation, are, in general, expected to be independent of subphenotypic structure. We instead aim to find a subspace with signal that is unique to a group of samples for which we believe that subphenotypic variation exists (e.g., cases of a disease). To that end, we introduce Phenotype Aware Components Analysis (PACA), a contrastive learning approach leveraging canonical correlation analysis to robustly capture weak sources of subphenotypic variation. In the context of disease, PACA learns a gradient of variation unique to cases in a given dataset, while leveraging control samples for accounting for variation and imbalances of biological and technical confounders between cases and controls. We evaluated PACA using an extensive simulation study, as well as on various subtyping tasks using genotypes, transcriptomics, and DNA methylation data. Our results provide multiple strong evidence that PACA allows us to robustly capture weak unknown variation of interest while being calibrated and well-powered, far superseding the performance of alternative methods. This renders PACA as a state-of-the-art tool for defining de novo subtypes that are more likely to reflect molecular heterogeneity, especially in challenging cases where the phenotypic heterogeneity may be masked by a myriad of strong unrelated effects in the data. Code Availability PACA is available as an open source R package on GitHub: https://github.com/Adigorla/PACA
Collagen remodeling leads to inflammation-free expansion of periprostatic adipose tissue and promotes prostate cancer progression

Periprostatic adipose tissue (PPAT) abundance correlates with prostate cancer progression, but the mechanism remains unexplained. Here, we used a statistical approach to define abundant PPAT by normalizing PPAT volume to prostate volume in a cohort of 351 patients with a linear regression model. Applying this definition, we find tumors specifically from patients with abundant PPAT exhibit several hallmarks of aggressiveness, suggesting that PPAT abundance might be used to improve risk stratification. We show that abundant PPAT expands by adipocyte hypertrophy but this does not result in inflammation. Extensive extracellular matrix remodeling, notably of the collagen network, and decreased expression of mechano-sensing proteins in adipocytes explains this inflammation-free expansion by decreasing the mechanical constraints on the adipocytes. Moreover, collagen VI degradation in abundant PPAT is associated with production of endotrophin, a matrikine that promotes cancer progression. We find high levels of endotrophin specifically in the urine of patients with abundant PPAT, indicating the clinical relevance of our findings. Summary The abundance of periprostatic adipose tissue favors prostate cancer aggressiveness. The increase in extracellular matrix remodeling that occurs in expanded periprostatic fat allows adipocyte hypertrophy without tissue inflammation and generates a matrikine, endotrophin, which favors tumor progression.
A self-inactivating invertebrate opsin with resistance to retinal depletion optically drives biased signaling toward Gβγ-dependent ion channel modulation

Animal opsins, light-sensitive G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), have been utilized for optogenetic tools to control G protein-dependent signaling pathways. Upon G protein activation, the Ga and Gβγ subunits drive different intracellular signaling pathways, leading to complex cellular responses. For some purposes, Ga-, Gβγ-dependent signaling needs to be separately modulated, but these responses are simultaneously evoked due to the 1:1 stoichiometry of Ga and Gβγ. Nevertheless, we show temporal activation of G protein using a self-inactivating invertebrate opsin, Platynereis c-opsin1, drives biased signaling for Gβγ-dependent GIRK channel activation in a light-dependent manner by utilizing the kinetic difference between Gβγ-dependent and Ga-dependent responses. The opsin-induced transient Gi/o activation preferably causes activation of the kinetically-fast Gβγ-dependent GIRK channels rather than slower Gi/oα-dependent adenylyl cyclase inhibition. Although similar Gβγ-biased signaling properties were observed in a selfinactivating vertebrate visual pigment, Platynereis c-opsin1 needs fewer retinal molecules to evoke cellular responses. Furthermore, the Gβγ-biased signaling properties of Platynereis c-opsinl are enhanced by genetically fused with RGS8 protein which accelerates G protein inactivation. The self-inactivating invertebrate opsin and its RGS8-fusion protein can function as optical control tools biased for Gβγ-dependent ion channel modulation.
The maternal microbiome regulates infant respiratory disease susceptibility via intestinal Flt3L expression and plasmacytoid dendritic cell hematopoiesis

Severe lower respiratory infection (sLRI) are a major cause of infant morbidity and mortality, and predispose to later chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma. Poor maternal diet during pregnancy is a risk factor for sLRI in the offspring. Here we demonstrate in mice that a maternal low-fibre diet (LFD) disrupts plasmacytoid and conventional dendritic cell (DC) hematopoiesis in the offspring, predisposing to sLRI and subsequent asthma. The LFD alters the composition of the maternal milk microbiome and assembling infant gut microbiome, ablating the induction of a developmental wave of the non-redundant DC growth factor Flt3L by neonatal intestinal epithelial cells. Therapy with a propionate-producing bacteria isolated from the milk of high-fibre diet-fed mothers, or supplementation with propionate, confers protection against sLRI by restoring gut Flt3L expression and pDC hematopoiesis. Our findings identify a microbiome-dependent Flt3L axis in the gut that regulates pDC hematopoiesis in early life and confers disease resistance.
The risk of oral squamous cell carcinoma in patients with and without somatoform disorders including bruxism: A retrospective evaluation of 309,278 individuals

Background The question arises if there is an association of psycho-emotional stress and chronic soft tissue injuries caused by bruxism somatoform disorders with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods Patients with and without “somatoform disorders including psychogenic disturbances” (International Classification of Diseases [ICD]-10 code F45.8), and/or “unspecific behavioral syndromes” (F59), and/or “sleep related bruxism” (G47.63), and/or “other sleep disorders” (G47.8) were retrieved from the TriNetX network to gain cohort I. Cohort II was formed by patients without the aforementioned diagnoses, and by matching for age, gender, tobacco use, and alcohol abuse. After defining the primary outcome as “OSCC” (ICD-10 codes C00−C14), a Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed, and risk ratio (RR) and odds ratio (OR) were calculated. Results After matching, each cohort accounted for 154,639 patients (59.7% females; 40.3% males; mean current age (± standard deviation) = 43.4 ± 24.5 years). Among cohorts I and II, 907 and 763 patients, respectively, were diagnosed with OSCC within 5 years (risk of OSCC = 0.6% and 0.5%), whereby the risk difference was significant (p < 0.001; Log-Rank test). RR and OR were 1.19 (95% confidence interval (CI), lower = 1.08 and upper = 1.31) and 1.19 (95% CI, 1.08−1.31). Conclusions Psycho-emotional stress and/or chronic mucosal injuries may play a role in carcinogenesis. However, the results need to be interpreted cautiously due to limitations of the applied approach. It may thus far only be concluded that further research is necessary to investigate hypotheses regarding psychogenic carcinogenesis and tumor formation due to chronic tissue trauma.
On the Rate at Which a Homogeneous Diffusion Approaches a Limit, an Application of Large Deviation Theory to Certain Stochastic Integrals

Soit X (T) la solution d'une equation differentielle stochastique dont les coefficients sont homogenes de degre 1. Sous des conditions douces, on montre que des limites comme lim/T→∞ 1/T log P(IX(T|/|X(o)|≥R) existe et on donne une formule pour leur calcul
A singularity-free cosmological model in general relativity

A cosmological model is proposed in the framework of Einstein's general relativity theory which is free from the singularity, flatness, homogeneity and isotropy, and horizon problems which afflict the standard cosmological model. The present model describes a nonsingular closed universe initially filled with 'prematter' characterized by a density rho euqal to the Planck density and a pressure P = -rho. The universe undergoes a very rapid expansion in the course of which there is a transition from the prematter period to the radiation-dominated period. These periods and the transition between them are described by a single equation of state. When the radiation period is reached, the universe behaves as if it had started from the big bang. Thereafter its behavior is like that of the standard model. 9 refs.
The role of metabolic reprogramming in pancreatic cancer chemoresistance

Pancreatic cancer is characterized by hidden onset, high malignancy, and early metastasis. Although a few cases meet the surgical indications, chemotherapy remains the primary treatment, and the resulting chemoresistance has become an urgent clinical problem that needs to be solved. In recent years, the importance of metabolic reprogramming as one of the hallmarks of cancers in tumorigenesis has been validated. Metabolic reprogramming involves glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism and interacts with oncogenes to affect the expression of key enzymes and signaling pathways, modifying the tumor microenvironment and contributing to the occurrence of drug tolerance. Meanwhile, the mitochondria are hubs of the three major nutrients and energy metabolisms, which are also involved in the development of drug resistance. In this review, we summarized the characteristic changes in metabolism during the progression of pancreatic cancer and their impact on chemoresistance, outlined the role of the mitochondria, and summarized current studies on metabolic inhibitors.