Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Damage interaction and angle effects on the erosion behavior of soda-lime-silica glass

The present contribution aims to examine the erosion behavior of soda-lime-silica glass in connection with damage interaction and angle effects. Experimental observations are reported on glass plates subjected to sandblasting process using alumina abrasive particles for different sandblasting durations and impact angles. The damage and erosion mechanisms are computed through a numerical model of the sandblasted glass plate. The glass internal stiffness degradation due to impact process is accounted for by an anisotropic stress-based continuum damage mechanics model. The glass erosion is simulated by means of a vanishing element technique using the critical values of damage components as failure criterion. A parametric numerical study is carried out to bring insights into damage interaction and angle effects on the material loss.
On the growth dynamics of neutral vanadium oxide and titanium oxide clusters

Cluster growth dynamics of vanadium oxide and titanium oxide clusters produced by laser ablation of vanadium and titanium metal in a He gas flow seeded with up to 2% O2 are studied by covariance mapping time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Covariance mapping enables the recognition of two different distribution components in the overall homogeneous mass spectra for both vanadium oxide and titanium oxide cluster systems. The oxygen-rich component Or shows small correlated fluctuations while the oxygen-poor component Op shows large correlated fluctuations. These two cluster distribution components are observed at low ablation laser powers and low expansion gas concentrations. Fluctuations of small vanadium oxide clusters (V2O, V2O2, and V2O3) and small titanium oxide clusters (Ti2O2 and Ti2O3) are covariance determining. The less fluctuating V2O3 and Ti2O3 clusters are “nuclei” for the oxygen-rich components Or. The more fluctuating V2O and Ti2O2 are “nuclei” for the oxygen poor components Op. Correlated fluct.
Generation, annotation, evolutionary analysis, and database integration of 20,000 unique sea urchin EST clusters.

Together with the hemichordates, sea urchins represent basal groups of nonchordate invertebrate deuterostomes that occupy a key position in bilaterian evolution. Because sea urchin embryos are also amenable to functional studies, the sea urchin system has emerged as one of the leading models for the analysis of the function of genomic regulatory networks that control development. We have analyzed a total of 107,283 cDNA clones of libraries that span the development of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Normalization by oligonucleotide fingerprinting, EST sequencing and sequence clustering resulted in an EST catalog comprised of 20,000 unique genes or gene fragments. Around 7000 of the unique EST consensus sequences were associated with molecular and developmental functions. Phylogenetic comparison of the identified genes to the genome of the urochordate Ciona intestinalis indicate that at least one quarter of the genes thought to be chordate specific were already present at the base of deuterostome evolution. Comparison of the number of gene copies in sea urchins to those in chordates and vertebrates indicates that the sea urchin genome has not undergone extensive gene or complete genome duplications. The established unique gene set represents an essential tool for the annotation and assembly of the forthcoming sea urchin genome sequence. All cDNA clones and filters of all analyzed libraries are available from the resource center of the German genome project at http://www.rzpd. de.
An investigation of global versus local online branding

Purpose – Draws upon Hofstede's cultural values and Rogers' diffusion of innovations to investigate relationships between search engine popularity and a company's preference for global versus local online branding.Design/methodology/approach – Investigates the global versus local domain name selection strategies and web site popularity of multinational corporations based on their organizational characteristics and Hofstede's cultural values of their host countries.Findings – Organizational size, industry and two cultural values – individualism and masculinity – relate to how companies adopt innovations, in this case selecting and promoting a global or local online identity. For their web presence, most Fortune Global 500 companies use the global.com domain rather than a local country domain. The results also suggest a virtual divide in online visibility, favoring.com companies over companies using country domains.Research limitations/implications – Limitations of this study include the lack of a longitudi.
Nomograms to Predict Individual Prognosis of Patients with Primary Small Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder

Objectives: To develop reliable nomograms to estimate individualized overall survival (OS) and cancer specific survival (CSS) for patients with primary small cell carcinoma of the bladder (SCCB) and compare the predictive value with the AJCC stages. Patients and Methods: 582 eligible SCCB patients identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) dataset were randomly divided into training (n=482) and validation (n=100) cohorts. Akaike information criterion was used to select the clinically important variables in multivariate Cox models when establishing nomograms. The performance of nomograms was bootstrapped validated internally and externally using the concordance index (C-index) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) and calibration curves and was compared with that of the AJCC stages using C-index, Kaplan-Meier curves and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: Two nomograms shared common indicators including age, tumor size, T stage, lymph node ratio, metastases, chemotherapy, radiation and radical cystectomy, while marriage and gender were only incorporated in the OS nomogram. The C-indices of nomograms for OS and CSS were 0.736 (95%CI 0.711-0.761) and 0.731(95%CI 0.704-0.758), respectively, indicating considerable predictive accuracy. Calibration curves showed consistency between the nomograms and the actual observation. The results remained reproducible when nomograms were applied to the validation cohort. Additionally, comparisons between C-indices, Kaplan-Meier curves and DCA proved that the nomograms obtained obvious superiority over the AJCC stages with wide practical threshold probabilities. Conclusions: We proposed the first two nomograms for individualized prediction of OS and CSS in SCCB patients with satisfactory predictive accuracy, good robustness and wide applicability.
A new backward recursion for the multi-stage nested Wiener filter employing Krylov subspace methods

The multi-stage nested Wiener filter (MSNWF) can be identified to be the solution of the Wiener-Hopf equation in the Krylov subspace of the covariance matrix of the observation and the crosscorrelation vector of the observation and the desired signal. Therefore, the Arnoldi algorithm which arises from the MSNWF development can be replaced by the Lanczos algorithm leading to a simpler computation of the Krylov subspace basis. Moreover, the foundation in the Krylov subspace framework helps to derive an order-recursive representation of the MSNWF which generates the filter for rank D in terms of the filter for rank D-1. The new backward recursion is used to design a linear equalizer filter in an enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) system. Simulation results show the ability of the MSNWF to reduce the receiver complexity while the system performance is unchanged.
Critical appraisal of the role of rituximab in the treatment of patients with previously untreated or treated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)

Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) have benefited from the introduction of targeted therapy for leukemia. Rituximab (a chimeric murine-derived monoclonal antibody that targets CD20 on lymphocytes) was the first monoclonal antibody to affect the natural course of this disease. Several reports have shown modest single-agent activity in patients with CLL. However, the best results come from the combination of this agent with chemotherapy; a significant benefit has been seen with the use of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (FCR). The addition of rituximab to chemotherapy boosted overall response rates, complete response rates and prolonged progression free survival. Recent data showed an overall survival benefit with FCR. Other combinations including bendamustine and rituximab appear more effective than bendamustine alone, while combining rituximab with other types of agents also appears to improve response rates. This type of relatively nontoxic regimen is being investigated in elderly patients who may not tolerate standard combination chemoimmunotherapies.
Surfactant Protein D Modulates HIV Infection of Both T-Cells and Dendritic Cells

Surfactant Protein D (SP-D) is an oligomerized C-type lectin molecule with immunomodulatory properties and involvement in lung surfactant homeostasis in the respiratory tract. SP-D binds to the enveloped viruses, influenza A virus and respiratory syncytial virus and inhibits their replication in vitro and in vivo. SP-D has been shown to bind to HIV via the HIV envelope protein gp120 and inhibit infectivity in vitro. Here we show that SP-D binds to different strains of HIV (BaL and IIIB) and the binding occurs at both pH 7.4 and 5.0 resembling physiological relevant pH values found in the body and the female urogenital tract, respectively. The binding of SP-D to HIV particles and gp120 was inhibited by the presence of several hexoses with mannose found to be the strongest inhibitor. Competition studies showed that soluble CD4 and CVN did not interfere with the interaction between SP-D and gp120. However, soluble recombinant DC-SIGN was shown to inhibit the binding between SP-D and gp120. SP-D agglutinated HIV and gp120 in a calcium dependent manner. SP-D inhibited the infectivity of HIV strains at both pH values of 7.4 and 5.0 in a concentration dependent manner. The inhibition of the infectivity was abolished by the presence of mannose. SP-D enhanced the binding of HIV to immature monocyte derived dendritic cells (iMDDCs) and was also found to enhance HIV capture and transfer to the T-cell like line PM1. These results suggest that SP-D can bind to and inhibit direct infection of T-cells by HIV but also enhance the transfer of infectious HIV particles from DCs to T-cells in vivo.
Home Characteristics as Predictors of Bacterial and Fungal Microbial Biomarkers in House Dust

Background Measurement of fungal and bacterial biomarkers can be costly, but it is not clear whether home characteristics can be used as a proxy of these markers, particularly if the purpose is to differentiate specific classes of biologic exposures that have similar sources but may have different effects on allergic disease risk. Objective We evaluated home characteristics as predictors of multiple microbial biomarkers, with a focus on common and unique determinants and with attention to the extent of their explanatory ability. Methods In 376 Boston-area homes enrolled in a cohort study of home exposures and childhood asthma, we assessed the relationship between home characteristics gathered by questionnaire and measured gram-negative bacteria (GNB) (endotoxin and C10:0, C12:0, and C14:0 3-hydroxy fatty acids), gram-positive bacteria (GPB) (N-acetyl muramic acid), and fungal biomarkers [ergosterol and (1→6) branched, (1→3) β-d glucans] in bed and family room dust. Results Home characteristics related to dampness were significant predictors of all microbial exposures; water damage or visible mold/mildew in the home was associated with a 20–66% increase in GNB levels. Report of cleaning the bedroom at least once a week was associated with reduced GNB, GPB, and fungi. Presence of dogs or cats predicted increases in home bacteria or fungi. The proportion of variance in microbial biomarkers explained by home characteristics ranged from 4.2% to 19.0%. Conclusions Despite their associations with multiple microbial flora, home characteristics only partially explain the variability in microbial biomarker levels and cannot substitute for specific microbial measurements in studies concerned with distinguishing effects of specific classes of microbes.
Orthogonal polarization technique in the assessment of human skin microcirculation

Background The “gold standard” for the study of the in vivo microcirculation is intravital microscopy. The recently developed method of orthogonal polarization of light [orthogonal polarization spectral (OPS) imaging] allows for the in vivo transcutaneous evaluation of the microcirculation without the need for invasive surgical procedures.
The unique ecology of human predators

An anomalous and unbalanced predator In the past century, humans have become the dominant predator across many systems. The species that we target are thus far in considerable decline; however, predators in the wild generally achieve a balance with their prey populations such that both persist. Darimont et al. found several specific differences between how humans and other predatory species target prey populations (see the Perspective by Worm). In marine environments, for example, we regularly prey on other predator species. These differences may contribute to our much larger ecological impact when compared with other predators. Science, this issue p. 858; see also p. 784 Human predators do not mimic the behavior of natural predators. [Also see Perspective by Worm] Paradigms of sustainable exploitation focus on population dynamics of prey and yields to humanity but ignore the behavior of humans as predators. We compared patterns of predation by contemporary hunters and fishers with those of other predators that compete over shared prey (terrestrial mammals and marine fishes). Our global survey (2125 estimates of annual finite exploitation rate) revealed that humans kill adult prey, the reproductive capital of populations, at much higher median rates than other predators (up to 14 times higher), with particularly intense exploitation of terrestrial carnivores and fishes. Given this competitive dominance, impacts on predators, and other unique predatory behavior, we suggest that humans function as an unsustainable “super predator,” which—unless additionally constrained by managers—will continue to alter ecological and evolutionary processes globally.
The organisation of sociality: a manifesto for a new science of multi-agent systems

In this paper, we pose and motivate a challenge, namely the need for a new science of multi-agent systems. We propose that this new science should be grounded, theoretically on a richer conception of sociality, and methodologically on the extensive use of computational modelling for real-world applications and social simulations. Here, the steps we set forth towards meeting that challenge are mainly theoretical. In this respect, we provide a new model of multi-agent systems that reflects a fully explicated conception of cognition, both at the individual and the collective level. Finally, the mechanisms and principles underpinning the model will be examined with particular emphasis on the contributions provided by contemporary organisation theory.
ZAIS-based colloidal QDs as fluorescent labels for theranostics: physical properties, biodistribution and biocompatibility

In recent years there has been an increase in interest in the use of colloidal quantum dots (QDs) in biology and medicine. In particular, QDs can be a perspective nanoscale object for theranostics, in which due to the specific accumulation of drug-loaded QDs in the pathological focus, its simultaneous visualization and targeted therapeutic influence occur. One of the serious limitations of the use of QDs in medicine is their potential toxicity, especially when the nanocrystal material contains elements such as cadmium or plumbum. Therefore, it is promising to develop labels based on QDs of relatively less toxic semiconductors of group I-III-VI, such as CuInS2 and AgInS2. In this study, biodistribution and biocompatibility of QDs based on the AgInS2 compound with a ZnS shell (ZAIS) are considered. In the study of biodistribution, the accumulation of QDs in organs such as liver, lungs, heart and kidneys was revealed. It was shown that QDs in the dose range from 2 • 10–7 to 4 • 10–6 M/L at intravenous administration in rats does not have a significant effect on body mass dynamics and basic hematological parameters for 30 days. Thus, ZAIS QDs can be used to visualize tissues and organs in various pathological processes, and immobilization of the drugs on their surface will allow to approach their application for theranostics.
Analyzing the BBOB Results by Means of Benchmarking Concepts

We present methods to answer two basic questions that arise when benchmarking optimization algorithms. The first one is: which algorithm is the “best” one? and the second one is: which algorithm should I use for my real-world problem? Both are connected and neither is easy to answer. We present a theoretical framework for designing and analyzing the raw data of such benchmark experiments. This represents a first step in answering the aforementioned questions. The 2009 and 2010 BBOB benchmark results are analyzed by means of this framework and we derive insight regarding the answers to the two questions. Furthermore, we discuss how to properly aggregate rankings from algorithm evaluations on individual problems into a consensus, its theoretical background and which common pitfalls should be avoided. Finally, we address the grouping of test problems into sets with similar optimizer rankings and investigate whether these are reflected by already proposed test problem characteristics, finding that this is not always the case.
Development of high-span running long jumps for humanoids

This paper presents new methods to develop a running long jump for a simulated humanoid robot. Starting from a steady-state running motion, a new spring loaded inverted pendulum (SLIP) based 3D template model for a running jump is presented. The use of this model is motivated by a simpler model from biomechanics which describes the dynamics of human long jumpers in the sagittal plane. While previously only used to describe the thrust step of a long jump, this type of model is also shown to generate useful Center of Mass (CoM) trajectories to return to steady-state running upon landing. A principled optimization approach for this new template is described to generate reference CoM trajectories for maximum span which are able to be kinematically and dynamically retargeted to the humanoid. The key features of an optimal long jump are highlighted, and a task-space control approach to realize the motion on a humanoid is summarized. A video attachment to this paper shows an optimal long jump for a 6 m/s approach speed, where the humanoid is able to clear a large gap, and highlights the effects of non-optimal takeoff-velocity angles.
Formulation and characterization of oxiconazole-loaded emulgel for topical application

Background: Oxiconazole nitrate is a new topical broad spectrum antifungal agent used to treat superficial fungal infections. It has a low aqueous solubility due to which different techniques are employed to enhance its bioavailability. Emulgel has emerged as one of the most interesting topical drug delivery system for hydrophobic drugs like Oxiconazole as it has dual release control systems i.e. emulsion and gel. Objective: In the present work an attempt was made to prepare Emulgel of Oxiconazole nitrate for enhancing its topical delivery. Materials and Methods: Emulgel formulations were characterized by various parameters like pH, viscosity, spreadability, extrudability, in vitro drug release. Skin irritation test on wistar rats and in vitro antifungal test on Candida albicans were performed. Results: Optimized formulation F5 showed 92.06% release at the end of 12 hrs. It showed no skin irritation and observed with maximum zone of inhibition when compared with marketed cream of Oxiconazole nitrate. Conclusion: The optimized emulgel formulation F5 showed better antifungal activity in comparison to the marketed formulation.
DESCRIPTOR BY CONVOLUTION AND POOLING AUTOENCODERS

In this paper we present several descriptors for feature-based matching based on autoencoders, and we evaluate the performance of these descriptors. In a training phase, we learn autoencoders from image patches extracted in local windows surrounding key points determined by the Difference of Gaussian extractor. In the matching phase, we construct key point descriptors based on the learned autoencoders, and we use these descriptors as the basis for local keypoint descriptor matching. Three types of descriptors based on autoencoders are presented. To evaluate the performance of these descriptors, recall and 1-precision curves are generated for different kinds of transformations, e.g. zoom and rotation, viewpoint change, using a standard benchmark data set. We compare the performance of these descriptors with the one achieved for SIFT. Early results presented in this paper show that, whereas SIFT in general performs better than the new descriptors, the descriptors based on autoencoders show some potential for feature based matching.
An overview of the National Survey of SSI Children and Families and related products.

The National Survey of SSI Children and Families (NSCF) is the first nationally representative survey since 1978 of noninstitutionalized children and young adults who currently receive or formerly received Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Over 8,500 interviews were completed between July 2001 and June 2002. The primary objective of the NSCF is to provide data to support research and policy evaluation on the current cross section of children (ages 0 to 17) and young adults (ages 18 to 23) receiving SSI. Following that objective, the survey was designed to answer questions such as those presented below. What are the general characteristics of children and young adults receiving SSI and their families? What are the patterns of access to and utilization of health care among children and young adults receiving SSI? What services are utilized by children and young adults receiving SSI? What are the unmet health care and service needs of children and young adults receiving SSI? What costs are associated with caring for a disabled child? What is the impact on the family of having a disabled child? What is the status of young adults with disabilities as they make the transition to adulthood? How well are they prepared for that transition? In addition, the NSCF questionnaire and sample were designed to be comprehensive enough and large enough to address numerous additional policy issues as they emerge. The NSCF fills a gap in the data available to policy analysts by addressing a wide range of topics that cannot be addressed with SSI administrative data and by providing a large sample in contrast to major national survey databases that cover this target population fairly sparsely. A companion article to this overview describes general characteristics of SSI beneficiary children and their families (see Rupp and others 2005/2006, pages 21-48 of this issue). Other topics being examined include disability-related expenditures for SSI children and young adults and labor force participation of the parents of SSI children. The NSCF data files are accompanied by a detailed User's Manual, which includes a detailed codebook and information about the NSCF sample design, questionnaire design and content, data collection procedures, variable construction, editing, and variance estimation procedures. In order to facilitate research, the Social Security Administration published the NSCF Public-Use File and survey documentation on its Web site. These products are available at http://www.socialsecurity. gov/disabilityresearch/nscf.htm. The NSCF is an outstanding tool for conducting research and policy analysis regarding children and young adults receiving SSI.