Machine Learning models require a vast amount of data for accurate training. In reality, most data is scattered across different organizations and cannot be easily integrated under many legal and practical constraints. Federated Transfer Learning (FTL) was introduced in [1] to improve statistical models under a data federation that allow knowledge to be shared without compromising user privacy, and enable complementary knowledge to be transferred in the network. As a result, a target-domain party can build more flexible and powerful models by leveraging rich labels from a source-domain party. However, the excessive computational overhead of the security protocol involved in this model rendered it impractical. In this work, we aim towards enhancing the efficiency and security of existing models for practical collaborative training under a data federation by incorporating Secret Sharing (SS). In literature, only the semihonest model for Federated Transfer Learning has been considered. In this paper, we improve upon the previous solution, and also allow malicious players who can arbitrarily deviate from the protocol in our FTL model. This is much stronger than the semi-honest model where we assume that parties follow the protocol precisely. We do so using the one of the practical MPC protocol called SPDZ, thus our model can be efficiently extended to any number of parties even in the case of a dishonest majority. In addition, the models evaluated in our setting significantly outperform the previous work, in terms of both runtime and communication cost. A single iteration in our model executes in 0.8 seconds for the semihonest case and 1.4 seconds for the malicious case for 500 samples, as compared to 35 seconds taken by the previous implementation.

No abstract

Background:A definite cause and effect relationship between tobacco use and caries are lacking in literature.Aim:The aim of this study is to determine the influence of tobacco dependence on caries development in young male adults.Materials and Methods:Three hundred healthy adult males in the age group of 20–40 years were divided into three groups containing 100 participants each. Group A: participants using smokeless tobacco; Group B: participants who smoke tobacco; and Group C: participants who have never used tobacco. Their dependence on tobacco was assessed using the Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence. Their dental caries status was assessed using decayed-missing-filled teeth/decayed-missing-filled surfaces (DMFT/DMFS) index adopted by the WHO (1987). Observations were statistically analyzed using Mann–Whitney test, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Mean DMFT/DMFS was significantly higher for Groups A and B as compared to Group C. Within Group A, mean DMFT/DMFS increased significantly with increased dependence on smokeless tobacco. Within Group B, highest DMFT/DMFS was found in participants with low dependence on smoked tobacco while least mean DMFT/DMFS was found in participants with high dependence.Conclusion:Both forms of tobacco proved to be a significant risk factor for increased caries development. Thus, tobacco use should be an important factor in caries risk assessment of patients.

No abstract

No abstract

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is investigated on metal-free carbon (Vulcan XC-72) and nitrogen-doped (∼≤1%) carbon (N/C-900) in 0.1 M KOH. The product distribution (O2 to OH– and HO2 –) as a function of overpotential (η) in the temperature range of 293–323 K is analyzed using a rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) assembly. The kinetic current due to reduction of O2 to HO2 – is estimated and used in the Eyring analysis to determine the change in enthalpy of activation (ΔH #). It is shown that doping of carbon with nitrogen (even with ≤1 wt %) causes substantial increase in the number of active sites (almost 2-fold) and reduction in ΔH # at any η. Moreover, ΔH # is a stronger function of η on N/C-900 as compared to that on the carbon surface.

No abstract

Koebner's phenomenon occurs rarely in connection with Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP). We report two children with HSP who developed Koebner's phenomenon on the second day after the onset of rash. The first was an 11-year-old girl with rheumatic heart disease who presented with abdominal pain for 1 month and subsequently developed rash and nephritis. The second patient was a 7-year-old girl who presented with rash and polyarthritis. To the best of our knowledge, Koebner's phenomenon in childhood HSP has not been reported.