Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Constraint Satisfaction Search 1 Constraint Satisfaction Problems

For the past thirty ve years artiicial intelligence researchers have been studying heuristic search techniques. People writing AI programs have had strong intuitions about what it means for a program to search. Intuitively they classiied programs according to the kinds of search performed. Certain programs, such as matrix multiplication routines, did no search whatsoever. Other programs searched for solutions to a xed nite set of constraints. Others searched for paths in graphs, or for strategies in game trees, or for proofs in formal inference systems. The intuitive classiication of search programs seems to roughly correspond to complexity classes. The no-search procedures correspond to the complexity class P. Constraint satisfaction search procedures correspond to the complexity class NP, graph search and game search procedures to the class PSPACE, and search in theorem proving to the class of recursively enumerable functions. This chapter discusses heuris-tic techniques for solving search problems of the simplest type | constraint satisfaction problems. Heuristic techniques for other forms of search are discussed in later chapters. Intuitively, a search problem involves nding an object that satisses a given speciication. A classic example is the eight queens problem. This is the problem of placing eight queens on a chess board so that no two queens attack each other, i.e., so that no single row, column, or diagonal contains more than one queen. This problem can be solved ineeciently by a generate and test" program that rst generates a list of all the possible ways eight queens can be placed a chess board and then tests each possibility t o see if it is a solution to the problem.
Bank Consolidation in Nigeria: Marketing Implications and Challenges for the Surviving Banks

The purpose of this paper is to explore the marketing implications of the Nigerian bank consolidation with a view to theorizing the marketing challenges which Third World countries wishing to embark on the same exercise should watch out for. The research used secondary data sources to expose the status of marketing in the pre-consolidation era and goes further to put forward the marketing implications and challenges of the exercise. Delivery of quality services, repositioning of brand identities and branch expansion were found as the leading challenges of the Nigerian bank consolidation. Other Third World economies wishing to undertake bank consolidation was advised to consider certain structural variables evident in their countries before embarking on such reforms.
Ultrastructural Double‐Labelling Study of Dopamine Terminals and GABA‐Containing Neurons in Rat Anteromedial Cerebral Cortex

The aim of this study was to identify, at the ultrastructural level, the neuronal targets of dopamine afferents to the medial prefrontal and the anterior cingulate cortex of the adult rat. Since, in addition to pyramidal neurons, the cortical neuronal population mainly consists of GABAergic nonpyramidal intrinsic neurons, the simultaneous visualization of both dopamine‐ and GABA‐containing neurons should leave the pyramidal neurons as the only unlabelled dopamine postsynaptic target. In this context, we used a double labelling immunocytochemical procedure: a pre‐embedding PAP immunostaining to visualize monoclonal conjugated‐dopamine (DA) antibody, followed by postembedding immunogold staining with a polyclonal conjugated‐GABA antibody. In a single section sampling of 369 DA‐immunoreactive (DA‐IR) varicosities observed and the GABA‐containing elements, 75% of the DA‐IR terminals showed no indication of any contact with a GABA neuron. Twenty‐five per cent were found in nonsynaptic contiguity with a GABA‐immunoreactive neuronal element: axon, dendrite or cell body. When a DA varicosity was in nonsynaptic contiguity with a neuronal perikaryon (5% of cases), this cell was GABA positive. Ten per cent of the DA varicosities were contiguous to a GABA axon, but axoaxonic synapses in either direction were never observed. A symmetrical synapse between a DA varicosity and a GABA‐containing dendrite was observed only once. The other 13 DA‐IR terminals exhibiting a clear synaptic junction were apposed to nonGABA‐containing dendrites, spines and shafts. Triads were observed in which a DA varicosity, forming or not a symmetrical synapse, was apposed to an unlabelled dendrite already receiving a symmetrical junction from another unlabelled axon. These data confirm and extend previous results designating the pyramidal cell dendritic tree as the main synaptic target of DA cortical afferents in rat and primate cerebral cortex. However, a direct effect of dopamine on a subpopulation of intrinsic GABA neurons cannot be excluded.
New form of administering chlorhexidine for treatment of denture-induced stomatitis

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the release of chlorhexidine as an antifungal drug from doped self-cured poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) acrylic resin and the effect of the drug released on the growth of Candida albicans. Methods: Release of chlorhexidine was evaluated using liquid chromatography, and the effect of the drug on the growth of C. albicans was investigated microbiologically using a “well” technique on Saboraud culture medium inoculated with a resistant strain of C. albicans. Results: Chlorhexidine leached steadily out of the acrylic resin into distilled water at mouth temperature, and the sustained drug release continued throughout the 28-day test period. The drug released also demonstrated antifungal activity against the resistant strain of C. albicans. Conclusion: The findings of this study support the use of chlorhexidine-impregnated self-cured PMMA chair-side resin as a new dosage form for the treatment of denture-induced stomatitis.
State management in Distributed Virtual Environments: A Voronoi base approach

This paper proposes a Voronoi based approach for the management of the state of the passive objects of a P2P DVE. The proposed solution exploits the properties of the Voronoi tessellations both to manage the consistency and the persistence of the DV E state. The peer whose Voronoi region includes an object O is its owner and acts as its transient server by coordinating and notifying its updates to the other peers. We present a set of mechanisms to guarantee the persistence of the state of the objects in an environment characterized by a high degree of churn. The paper presents a set of simulations implemented by Peersim which confirm the feasibility of our approach.
ANALISIS KEMAMPUAN LITERASI MATEMATIKA BERDASARKAN PADA ASPEK NORMA SOSIOMATEMATIK

This research aims to investigate the literacy abilities of students based on sociomathematics norms. The research method used is a case study. The subjects of this research consist of 3 selected students categorized as high, medium, and low achievers. The research incorporates a questionnaire, a written test, and interviews to assess the students' mathematical literacy abilities and their understanding of sociomathematics norms. The analytical technique employed includes the Rasch model for the questionnaire and test data, while the interview results were analyzed through reduction analysis, data gathering, and conclusions were facilitated using the MAXQDA application. The findings of the research indicate the following: 1) Students in the high category of mathematics literacy abilities also demonstrate high sociomathematics norms, and the same trend applies to the medium and lower categories; 2) The indicators of students' mathematics literacy abilities predominantly fall within levels 1, 2, and 4; 3) The indicators of sociomathematics norms among students primarily encompass mathematics experience, mathematics differences, and the effectiveness of mathematics. This research serves as a reference for readers seeking insights into the topic
Repair of critical aortic coarctation in neonatal age.

BACKGROUND The data of 111 (male: 64; female: 47) in the period of 1967 until 12/93 consecutive operated neonatals (<1 month) were studied retrospectively (mean weight 3270 g, mean age at operation 14 days). METHODS Preductal anatomy was present in 96 patients. The coarctation was isolated in 30 patients (group I), 34 patients had additional large ventricular septal defects (group II) and 47 had complex heart disease (group III). The preoperative heart catheterization revealed a gradient of <20 mmHg in 35%, >20 mmHg in 51.4% and >50 mmHg in 12.9%. The indication for repair was conservatively untreatable heart insufficiency. In the vast majority (n=97) of patients resection and end-to-end anastomosis were performed, in 31 cases using an absorbable suture, in 18 of these using a continuous suture line. In 4 patients a subclavian flap angioplasty (SFA) was done, in 4 a patch enlargement, 4 times a repair was described as not possible and in 2 patients there was no gradient after division of the ductus. RESULTS Early lethality was 3.3% (n=1) in group I, 24.2% (n=8) died in group II and 39.1% (n=18) in group III; after introducing Prostaglandin E1 0% in group I, 15% in II and 25% in III. Relevant recoarctation (Gradient >20 mmHg) developed in 9 (among them 4 with hypoplastic arch, 2 after SFA) of the 77 long-term survivors; 6 of these were reoperated on, 5 without residual gradient, 1 with a gradient of 25 mmHg without clinical symptoms (after 4 years). In the last 3 patients a balloon dilation was carried out without residual gradient. Mean follow-up time was 6 (0-24) years. No patient needs antihypertensive treatment. The cumulative survival rate is 96.7% (+6.6%) for group I, 77.4% (+15.0%) for II and 51.9% (+16.6%) for III. CONCLUSIONS Resection and end-to-end anastomosis using a continuous absorbable suture is the method of choice at theoretical considerations and in our experiences. The number of recoarctations in neonatal age is relatively high; reinterventions (operation respectively dilation) can be done safely and successfully.
RapID: A Framework for Fabricating Low-Latency Interactive Objects with RFID Tags

RFID tags can be used to add inexpensive, wireless, batteryless sensing to objects. However, quickly and accurately estimating the state of an RFID tag is difficult. In this work, we show how to achieve low-latency manipulation and movement sensing with off-the-shelf RFID tags and readers. Our approach couples a probabilistic filtering layer with a monte-carlo-sampling-based interaction layer, preserving uncertainty in tag reads until they can be resolved in the context of interactions. This allows designers' code to reason about inputs at a high level. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach with a number of interactive objects, along with a library of components that can be combined to make new designs.
Purification, Characterization, and Immunogenicity of a Soluble Trimeric Envelope Protein Containing a Partial Deletion of the V2 Loop Derived from SF162, an R5-Tropic Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Isolate

ABSTRACT The envelope (Env) glycoprotein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is the major target of neutralizing antibody responses and is likely to be a critical component of an effective vaccine against AIDS. Although monomeric HIV envelope subunit vaccines (gp120) have induced high-titer antibody responses and neutralizing antibodies against laboratory-adapted HIV-1 strains, they have failed to induce neutralizing antibodies against diverse heterologous primary HIV isolates. Most probably, the reason for this failure is that the antigenic structure(s) of these previously used immunogens does not mimic that of the functional HIV envelope, which is a trimer, and thus these immunogens do not elicit high titers of relevant functional antibodies. We recently reported that an Env glycoprotein immunogen (o-gp140SF162ΔV2) containing a partial deletion in the second variable loop (V2) derived from the R5-tropic HIV-1 isolate SF162, when used in a DNA priming-protein boosting vaccine regimen in rhesus macaques, induced neutralizing antibodies against heterologous subtype B primary isolates as well as protection to the vaccinated animals upon challenge with pathogenic SHIVSF162P4 virus. Here we describe the purification of this protein to homogeneity, its characterization as trimer, and its ability to induce primary isolate-neutralizing responses in rhesus macaques. Optimal mutations in the primary and secondary protease cleavage sites of the env gene were identified that resulted in the stable secretion of a trimeric Env glycoprotein in mammalian cell cultures. We determined the molecular mass and hydrodynamic radius (Rh) using a triple detector analysis (TDA) system. The molecular mass of the oligomer was found to be 324 kDa, close to the expected Mw of a HIV envelope trimer protein (330 kDa), and the hydrodynamic radius was 7.27 nm. Negative staining electron microscopy of o-gp140SF162ΔV2 showed that it is a trimer with considerable structural flexibility and supported the data obtained by TDA. The structural integrity of the purified trimeric protein was also confirmed by determinations of its ability to bind the HIV receptor, CD4, and its ability to bind a panel of well-characterized neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. No deleterious effect of V2 loop deletion was observed on the structure and conformation of the protein, and several critical neutralization epitopes were preserved and well exposed on the purified o-gp140SF162ΔV2 protein. In an intranasal priming and intramuscular boosting regimen, this protein induced high titers of functional antibodies, which neutralized the vaccine strain, i.e., SF162. These results highlight a potential role for the trimeric o-gp140SF162ΔV2 Env immunogen in a successful HIV vaccine.
Predictors of symptoms of posttraumatic stress and depression in family members after patient death in the ICU.

BACKGROUND Patients' deaths in the ICU have been associated with a high burden of psychologic symptoms in families. This study identifies characteristics associated with psychologic symptoms in family members. METHODS Families of patients dying in the ICU or within 30 h of ICU discharge in 11 hospitals previously participated in a randomized trial. In the current study, we assessed these families for symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression with follow-up surveys. Outcomes included validated measures of PTSD (PTSD Checklist) and depressive (Patient Health Questionnaire) symptoms. Predictors included family member mental-health history, involvement in decision making, and demographics. RESULTS Surveys were completed by 226 families. Response rate was 46% in the original randomized trial and 82% in this study. Prevalence (95% CI) of PTSD and depressive symptoms were 14.0% (9.7%-19.3%) and 18.4% (13.5%-24.1%), respectively. Family characteristics associated with increased symptoms included: female gender (PTSD, P = .020; depression, P = .005), knowing the patient for a shorter duration (PTSD, P = .003; depression, P = .040), and discordance between family members' preferences for decision making and their actual decision-making roles (PTSD, P = .005; depression, P = .049). Depressive symptoms were also associated with lower educational level (P = .002). Families with psychologic symptoms were more likely to report that access to a counselor (PTSD, P < .001; depression, P = .003) and information about spiritual services might have been helpful while the patient was in the ICU (PTSD, P = .024; depression, P = .029). CONCLUSIONS Families demonstrated a high prevalence of psychologic symptoms after a death in the ICU. Characteristics associated with symptoms may help target interventions to reduce these symptoms. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov; Identifier: NCT00685893.
Pancreatic cancer modeling using retrograde viral vector delivery and in vivo CRISPR/Cas9-mediated somatic genome editing

In this study, Chiou et al. describe a novel system for titratable tumor initiation in the adult pancreas through retrograde ductal injection of adenoviral-Cre-expressing and lentiviral-Cre-expressing vectors. They also demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing can be used efficiently in the pancreas in vivo using viral sgRNA/Cre delivery and a Cre-regulated Cas9 mouse allele, providing a new system for putative tumor and metastatic suppressor genes in pancreatic cancer in vivo.
Separate-variable adaptive combination of LMS adaptive filters for plant identification

The Least Mean Square (LMS) algorithm has become a very popular algorithm for adaptive filtering due to its robustness and simplicity. An adaptive convex combination of one fast a one slow LMS filters has been previously proposed for plant identification, as a way to break the speed vs precision compromise inherent to LMS filters. In this paper, an improved version of this combination method is presented. Instead of using a global mixing parameter, the new algorithm uses a different combination parameter for each weight of the adaptive filter, what gives some advantage when identifying varying plants where some of the coefficients remain unaltered, or when the input process is colored. Some simulation examples show the validity of this approach when compared with the one-parameter combination scheme and with a different multi-step approach.
A model of degradation and production of three pools of dissolved organic matter in an alpine lake

We investigated the transport and production of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in an alpine lake in the Colorado Front Range during snowmelt and the summer ice‐free season by employing a new approach for distinguishing between three pools of DOM based on fractionation and spectroscopic characterization. Reactive transport modeling results confirm that terrestrially derived sources of humic DOM are dominant during snowmelt and that microbially derived humic and nonhumic DOM are produced in the lake in the summer, when rates of primary productivity are highest. DOM characterization and modeling results support the interpretation that losses of terrestrially derived humic DOM are dependent on photochemistry and indicate that the decay of nonhumic and microbially derived humic DOM is more influenced by heterotrophic degradation. Results suggest that production of nonhumic DOM can be directly related to chlorophyll a concentrations and that microbially derived humic DOM can be produced through condensation reactions. Furthermore, fluorescence and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) of DOM suggest that the rate of decay of microbially derived humic DOM decreases as the redox state of quinone‐like moieties of the DOM becomes more oxidized. This study quantifies the influence of DOM source on the chemical and biological reactivity of DOM in lakes. The methods presented in this study provide a framework for testing hypotheses related to the effects of a changing climate on lake ecosystem structure and function.
Thermoelectric properties of superlattice nanowires

We report here on a theoretical model for the electronic structure and transport properties of superlattice nanowires, considering their cylindrical wire boundary and multiple anisotropic carrier pockets. The thermoelectric properties of superlattice nanowires made of various lead salts ~PbS, PbSe, and PbTe! are investigated as a function of the segment length, wire diameter, crystal orientation along the wire axis, and the length ratio of the constituent nanodots of the superlattice, based on the Kronig-Penney potential for each one-dimensional ~1D! subband and on the 1D Boltzmann transport equations. A potential barrier‐well inversion induced by quantum confinement, which is a unique phenomenon in superlattice nanowires, is predicted as the wire diameter decreases. ZT values higher than 4 and 6 are predicted for 5-nm-diameter PbSe/PbS and PbTe/PbSe superlattice nanowires at 77 K, respectively. These ZT values are significantly larger than those of their corresponding alloy nanowires, indicating that superlattice nanowires are promising systems for thermoelectric applications.
Collective Intelligence in Citizen Science - A Study of Performers and Talkers

Ramine Tinati, Elena Simperl, Markus Luczak-Roesch, Max Van Kleek, Nigel Shadbolt, University ofSouthampton1. INTRODUCTIONOnline citizen science can be seen as a form of collective intelligence Levy [1997] and Woolley et al.´[2010] in which the wisdom of the crowd is applied to the Web to advance scientiﬁc knowledge [Prestop-nik and Crowston 2012] Thus far, online citizen science projects [Bonney et al. 2009] have appliedmillions of volunteers to solving problems in a wide array of scientiﬁc domains, ranging from the clas-siﬁcation of galaxies [Fortson et al. 2011] to the completion of protein folding networks [Khatib et al.2011]. Central to many of these projects are online messaging or discussion facilities designed to allowvolunteers to ask one another questions and advice. Such facilities have in many cases yielded sub-stantial, dedicated self-sustaining online communities. In this paper, we examine participation in suchcommunities; speciﬁcally, whether participation in online discussion inﬂuences task completion withinand across 10 distinct projects of a shared citizen science platform, the Zooniverse
An insight into the role of the N-terminal domain of Salmonella CobB in oligomerization and Zn2+ mediated inhibition of the deacetylase activity

Prokaryotic deacetylases are classified into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent sirtuins and Zn2+-dependent deacetylases. NAD+ is a coenzyme for redox reactions, thus serving as an essential component for energy metabolism. The NAD+-dependent deacetylase domain is quite conserved and well characterized across bacterial species like CobB in Escherichia coli and Salmonella, Rv1151c in Mycobacterium, and SirtN in Bacillus subtilis. E. coli CobB is the only bacterial deacetylase with a known crystal structure (PDB ID: 1S5P), which has 91% sequence similarity with Salmonella CobB (SeCobB). Salmonella encodes two CobB isoforms, SeCobBS and SeCobBL, with a difference of 37 amino acids in its N-terminal domain (NTD). The hydrophobic nature of NTD leads to the stable oligomerization of SeCobBL. The homology modeling-based predicted structure of SeCobB showed the presence of a zinc-binding motif of unknown function. Tryptophan fluorescence quenching induced by ZnCl2 showed that Zn2+ has a weak interaction with SeCobBS but higher binding affinity toward SeCobBL, which clearly demonstrated the crucial role of NTD in Zn2+ binding. In the presence of Zn2+, both isoforms had significantly reduced thermal stability, and a greater effect was observed on SeCobBL. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies reflected a ninefold increase in the scattering intensity of SeCobBL upon ZnCl2 addition in contrast to an ∼onefold change in the case of SeCobBS, indicating that the Zn2+ interaction leads to the formation of large particles of SeCobBL. An in vitro lysine deacetylase assay showed that SeCobB deacetylated mammalian histones, which can be inhibited in the presence of 0.25–1.00 mM ZnCl2. Taken together, our data conclusively showed that Zn2+ strongly binds to SeCobBL through the NTD that drastically alters its stability, oligomeric status, and enzymatic activity in vitro.