Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pricing strategy in remanufacturing using a spatial model approach

ABSTRACT One of the critical issues in remanufacturing strategy is determining the selling prices for the multiple differentiated versions of the new and remanufactured products. This study deals with such pricing decisions in closed-loop supply chains where the demand is assumed to be price- and reusability-dependent function with partially substitutable between different versions of the product. In light of the unique and practical demand function, the Salop spatial model is used to formulate the demand model where the consumer preference and the substitution effect are considered. The analytical and numerical results suggest that the prices of the new and remanufactured products increase in the similarity between multiple versions of the product. This study contributes to the literature by simultaneously considering the effects of pricing and reusability, yet the prior studies are neglecting such effects. Graphical Abstract
In silico screening of Andrographis paniculata secondary metabolites as anti-diabetes mellitus through PDE9 inhibition

Background and purpose: Andrographis paniculata (AP) has long been used as an anti-diabetic agent, but the mechanism of action and active substance responsible for the anti-diabetic effect, particularly by inhibiting phosphodiesterase-9 (PDE9), which is one of the targets of anti-diabetic medications, have not been reported. The aim of the present study was to identify a new anti-diabetes candidate from secondary metabolite compounds of AP through PDE9 inhibition. Experimental approach: In order to prepare the chemical structures of the secondary metabolites of AP and PDE9, docking and molecular dynamics simulations were run using Discovery Studio Visualizer, AutoDockTools, AutoDock, and Gromacs, along with a few other supporting software packages. Findings/Results: Molecular docking simulations showed that two of the 46 secondary metabolites of AP had higher free energies of binding, C00003672 (-11.35 kcal/mol) and C00041378 (-9.27 kcal/mol), than native ligand (-9.23 kcal/mol). The results of molecular dynamics showed that compound C00041378 interacted with TRY484 and PHE516, two active side residues of PDE9. ΔGMMGBSA interactions of PDE9 with C00003672, C00041378, and 49E compounds are 51.69, -56.43, and -48.13 kcal/mol, respectively, as well as ΔGMMPBSA interactions of PDE9 with C00003672, C00041378, and 49E compounds, were -12.26, -16.24, and -11.79 kcal/mol kcal/mol, respectively. Conclusions and implications: Based on the evaluations of AP secondary metabolites using docking and molecular dynamics simulation, it is suggested that the C00041378 compound has the potential to be an antidiabetic candidate by inhibiting PDE9.
Non‐negativity constraints for elimination of multiple solutions in fitting of multivariate kinetic models to spectroscopic data

Multiple solutions arise when fitting complicated multi‐step kinetic models to spectroscopic data. For consecutive reactions of the type A→B→C this well‐known ambiguity is due to the presence of multiple equivalent global minima in the response surfaces associated with the non‐linear least squares fitting of rate constants to spectroscopic data. Several methods have been described to overcome the ambiguity when fitting consecutive reactions with univariate data but few attempts to solve the problem have been described for multivariate data. Additionally, for complicated multi‐step reaction schemes there may be several local minima that make selection of the initial parameter guesses difficult. This paper reports a general approach to overcome these types of ambiguities in multivariate kinetic fitting methods using non‐negativity constraints for the determination of the pure component spectra estimated during the model‐fitting process. Under many conditions these constraints reduce or eliminate entirely the incorrect local minima. The effectiveness and reliability of the new constraints were tested with several simulated and real data sets. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
GHαFaS: Galaxy Hα Fabry-Perot System for the William Herschel Telescope

GHαFaS, a new Fabry-Perot system, is now available at the William Herschel Telescope (WHT). It was mounted, for the first time, at the Nasmyth focus of the 4.2-m WHT on La Palma in 2007 July. Using modern technology, with a spectral resolution of the order R ∼ 15,000, and with a seeing-limited spatial resolution, GHαFaS will provide a new look at the Hα-emitting gas over a 4.8′ circular field in the nearby universe. Many science programs can be done on a 4.2-m class telescope in world-class seeing conditions with a scanning Fabry-Perot. Not only galaxies but H II regions, planetary nebulae, supernova remnants, and the diffuse interstellar medium are subjects for which unique data can be aquired rapidly. Astronomers from the Laboratoire d’Astrophysique Expérimentale (LAE) in Montréal, the Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille (LAM-OAMP), and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), have inaugurated GHαFaS by studying in detail the dynamics of some nearby spiral galaxies. A robust set of state-of-the-art tools for reducing and analyzing the data cubes obtained with GHαFaS has also been developed.
Swimming propulsion and muscle force moments

Based on 3D video analysis of swimming movements hypotheses on the mechanisms of propulsion are deduced. Body point coordinates and their first and second derivatives are computed. The limb environment where water particle displacement occurs is estimated. We apply the Navier–Stokes equation to compute the total force for those particles. The shoulder torque is calculated by summation over environments of hand, forearm and upper arm of infinitesimal torques of displaced water particles. Similarly, hip torques are computed by summation over environments of foot, shank and thigh. Our aim is to determine individual shoulder and hip torques over one movement cycle. These muscle force moments are related to the velocity of the mass centre as a measure for propulsion. Simultaneously they serve as controlling data for dry land strength training. Recommendations for best propulsion techniques are derived.
Impact of the Streamwise Vorticity Current on Low‐Level Mesocyclone Development in a Simulated Supercell

Results from a large eddy simulation of a tornadic supercell developing in a horizontally homogeneous environment are presented which clearly illustrate a connection between low‐level mesoyclone development and the development of a streamwise vorticity current (SVC). Although the environment supports tornadic supercells, a strong low‐level mesocyclone (LLM) does not develop until a well‐defined SVC forms in the storm's forward flank. As the streamwise vorticity in the SVC flows southward and is tilted into the storm updraft creating updraft helicity, the LLM strengthens and lowers toward the surface. The SVC also focuses LLM development in a confined storm‐relative position favorable for converging/stretching preexisting vertical vorticity. Tornadogenesis occurs within ∼5 min of the establishment of a strong LLM. These results illustrate a possible mode of internal storm variability that may be an important factor in explaining why some supercells produce tornadoes while others do not in similar favorable environments.
Free jet issuing from a pipe with a triangular collar: A numerical simulation

RANS closure models (Reynolds Stress Model, RSM, and the standard k–ε model) are tested in the present study for their ability to predict the mean features of a free turbulent round jet expanded into a triangular collar. Although the jet is turbulent and three dimensional, the predictions show that the RSM closure is able to nearly reproduce published experimental data. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
DOPING OF HOMOEPITAXIAL GAN LAYERS

Gallium nitride doped with oxygen (unintentionally), silicon and magnesium was grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on the conductive single crystals of GaN grown at high hydrostatic pressure. The layers were examined using X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence and far-infrared reflectivity. It was found that the incorporation of silicon depends on the side used for deposition. For the two Si-doped layers grown in the same run, the one grown on the (00.1) side (gallium-terminated) had always smaller free electron concentration with respect to the (00._1) side (nitrogen-terminated). This conclusion could be drawn from the lattice expansion by free electrons, the photoluminescence peak shift by Burstein-Moss effect and the position of plasma edge in far-infrared reflectivity.
Reform, Tradition, and Synthesis

The recent debate in the mathematical community about calculus instruction is not the first struggle between reform and tradition, and it won't be the last. Perhaps the two sides in this case may be much closer to agreement than the rhetoric indicates. My goal is to make a few remarks about some of the issues that have divided the two sides: technology, lecturing, drill, rigor, algebra, choice, and outcomes. For most of these issues, there are stances usually attributed to the traditionalists and reformers. For example, reformers may favor collaborative learning, while traditionalists prefer lectures. I don't think such contrasts are necessarily accurate, and I hope my remarks might initiate a dialogue to reach some middle position, a synthesis of tradition and reform. I should acknowledge that, although I have spent most of the last twelve years in the reform camp (through work in the MAA and in the Calculus Consortium based at Harvard), I am a timid reformer and I make no claims that my views represent anything but my own opinion. Before I proceed I offer a brief apology for the use of the word "reform," whose connotations are not nice (e.g., "reform school"). I was always a little hesitant to use the word in the early days of calculus reform after the 1986 Tulane Conference, which itself avoided the word as much as possible. Unfortunately, no better term came along and we are stuck with it now. I thought of writing this whole article spelling the word "re-form" instead of "reform," but that seemed too precious. So it's "reform," warts and all.
Immunosensors using a quartz crystal microbalance

Better analytical technology has been demanded for accurate and rapid determination of trace amounts of chemical compounds, such as marker proteins for disease or endocrine disrupters like dioxin, which might be contained in blood, food and the environment. The study of immunosensors using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) has recently focused on conventional detection methods for the determination of chemical compounds together with the development of reagents and processes. This paper introduces the principle of the detection method of QCM immunosensors developed at AIST and its application to the detection of trace amounts of chemical compounds.
Robust output tracking for strict-feedback systems using neural-net based approximators for nonlinearities

We consider a class of SISO nonlinear systems in strict-feedback form with additional stable zero dynamics and unknown nonlinearities. The only assumption we make on these nonlinearities is that when they are approximated in terms of radial basis functions, the corresponding optimal parameters lie in a known compact set. We address the question of designing a robust controller under which the system output tracks a given signal arbitrarily well, and all signals in the closed-loop system remain bounded.
Design, synthesis and anticancer activity of amide derivatives of substituted 3-methyl-benzofuran-2-carboxylic acid

Abstract We have designed and synthesized amide derivatives of substituted 3-methyl-benzofuran-2-carboxylic acid with aryl sulfonamide piperazines, aryl hydrazides and aryl hydrazines. All the synthesized compounds were screened for their anticancer activity against lungs cancer cell line (A549) and breast cancer cell line (MCF7) using MTT assay. Compound 12b showed excellent activity against lungs cancer cell line (A549) with IC50 value of 0.858 µM and compound 10d showed good activity against breast cancer cell line (MCF7) with IC50 value of 2.07 µM. Hence, compounds 10d and 12b were studied further for their mechanism of cytotoxicity by using EtBr/AO and LDH assay in respective cell lines. The cytostatic potential of compound 10d and 12b was uncurtail by Trypan blue exclusion assay and active involvement of ROS was quantified using DCFH-DA dye. The drug-likeliness and toxicity predictions were done using in-silico-based SwissADME and ProTox-II webserver, which confirmed negligible toxicity (Class IV). GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Going beyond “same-for-all” testing of infectious agents in donated blood

Blood products, derived from donated blood, are essential for many medical treatments, and their safety, in terms of being free of Transfusion-Transmitted Infections (TTIs)—i.e., infectious agents that can be spread through their use—is crucial. However, blood screening tests are not perfectly reliable and may produce false negative or false-positive results. Currently, blood donations are tested using a same-for-all testing scheme, where a single test set is used on all blood donations. This article studies differential testing schemes, which may involve multiple test sets, each applied to a randomly selected fraction of the donated blood. Thus, although each blood donation is still tested by a single test set, multiple test sets may be used by the Blood Center. This problem is modeled within an optimization framework and a novel solution methodology is provided that allows important structural properties of such testing schemes to be characterized. It is shown that an optimal differential testing scheme consists of at most two test sets, and such a dual-test scheme can significantly reduce the TTI risk over the current same-for-all testing. The presented analysis leads to an efficient greedy algorithm that generates the optimal differential test sets for a range of budgets to inform the decision-maker (e.g., Blood Center). The differential model is extended to the case where different test sets can be used on sub-sets of donations defined by donation characteristics (e.g., donor demographics, seasonality, or region) that differentiate the sub-set’s TTI prevalence rates. The risk reduction potential of differential testing is quantified through two case studies that use published data from Sub-Saharan Africa and the United States. The study generates key insight into public policy decision making on the design of blood screening schemes.
Antimicrobial Sensitivity Profile of Mimosa pudica Leaf Extract and its Combination Treatment with Potassium Aluminum Sulphate on Some Bacteria

Mimosa pudica is a famous ornamental plant commonly known as sleeping grass, sensitive plant, humble plant, shy plant and touch-me not, among other names. The study was aimed at determining the antibacterial activity of Mimosa pudica extract in combination with alum. The plant was obtained, identified, prepared and extracted using both aqueous and methanolic medium. The extracts were reconstituted to final concentration of 250g/ml, 125g/ml, 62.5g/ml (w/v). The bacterial isolates identified were; Pseudomonas aeruginosa NC002516, Staphylococcus aureus FR821779 and Escherichia coli CP031892.1 obtained from wound source at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and maintained in stock culture and were further confirmed using biochemical and molecular methods. In-vitro bioactivity of various concentrations of the extracts and in combination with alum were evaluated by measuring diameter of inhibition zones. From the bioassay, the combinations of the aqueous extract and alum demonstrated the highest inhibitory potential; (26.00±0.00mm) at 250g/ml for Staphylococcus aureus FR821779 and the least antibacterial effect was recorded in the consortium extract for Staphylococcus aureus FR821779; (13.00±0.00mm) at same concentration compared with other bacteria (E. coli and P. aeruginosa). The result obtained showed that all the treatments and combination treatments recorded MIC at 0.50g/ml for all the bacteria studied. The composition in percentage of the various phytochemicals were as follows: Flavanoid, 7.96±1.17%, Alkaloid, 9.85±0.21%, Saponin, 7.34±0.35% and Total-phenol, 1.63±0.00%. Alkaloids (9.85±0.21%) had the highest concentrations in the extracts while Total-phenol (1.63±0.00%) was the least in concentration. This study has been able to ascertain the sensitivity profiles of Mimosa pudica leaf extracts and its combination treatment with potassium aluminium sulphate (Alum) on some microbes specifically S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa.
Climate change and parasitic risk to the blood supply

Canadian Blood Services, Microbiology, Donation Policy and Studies, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Division of Diagnostic and Applied Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Blood Bank, Hospital Sírio-Libanês Blood Bank, São Paulo, Brazil Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Tropical Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA American Red Cross, Scientific Affairs, Holland Laboratories for the Biomedical Sciences, Rockville, Maryland, USA National Health Service, Blood and Transplant, Bristol, UK Canadian Blood Services, Epidemiology and Surveillance, Microbiology, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Department of Medical Affairs, Corporate Staff, Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Strategic Sophistication and Trading Profits: An Experiment with Professional Traders

We run an experiment where professional traders, endowed with private information, trade an asset over multiple periods. After the trading game, we gather information about the professional traders’ characteristics by having them carry out a series of tasks. We study which of these characteristics predict profits in the trading game. We find that strategic sophistication, as measured in the Guessing Game (for example, through level-k theory), is the only significant determinant of professional traders’ profits. In contrast, profits are not driven by individual characteristics such as cognitive abilities or behavioral traits. Moreover, higher profits are due to the ability to trade at favorable prices rather than to the ability to earn higher dividends. Comparing these results to those of a sample of students, we show that whereas cognitive skills are important for students, they are not for traders, whereas the opposite is the case for strategic sophistication.
Analytical theory and nonlinearδfperturbative simulations of temperature anisotropy instability in intense charged particle beams

Abstract In plasmas with strongly anisotropic distribution functions (Tjjb=T? b 1) a Harris-like collective instability may develop if there is suÆcient coupling between the transverse and longitudinal degrees of freedom. Such anisotropies develop naturally in accelerators and may lead to a detoriation of beam quality. This paper extends previous numerical studies [E. A. Startsev, R. C. Davidson and H. Qin, Phys. Plasmas 9, 3138, 2002] of the stability properties of intense nonneutral charged particle beams with large temperature anisotropy T? b Tkb to allow for non-axisymmetric perturbations with @=@ 6= 0. The most unstable modes are identi ed, and their eigenfrequencies, radial mode structure, and nonlinear dynamics are determined. The simulation results clearly show that moderately intense beams with sb = b ! 2 pb=2 2 b! 0:5 are linearly unstable to short wavelength perturbations with k2 zr 2 b 1, provided the ratio of longitudinal and transverse temperatures is smaller than some threshold value. Here, b ! 2 pb = 4 b nbeb= bmb is the relativistic plasma frequency-squared, and ! is the betatron frequency associated with the applied smooth-focusing eld. A theoretical model is developed based on the Vlasov-Maxwell equations which describes the essential features of the linear stages of instability. Both the simulations and the analytical theory predict that the dipole mode (azimuthal mode number m = 1) is the most unstable mode. In the nonlinear stage, tails develop in the longitudinal momentum distribution function, and the kinetic instability saturates due to resonant wave-particle interactions.
Constraining the Crustal and Mantle Conductivity Structures Beneath Islands by a Joint Inversion of Multi‐Source Magnetic Transfer Functions

In this study, we present a tool to simultaneously invert multi‐source magnetic transfer functions (TFs), including tippers, solar global‐to‐local TFs originating from the signals due to ionospheric source, and global Q‐responses originating from the signals due to magnetospheric source. We jointly invert the aforementioned TFs to constrain the local conductivity structures beneath three islands in the Atlantic (Tristan da Cunha), Indian (Cocos), and Pacific (Oahu) Oceans. The recovered conductivity profiles appeared to be consistent with the presence of upper mantle plumes beneath the Tristan da Cunha and Oahu Islands. Our results indicate resistive lithosphere of different thicknesses beneath considered three islands. Besides, new conductivity profiles suggest warmer‐than‐average mantle temperatures and the presence of a small fraction of melt beneath Tristan da Cunha Island. At the same time, the conductivities beneath Cocos Island are in good agreement with estimates expected for ambient mantle conditions.
Long-term cortical plasticity following sensory deprivation is reduced in male Rett model mice

Abstract Purpose/Aim Rett (RTT) syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder, results from loss-of-function mutations in methyl-CpG-binding protein 2. We studied activity-dependent plasticity induced by sensory deprivation via whisker trimming in early symptomatic male mutant mice to assess neural rewiring capability. Methods One whisker was trimmed for 0-14 days and intrinsic optical imaging of the transient reduction of brain blood oxygenation resulting from neural activation by 1 second of wiggling of the whisker stump was compared to that of an untrimmed control whisker. Results Cortical evoked responses to wiggling a non-trimmed whisker were constant for 14 days, reduced for a trimmed whisker by 49.0 ± 4.3% in wild type (n = 14) but by only 22.7 ± 4.6% in mutant (n = 18, p = 0.001). Conclusion As the reduction in neural activation following sensory deprivation in whisker barrel cortex is known to be dependent upon evoked and basal neural activity, impairment of cortical re-wiring following whisker trimming provides a paradigm suitable to explore mechanisms underlying deficiencies in the establishment and maintenance of synapses in RTT, which can be potentially targeted by therapeutics.