Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Price of MEV: Towards a Game Theoretical Approach to MEV

Maximal (also miner) extractable value, or MEV, usually refers to the value that privileged players can extract by strategically ordering, censoring, and placing transactions in a blockchain. Each blockchain network, which we refer to as a domain, has its own consensus, ordering, and block-creation mechanisms, which gives rise to different optimal strategies to extract MEV. The strategic behaviour of rational players, known as searchers, lead to MEV games that have different impacts and externalities in each domain. Several ordering mechanisms, which determine the inclusion and position of transactions in a block, have been considered to construct alternative games to organise MEV extraction, and minimize negative externalities; examples include sealed bid auctions, first input first output, and private priority gas auctions. However, to date, no sufficiently formal and abstract definition of MEV games have been made. In this paper, we take a step toward the formalization of MEV games and compare different ordering mechanisms and their externalities. In particular, we attempt to formalize games that arise from common knowledge MEV opportunities, such as arbitrage and sandwich attacks. In defining these games, we utilise a theoretical framework that provides groundwork for several important roles and concepts, such as the searcher, sequencer, domain, and bundle. We also introduce the price of MEV as the price of anarchy of MEV games, a measure that provides formal comparison between different ordering mechanisms.
The essence and origin of quantum theory

According to De Broglie’s idea of analogy, the relation between quantum mechanics and classical mechanics is similar to that between wave optics and geometric optics, we have given the quantum equation of the gravitational ﬁeld intensity E g ( ~r, t ) for matter particles, since the gravitational ﬁeld intensity E g ( ~r, t ) relatives to the particle position distribution function ψ ( ~r, t ) , the quantum equation convert into the Schrodinger equation. In addition, we have further studied the essence and origin of quantum theory, and obtained some new results.
Rang de surfaces elliptiques : théorèmes de comparaison

Soit E une surface elliptique definie sur un corps de nombres k de rang generique r. Un corollaire d'un theoreme de specialisation (Neron, Silverman) garantit que le rang de presque toutes les fibres est au moins egal a r. L'objectif principal de cette these est d'ameliorer la borne inferieure pour une infinite de fibres. Pour les surfaces elliptiques rationnelles, on demontre moyennant certaines conditions sur leurs modeles minimaux, que l'ensemble de fibres dont le rang est superieur ou egal a r + 2 est infini. Dans le cas des surfaces elliptiques K3 on obtient, modulo conditions, une infinite de fibres dont le rang superieur ou egal a r -h 1. La technique principale est geometrique et consiste a produire des changements de base qui satisfont des conditions suffisantes pour garantir que la nouvelle surface possede au moins deux nouvelles sections independantes et a comme base une courbe avec une infinite des points rationnels. On etudie aussi d'autres aspects arithmetiques et geometriques des surfaces elliptiques comme le rapport entre les mauvaises fibres et les points eclates pour obtenir une surface rationnelle, la construction des surfaces elliptiques rationnelles de rang cinq et enfin le signe de l'equation fonctionnelle dans une famille de courbes elliptiques.
CLEP_A_278709 1421..1431

Antonella Potalivo,* Jonathan Montomoli, * Francesca Facondini, Gianfranco Sanson, 2 Luigi Arcangelo Lazzari Agli, Tiziana Perin, Francesco Cristini, 6 Enrico Cavagna, 7 Raffaella De Giovanni, Carlo Biagetti, Ilaria Panzini, Cinzia Ravaioli, Maria Maddalena Bitondo, Daniela Guerra, Giovanni Giuliani, Elena Mosconi, 1 Sonia Guarino, Elisa Marchionni, Gianfilippo Gangitano, 5 Ilaria Valentini, Luca Giampaolo, 8 Francesco Muratore, Giuseppe Nardi 1
JMTM-03-2020-0087_proof 48..74

Purpose – Three-dimensional (3D) printing (3DP) offers a promising value proposition across multiple manufacturing industries. Despite the variety of production benefits the technology entails, its rate of adoption is still low compared to industry forecasts. In face of this challenge, industry as well as academia requires more information and guidance. This review aims to examine the characteristics of the existing body of research on the organizational adoption of 3DP as well as its underlying theoretical concepts. The most common criteria driving adoption will be derived, such as to facilitate the managerial decision-making process. Pathways for future research will be presented. Design/methodology/approach – This study underlies a bibliometric literature review and additionally applies content analysis to systematically investigate the existing body of research and group decision criteria along the four major pillars of strategic decision-making. Findings – The contributions of this paper are threefold. First, the bibliometric analysis reveals interesting aspects of the existing body of research. Themost prominent characteristics of the contemporary literature are reflected along descriptive indicators, such as industry, method, model, origin, research outlet or adoption drivers, thus granting relevant insights into academia and practice. Second, the most notable adoption models are carefully analyzed on their inherent attributes and their application fit for the context of organizational 3DP adoption. Findings, for instance, revealed the dominance of diffusion of innovation (DOI) across the existing body of research and divulge that this construct is generally applied in combinationwith user-centered decision frameworks to yield more precise results. Third, an ample range of opportunities for future research are detected and thoroughly explained. Among others, the authors identified a clear lack of information on the impact environmental variables and contingency factors exerted on the organizational adoption of 3DP. Guidance in relation to the sourcing of industry data, usage of adoption frameworks and avenues for future scientific projects is supplied. Originality/value – This study represents the first semi-systematic literature review on the organizational adoption of 3DP. Thus, it not only offers a valuable evaluation guide for potential adopters but also determines a future research agenda.
Broadening the Lens: Toward the Collective Empathic Understanding of Product Requirements

— Many software product companies have embraced the agile paradigm and gone on to create cross-functional product development teams that fully own their product. The expectations of these teams are very different than of development teams in a disciplined software development environment. The study underway examines how these empowered cross-functional product teams, as a collective, create and nurture a shared mental model that accurately represents the external product domain and its realities and that provides the context for understanding the requirements. We also examine external factors that allow for these teams to develop these capabilities while less-empowered teams cannot. Using Constructivist Grounded Theory, we study individuals and teams in several companies and varied product domains. We find that certain organisational factors play a significant role and we also examine an essential dynamic of broadening the lens and blurring boundaries that cross-functional product teams employ in order to not only fully embrace product planning but also to grok the domain for their products.
Practical and asymptotic stabilities for a class of delayed fractional discrete-time linear systems

The practical and asymptotic stabilities of delayed fractional discrete-time linear systems described by the model without a time shift in the difference are addressed. The D-decomposition approach is used for stability analysis. New necessary and sufficient stability conditions are established. The conditions in terms of the location of eigenvalues of the system matrix in the complex plane are given. Abstract. The practical and asymptotic stabilities of delayed fractional discrete-time linear systems described by the model without a time shift in the diﬀerence are addressed. The D-decomposition approach is used for stability analysis. New necessary and suﬃcient stability conditions are established. The conditions in terms of the location of eigenvalues of the system matrix in the complex plane are given.
Touch-Based Dual-Band System Combined Human Body Communication and Wireless LAN for Wearable Devices

A touch-based dual-band system (TBDB), in which human body communication (HBC) and wireless local area network (WLAN) are combined to provide an intuitive service, is proposed. The proposed system can connect the network between devices using HBC, and the data is transmitted via WLAN. The network setup is configured within 100 ms through HBC by simply touching the devices to be connected. Subsequently, data is transmitted at high-speed through the WLAN at a data rate of 54 Mbps. Security is advantageous as HBC technology transmits data through physical contact. The TBDB system can provide a system suitable for wearable devices by combining the advantages of HBC with intuitive service and WLAN at a high transfer rate. A transparent electrode that is adaptable to various display panels is used instead of a metal electrode. The proposed TBDB system using the transparent electrode demonstrates a reliable and intuitive video streaming service between a server and a client, simply by touching the devices. The proposed system can be used between most electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablet PCs, and TVs, owing to the intuitive network connection by touch.
Adaptation of HIV-1/HIV-2 Chimeras with Defects in Genome Packaging and Viral Replication

Novel retroviruses can emerge from recombination between distantly related retroviruses. Most notably, HIV-1 originated from zoonotic transmission of a novel recombinant (SIVcpz) into humans. ABSTRACT Frequent recombination is a hallmark of retrovirus replication. In rare cases, recombination occurs between distantly related retroviruses, generating novel viruses that may significantly impact viral evolution and public health. These recombinants may initially have substantial replication defects due to impaired interactions between proteins and/or nucleic acids from the two parental viruses. However, given the high mutation rates of retroviruses, these recombinants may be able to evolve improved compatibility of these viral elements. To test this hypothesis, we examined the adaptation of chimeras between two distantly related human pathogens: HIV-1 and HIV-2. We constructed HIV-1-based chimeras containing the HIV-2 nucleocapsid (NC) domain of Gag or the two zinc fingers of HIV-2 NC, which are critical for specific recognition of viral RNA. These chimeras exhibited significant defects in RNA genome packaging and replication kinetics in T cells. However, in some experiments, the chimeric viruses replicated with faster kinetics when repassaged, indicating that viral adaptation had occurred. Sequence analysis revealed the acquisition of a single amino acid substitution, S18L, in the first zinc finger of HIV-2 NC. This substitution, which represents a switch from a conserved HIV-2 residue to a conserved HIV-1 residue at this position, partially rescued RNA packaging and replication kinetics. Further analysis revealed that the combination of two substitutions in HIV-2 NC, W10F and S18L, almost completely restored RNA packaging and replication kinetics. Our study demonstrates that chimeras of distantly related retroviruses can adapt and significantly enhance their replication by acquiring a single substitution. IMPORTANCE Novel retroviruses can emerge from recombination between distantly related retroviruses. Most notably, HIV-1 originated from zoonotic transmission of a novel recombinant (SIVcpz) into humans. Newly generated recombinants may initially have significant replication defects due to impaired interactions between viral proteins and/or nucleic acids, such as between cis- and trans-acting elements from the two parental viruses. However, provided that the recombinants retain some ability to replicate, they may be able to adapt and repair the defective interactions. Here, we used HIV-1 and HIV-2 Gag chimeras as a model system for studying the adaptation of recombinant viruses. We found that only two substitutions in the HIV-2 NC domain, W10F and S18L, were required to almost fully restore RNA genome packaging and replication kinetics. These results illustrate the extremely flexible nature of retroviruses and highlight the possible emergence of novel recombinants in the future that could pose a significant threat to public health.
Pythium insidiosum keratitis: Review of literature of 5 years’ clinical experience at a tertiary eye care center

ABSTRACT Background Pythium insidiosum is an important cause of infectious keratitis from tropical and sub-tropical countries. Due to its closely mimicking clinical and microbiological features with fungus, it remained unidentified and managed as fungal keratitis for a long time. Previously all patients had poor outcomes with antifungal therapy and needed surgical treatment with higher rates of recurrences of infection leading to loss of an eye. Thus, a novel approach was required to treat it and, in this article, we would like to elaborate on the drastic change which these 5 years have brought in the management of this condition. Methods In view of making a consolidated article comprising all the required information and also our clinical experience in the management of Pythium keratitis, we extensively reviewed several articles available on it over PubMed and Google scholars. Relevant literature describing details about Pythium, its clinical correlation, and recent advances from 52 articles including 12 articles from our group were finally included. Results Our group identified and highlighted the unique clinical and microbiological features of Pythium insidiosum, performed several in-vitro, in-vivo studies along with clinical trials, and proposed the strategic way of its diagnosis and treatment. The use of antifungals was replaced with antibacterial medications and this resulted in better medical and surgical outcomes. Conclusion The diagnosis and management of Pythium insidiosum is constantly evolving with several recent works pointing out the possible changes in the practice patterns for the management of this challenging form of keratitis.
Comparison of Cost, Power Consumption, and Spectrum Utilization in Protected Fixed- and Flexi-Grid Optical Networks

ABSTRACT In the current work, with a view on network resilience, we investigate gains which result from utilization of the flexible elastic optical networks (EONs). We also focus on an important capability of the EON, viz. the squeezed protection which, in cases of failure(s), minimizes the need for resource(s). We conduct in-depth simulations considering realistic (1) assumptions and (2) topologies, which are characterized by different node(s) numbers, link distances, and corresponding realistic traffic matrices. Through simulations, for the various protection schemes, we compare the fixed-grid wavelength-switched optical networks (WSONs) and the EONs, and the obtained simulation results demonstrate that EONs significantly outperform WSONs. Also, for the considered performance metrics, viz. CapEx/OpEx, power consumption, and spectrum utilization, the WSONs are observed to require more amounts of resources compared to the EONs. Finally, on the one hand, the squeezed protection approach used in EONs is seen to allow for a significant minimization of resources; on the other hand, it only protects a fraction of the traffic.
A new indicator: The diagnostic value of CD8+T/B lymphocyte ratio in sepsis progression

Objective To reveal the value of single lymphocyte subpopulation and their ratios in the progression of sepsis. Methods From January 2019 to March 2021, 39 sepsis patients, 16 septic shock patients, and 50 healthy volunteers were recruited in the Second Xiangya Hospital for this cross-sectional study. The absolute quantitation of CD4+T, CD8+T, B lymphocytes, and NK cells in peripheral blood were determined by flow cytometry. SPSS Software was used to analyze the results. Results On the whole, the numbers of lymphocytes in the sepsis group and in the septic shock group were lower than that in the healthy control group. Surprisingly, the percentage of CD8+T lymphocytes in the septic shock group was slightly higher than that in the sepsis group. The percentage of B lymphocytes in the sepsis group was higher than that in the healthy control group. The AUC of CD8+T/B was 0.724, with the sensitivity and specificity being 75.00% and 71.79%, respectively. Conclusion The immune expression pattern of patients with sepsis was not a simple decrease in the number of lymphocytes. The change in the ratios of lymphocyte subpopulation might be more meaningful along the development and progression of sepsis. The ratio of CD8+T/B could be used to diagnose the progression of sepsis and reduce the misdiagnosis rate to a certain extent.
Envelope Stress Activates Expression of the Twin Arginine Translocation (Tat) System in Salmonella

Salmonella species cause an array of diseases in a variety of hosts. This research is significant in showing induction of the Tat system as a defense against periplasmic stress. Understanding the underlying mechanism of this regulation broadens our understanding of the Salmonella stress response, which is critical to the ability of the organism to cause infection. ABSTRACT The twin arginine translocation system (Tat) is a protein export system that is conserved in bacteria, archaea, and plants. In Gram-negative bacteria, it is required for the export of folded proteins from the cytoplasm to the periplasm. In Salmonella, there are 30 proteins that are predicted substrates of Tat, and among these are enzymes required for anaerobic respiration and peptidoglycan remodeling. We have demonstrated that some conditions that induce bacterial envelope stress activate expression of a ΔtatABC-lacZ fusion in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Particularly, the addition of bile salts to the growth medium causes a 3-fold induction of a ΔtatABC-lacZ reporter fusion. Our data demonstrate that this induction is mediated via the phage shock protein (Psp) stress response system protein PspA. Further, we show that deletion of tatABC increases the induction of tatABC expression in bile salts. Indeed, the data suggest significant interaction between PspA and the Tat system in the regulatory response to bile salts. Although we have not identified the precise mechanism of Psp regulation of tatABC, our work shows that PspA is involved in the activation of tatABC expression by bile salts and adds another layer of complexity to the Salmonella response to envelope stress. IMPORTANCE Salmonella species cause an array of diseases in a variety of hosts. This research is significant in showing induction of the Tat system as a defense against periplasmic stress. Understanding the underlying mechanism of this regulation broadens our understanding of the Salmonella stress response, which is critical to the ability of the organism to cause infection.
Investigating the quality of HIV rapid testing practices in public antenatal health care facilities, South Africa

Monitoring HIV prevalence using antenatal HIV sentinel surveillance is important for efficient epidemic tracking, programme planning and resource allocation. HIV sentinel surveillance usually employs unlinked anonymous HIV testing which raises ethical, epidemiological and public health challenges in the current era of universal test and treat. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that countries should consider using routine prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) data for surveillance. We audited antenatal care clinics to assess the quality of HIV rapid testing practices as the first step to assess whether South Africa is ready to utilize PMTCT programme data for antenatal HIV surveillance. In 2017, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in 360 randomly sampled antenatal care clinics using the adapted WHO Stepwise-Process-for-Improving-the-Quality-of-HIV-Rapid-Testing (SPI-RT) checklist. We calculated median percentage scores within a domain (domain-specific median score), and across all domains (overall median percentage scores). The latter was used to classify sites according to five implementation levels; (from 0:<40% to 4: 90% or higher). Of 346 (96.1%) facilities assessed, an overall median percentage score of 62.1% (inter-quartile range (IQR): 50.8–71.9%) was obtained. The lowest domain-specific median percentage scores were obtained under training/certification (35% IQR: 10.0–50.0%) and external quality assurance (12.5% IQR: 0.0–50.0%), respectively. The majority (89%) of sites had an overall median score at level 2 or below; of these, 37% required improvement in specific areas and 6.4% in all areas. Facilities in districts implementing the HIV Rapid Test Quality Improvement Initiative and supported by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) had significantly higher median overall scores (65.6% IQR: 53.9–74.2%) (P-value from rank sum test: <0.001) compared with non–PEPFAR–supported facilities (56.6% IQR:47.7–66.0%). We found sub-optimal implementation of HIV rapid testing practices. We recommend the expansion of the PEPFAR-funded Rapid Test Continuous Quality Improvement (RTCQI) support to all antenatal care testing sites.
Reward Sensitivity and Hazardous Alcohol Consumption in Women: The Parallel Mediation Effect of Self-Control and Impulsivity Traits

Introduction: Little research has been carried out on the associations between several individual factors and hazardous alcohol use in women. The aim of this study was first, to study the relationship between reward sensitivity (RS) and alcohol use in both women with and without hazardous drinking separately. Second, to explore the potential mediating roles of the impulsivity and self-control traits in this relationship. Method: The study was analytical and cross-sectional and included 645 female participants (mean age = 19.14; standard deviation (SD)=1.60). All women were divided into two groups (286, 44.3%, with hazardous drinking, HDW; and 359, 55.7%, with light drinking, LDW). Correlation analyses were carried out to explore the associations between the variables, and parallel mediation analyses were performed to investigate the potential mediating roles of impulsivity and self-control in the RS-alcohol use associations in each group separately. Results: A significant association was observed between RS and alcohol use in HDW, contrary to that observed in their counterparts. In addition, both higher impulsivity and less self-control mediated the association between RS and alcohol use only in HDW. Conclusions: Impulsivity and self-control differently affect alcohol use under the condition of high reward sensitivity, only in HDW, suggesting alterations of the dual top-down and bottom-up mechanisms and a possible imbalance between the competing reflexive and impulsive brain systems. More research is needed regarding the individual factors that affect women's drinking to develop sensitive measures for the assessment of alcohol use and more efficient interventions for women.