cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A coordination-free distributed algorithm for simple assignment problems using randomized actions

In this paper, we present a distributed algorithm for simple assignment problems in multi-agent systems without the presence of a central or a local coordinator. In a simple assignment problem, a unique task is to be assigned to each agent assuming that the cost of each assignment is identical. We assume that the communication among the agents is restricted over a sparse network, i.e., no agent can communicate to all of the other agents in the network. We propose a coordination-free, memoryless, distributed algorithm that is based on inter-agent information exchange via a gossip (type) communication protocol. Each agent randomly picks a task and then either swaps its task with a randomly chosen neighbor from its neighborhood (if they have different tasks) or one of them randomly picks a new task (if they have the same task). We first consider the case when the agents have no memory such that they do not have information regarding their task and neighbor history. We then present a modification when the agents possess memory. Finally, we show that both schemes converge to the set of acceptable configurations.
The dual components of mental health

In their Research Article “Reconciling after civil conflict increases social capital but decreases individual well-being” (13 May, p. [787][1]), J. Cilliers et al. found that although reconciliation techniques helped communities in war-torn Sierra Leone recover from conflicts, individuals
Associations Between Sex Education and Contraceptive Use Among Heterosexually Active, Adolescent Males in the United States.

Abstract Purpose This study examined associations between reports of receiving education on topics commonly included in sex education (e.g., abstinence only, comprehensive) prior to age 18 years and contraceptive use at the last sex among heterosexually active, 15- to 20-year-old males in the United States. Methods Cross-sectional data from 539 males participating in the 2011–2013 National Survey of Family Growth were analyzed. Bivariate and multinomial logistic regression analyses adjusting for confounding estimated associations between receipt of seven sex education topics (e.g., information on HIV/AIDS, how to say no to sex) and contraceptive use at the last sex (i.e., dual barrier and female-controlled effective methods, female-controlled effective method only, barrier method only, and no method). Results Nearly, all participants (99%) reported receiving sex education on at least one topic. Education on sexually transmitted diseases (94.7%) and HIV/AIDS (92.0%) were the most commonly reported topics received; education on where to get birth control was the least common (41.6%). Instruction about birth control methods (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.01; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.32–6.87) and how to say no to sex (AOR = 3.39; CI = 1.33–8.64) were positively associated with dual contraception compared to no use. For each additional sex education topic respondents were exposed to, their odds of using dual methods compared to no method was 47% greater (AOR = 1.47; CI = 1.16–1.86). Conclusions Exposure to a larger number of sex education topics is associated with young men's report of dual contraception use at the last sex. Comprehensive sex education, focusing on a range of topics, may be most effective at promoting safer sex among adolescent males.
Selection of 2′-Fluoro-Modified Aptamers with Optimized Properties

RNA or single-stranded DNA aptamers with 2′-F pyrimidines have been pursued to increase resistance to nucleases, and while it seems likely that these and other modifications, including the modification of purines, could be used to optimize additional properties, this has been much less explored because such aptamers are challenging to discover. Using a thermostable DNA polymerase, SFM4-3, which was previously evolved to accept nucleotides with 2′-modifications, we now report the selection of 2′-F purine aptamers that bind human neutrophil elastase (HNE). Two aptamers were identified, 2fHNE-1 and 2fHNE-2, that bind HNE with reasonable affinity. Interestingly, the 2′-F substituents facilitate the selection of specific interactions with HNE and overcome nonspecific electrostatic interactions that can otherwise dominate. The data demonstrate that inclusion of only a few 2′-F substituents can optimize properties far beyond simple nuclease resistance and that SFM4-3 should prove valuable for the further explora...
Robust false data injection attacks in electricity markets by limited adversaries

Deregulated electricity markets consist of look-ahead and real-time markets, across which energy price is generally volatile. Moreover, dispatch and pricing decisions in the real-time market strongly hinge on the quality of the real-time state estimation routines, which are designed to provide real-time information about operation state of the grid. The adversaries can leverage price volatility in conjunction with the dependence of the real-time markets on the state estimates in order to carry out profitable financial misconduct, e.g., via virtual bidding. When the adversaries can access to complete network information, the attack strategies are studied extensively in the existing literature. This paper focuses on limited adversaries who have only partial network information, in which the uncertainties are modeled as bounded values, and offers realistic attack strategy approach to guarantee the worst-case performance for attackers. Designing such attacks is investigated analytically, and examined in the IEEE 14-bus system.
Photosynthetic adaptation of Solanum dulcamara L. to sun and shade Environments : IV. A comparison of North American and European genotypes.

Clonal replicates of six genotypes of Solanum dulcamara L. grown in eight different environments were compared for photosynthesis and growth. Four of the genotypes were native to shaded habitats, two to sun habitats. The experimental growth environments differed in light level, daily temperature amplitude and substrate moisture availability. Treatments elicited large differences in lightsaturated photosynthetic rates and growth. Genotypic differences in response to the treatments were identified. However, when genotypes native to sun and shade habitats were compared, there were no consistent differences in photosynthesis or total plant dry weight. It was concluded that previously reported differences in the photosynthetic response of genotypes native to sun and shade habitats to treatment light level may have been the result of the persistent after-effects to changes in leaf water potential and not an adaptive response to growth light level.
Triangular and Related Molecules

In this chapter we will examine H3 +, N3 +, CH3 +, and BF3. The first two species are truly triangular in that they have an atom at each of the three corners of an equilateral triangle. Although the latter two molecules also have three identical atoms on the corners of a triangle, they possess a central atom as well.
Electrical energy per order and current efficiency for electrochemical oxidation of p-chlorobenzoic acid with boron-doped diamond anode.

Abstract Electrochemical oxidation (EO) is an advanced oxidation process for water treatment to mineralize organic contaminants. While proven to degrade a range of emerging pollutants in water, less attention has been given to quantify the effect of operational variables such applied current density and pollutant concentration on efficiency and energy requirements. Particular figures of merit were mineralization current efficiency (MCE) and electrical energy per order (E EO ). Linear increases of applied current exponentially decreased the MCE due to the enhancement of undesired parasitic reactions that consumed generated hydroxyl radical. E EO values ranged from 39.3 to 331.8 kW h m −3 order −1 . Increasing the applied current also enhanced the E EO due to the transition from kinetics limited by current to kinetics limited by mass transfer. Further increases in current did not influence the removal rate, but it raised the E EO requirement. The E EO requirement diminished when decreasing initial pollutant loading with the increase of the apparent kinetic rate because of the relative availability of oxidant per pollutant molecule in solution at a defined current. Oxidation by-products released were identified, and a plausible degradative pathway has been suggested.
Reflection: Cultural Forces in the American Landscapes

Like all territory altered by humans, landscapes in America reflect the varying influence of multiple and often conflicting cultural forces. Some extend across the continent, others are highly local, and some, as cultural exports, have come to affect – some would say, infect – landscapes around the world, for worse or for better. What are the human imperatives that have most profoundly shaped American landscapes in their own regional milieux from coast to coast? The following reflections necessarily concern primarily the coterminous forty-eight states of the United States. Hawaii’s mid-Pacific position owes so much to Oceania and Asia, and in Alaska nature keeps human transformation so markedly at bay, that they call for their own distinctive interpretation.
Body Patterns of the Frilled Giant Pacific Octopus, a New Species of Octopus from Prince William Sound, AK

We tested whether body patterns distinguished two haplotypes of large octopus in Prince William Sound Alaska. Live octopuses were photographed in captivity and assigned to a morphotype based on whether longitudinal mantle folds (a characteristic body pattern feature of the giant Pacific octopus (GPO), Enteroctopus dofleini (Wulker 1910)) were present (the GPO morphotype, N = 14) or absent (a novel morphotype, N = 6). Novel morphotype octopuses were distinguished without exception from GPO morphotype octopuses by the presence of a lateral mantle frill and the absence of longitudinal mantle folds, ventral mantle texture below the lateral frill, and patch and groove patterning. Additional traits could be used in combination to reliably characterize the novel morphotype. The genetic haplotypes of these octopuses were determined from nucleotide sequence data from two microsatellite loci and a portion of the OCDE gene. The GPO morphotype was identified with E. dofleini based on the match of body pattern traits to published descriptions of that species and the match of its genetic haplotype to published sequences of E. dofleini. Novel morphotype body patterns did not match descriptions of any species from the eastern north Pacific, while its genetic haplotype matched that of a recently sequenced undescribed octopus. The GPO and novel morphotypes are sister clades, and body pattern traits reliably identified individuals to morphotype and haplotype. Body pattern traits can be used in field identification of live octopuses allowing population assessments, by-catch frequency estimates, and other studies of both octopus types. We offer the common name of the frilled giant Pacific octopus for the novel morphotype, and based on genetic and morphological data suggest this clade is a new species of large Pacific octopus in the genus Enteroctopus. A full species description remains to be done.
Text categorization for assessing multiple documents integration, or John Henry visits a data mine

A critical need for students in the digital age is to learn how to gather, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize complex and sometimes contradictory information across multiple sources and contexts. Yet reading is most often taught with single sources. In this paper, we explore techniques for analyzing student essays to give feedback to teachers on how well their students deal with multiple texts. We compare the performance of a simple regular expression matcher to Latent Semantic Analysis and to Support Vector Machines, a machine learning approach.
Missed Opportunities to Prescribe HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis by Primary Care Providers in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Abstract Purpose: Optimal HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) scale-up in the United States requires prescribing by primary care providers (PCPs). We assessed barriers to patients obtaining PrEP fr...
The Development of Cerebral Specialization in Infants

In the various fields of investigation that come under the rubric of developmental psychobiology there are but a few basic theoretical issues that serve as the impetus for much of the research generated in these fields. The nature-nurture controversy, for example, has influenced virtually all of developmental psychobiology to the extent that we have now abandoned previous, simplistic, theoretical approaches in favor of more complex interactional conceptualizations. A second theoretical issue that occupies a similar position of significance is that of continuity versus discontinuity in development: Is development, or at least the develop-mental process one is studying, characterized by gradual change or is it marked by sudden reorganization? Another way to pose the question is whether development involves the same principles across the life span, or do different principles operate at different developmental levels (Lerner, 1976)?
Succession of r and K Strategists in Parasitoids

The concept of r and K strategems and their development during the evolution of organisms is certainly not new, although these particular terms to describe the process have been used for only a short period of time. As a matter of fact, the concept is implicit in some of the writings of Charles Darwin, among others. But, however old the basic theory is, there is presently a great deal of uncertainty as to how important these stratagems are in the functioning of organisms within ecological communities. There have also been questions as to whether or not genetic selection can proceed in the manner prescribed by the concept; even the appropriateness of the symbols “r” and “K” have been criticized. And to add to the dilemma, I suppose it is not altogether suitable to use the term “stratagem” when discussing the r and K theory since the dictionary defines stratagem as an artifice—a trick or way to deceive the enemy—and certainly this is a questionable manner in which to describe the process of evolution or development at any level of an ecosystem.
Studies on Biochemical Determinants of Quinone-Induced Toxicity in Primary Murine Bone Marrow Stromal Cells

Bone marrow is a target organ for toxicities induced by a spectrum of chemicals including the environmental pollutants benzene (Snyder et al., 1981) and benzo,[a]pyrene (BP) (Nebert and Jensen, 1979). Metabolism appears to be important for the expression of hematotoxicity by these two compounds, and metabolism of BP or benzene results in a number of metabolites including redox-active quinones. It has been demonstrated that metabolites of benzene, including hydroquinone (HQ) and benzoquinone (BZQ), concentrate in the marrow, and are believed to be the proximate or active metabolites responsible for the toxic effects of benzene. In support of this, Gaido and Wierda (1984, 1985) have identified bone marrow stromal cells as targets of toxicity of several benzene metabolites, particularly hydroquinone. We hypothesize that biochemical activities, such as quinone reductase (QR; NADPH:DT diaphorase) at the level of the bone marrow may contribute to target organ specificity in chemically-induced bone marrow toxicity. Quinone reductase is a widely distributed, cytosolic flavo-protein that has been shown to protect cells against the toxicity of quinones and their metabolic precursors (Kappus and Sies, 1981). Thus, the studies we report here have investigated susceptibility to quinone-generating metabolites of benzene and QR activity in cultured bone marrow stromal cells derived from DBA/2 mice.
Changing snow depth in the Great Lakes basin (USA): Implications and trends

Abstract In the Great Lakes basin of North America, snow plays a critical role in the regional hydroclimate, where snow ablation events can serve both as a resource and a hazard. The frequency and magnitude of an ablation event is governed by the availability of meteorological conditions to ablate snow, and the physical presence of snow to be ablated. While the meteorological conditions leading to ablation have been well documented, examining changes in atmospheric conditions alone have been unable to completely explain observed ablation trends. As such, this study applies a gridded snow depth dataset to evaluate snow depth variability, while speaking to the implications of such variability on ablation frequency and water resources. Snow cover is present in the basin from November – April, with the more northerly regions (Lake Superior and Lake Huron basins) exhibiting a deeper and more seasonally-persistent snowpack. Seasonal basin-wide snow depth decreased by approximately 25% from 1960 to 2009, with some of the most significant decreases occurring north of Lake Superior. Surface air temperatures are negatively associated snow depth, and warming temperatures are likely contributing to snow depth declines. These regional decreases in snow depth spatially corroborate previously observed decreases in the frequency of ablation events in the basin, and highlight the importance of examining both snow cover and meteorological conditions when seeking to explain snow ablation variability. The results from this study can be applied to inform water resource management decisions in the region.
A finite element study of welded aluminum shoe-base light pole details

Abstract Cantilevered light poles are examples of lightly damped, slender structural systems subjected to wind (cyclic) loads making fatigue life analysis necessary. Experimental and numerical studies performed on welded aluminum shoe-base details often found on cantilevered light poles included thirty-five fatigue tested in the Structures Laboratory of the University of Akron that provided the basis for the analytical study described in this article. Twenty-two of the thirty-five specimens failed and the remainder taken as run-outs. In an attempt to understand the fatigue behavior of the welded aluminum details, parametric studies using ANSYS examined bolt circle diameter, fillet weld leg-size, socket depth, and tube thickness. An increase in the bolt circle diameter of 27% results in about a 50% increase in the local stress adjacent to the fillet weld, and a reduction in tip deflection. A 50% increase in the fillet weld leg-size from 6.35 mm (0.25 in.) to 9.5 mm (0.375 in.) corresponds to about a 14% increase in the local stress. Increasing the shoe-base socket depth by 51% leads to an increase of 36% in the local stress. An increase in the thickness of 40% from 6.35 mm (0.25 in.) to 8.9 mm (0.35 in.) reflects a 60% increase in local stress. The analysis demonstrated that the lowest factor of safety was observed adjacent to the toe of the fillet weld. Thermographic measurements confirmed the existence of a hot spot near the weld toe on the tube.
Native Microchannel Recanalization with Orbital Atherectomy as a Viable Alternative to Failed Standard Recanalization of TASC II D Aortoiliac Occlusive Disease

Background Endovascular treatment of Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) II D aortoiliac lesions is now an accepted form of revascularization. We sought to demonstrate that native microchannel recanalization and orbital atherectomy is a successful recanalization method of TASC II D aortoiliac lesions refractory to standard recanalization techniques. Methods Four consecutive patients from 2016 to 2018 with symptomatic TASC II D aortoiliac occlusive disease prohibitive for open bypass and failed traditional prodding guidewire or device recanalization technique were identified and underwent advanced native microchannel selection and subsequent orbital atherectomy (Cardiovascular Systems, Inc, St Paul, MN). Native microchannels of the calcified lesions were probed and traversed with a 0.014″ wire. The atherectomy crown was tracked over the wire, and orbital atherectomy was initiated with a 1.25 mm crown starting at the lowest revolution and continued until the microchannel is sufficiently large to track a 1.2 mm-balloon for angioplasty. Serial microchannel angioplasty with exchange for stiffer and/or larger profile wires and balloons was achieved until a covered stent could be safely deployed across the target lesion. The kissing stent technique was then used to recreate the aortic bifurcation. A ViperSlide lubricant solution was used in all cases per indication for use. Patients were all heparinized to maintain an activated clotting time of 250. Lesion characteristics, survival, limb salvage, patency, and change in clinical symptoms were also analyzed. Results All 4 patients underwent successful native microchannel recanalization and orbital atherectomy of the common iliac artery (CIA). There were no intraoperative ruptures, embolizations, or dissections. All 4 patients presented with unilateral CIA occlusion with contralateral CIA stenosis. The average occlusion lesion length of the CIA was 6.0 cm. The average contralateral stenosis length was 2.3 cm. The kissing stent technique was used in all patients for reconstruction of the aortic bifurcation. At 30 days, all patients had improvement in pain and primary patency of 100%. Long-term follow-up at 21.6 months noted continued improvement in symptoms and primary patency of 75%. The fourth patient died at 4 months from lung cancer with occluded iliac stents by imaging at that time. Conclusions Native microchannel recanalization with subsequent orbital atherectomy is an option in high-risk patients with TASC II D aortoiliac disease who have failed traditional recanalization techniques. Further work in proper patient selection and safe utilization of atherectomy devices in the CIA is needed.
Identifying Africans with undiagnosed diabetes: Fasting plasma glucose is similar to the hemoglobin A1C updated Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities diabetes prediction equation.

Abstract Aims Seventy percent of Africans living with diabetes are undiagnosed. Identifying who should be referred for testing is critical. Therefore we evaluated the ability of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) diabetes prediction equation with A1C added (ARIC + A1C) to identify diabetes in 451 African-born blacks living in America (66% male; age 38 ± 10y (mean ± SD); BMI 27.5 ± 4.4 kg/m2). Methods All participants denied a history of diabetes. OGTTs were performed. Diabetes diagnosis required 2-h glucose ≥200 mg/dL. The five non-invasive (Age, parent history of diabetes, waist circumference, height, systolic blood pressure) and four invasive variables (Fasting glucose (FPG), A1C, triglycerides (TG), HDL) were obtained. Four models were tested: Model-1: Full ARIC + A1C equation; Model-2: All five non-invasive variables with one invasive variable excluded at a time; Model-3: All five non-invasive variables with one invasive variable included at a time; Model-4: Each invasive variable singly. Area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AROC) predicted diabetes. Youden Index identified optimal cut-points. Results Diabetes occurred in 7% (30/451). Model-1, the full ARIC + A1C equation, AROC = 0.83. Model-2: With FPG excluded, AROC = 0.77 (P = 0.038), but when A1C, HDL or TG were excluded AROC remained unchanged. Model-3 with all non-invasive variables and FPG alone, AROC=0.87; but with A1C, TG or HDL included AROC declined to ≤0.76. Model-4: FPG as a single predictor, AROC = 0.87. A1C, TG, or HDL as single predictors all had AROC ≤ 0.74. Optimal cut-point for FPG was 100 mg/dL. Conclusions To detect diabetes, FPG performed as well as the nine-variable updated ARIC + A1C equation.
13 – Policy implications

Publisher Summary The countries in transition face a very different set of circumstances than did higher income countries, which began their epidemiological transition and faced a period with a high level of nutrition-related noncommunicable diseases (NR-NCD) in the first half of the 20th century. First and foremost, NR-NCD is not the only problem of these countries. Protein-energy malnutrition and single- or multiple-micronutrient deficiencies are still endemic in several parts of the developing world. The pace of the nutrition transition is such that in most countries undergoing this transition, the protracted problems of undernutrition overlap with the emerging threat of over nutrition and diet-related chronic diseases. To these contrasting situations, many countries must add the burden of infectious diseases, such as malaria and HIV. Developing a comprehensive public health policy to address these issues, usually with limited resources, is perhaps the most difficult challenge for developing countries today. Debilitating chronic diseases reduce work capacity, thus constraining economic growth and creating a vicious circle of poverty and inadequate health care. The burden of NR-NCD on the national economy can be substantial, and its impact can be felt in economies as varied as China's or India's.
Chapter 7 – Potassium Channels

Astrocytes play a critical role in maintaining extracellular K+ homeostasis. Since neuronal activity is accompanied by efflux of K+ from neurons into the extracellular space, tight regulation of extracellular [K+] is critical to avoid hyperexcitability or synaptic dysfunction. Astrocytes regulate extracellular [K+] by both local K+ uptake and K+ spatial buffering. While there are many astrocytic potassium channels, many studies have implicated the inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kir4.1 as particularly important in setting astrocyte membrane potential and contributing to potassium buffering in the CNS. Alterations in Kir4.1 have been found in both epilepsy and other neurological diseases. Thus, dysregulation of K+ homeostasis may play a key role in the hyperexcitability of epilepsy.
Coping With COVID-19: Learning From Past Pandemics to Avoid Pitfalls and Panic.

It is imperative to concur on the main transmission routes of COVID-19 to explain risk and determine the most effective means to reduce illness and mortality. We must avoid generating irrational fear and maintain a broader perspective in the pandemic response, including assessing the possibility for substantial unintended consequences.
Entrepreneurship as a Response to Labor Market Discrimination for Formerly Incarcerated People

This paper examines entrepreneurship as a way to overcome labor market discrimination. Specifically, we examine entrepreneurship as a career choice for formerly incarcerated individuals, a group of...
Reduced Dorsal Visual Oscillatory Activity During Working Memory Maintenance in the First-Episode Schizophrenia Spectrum

Cognitive deficits in people with schizophrenia are among the hardest to treat and strongly predict functional outcome. The ability to maintain sensory precepts in memory over a short delay is impacted early in the progression of schizophrenia and has been linked to reliable neurophysiological markers. Yet, little is known about the mechanisms of these deficits. Here, we investigated possible neurophysiological mechanisms of impaired visual short-term memory (vSTM, aka working memory maintenance) in the first-episode schizophrenia spectrum (FESz) using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Twenty-eight FESz and 25 matched controls performed a lateralized change detection task where they were cued to selectively attend and remember colors of circles presented in either the left or right peripheral visual field over a 1 s delay. Contralateral alpha suppression (CAS) during the delay period was used to assess selective attention to cued visual hemifields held in vSTM. Delay-period CAS was compared between FESz and controls and between trials presenting one vs three items per visual hemifield. CAS in dorsal visual cortex was reduced in FESz compared to controls in high-load trials, but not low-load trials. Group differences in CAS were found beginning 100 ms after the disappearance of the memory set, suggesting deficits were not due to the initial deployment of attention to the cued visual hemifield prior to stimulus presentation. CAS was not greater for high-load vs low-load trials in FESz subjects, although this effect was prominent in controls. Further, lateralized gamma (34-40 Hz) power emerged in dorsal visual cortex prior to the onset of CAS in controls but not FESz. Gamma power in this cluster differed between groups at both high and low load. CAS deficits observed in FESz were correlated with change detection accuracy, working memory function, estimated IQ, and negative symptoms. Our results implicate deficits in CAS in trials requiring broad, but not narrow, focus of attention to spatially distributed objects maintained in vSTM in FESz, possibly due to reduced ability to broadly distribute visuospatial attention (alpha) or disruption of object-location binding (gamma) during encoding/consolidation. This early pathophysiology may shed light upon mechanisms of emerging working memory deficits that are intrinsic to schizophrenia.
Following nuclei through nucleosynthesis: A novel tracing technique

Astrophysical nucleosynthesis is a family of diverse processes by which atomic nuclei undergo nuclear reactions and decay to form new nuclei. The complex nature of nucleosynthesis, which can involve as many as tens of thousands of interactions between thousands of nuclei, makes it difficult to study any one of these interactions in isolation using standard approaches. In this work, we present a new technique, nucleosynthesis tracing, that we use to quantify the relative fraction of nuclear abundances that pass through individual nuclear reaction, decay, and fission processes at any point during nucleosynthesis. We apply this technique to study fission and ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ decay as they occur in the rapid neutron capture ($r$) process of nucleosynthesis.
Sequencing facility and DNA source associated patterns of virus-mappable reads in whole-genome sequencing data.

Abstract Numerous viral sequences have been reported in the whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data of human blood. However, it is not clear to what degree the virus-mappable reads represent true viral sequences rather than random-mapping or noise originating from sample preparation, sequencing processes, or other sources. Identification of patterns of virus-mappable reads may generate novel indicators for evaluating the origins of these viral sequences. We characterized paired-end unmapped reads and reads aligned to viral references in human WGS datasets, then compared patterns of the virus-mappable reads among DNA sources and sequencing facilities which produced these datasets. We then examined potential origins of the source- and facility-associated viral reads. The proportions of clean unmapped reads among the seven sequencing facilities were significantly different (P
A survey on Classification of Cyber-attacks on IoT and IIoT devices

Internet of Things (IoT) devices have gained popularity in recent years. With the increased usage of IoT devices, users have become more prone to Cyber-attacks. Threats against IoT devices must be analyzed thoroughly to develop protection mechanisms against them. An attacker’s purpose behind launching an attack is to find a weak link within a network and once discovered, the devices connected to the network become the primary target for the attackers. Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) emerged due to the popularity of IoT devices and they are used to interconnect machines, sensors, and actuators at large manufacturing plants. By incorporating IIoT at their facilities companies have benefited by reducing operational costs and increasing productivity. However, as IIoT relies on utilizing the Internet to operate it is vulnerable to Cyber-attacks if security is not taken into consideration. After seeing the advantages of IIoT, a new version of smart industries has been introduced called Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0 combines cloud and fog computing, cyber-physical systems (CPS), and data analytics to automate the manufacturing process. This paper surveys the different classifications of attacks that an attacker can launch against these devices and mentions methods of mitigating such attacks1.
A 250 MHz-to-1.6 GHz Phase Locked Loop Design in Hybrid FinFET-Memristor Technology

There are tremendous improvements in performance of transistor in CMOS technology by scaling down its size. However, there are various challenges, such as short channel effects (SCE), that are associated with miniaturization. FinFET technology is a promising technique to overcome these issues because it offers better electrostatic control of the channel than planar CMOS transistor as the technology scales down. In this work, we have proposed a phase locked loop (PLL) design with FinFET and memristor. The resistive and capacitive (R-C) components of loop filter are replaced with memristor and memcapacitor, respectively, in order to minimize the die area and reduce power consumption. The designed PLL produces a tuning range of 0.25 - 1.60 GHz at center frequency of 1 GHz with 2.05 mW average power consumption. The voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), which contributes majorly to the total phase noise in phase locked loop, has a phase noise -135.2 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset frequency. In addition, the PLL shows high reliability with wide variations in temperature.
Association of early versus delayed normalisation of left ventricular ejection fraction with mortality in ischemic cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVE In patients with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), normalisation of LVEF is associated with improved outcomes. However, data on patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy and recovered LVEF are lacking. The goal of this study was to assess the prognostic significance of normalisation of the LVEF in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy. METHODS/RESULTS We performed a non-prespecified post hoc analysis of the Surgical Treatment for Ischaemic Heart Failure (STICH) trial to determine the association between normalisation of LVEF (>50%) and mortality during follow-up. Of the 1212 patients with LVEF <35% enroled in the STICH trial, 932 underwent assessment of LVEF at 4 months and/or 2 years after enrolment. Among them, 18 patients experienced normalisation in LVEF at 4-month follow-up and 35 patients experienced recovery in LVEF at 2 years. Recovery of LVEF at 4 months and recovery of LVEF at 2 years were not correlated. Recovery of LVEF at 4 months was not associated with reduced all-cause mortality in unadjusted analysis (log-rank test p=0.54) or in Cox proportional hazards analysis (HR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.48 to 1.80; p=0.82). Ejection fraction recovery at 2 years was associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality, both in unadjusted analysis (log-rank test p=0.004) and in the Cox proportional hazard model (HR: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.21 to 0.80; p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS In patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy, delayed normalisation of LVEF is associated with reduced mortality, whereas early recovery of LVEF is not. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Unsupervised foveal vision neural architecture with top-down attention.

Abstract Deep learning architectures are an extremely powerful tool for recognizing and classifying images. However, they require supervised learning and normally work on vectors of the size of image pixels and produce the best results when trained on millions of object images. To help mitigate these issues, we propose an end-to-end architecture that fuses bottom-up saliency and top-down attention with an object recognition module to focus on relevant data and learn important features that can later be fine-tuned for a specific task, employing only unsupervised learning. In addition, by utilizing a virtual fovea that focuses on relevant portions of the data, the training speed can be greatly improved. We test the performance of the proposed Gamma saliency technique on the Toronto and CAT 2000 databases, and the foveated vision in the large Street View House Numbers (SVHN) database. The results with foveated vision show that Gamma saliency performs at the same level as the best alternative algorithms while being computationally faster. The results in SVHN show that our unsupervised cognitive architecture is comparable to fully supervised methods and that saliency also improves CNN performance if desired. Finally, we develop and test a top-down attention mechanism based on the Gamma saliency applied to the top layer of CNNs to facilitate scene understanding in multi-object cluttered images. We show that the extra information from top-down saliency is capable of speeding up the extraction of digits in the cluttered multidigit MNIST data set, corroborating the important role of top down attention.
Decision-Making Influence of Husband and Wives within Older Family Dyads: A Study of the Decision to Purchase Vacation Travel

This paper reports the findings of an investigation of the decision-making influence exerted within family dyads by husbands and wives over sixty-five years of age. Each phase of decision-making — problem recognition, search for information, and final decision-making — was studied with regard to the decision to purchase vacation travel. The data reveal purchasing role structures and variations in these structures of family dyads as a function of educational levels and employment statuses of dyad members.
A bright year for tidal disruptions

When a star is tidally disrupted by a supermassive black hole (BH), roughly half of its mass falls back to the BH at super-Eddington rates. Being tenuously gravitationally bound and unable to cool radiatively, only a small fraction f_in few 1e4 K, converting the emission to optical/near-UV wavelengths where photons more readily escape due to the lower opacity. This can explain the unexpectedly low and temporally constant effective temperatures of optically-discovered TDE flares. For BHs with relatively high masses M_BH > 1e7 M_sun the ejecta can become ionized at an earlier stage, or for a wider range of viewing angles, producing a TDE flare which is instead dominated by thermal X-ray emission. We predict total radiated energies consistent with those of observed TDE flares, and ejecta velocities that agree with the measured emission line widths. The peak optical luminosity for M_BH < 1e6 M_sun is suppressed due to adiabatic losses in the inner disk wind, possibly contributing to the unexpected dearth of optical TDEs in galaxies with low mass BHs. In the classical picture, where f_in ~ 1, TDEs de-spin supermassive BHs and cap their maximum spins well below theoretical accretion physics limits. This cap is greatly relaxed in our model, and existing Fe K-alpha spin measurements provide suggestive preliminary evidence that f_in < 1.
A μ + μ - crystal collider concept

Abstract We describe a futuristic μ+μ− collider complex which uses a combination of bent and straight silicon crystals for the circular confinement and to provide the horizontal and vertical focusing. It would also involve laser driven crystal acceleration and crystal cooling to enhance the luminosity. The design of a 250×250GeV storage ring-collider is outlined here, including quantitative lattice design based on an alternating gradient crystal cell. Two other functional cells (accelerating and cooling) are also described in detail. The conceptual basis for this collider is that the μ± beams are not destroyed by either radiation like e± or hadronic interactions like p p, thus allowing for a full solid state collider. The muon lifetime in a relativistic storage ring; number of revolutions scales like 300B, where B is the bending field. For a single bent Si crystals its bending angle could easily reach a few mrad, therefore the equivalent bending field is B•∼ 1000 T, giving ∼ 3 × 105 turns in the storage ring before the next μ± beam is injected. Assuming integration of all four functionalities (bending, alternate focusing, cooling, acceleration) into corresponding cells such a collider would have a few thousand of various Si crystal components.
Impact of oxygen vacancies on high-/spl kappa/ gate stack engineering

The impact of oxygen vacancies in Hf-based gate dielectrics is discussed. Generation of oxygen vacancies in HfO/sub 2/ is thermodynamically driven and causes Si interfacial layer formation and gate Fermi-level pinning in MOS devices. Hence, it is necessary to prevent oxygen transport across both top and bottom gate-dielectric interfaces through careful design of material system and thermal processing steps.
Abstract 20164: Profiling of Circulating MicroRNAs After Heart Transplantation and During Acute Cellular and Antibody-Mediated Rejection

Introduction: Heart transplantation (HTx) is the definitive treatment for advanced heart failure. Despite universal immunosuppressive therapy, the threat of allograft rejection is persistent. Rejection is generally diagnosed by histology of graft myocardium obtained by biopsy which is invasive and prone to sampling error. Study of novel biomarkers such as circulating microRNAs (miRs) may allow noninvasive diagnosis of rejection. Methods: We studied serum levels of miRs associated with immune cell function (miR-155, 125b, 142-3p, 144, 223-3p, 27a and 101), myocardial damage (miR-1) and immunosuppression (let-7a). Blood was obtained from HTx recipients >2 months post-HTx. Rejection was defined by histology of cardiac biopsy specimens and graded according to ISHLT guidelines. MiRs were analyzed with RT-PCR and normalized to 5S rRNA. Results: We analyzed samples from 12 healthy volunteers (44±6 yrs), 12 HTx recipients without evidence of rejection (54±11 yrs), 11 patients with acute cellular rejection (ACR; 48±12 yrs), and 6 patients with antibody-mediated rejection (AMR; defined by C4D+ immunohistochemistry; 48±13 yrs). The ACR group included 7 patients with ISHLT 1R/1B rejection and 4 with 2R/3A. 6 of 11 ACR and 5 of 6 AMR patients had evidence of donor-specific antibodies. Let-7a levels were significantly lower among the HTx group vs. controls (0.09±0.13 vs. 1.00±1.53 RU; p=0.02) and increased only among the ACR group (0.44±0.64, p=0.03) vs. the HTx group. MiR-223-3p was lower among HTx (0.31±0.38), ACR (0.33±0.37) and AMR (0.38±0.37) vs. control (1.00±0.87, p Conclusion: Circulating miRNAs related to immune function may aid in diagnosis of cardiac allograft rejection. Our data show that miR-101 and 223-3p and let-7a have diagnostic potential for identifying patients with ACR and AMR. Our ongoing studies will analyze roles for miRs as ancillary markers of graft rejection following HTx.
Krylov subspace methods in control: an overview

There have been some developments in the area of large and sparse matrix computations. A class of classical methods known as the Krylov subspace methods that include the Lanczos and Arnoldi methods, have been found to be suitable for sparse matrix computations. We give a brief overview of some of the recently developed Arnoldi and Lanczos based methods that seem to be suitable for large and sparse control problems. The research in this area is still in its infancy.
Annealing effects of anodized Al-based alloy for thin-film transistors

Abstract The annealing effects of anodized aluminum-based alloys were investigated. Gadolinium and neodymium were employed as respective alloy components and the surface roughness, nanostructure, leakage current and breakdown electric field of these anodized films were investigated as functions of the annealing time. The leakage current was decreased by annealing for 0.5 h at 350°C, but was increased by annealing for 1 h and was decreased again by further annealing. The breakdown electric field and surface roughness showed the same tendency as the leakage current with respect to the annealing time. In the case of the anodized aluminum–gadolinium alloy, annealing for 2 h led to a lower leakage current of 7.4 E–13 A/V, a higher breakdown electric field of 9.9 MV/cm and a lower average roughness of 4.9 nm. The leakage current was studied further by the triangular voltage sweep method. Under a negative bias, the leakage current behaved quite differently from that under a positive bias. In the latter case, it was 1 order of magnitude smaller and could be greatly reduced by annealing for 0.5 h at 350°C. In the former case, however, it was large enough after annealing for 0.5 h and remained after further annealing.
OrthoList: a compendium of C. elegans genes with human orthologs.

Background C. elegans is an important model for genetic studies relevant to human biology and disease. We sought to assess the orthology between C. elegans and human genes to understand better the relationship between their genomes and to generate a compelling list of candidates to streamline RNAi-based screens in this model. Results We performed a meta-analysis of results from four orthology prediction programs and generated a compendium, “OrthoList”, containing 7,663 C. elegans protein-coding genes. Various assessments indicate that OrthoList has extensive coverage with low false-positive and false-negative rates. Part of this evaluation examined the conservation of components of the receptor tyrosine kinase, Notch, Wnt, TGF-s and insulin signaling pathways, and led us to update compendia of conserved C. elegans kinases, nuclear hormone receptors, F-box proteins, and transcription factors. Comparison with two published genome-wide RNAi screens indicated that virtually all of the conserved hits would have been obtained had just the OrthoList set (∼38% of the genome) been targeted. We compiled Ortholist by InterPro domains and Gene Ontology annotation, making it easy to identify C. elegans orthologs of human disease genes for potential functional analysis. Conclusions We anticipate that OrthoList will be of considerable utility to C. elegans researchers for streamlining RNAi screens, by focusing on genes with apparent human orthologs, thus reducing screening effort by ∼60%. Moreover, we find that OrthoList provides a useful basis for annotating orthology and reveals more C. elegans orthologs of human genes in various functional groups, such as transcription factors, than previously described.
Extracellular microbial polysaccharides. I. Substrate, biomass, and product kinetic equations for batch xanthan gum fermentation

Various biomass (X), product (P), and substrate (S) rate equations are investigated in order to synthesize a general xanthan fermentation model from literature data. Analytical forms that provide reasonable descriptions for the X, P, and S behaviors reported by Moraine and Rogovin are shown to be the logistic equation, the Luedeking-Piret equation, and a modified Leudeking-Piret equation, respectively. The autonomous logistic equation allows the serial evaluation of parameters for all three equations, rather than a simultaneous determination required by nonautonomous models. 22 references.
Thanks for the complement (inhibitor)

Developing an effective inhibitor of the alternative pathway of complement (APC) with potential for safe clinical use is a daunting undertaking, but Fridkis-Hareli and colleagues were up for the challenge.[1][1] The straightforward strategy of generating an antibody that inhibits complement C3, the
ACS chemical neuroscience molecule spotlight on BMS-708163.

BMS-708163 is a novel, sulfonamide containing γ-secretase inhibitor from Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. currently in Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Numerical and physical modelling of cold forging of bevel gears

Abstract Bevel gears are high-volume parts used in the automotive industry, which are being increasingly produced to net shape by cold forging. However, complex multi-action tooling designs and long die try-out phases needed to produce a net shape part and to guarantee a robust process, result in long development times. High punch pressures can cause frequent punch failures during production, leading to unwanted downtimes. In this paper, two modelling techniques, finite element (FE) based numerical modelling and physical modelling with plasticine, are being presented as process design tools in cold forging. A strategy has been developed to allow successful 2D FE modelling of bevel gear forging. The results from the process simulation are then used as load input data for a punch stress analysis. It is, thus, possible to modify the punch geometry in order to reduce the punch stresses. Physical modelling is then applied to verify the results of the 2D FE simulations.