jimnoneill/paper-to-field-training huggingface dataset:
AlphaSnake: Policy Iteration on a Nondeterministic NP-hard Markov Decision Process

Field: Computer Science (Physical Sciences)

Reinforcement learning has recently been used to approach well-known NP-hard combinatorial problems in graph theory. Among these problems, Hamiltonian cycle problems are exceptionally difficult to analyze, even when restricted to individual instances of structurally complex graphs. In this paper, we use Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS), the search algorithm behind many state-of-the-art reinforcement learning algorithms such as AlphaZero, to create autonomous agents that learn to play the game of Snake, a game centered on properties of Hamiltonian cycles on grid graphs. The game of Snake can be formulated as a single-player discounted Markov Decision Process (MDP) where the agent must behave optimally in a stochastic environment. Determining the optimal policy for Snake, defined as the policy that maximizes the probability of winning - or win rate - with higher priority and minimizes the expected number of time steps to win with lower priority, is conjectured to be NP-hard. Performance-wise, compared to prior work in the Snake game, our algorithm is the first to achieve a win rate over $0.5$ (a uniform random policy achieves a win rate $< 2.57 \times 10^{-15}$), demonstrating the versatility of AlphaZero in approaching NP-hard environments.
Structure and Gene Silencing Activities of Monovalent and Pentavalent Cationic Lipid Vectors Complexed with siRNA

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Life Sciences)

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) of 19-25 bp mediate the cleavage of complementary mRNA, leading to post-transcriptional gene silencing. We examined cationic lipid (CL)-mediated delivery of siRNA into mammalian cells and made comparisons to CL-based DNA delivery. The effect of lipid composition and headgroup charge on the biophysical and biological properties of CL-siRNA vectors was determined. X-ray diffraction revealed that CL-siRNA complexes exhibited lamellar and inverted hexagonal phases, qualitatively similar to CL-DNA complexes, but also formed other nonlamellar structures. Surprisingly, optimally formulated inverted hexagonal 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP)/1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) CL-siRNA complexes exhibited high toxicity and much lower target-specific gene silencing than lamellar CL-siRNA complexes even though optimally formulated, inverted hexagonal CL-DNA complexes show high transfection efficiency in cell culture. We further found that efficient silencing required cationic lipid/nucleic acid molar charge ratios (rhochg) nearly an order of magnitude larger than those yielding efficiently transfecting CL-DNA complexes. This second unexpected finding has implications for cell toxicity. Multivalent lipids (MVLs) require a smaller number of cationic lipids at a given rhochg of the complex. Consistent with this observation, the pentavalent lipid MVL5 exhibited lower toxicity and superior silencing efficiency over a large range in both the lipid composition and rhochg when compared to monovalent DOTAP. Most importantly, MVL5 achieved much higher total knockdown of the target gene in CL-siRNA complex regimes where toxicity was low. This property of CL-siRNA complexes contrasts to CL-DNA complexes, where the optimized transfection efficiencies of multivalent and monovalent lipids are comparable.
Studies of the Ca2+ requirements for glucose- and carbachol-induced augmentation of inositol trisphosphate and inositol tetrakisphosphate accumulation in digitonin-permeabilized islets. Evidence for a glucose recognition site in insulin secretion.

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Life Sciences)

The metabolism of D-glucose is believed to initiate and regulate insulin secretion by islet beta-cells, although the identity of the metabolite which couples glucose metabolism to the cellular events involved in insulin secretion is unknown. An alternative hypothesis involves the presence of a glucoreceptor for which there has been no biochemical evidence. We have investigated whether glucose recognition by the beta-cell is coupled to phospholipase C. We have used digitonin-permeabilized, [3H]inositol-prelabeled islets to study glucose and carbachol activation of phospholipase C. In this model, carbachol recognition by its muscarinic receptor was coupled to phospholipase C activation. D-Glucose (but not L-glucose) also stimulated phospholipase C activity in these permeabilized islets. This effect was not due to glucose metabolism since glucose 6-phosphate did not affect phospholipase C activity and since phosphorylation of [3H]glucose was not detectable in digitonin-permeabilized islets. Glucose had no effect on the myo-inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate-5-phosphatase or 3-kinase activities. In the absence of agonist, free Ca2+ concentrations between 0.1 and 1 microM (as determined with a Ca2+-specific electrode) did not influence phospholipase C activity. Stimulation of phospholipase C activity by either carbachol or glucose required Ca2+ in the submicromolar range and was optimal at 0.5 microM free Ca2+.myo-Inositol-1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate production from permeabilized islets was synergistically augmented by Ca2+ (0.5-10 microM) and glucose. Phospholipase C activity in islets is therefore not directly activated by free Ca2+ concentrations in the submicromolar range. Furthermore, glucose per se activates phospholipase C activity independently of glucose metabolism. A working hypothesis based on these findings is that glucose is recognized by a site which is coupled to phospholipase C in islets.
Mimicking the Natural Basement Membrane for Advanced Tissue Engineering

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Life Sciences)

Advancements in the field of tissue engineering have led to the elucidation of physical and chemical characteristics of physiological basement membranes (BM) as specialized forms of the extracellular matrix. Efforts to recapitulate the intricate structure and biological composition of the BM have encountered various advancements due to its impact on cell fate, function, and regulation. More attention has been paid to synthesizing biocompatible and biofunctional fibrillar scaffolds that closely mimic the natural BM. Specific modifications in biomimetic BM have paved the way for the development of in vitro models like alveolar-capillary barrier, airway models, skin, blood-brain barrier, kidney barrier, and metastatic models, which can be used for personalized drug screening, understanding physiological and pathological pathways, and tissue implants. In this Review, we focus on the structure, composition, and functions of in vivo BM and the ongoing efforts to mimic it synthetically. Light has been shed on the advantages and limitations of various forms of biomimetic BM scaffolds including porous polymeric membranes, hydrogels, and electrospun membranes This Review further elaborates and justifies the significance of BM mimics in tissue engineering, in particular in the development of in vitro organ model systems.
Fabrication of micro-and nano-particles of drug for pharmaceutical application (I)

Field: Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics (Life Sciences)

This project aims to improve the solubility of a poorly-water soluble drug, Hesperetin, by fabricating the drug into mico-/nano- particles. Fabrication of the drug particles was done using the two approaches, namely syringe pump precipitation approach and evaporative precipitation of nano-suspension (EPN) respectively; the physiochemical properties of all the samples fabricated has been investigated. For this project, various operation parameters, such as drug concentration, flow rate, stirring rate, solvent and anti-solvent ratio (SAS ratio) and temperature were varied and their influence on the drug were experimentally investigated. Apart from that, solid dispersion was made on Hesperetin by adding hydrophilic carriers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). Further studies were carried out to improve Hesperetin solubility, through samples’ fabrication with addition of surfactants such as Pluronic 38, Tween 20, Tween 80, etc, into the HSP-PVP and HSP-PEG to form ternary complexes.
Accessory reproductive fluids and organs in male domestic birds

Field: Veterinary (Health Sciences)

Accessory reproductive fluids and organs of male domestic fowl, turkeys, ducks, quail, guinea fowl and pigeons were examined. Male domestic fowl, turkeys and ducks produced different quantities of accessory reproductive fluids – lymph-like fluid and/or foam – during natural copulation. Quail released a unique foam, which is produced constantly in the cloacal region regardless of the ejection of semen and the time of day. The natural ejaculate of this species is always associated with the release of foam. In contrast, guinea fowl and pigeons released neither lymph-like fluid nor foam at ejaculation when semen was collected using the lumbar massage method. The tissues and organs which are involved in the production of these accessory reproductive fluids are the paracloacal vascular body (PVB), lymphatic folds (LF), dorsal proctodeal glands (DPG), ejaculatory groove region (EGR) and tissues in the vicinity of the papilla of the ductus deferens (TVP). Guinea fowl possessed the PVB, DPG and TVP even though they produce no accessory reproductive fluids. The only exception was the pigeon which has neither the tissues nor the organs listed above. The accessory reproductive fluids have a favourable effect on the function of freshly ejaculated spermatozoa in domestic birds.
Correlates Of Employee Satisfaction With Performance Appraisal System In Foreign MNC BPOs Operating In India

Field: Business, Management and Accounting (Social Sciences)

This paper is based on an empirical study of five foreign MNC BPO firms operating in India, ranked among the top 100 by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) for the year 2009. The data was collected using quantitative methods from 163 employees constituting 1% of the population under study. The level of satisfaction among the respondents towards the performance appraisal system is at 69.94 percent. Regression analysis, using a significance level of 5 per cent, shows that three of the variables used in the study are significantly influencing the satisfaction and all these three significant variables are positively associated with satisfaction and all other variables have emerged as the insignificant variables. All the variables used in our study collectively account for 42.6 per cent of the satisfaction. The factor analysis has identified four factors: the variables of factor one contribute 34.786 per cent variation, followed by 12.788 per cent, 11.961 per cent and 8.389 per cent variation being contributed by factor two, three and four respectively.
Purification, Conformational Analysis, and Properties of a Family of Tigerinin Peptides\nfrom Skin Secretions of the Crowned Bullfrog <i>Hoplobatrachus\noccipitalis</i>

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Life Sciences)

Four host-defense peptides belonging\nto the tigerinin family (tigerinin-1O:\nRICTPIPFPMCY; tigerinin-2O: RTCIPIPLVMC; tigerinin-3O: RICTAIPLPMCL;\nand tigerinin-4O: RTCIPIPPVCF) were isolated from skin secretions\nof the African crowned bullfrog <i>Hoplobatrachus occipitalis</i>. In aqueous solution at pH 4.8, the cyclic domain of tigerinin-2O\nadopts a rigid amphipathic conformation that incorporates a flexible\nN-terminal tail. The tigerinins lacked antimicrobial (MIC > 100\nμM)\nand hemolytic (LC<sub>50</sub> > 500 μM) activities but,\nat\na concentration of 20 μg/mL, significantly (<i>P</i> < 0.05) inhibited production of interferon-γ (IFN-γ)\nby peritoneal cells from C57BL/6 mice without affecting production\nof IL-10 and IL-17. Tigerinin-2O and -4O inhibited IFN-γ production\nat concentrations as low as 1 μg/mL. The tigerinins significantly\n(<i>P</i> ≤ 0.05) stimulated the rate of insulin\nrelease from BRIN-BD11 clonal β-cells without compromising the\nintegrity of the plasma membrane. Tigerinin-1O was the most potent\n(threshold concentration 1 nM) and the most effective (395% increase\nover basal rate at a concentration of 1 μM). Tigerinin-4O was\nthe most potent and effective peptide in stimulating the rate of glucagon-like\npeptide-1 release from GLUTag enteroendocrine cells (threshold concentration\n10 nM; 289% increase over basal rate at 1 μM). Tigerinin peptides\nhave potential for development into agents for the treatment of patients\nwith type 2 diabetes.
National Alliance of Sickle Cell Centers Consensus Recommendations on Sickle Cell Disease Health Maintenance: A Consensus Statement

Field: Medicine (Health Sciences)

IMPORTANCE: The most common inherited blood disorder in the world, sickle cell disease (SCD) is a known global health concern. While survival of children into adulthood has improved significantly over the last few decades in high-resource countries, substantial gaps in care standards and limited practice harmonization persist. OBJECTIVE: To provide up-to-date recommendations for preventive care and treatment of all people living with SCD and its related comorbidities. EVIDENCE REVIEW: As part of the National Alliance of Sickle Cell Centers (NASCC), 41 pediatric and adult sickle cell disease experts developed consensus standards and recommendations based on available evidence and expert consensus garnered during an in-depth review of the literature. For these recommendations, there were 3 separate consensus panels (0-2 years, 2-18 years, and >18 years]) held in 2022. The initial expert panels included representation from 41 NASCC-recognized SCD centers (during the first 2 votes) and the third and final vote in 2023 included representatives from 81 NASCC-recognized centers. The primary focus was on: (1) preventative care including screening recommendations, (2) management of acute complications, and (3) treatment options. FINDINGS: In this modified Delphi consensus statement, the experts developed consensus standards and recommendations for the clinical care of people living with SCD throughout the lifespan, as well as identified gaps in current evidence that need additional research. Standards and recommendations included routine screening and education, management of acute complications, as well as disease-modifying treatments such as hydroxyurea. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: People with SCD require coordinated and consistent care starting soon after birth in an SCD center and throughout their lives; SCD is a chronic condition with a highly heterogenous phenotype necessitating lifelong care through an SCD center in collaboration with clinicians in multiple areas of medicine including primary care. Future work should prioritize the management of timing of initiation and precision use of disease-modifying therapies, infection management and prevention, and discussion on transformative therapies.
Evaluation of Classical Stratification Theories from a Feminist Perspective

Field: Social Sciences (Social Sciences)

The understanding of traditional science in social sciences has been the focus of feminist criticism in terms of theory, methodology and epistemology after the 1970s. With the feminist paradigm that challenges the male-centered positivist understanding of the science of modernity, that deals with all spheres where women are subordinated and their experiences are rendered invisible; an opportunity has arisen for a transition to a scientific understanding that asks questions that have never been seen before and aim to empower women. However, today it is still not possible to see gender as a central and analytical category in all sub-fields of social sciences. The inclusion of gender in stratification theories, which is one of the most important of these areas, poses serious problems both at the theoretical and empirical levels. In this context, in this article, the place of gender in traditional class and stratification theories and the contributions of dual system analysis developed in feminist thought to this field will be discussed.
Qualitative analysis of a generalist prey-predator model with time delay

Field: Mathematics (Physical Sciences)

As we know from theory of evolution in ecology that the generalist predators feed on a variety of prey species may tend to persist in an ecosystem even if one particular prey species is absent in that environment. Predation by generalist predators is followed by a sigmoidal functional responsewhich is ensured in literature. We already knows that a mathematical predatorâ€“prey typemodel with sigmoidal functional response is found to be more realistic and stable than for a Holling type II functional response. In our model the generalist predator may go to extinct in the absence of one focal prey.Itâ€™s dynamics are studied in terms of the local and global aspect and stabilities are verified around the positive equilibrium with the impact of constant delay in the functional response term as some time will be required for gestation of prey for predators. The condition for Hopf-bifurcation of the system has been derived. Numerical computer simulations have been done and compared with the analytical results of the model analysis.
KINSHIP, MARRIAGE, MASTERY, AND MACHI MODES OF PERSONHOODI

Field: Arts and Humanities (Social Sciences)

I show how spiritual kinships ties, spiritual marriages, and relationships of mastery between Mapuche shamans (machi), animals, and spirits in initiation and healing rituals reflect historical ethnic and national relationships, social and gender dynamics, and complex understandings of personhood. Machi's spiritual relationships are shaped by the gendered power dynamics of colonial mastery and domination, marriage and seduction, possession and ecstasy, and hierarchical kinship systems. These spiritual relationships reflect a complex understanding of personal consciousness in which machi are agents of their actions but at the same time share self with the spirits and are dominated by them. Machi gain varied forms of knowledge and power through the exchange of bodily substances as well as through spiritual means. In doing so, they offer a new perspective on current discussions among anthropologists about embodiment, ensoulment,
High-Yield Synthesis of Dimethyl Carbonate from Urea and Methanol Using a Catalytic Distillation Process

Field: Chemical Engineering (Physical Sciences)

Reaction equilibrium for the dimethyl carbonate (DMC) synthesis from urea and methanol was calculated based on the Benson method, and results showed that the reaction was thermodynamically unfavorable. In addition, urea methanolysis was conformed to be a consecutive reaction. Major side reactions in the DMC synthesis included the thermal decomposition of DMC and reaction between methyl carbamate (MC) and DMC, which reduced the DMC yield in the batch process. A catalytic distillation technique was proposed in this study to minimize the side reactions and unfavorable equilibrium for DMC synthesis. The DMC yield reached 60−70% in the catalytic distillation reactor over a Zn-based catalyst.
Algorithms for #BIS-Hard Problems on Expander Graphs

Field: Computer Science (Physical Sciences)

We give a fully polynomial-time approximation scheme (FPTAS) and an efficient sampling algorithm for the high-fugacity hard-core model on bounded-degree bipartite expander graphs and the low-temperature ferromagnetic Potts model on bounded-degree expander graphs. The results apply, for example, to random (bipartite) Δ-regular graphs, for which no efficient algorithms were known for these problems (with the exception of the Ising model) in the nonuniqueness regime of the infinite Δ-regular tree. We also find efficient counting and sampling algorithms for proper -colorings of random Δ-regular bipartite graphs when is sufficiently small as a function of Δ.
Cross-cultural linguistic adaptation and development of three alternate forms of the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test to the Brazilian context: The role of word familiarity

Field: Psychology (Social Sciences)

In spite of its importance, studies presenting detailed development procedures of alternate forms of verbal memory paradigms remains limited and unclear in terms of word selection criteria, while failing to consider word familiarity factors, despite its crucial role on episodic memory retrieval and encoding mechanisms. The present study aims to present the cross-cultural linguistic adaptation and development procedures of alternate forms of the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test to the Brazilian context (FCSRT) based on word familiarity. After translation and backtranslation procedures, 231 new words were gathered and underwent a step-by-step familiarity analysis. Initially, overall familiarity feel of each word was assessed through the Familiarity Form (FF) during phase 1, and exposure frequency to words were later assessed through the Familiarity Questionnaire (FQ) completed by healthy controls during phase 2 with the remaining words considered ambiguous in terms of familiarity. Three alternate forms of the FCRST were then developed and assessed in terms of familiarity by the FQ during phase 3, and later administered in healthy control groups during phase 4. Repeated measures analysis revealed no significant differences in terms of familiarity and memory performance among the developed forms. Limitations are discussed, and recommendations are offered for future studies.
The Western Alliance in the Face of the Russian (Dis)information Machine: Where Does Canada Stand?

Field: Social Sciences (Social Sciences)

The Ukrainian crisis has witnessed intensification of information confrontation between Russia and the West. Canada - being an integral part of Western alliance and staunchly opposing to Russian actions on the Ukrainian Southeast – attracted Kremlin`s ire expressed in intensification of Russia`s information assault against it. The decision of Ottawa to deploy military forces in the Baltic Sea region and some legislative gestures were construed in Moscow as openly anti-Russian behaviour and a perfect example of Russophobia. This paper seeks to investigate the structure, key operative principles and distinctive features of Russia`s propaganda machine, and how these are used by the Russian side in its information campaign against Western alliance and Canada, in particular. The research demonstrates sophistication and elaborateness of Russia`s disinformation techniques: borrowing certain traits from the pre-1991 period, Russia managed to surpass its historical predecessor. This owed to the advent of new technologies and elimination of the ideological surcharge and previous dogmatism. On the basis of this research it could be argued that in spite of fierce disinformation assault that countries of the Western alliance have had to deal with after 2014, Russia`s resources are finite and Kremlin`s actions vary on a country-to-country basis. It thus could be stated that Russia`s capabilities against Canada in terms of information-phycological warfare are limited. This, however, does not mean that the peril is nonexistent. If (and, apparently, when) interests of Canada and Russia clash in the Arctic region, Moscow might be willing activate other means (the “cyber” pillar) of information confrontation, which have been tested in other theaters of Russia`s activities.