cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A computational study of distributed processing environments with Parallel multiperiod assignment method : A dedicated machine versus a workstation cluster

We provide a computational study of two of the more commonly distributed processing environments using a robust parallel multiperiod assignment branch and bound im£1ementation running in the Parallel Virtual Machine (PYM) environment. We describe the multiperiod assignment problem (an np-hard, combinatorial, network-based integer programming problem), an efficient parallel algorithm for its sol ution, and implementation details. The algorithm is designed for a large-grain computing environment and uses a Master /Slave (or monitor) configuratio n. Minimal communication among the processes is used. We then describe the PYM software system and the computational platforms being analyzed. We provide a computational comparison of runs on an IBM SP-2 and a cluster of IBM RISC 6000 POWERStations. The results indicate that losses in efficiency occur when employing parallelism in a cluster, but some gains in efficiency can be obtained by a single processor with multiple processes running in a time-shared mode. However, in general, the cluster provides poor parallel performance when compared to the dedicated IBM SP-2 for which linear and superlinear speedups can be routinely obtained. Tbe results may be generalized to any branch and bound method that utilizes a similar tree search strategy.
How a single photon can mediate entanglement between two others

Abstract We describe a novel quantum information protocol, which probabilistically entangles two distant photons that have never interacted. Different from the entanglement swapping protocol, which requires two pairs of maximally entangled photons as the input states, as well as a Bell-state measurement (BSM), the present scheme only requires three photons: two to be entangled and another to mediate the correlation, and no BSM, in a process that we call “entanglement mediation”. Furthermore, in analyzing the paths of the photons in our arrangement, we conclude that one of them, the mediator, exchanges information with the two others simultaneously, which seems to be a new quantum-mechanical feature.
Looking for Tangibility

Something is tangible when it is graspable in the physical sense, but also believable in the figurative sense. In the case of drones, they will become operationally tangible when they will be usable and useful for tasks, such as package delivery, image capture for news purposes (e.g., television), and disaster management support, for example. In addition, new technology brings new properties that need to be explored. For example, drones become birds that can see what people cannot see. They create new supports to situation awareness and other functions that were impossible before. They become effectively tangible when they can be used safely, efficiently, and comfortably. In addition to regulatory framework (the safety issue), important concerns that need to be taken into account such as privacy (the ethical issue), unfair competition (the economic development penalization issue), and the toy effect (the use-for-fun issue). Our society is shifting from mechanical engineering to information technology. For example, mechanical and aerospace engineers created and developed aircraft the way they are today; information technology specialists, who do not have professional aviation training, already started to be the designers and developers of a new generation of drones (e.g., for 3D movie making). Making tangible software-based things becomes the prominent issue over the previous automation issue brought by twentieth century engineering practice.
Computational Problems in Plasma Physics and Controlled Thermonuclear Research

In these lectures we present several areas of plasma physics research where computation has been of importance. We have taken these problems primarily from controlled thermonuclear research, because this programme has provided the impetus for most of the theoretical development of the subject and because only numerical methods could give the answers to specific questions in the design and analysis of experiments.
Recognizing partial facial action units based on 3D dynamic range data for facial expression recognition

Research on automatic facial expression recognition has benefited from work in psychology, specifically the Facial Action Coding System (FACS). To date, most existing approaches are primarily based on 2D images or videos. With the emergence of real-time 3D dynamic imaging technologies, however, 3D dynamic facial data is now available, thus opening up an alternative to detect facial action units in dynamic 3D space. In this paper, we investigate how to use this new modality to improve action unit (AU) detection. We select a subset of AUs from both the upper and lower parts of a facial area, apply the active appearance model (AAM) method and take the correspondence between textures and range models to track the pre-defined facial features across the 3D model sequences. A Hidden Markov Model (HMM) based classifier is employed to recognize the partial AUs. The experiments show that our 3D dynamic tracking based approach outperforms the compared 2D feature tracking based approach. The results are also comparable with the manually-picked 3D facial features based method. Finally, we extend our approach to validate the experiment for recognizing six prototypic facial expressions.
The Puzzle of Antiurbanism in Classic American Literature

Whenever American attitudes toward the city are under discussion we are likely to hear a familiar note of puzzlement. We hear it, for instance, near the end of the influential study by Morton and Lucia White, The Intellectual versus the City: From Thomas Jefferson to Frank Lloyd Wright. After making their case for the centrality of antiurban motives in American thought and expression, the Whites invite us to share their perplexity. “How shall we explain this persistent distrust of the American city?” they ask. “Surely it is puzzling, or should be.”1
Abstract 244: Targeted Deletion of Transcription Factor BATF Reduces Experimental Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Formation and Progression

Transcription factor BATF, a regulator of T cell IL-17-production and B cell immunoglobulin class switching, may be relevant in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) disease pathogenesis. This study compared AAA formation following porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) infusion in C57BL/6 and BATF-deficient mice. In wild-type mice, message for BATF and IL-17A was highly expressed in aneurysmal compared to control (PBS infusion) aortae. In BATF-deficient mice, aortic diameter enlargement following PPE infusion was almost completely suppressed, with preservation of medial elastin and smooth muscle cellularity, and attenuation of transmural aortic angiogenesis, leukocyte accumulation, and IL-17A-expressing CD4 T cells in peri-aortic lymph nodes and the spleen. AAA formation in response to PPE-infusion was rescued in BATF-deficient mice via either parenteral adminstration of IL-17A or wild-type murine leukocytes. In conclusion, BATF is essential for aneurysm formation following intraluminal aortic PPE infusion in C57BL/6 mice. BATF, IL-17A, or related T- and B-cell immunologic mediators may represent rational therapeutic targets for suppression of clinical AAA disease.
Nucleic Acid Amplification by Polymerase Chain Reaction

Nucleic acid detection methods have been rapidly evolving and play an important role in viral detection and quantification. One technology which emerged in the 1990s, polymerase chain reaction, better known as PCR, has established itself as a primary tool for molecular biology. In fact, this technology has been so widely adopted in the clinical virology laboratory it has, in many cases, completely replaced culture. At its core, PCR is a straightforward chemical reaction whereby one strand of template DNA is exponentially amplified. This chapter will give an overview of different PCR technologies available, as well as the strength and weaknesses of each. For a more in-depth review of their applications in the clinical laboratory, the reader is directed to the appropriate chapter(s) elsewhere in this text.
A Systematic Review of Rural, Theory-based Physical Activity Interventions.

Objectives This systematic review synthesized the scientific literature on theory-based physical activity (PA) interventions in rural populations. Methods PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify studies with a rural study sample, PA as a primary outcome, use of a behavioral theory or model, randomized or quasi-experimental research design, and application at the primary and/or secondary level of prevention. Results Thirty-one studies met our inclusion criteria. The Social Cognitive Theory (N = 14) and Transtheoretical Model (N = 10) were the most frequently identified theories; however, most intervention studies were informed by theory but lacked higher-level theoretical application and testing. Interventions largely took place in schools (N = 10) and with female-only samples (N = 8). Findings demonstrated that theory-based PA interventions are mostly successful at increasing PA in rural populations but require improvement. Conclusions Future studies should incorporate higher levels of theoretical application, and should explore adapting or developing rural-specific theories. Study designs should employ more rigorous research methods to decrease bias and increase validity of findings. Follow-up assessments to determine behavioral maintenance and/or intervention sustainability are warranted. Finally, funding agencies and journals are encouraged to adopt rural-urban commuting area codes as the standard for defining rural.
Evaluation of curing method and mix design of a moisture activated polymer for sand stabilization

Abstract A moisture-activated liquid polymer from the generic family of Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate (MDI) was studied as a soil stabilizer for poorly graded (SP) sand. The focus of this study was to determine the curing method and mix design to achieve the best performance for stabilized sand. The stabilized sand specimens were cured in combinations of three different environments, i.e., ambient air, heated air, and water, for different curing durations. The results suggested that the sequential curing of the specimen in air for 4 days and water for 4 days led to the maximal strength. Following the determined curing method and duration, specimens prepared with different dosages of polymer and polymer-water ratios (1:2, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1 and polymer only) were further assessed. The results indicated that with a fixed polymer-water ratio the strength of the stabilized sand increased approximately linearly with the increase of the amount of added polymer. More importantly, the results further revealed that the optimal polymer-to-water ratio is 2:1, which yielded up to 5000 kPa of unconfined compressive strength for the stabilized sand. The stabilized specimens performed excellently under both static and dynamic loading condition. After 1,000,000 repetitive flexural loading that created 750 microstrain for each cycle, the specimens showed mainly elastic responses, having no sign of fatigue.
Caste differences in the mushroom bodies of swarm-founding paper wasps: implications for brain plasticity and brain evolution (Vespidae, Epiponini)

Eusocial insect reproductive castes (in Hymenoptera, female reproductive queens and sterile workers) differ dramatically in behavior. Castes may differ in the cognitive demands that affect patterns of brain tissue investment. Queens and workers diverge most strongly in the advanced eusocial, or swarm-founding species, where queens do not forage and rarely leave their nests. We asked whether reproductive castes of swarm-founding paper wasps in the tribe Epiponini differed in the relative sizes of their mushroom bodies (MB), a key brain region involved in sensory integration, and in learning and memory. We measured brain-size corrected volumes of the MB dendritic-field neuropils (calyces) and the MB axonal bundles (peducles and lobes) for queens and workers from 16 species of 10 genera of the tribe Epiponini. The subject species spanned much of the epiponine phylogeny, differing in colony size and degree of caste differentiation. Queens had significantly higher relative MB investment than workers, both for the MB in toto and for the MB calyces. The magnitude of queen-worker MB size differences did not covary significantly with body size, but species with larger colonies had stronger caste differences in MB size. A review of caste differences in MB volume across a wide range of social Hymenoptera taxa suggested a positive association of MB investment with social dominance is widespread. Social insect castes (reproducing queens and sterile workers) differ strongly in behavior, particularly in swarm-founding species where queens are largely nest-bound. Caste comparisons are a powerful model for understanding brain/behavior relationships. We measured the relative size of a key insect brain region, the mushroom bodies (MB), in 16 swarm-founding wasp species. MB are involved in sensory integration, and in learning and memory. Queens had relatively larger MB than workers, and the magnitude of the queen-worker differences increased with species average colony size. We suggest the reproductive dominance and social contact of nest-bound queens promotes greater mushroom body investment.
Imaging myocardial metabolism

Metabolism of exogenous and endogenous substrates, under baseline conditions and in response to metabolic and physiological stimuli, is central to cardiac myocyte health. The ever-burgeoning body of evidence demonstrating the primacy of perturbations in intermediary metabolism in the pathogenesis of common cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and diabetic cardiomyopathy further supports this contention. It is becoming increasingly apparent that chronic adaptations in cellular metabolism initiates a host of pleiotropic actions detrimental to cellular health such as impaired energetics, increases in inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis [1, 2]. Our understanding of metabolic pathways continues to evolve with the acquisition of vast quantities of information from metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics that are integrated from “big-data” sets such as the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes [3]. The importance of myocardial metabolism was highlighted in a recent scientific statement from the American Heart Association [4]. Finally, interest in modifying intermediary metabolism underlying human cardiovascular disease is exemplified by the robust drug discovery and development efforts to identify new metabolic modulators [5].
Multiplicative Controllability of the Semilinear Parabolic Equation: A Qualitative Approach

In this chapter we establish the global non-negative approximate controllability property for a rather general semilinear heat equation with superlinear term, governed in a bounded domain Ω ⊂ Rn by a multiplicative control in the reaction term like vu(x, t), where v is the control. We show that any non-negative target state in L2(Ω) can approximately be reached from any non-negative, nonzero initial state by applying at most three static bilinear L∞(Ω)-controls subsequently in time. This result is further applied to discuss the controllability properties of the nonhomogeneous version of this problem with bilinear term like v(u(x, t).θ (x)), where θ is given. Our approach is based on an asymptotic technique allowing us to distinguish and make use of the pure diffusion and/or pure reaction parts of the dynamics of the system at hand, while suppressing the effect of a nonlinear term.
Faith-Based Emergency Powers

This Article explores an expanding phenomenon that it calls Faith-Based Emergency Powers. In the twenty-first century, conservatives have come to rely heavily on Faith-Based Emergency Powers as a leading legal strategy in the Culture Wars. This strategy involves carving faith-based exceptions to rights of women and LGBT people. The concept of Faith-Based Emergency Powers is developed in this Article through an analogy to the “War on Terror.” In the War on Terror, conservatives typically have taken the position that judges, legislators, and the public must defer to the President and the executive branch in matters involving national security. This argument has three components: (1) rhetoric of war, emergency or catastrophe; (2) legal argument for suspension of existing human rights; and (3) designation of decision-makers who are allegedly more qualified than courts or the legislature to address the emergency. The principal claim of this Article is that in contemporary Culture Wars in the United States, conservative politicians, lawmakers, and litigants have imported the three-step emergency powers rationale to “defend” religious liberties. In recent years, there has been a growth in claims for religious exemptions in many legal contexts, including free exercise challenges to marriage-equality and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The desired consequence of the conservative turn to emergency powers rationales in the Culture Wars is to suspend or diminish rights of women and sexual minorities. As such, this Article argues that the Supreme Court and other lawmakers facing similar dilemmas today ought to defend the rule of law by rejecting Faith-Based Emergency Powers.
Oxygen-induced giant grain growth in Ag films

Thin film crystallites typically exhibit normal or abnormal growth with maximum grain size limited by energetic and geometric constraints. Although epitaxial methods have been used to produce large single crystal regions, they impose limitations that preclude some compelling applications. The generation of giant grain thin film materials has broad implications for fundamental property analysis and applications. This work details the production of giant grains in Ag films (2.5 μm-thick), ranging in size from ≈50 μm to 1 mm, on silicon nitride films upon silicon substrates. The presence of oxygen during film deposition plays a critical role in controlling grain size and orientation.
Encrucijada de descolonizaciones

Nascimento Dos Santos, Daiana. (2015). El oceano de fronteras invisibles: relecturas historicas sobre (?el fin? de) la esclavitud en la novela contemporanea. Madrid: Editorial Verbum, 228p. El oceano de fronteras invisibles de Daiana Nascimento dos Santos no es un libro que viene a colocarse entre nuestras manos y ante nuestros ojos como un libro mas sobre Africa y la diaspora africana. Es mas bien una encrucijada de retos y de descolonizaciones en la que precisamente radica la originalidad del libro. El reto linguistico es uno de los mas llamativos. Mediante una aproximacion critica a sus obras, Nascimento dos Santos hace dialogar a los descendientes de africanos en America Latina con los africanos del continente, a traves de un dominio directo del espanol y del portugues, dos de las lenguas (pos/coloniales) mas habladas por el sujeto esclavizado/colonizado africano. El resultado de tal hazana es que en el libro de Nascimento dos Santos nos percatamos de que, aunque fueran fragmentadas por la dispersion y ocultas unas de otras, las memorias africanas se desfragmentan reunidas por el muntu y/o por la historia de la esclavitud, y por su consustancial avatar cimarron que es la resistencia.
Uterine Artery Embolization

Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is a minimally invasive technique used to treat uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, and arteriovenous malformations. Fibroids are tumors that arise from the uterine smooth muscle and can cause significant pressure and bleeding symptoms for women. UAE is also a lifesaving procedure for postpartum hemorrhage or high-risk patients with placental abnormalities.
Intraday price behavior of cryptocurrencies

Abstract We are the first to investigate intraday price behavior of cryptocurrencies. Trade prices cluster on round numbers throughout the day. The clustering increases with price level and pricing uncertainty. There is also strategic pricing at just below or above round numbers. At the transaction level, we find that prices are mainly formed due to negotiations and strategic trading, instead of based on psychologically appealing numbers in the order of 0, 5, and others.
Hebrew Orthography and Dyslexia — A Note

Three features of Hebrew distinguish it markedly from the Western languages. Two are strictly orthographic: the right-to-left direction of script that influences eye-scan direction, and the relative absence of vowels in most materials read by modern Hebrew readers. As with Arabic, it is possible to consistently omit most vowels in writing because they are predictable via morphosyntactic rules in conjunction with semantic/syntactic context. That point leads us to the third distinctive feature involved in Hebrew reading, which is not a strictly orthographic feature. Vowel patterns are predictable in Semitic words read in context because they serve certain inflectional and semantic functions (Berman, 1978). I will focus on the latter two features of Hebrew orthography; the influences of reading-scan direction on brain-organization for language are discussed in Obler (in press).
Trends and Developments in DSD

In spite of widespread adoption of the DSD process in the food and beverage industries, and despite many recent technological advances, there is still untapped value in how, when, where and why DSD gets deployed within its traditional channels – and even beyond them. While DSD does not address every consumer-oriented situation, we believe that, with some effort to adapt the distribution process and technology enablers, DSD has enormous potential to deliver even greater value to retailers and suppliers. To fully tap this potential and differentiate themselves, food and beverage companies in particular will need to capitalize on several key trends that are shaping the DSD process. The leaders of the future will not be content to merely react to business dynamics created by these consumer and retailer mega-trends; rather, they will position themselves ahead of them and leverage value into market share in the highly competitive DSD environment.
The Compatibility of Graphite with Cesium

A method is presented for predicting the conditions under which graphite will react with cesium at high temperatures and low cesium pressures to form compounds. The method is based on the available...
Utility-Based Routing in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been proposed for monitoring physical environments. The applications in WSNs have comprised a wide variety of scenarios. The design of routing protocols in WSNs becomes more complicated than the traditional network when we consider the energy cost, throughput, reliability, and delay as routing metrics. Selecting a particular routing protocol mainly depends on the capabilities of the nodes, and on the requirements of the application. In this chapter, we will briefly discuss the existing utility-based routing protocols for WSNs. We put them into several categories according to their utility properties, such as delay, cost, and packet delivery ratio. In addition, we will also cover the composition-based utility for wireless networks and its extensions in low duty-cycle WSNs.
Popper: Conjectures and Refutations

Popper has arguably been the most influential philosopher of science in the 20th century. His influence is partly shown by the fact he was knighted—actually Popper in the latter part of his life was known as Sir Karl Popper. To capture the richness and complexity of Popper’s thought, I will divide his work into three sections. In the first section, I will discuss his early work on the demarcation question (i.e., how to distinguish science from nonscience), the problems of induction and falsifiability. In the second section, I will present his theory of rationality and the role of his rationality principle in explaining human behavior.
Using in Silico Methods to Construct a Short-Tandem Repeat (STR) Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Sequence for Cloning

Recently, the idea of forging a DNA profile in a criminal setting was explored using standard molecular biology techniques. In this experiment, modern computational tools will be used to obtain a nucleotide sequence containing a short tandem repeat (STR) of interest from a database and its complementary strand will be computed including the region upstream and downstream through the PowerPlex16 primer binding sites. Using the plasmid map for the pET-15b cloning/expression plasmid obtained from the manufacturer’s website and the DNA sequences cleaved by the restriction enzymes found in the multiple cloning site region of the plasmid, the double-stranded DNA sequence will be prepared for cloning by adding the restriction enzyme sequences to the regions upstream and downstream of the PowerPlex 16 STR primer region. The prepared DNA sequence could be purchased or produced by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from a template. By using the restriction enzymes to cut the DNA sequence with the primer region intact and the restriction sites added and the plasmid, the DNA can be inserted into the plasmid and ligated using DNA ligase in the lab. Extracting the DNA from the plasmid would yield an STR region amplifiable with a commercial kit.
Unique Type I Interferon, Expansion/Survival Cytokines, and JAK/STAT Gene Signatures of Multifunctional Herpes Simplex Virus-Specific Effector Memory CD8+ TEM Cells Are Associated with Asymptomatic Herpes in Humans

A large proportion of the world population harbors herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), a major cause of infectious corneal blindness. HSV-specific CD8+ T cells protect from herpesvirus infection and disease. However, the genomic, phenotypic, and functional characteristics of CD8+ T cells associated with the protection seen in asymptomatic (ASYMP) individuals, who, despite being infected, never experienced any recurrent herpetic disease, remains to be fully elucidated. In this investigation, we compared the phenotype, function, and level of expression of a comprehensive panel of 579 immune genes of memory CD8+ T cells, sharing the same HSV-1 epitope specificities, and freshly isolated peripheral blood from well-characterized cohorts of protected ASYMP and nonprotected symptomatic (SYMP) individuals, with a history of numerous episodes of recurrent herpetic disease, using the high-throughput digital NanoString nCounter system and flow cytometry. Interestingly, our results demonstrated that memory CD8+ T cells from ASYMP individuals expressed a unique set of genes involved in expansion and survival, type I interferon (IFN-I), and JAK/STAT pathways. Frequent multifunctional HSV-specific effector memory CD62Llow CD44high CD8+ TEM cells were detected in ASYMP individuals compared to more of monofunctional central memory CD62Lhigh CD44high CD8+ TCM cells in SYMP individuals. Shedding light on the genotype, phenotype, and function of antiviral CD8+ T cells from "naturally protected" ASYMP individuals will help design future T-cell-based ocular herpes immunotherapeutic vaccines.IMPORTANCE A staggering number of the world population harbors herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) potentially leading to blinding recurrent herpetic disease. While the majority are asymptomatic (ASYMP) individuals who never experienced any recurrent herpetic disease, symptomatic (SYMP) individuals have a history of numerous episodes of recurrent ocular herpetic disease. This study elucidates the phenotype, the effector function, and the gene signatures of memory CD8+ T-cell populations associated with protection seen in ASYMP individuals. Frequent multifunctional HSV-specific effector memory CD8+ TEM cells were detected in ASYMP individuals. In contrast, nonprotected SYMP individuals had more central memory CD8+ TCM cells. The memory CD8+ TEM cells from ASYMP individuals expressed unique gene signatures characterized by higher levels of type I interferon (IFN), expansion and expansion/survival cytokines, and JAK/STAT pathways. Future studies on the genotype, phenotype, and function of antiviral CD8+ T cells from "naturally protected" ASYMP individuals will help in the potential design of T-cell-based ocular herpes vaccines.
Heightened Immune Response in Heart Transplant Patients Surviving Severe Primary Graft Dysfunction

Purpose Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) now has a standard nomenclature as per the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Severe PGD is defined as significant graft dysfunction within 24 hours of heart transplantation (HTx) requiring mechanical circulatory support. The cause of severe PGD is not clear but may be due to donor, recipient, and peri-operative factors. The long-term outcome of these patients (especially rejection episodes) is not clear. Methods Between 2010 and 2017, we identified 25 heart transplant patients who developed severe PGD supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). This group was compared to 670 patients who did not have PGD. Endpoints for both groups included 1-year survival, and 1-year freedom from cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) as defined by stenosis ≥ 30% by angiography, NF-MACE (myocardial infarction, new congestive heart failure, percutaneous coronary intervention, implantable cardioverter defibrillator/pacemaker implant, stroke), any-treated rejection (ATR), acute cellular rejection (ACR), antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), and biopsy-negative rejection (BNR). This study also assessed whether severe PGD led to increased donor-specific antibody (DSA) development within the first-year post-transplant. Results The severe PGD group had significantly lower first-year survival compared to patients without PGD. The PGD group also had lower freedom from NF-MACE, ATR, AMR, and BNR compared to the control. The development of DSA was numerically lower in the severe PGD group, but this was not statistically significant. Conclusion Severe PGD requiring ECMO support leads to poor outcome after HTx. The lower freedom from ATR, AMR and BNR suggests a heightened immune response in these patients. Further study into the mechanism of PGD is needed to avoid and treat this high-mortality complication.
Hazard Monitoring for Particle Swarm Motion of Autonomous Vehicles

The study proposed here explores an unconventional approach to solve the problem of safely integrating and coordinating the motion of a network of smart vehicles. Specifically, this work will explore the creation of ad-hoc rules for monitoring the lateral and longitudinal movement of multiple AVs based on behavior that mimics swarm and flock movement in nature (or particle swarm motion). The goal is that of generalizing what systems like adaptive cruise control do currently by leveraging an entire family of vehicles, instead of a single master. The notion of hazard level is used to monitor safety thresholds related to vehicle separation and to trigger lateral and longitudinal control of the vehicles.
Religious Clubs: The Strategic Role of Religious Identity

Religious identity not only defines group boundaries but also imposes costs on members. We examine the strategic role of costly religious sacrifice and stigma. Strict religious clubs are defined by costly entry requirements and participation rules, including stigmatizing forms of dress, speech, and diet. In the canonical model (Iannaccone, Journal of Political Economy 100(2): 271–291, 1992), these prohibitions and proscriptions are designed to solve incentive problems associated with collective production by (1) screening out non-cooperators and (2) inducing substitution from outside activity to group activity. Recent research identifies four new strategic functions of religious costs: (3) social sorting, (4) esteem maintenance, (5) religious commitment, and (6) cultural resistance. This produces new explanations for exotic religious beliefs, oppositional identity, political mobilization by religious groups, and religious radicalization. All strategic functions of religious identity are examples of the theory of the second best.
Dark matter interpretation of excesses in multiple direct detection experiments

We present a novel unifying interpretation of excess event rates observed in several dark matter direct-detection experiments that utilize single-electron threshold semiconductor detectors. Despite their different locations, exposures, readout techniques, detector composition, and operating depths, these experiments all observe statistically significant excess event rates of $\ensuremath{\sim}10\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{Hz}/\mathrm{kg}$. However, none of these persistent excesses has yet been reported as a dark matter signal because individually, each can be attributed to different well-motivated but unmodeled backgrounds, and taken together, they cannot be explained by dark matter particles scattering elastically off detector nuclei or electrons. We show that these results can be reconciled if the semiconductor detectors are seeing a collective inelastic process, consistent with exciting a plasmon. We further show that plasmon excitation could arise in two compelling dark matter scenarios, both of which can explain rates of existing signal excesses in germanium and, at least at the order of magnitude level, across several single-electron threshold detectors. At least one of these scenarios also yields the correct relic density from thermal freeze-out. Both dark matter scenarios motivate a radical rethinking of the standard interpretations of dark matter-electron scattering from recent experiments.
Safety and efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection.

Abstract Objectives The safety and efficacy of immunotherapy among patients with history of hepatitis B (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear as this population has traditionally been excluded from clinical trials with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Materials and methods We retrospectively evaluated treatment toxicities and clinical outcomes in nineteen patients with NSCLC and history of past or chronic HBV (16 cases, two of these had HCV co-infection) or chronic HCV infection (five cases), who received a programmed death-1 (PD-1) pathway inhibitor. Results The overall response rate to immunotherapy was 35 %, and the median progression-free survival was 4.5 months. After ICI initiation, increases in liver function tests (LFTs) from baseline were infrequent and mild, and no patients experienced grade 3 or 4 hepatic immune-related adverse events or required ICI discontinuation or corticosteroid administration for management of hepatic toxicity. There were no significant changes in viral load or cases of HBV reactivation or HCV flare while on ICI therapy. Conclusion In this case series, treatment with immunotherapy in patients with NSCLC and past or chronic viral hepatitis appears to be safe, and responses to ICIs can be durable in this population. Additional studies are needed in larger cohorts of patients to determine the safety of immunotherapy in patients with chronic viral infections.
The platelet characteristics of 22q11 microdeletion and its clinical application

Objective 22q11 microdeletion is featured with hemotological dysfunction,among others:hypocalcemia,thrombocytopenia and megathrombocyte.This study was trying to work out the platelet characteristics of 22q1 1 microdeletion patients and its potential clinical application.Methods A total of 80 cases who had undergone open-heart surgery were selected and confirmed with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to have 22q1 1 microdeletion among 40 cases while the others were negative.The relevant data in full blood routine of all the 80 cases in hospital information system (HIS) then were collected and analyzed with suitable statistical methods.Results The mean platelet volume in microdeletion group was statistically higher than that in the control group [(11.20 ± 1.94)fL vs (8.95 ± 1.58) fL,P ＜0.01].The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.82,meaning significant predictive values.The corresponding sensitivity and specificity for mean platelet volume (MPV) =10 fL were 70.0 ％ and 80.0 ％,respectively.Conclusions MPV in congenital heart defect patients with 22q11 is significantly higher than those without 22q11.It is an effective method for preliminary screening 22q11.Being obtained from full blood routine data,it is economic and quick.MPV =10 fL can be used as a cutoff for guidance for irradiated blood transfusion postoperatively. Key words: Chromosome deletion; Syndrome; Chromosomes, human, pair 22; Heart defects, congenital/genetics; Blood platelets
Predicting long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in very preterm neonates by umbilical cord gas parameters.

BACKGROUND The predictive value of acidemia at birth on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes remains poorly understood, especially in preterm neonates. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the relationship between the umbilical artery acid-base status and major neurodevelopmental disability at an age of between 5 and 8 years among children born very prematurely. STUDY DESIGN We performed a secondary analysis of the data from a follow-up study of a prospective cohort of 457 children aged between 23 weeks and 31 weeks and 6 days from 1996 to 2001. Arterial cord gas parameters that were 77 mm Hg) were considered abnormal. Sensitivity analyses considered alternative definitions for abnormal cord gases including a pH of <7.0 or base deficit of <-12 mEq/L. The primary outcome was a composite of major neurodevelopmental disability, including an intelligence quotient score of <70, cerebral palsy, blindness, deafness, abnormal balance, impaired cognition, dystonia, and seizure disorder. A logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for race and caregiver intelligence quotient score and, in an additional analysis, for gestational age. RESULTS A total of 259 of 261 maternal-infant dyads were evaluated at a mean child age of 6.8 years, with complete umbilical cord gas data for 228 of those. Infants with an abnormal pH and a base deficit (defined above) were over 4-fold more likely to have the composite disability and an intelligence quotient score of <70. These increased odds persisted after adjusting for age and caregiver intelligence quotient score, but when considering gestational age as well, none of the umbilical cord gas parameters significantly predicted the presence of the composite disability or an intelligence quotient score of <70. However, when using the stricter umbilical cord gas criteria (ie, pH of <7.0 and a base deficit of <-12 mEq/L), a base deficit of <-12 mEq/L was independently associated with both neurodevelopmental disability and an intelligence quotient score of <70. CONCLUSION When defined more strictly, abnormal umbilical cord gases, specifically a base deficit of <-12 mEq/L, are associated with an increased risk for major long-term neurodevelopmental disability and an intelligence quotient score of <70 in children born very prematurely.
Adrenally Directed Medical Therapies for Cushing Syndrome

Context Endogenous Cushing syndrome (CS) is characterized by excess cortisol secretion, which is driven by tumorous secretion of corticotropin in the majority of patients. Untreated, CS results in substantial morbidity and mortality. Tumor-directed surgery is generally the first-line therapy for CS. However, hypercortisolism may persist or recur postoperatively; in other cases, the underlying tumor may not be resectable or its location may not be known. Yet other patients may be acutely ill and require stabilization before definitive surgery. In all these cases, additional interventions are needed, including adrenally directed medical therapies. Evidence acquisition Electronic literature searches were performed to identify studies pertaining to adrenally acting agents used for CS. Data were abstracted and used to compile this review article. Evidence synthesis Adrenally directed medical therapies inhibit one or several enzymes involved in adrenal steroidogenesis. Several adrenally acting medical therapies for CS are currently available, including ketoconazole, metyrapone, osilodrostat, mitotane, and etomidate. Additional agents are under investigation. Drugs differ with regards to details of their mechanism of action, time course of pharmacologic effect, safety and tolerability, potential for drug-drug interactions, and route of administration. All agents require careful dose titration and patient monitoring to ensure safety and effectiveness, while avoiding hypoadrenalism. Conclusions These medications have an important role in the management of CS, particularly among patients with persistent or recurrent hypercortisolism postoperatively or those who cannot undergo tumor-directed surgery. Use of these drugs mandates adequate patient instruction and close monitoring to ensure treatment goals are being met while untoward adverse effects are minimized.
Worldwide inverse correlation between Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunization and COVID-19 mortality.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has spread to all countries in the world, and different countries have been impacted differently. The study aims to understand what factors contribute to different COVID-19 impacts at the country level. Multivariate statistical analyses were used to evaluate COVID-19 deaths and cases relative to nine other demographic and socioeconomic factors in all countries and regions of the world using data as of August 1, 2020. The factors analyzed in the study include a country’s total COVID-19 deaths and cases per million population, per capita gross domestic product (GDP), population density, virus tests per million population, median age, government response stringency index, hospital beds availability per thousand population, extreme poverty rate, Bacille Calmette–Guerin (BCG) vaccination rate, and diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis (DTP3) immunization rate. The study reveals that COVID-19 deaths per million population in a country most significantly correlates, inversely, with the country’s BCG vaccination rate (r = − 0.50, p = 5.3e-5), and also significantly correlates a country’s per capita GDP (r = 0.39, p = 7.4e-3) and median age (r = 0.30, p = 0.042), while COVID-19 cases per million population significantly correlate with per capita GDP and tests per thousand population. To control for possible confounding effects of age, the correlation was assessed in countries propensity score matched for age. The inverse correlation between BCG vaccination rates and COVID-19 case (r = − 0.30, p = 0.02) and death (r = − 0.42, p = 0.0007) remained significant among the top 61 countries with the highest median age. This study contributes to a growing body of evidence supporting the notion that BCG vaccination may be protective against COVID-19 mortality.
EXAMINATION OF SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE POLYMORPHISMS IN A PARTIAL CODING REGION OF THE MELANOCORTIN 1 RECEPTOR FROM MELANISTIC AND WILD-TYPE WHITE-TAILED DEER (Odocoileus virginianus texanus)

Introduction: Melanism is well described in ruminant mammals, including deer. Melanism is expectedly rare in wild populations but remarkably prevalent in the white tailed deer population of central Texas. While many potential mutations could underlie the phenotype, for this population it is likely all share the same mutation. Among potential coding region mutations, the melanocortin 1 receptor is a prevalent source of melanism. The objective of this research was to determine whether we could discern single nucleotide polymorphisms in the melanocortin 1 receptor coding sequence correlated with melanism in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus texanus). Methods: DNA was extracted from tissue obtained from wild-type and melanistic white-tailed deer. Primers designed based on an alignment of the genomic regions of the melanocortin 1 receptor genes for even-toed ungulates were used to amplify a segment of the coding sequence. The amplified product was bidirectionally sequenced and analyzed for the presence and nature of single nucleotide polymorphisms. Results: Although several sites within the melanocortin 1 receptor gene were found to have single nucleotide polymorphisms, all implied synonymous substitutions, and none were significantly correlated with the incidence of melanism. Conclusions: Mutations of the melanocortin 1 receptor gene’s coding sequence do not account for the incidence of melanism in melanistic deer from the population sampled.
A complete 18-bit audio D/A converter

A voltage-output digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for digital audio applications, which combines several conventional circuit architectures, is described. It uses high-resolution laser-trimming techniques to achieve total full-scale harmonic distortion plus noise of -94 dB, without external components or adjustments. The single-chip converter is integrated with an advanced high-density bipolar/CMOS process, resulting in a 6.2-mm/sup 2/ chip area, and is assembled in a 16-pin plastic package. The logic section includes TTL/CMOS translators for the three-input serial interface, an 18-b shift register, thermometer decoder for segmentation of the four MSBs, and an edge-triggered holding register for minimizing bit skew. The analog section consists of an 18-b binary-weighted current source DAC, bipolar offset circuitry, low-noise bandgap reference, and a low-distortion amplifier to provide voltage output. The core of the chip is a combination of three different DAC structures. The four most significant bits are segmented into 15 equally weighted current cells. Segmentation was chosen to decrease the component matching needed for good differential linearity and to decrease sensitivity to component drift over time, temperature, and packaging stress. >
WLPMiner: weighted frequent pattern mining with length-decreasing support constraints

Two main concerns exist for frequent pattern mining in the real world. First, each item has different importance so researchers have proposed weighted frequent pattern mining algorithms that reflect the importance of items. Second, patterns having only smaller items tend to be interesting if they have high support, while long patterns can still be interesting although their supports are relatively small. Weight and length decreasing support constraints are key factors, but no mining algorithms consider both the constraints. In this paper, we re-examine two basic but interesting constraints, a weight constraint and a length decreasing support constraint and propose weighted frequent pattern mining with length decreasing constraints. Our main approach is to push weight constraints and length decreasing support constraints into the pattern growth algorithm. For pruning techniques, we propose the notion of Weighted Smallest Valid Extension (WSVE) with applying length decreasing support constraints in weight-based mining. The WSVE property is applied to transaction and node pruning. WLPMiner generates more concise and important weighted frequent patterns with a length decreasing support constraint in large databases by applying the weighted smallest valid extension.
Gassman indole synthesis

The Gassman indole synthesis involves a one-pot process in which a hypohalite, a β-carbonyl sulfide derivative, and a base are added sequentially to an aniline or a substituted aniline to provide 3-thioalkoxyindoles.