cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Self-healing green composites based on soy protein and microfibrillated cellulose

Abstract Self-healing soy protein isolate-microfibrillated cellulose (MFC-SPI) composites that incorporated poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) microcapsules containing SPI (SPI-PLGA-MCs) as the healing agent were developed. SPI-PLGA-MCs prepared using a green solvent, ethyl acetate, had a protein loading of over 50%. Self-healing MFC-SPI (10 wt%) composites containing SPI-PLGA-MCs (15 wt%) had Young's modulus of about 970 MPa and strength of over 15 MPa whereas neat SPI resin had Young's modulus of 326 MPa and strength of about 8 MPa. The significantly higher tensile properties of composites compared to neat SPI resin was due to the inherent high tensile properties of MFC and excellent hydrogen bonding with SPI resin. Self-healing mechanism, i.e., healing agent (SPI) bridging the fracture surfaces of the microcracks, was observed through SEM imaging. Composites with no SPI-PLGA-MCs showed no self-healing whereas self-healing SPI composites showed 27% healing efficiency after 24 h healing. The self-healing efficiency was noticeably lower than 48% obtained earlier for self-healing SPI resin using the same SPI-PLGA-MCs. This was because the self-healing mechanism occurs only for the SPI resin component and not for the MFC fibrils. Self-healing of green composites can extend their useful life and make it easier for them to replace conventional composites derived from petroleum.
Aggregation in Geostatistical Problems

A random process Z(·) defined on point support has quite different characteristics to those of aggregations of Z(·). For example, \(Z\left( {\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{s} } \right)\) has larger variance than \(Z\left( B \right) \equiv \int_B {Z\left( {\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{u} } \right)} d\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{u} / \int_B {d\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{u} } \), where \({\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{s} }\) is a point chosen at random within the block B; B is often referred to as the support of Z(B). Suppose that a resource Z(·) is sampled, yielding data \(Z \equiv {\left( {Z\left( {{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{s} }_1}} \right), \ldots ,Z\left( {{{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{s} }_n}} \right)} \right)^\prime }\). However, the resource is extracted in blocks B1,…, BN. Let B denote a generic block and suppose that it is desired to predict g(Z(B)) based on the data \({\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{Z} }\). The conditional expectation, \(E\left\{ {g\left( {Z\left( B \right)} \right)\left| {\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\thicksim}$}}{Z} } \right.} \right\}\), minimizes the mean-squared prediction error, but it is impossible to estimate it without making over-utopian parametric assumptions. Current approaches to the problem require knowledge of “block-to-block”, and “block-to-sample”, parameters that cannot be estimated from the data. This paper proposes alternatively to make the kriging predictor more variable; the result is an optimal predictor for g(Z(B)) that is unbiased for a Gaussian process and approximately unbiased for a non-Gaussian process and sufficiently smooth g.
A Dose–Volume Response Model for Brain Metastases Treated With Frameless Single-Fraction Robotic Radiosurgery: Seeking to Better Predict Response to Treatment:

Purpose/Objective(s):To establish a dose–volume response relationship for brain metastases treated with single-fraction robotic stereotactic radiosurgery and identify predictors of local control.Ma...
Roles of Female and Male Genotype in Post-Mating Responses in Drosophila melanogaster

Mating induces a multitude of changes in female behavior, physiology, and gene expression. Interactions between female and male genotype lead to variation in post-mating phenotypes and reproductive success. So far, few female molecules responsible for these interactions have been identified. Here, we used Drosophila melanogaster from 5 geographically dispersed populations to investigate such female × male genotypic interactions at the female transcriptomic and phenotypic levels. Females from each line were singly-mated to males from the same 5 lines, for a total of 25 combinations. Reproductive output and refractoriness to re-mating were assayed in females from the 25 mating combinations. Female × male genotypic interactions resulted in significant differences in these post-mating phenotypes. To assess whether female × male genotypic interactions affect the female post-mating transcriptome, next-generation RNA sequencing was performed on virgin and mated females at 5 to 6 h post-mating. Seventy-seven genes showed strong variation in mating-induced expression changes in a female × male genotype-dependent manner. These genes were enriched for immune response and odorant-binding functions, and for expression exclusively in the head. Strikingly, variation in post-mating transcript levels of a gene encoding a spermathecal endopeptidase was correlated with short-term egg production. The transcriptional variation found in specific functional classes of genes might be a read-out of female × male compatibility at a molecular level. Understanding the roles these genes play in the female post-mating response will be crucial to better understand the evolution of post-mating responses and related conflicts between the sexes.
Diasporic Synergies: Conceptualizing African Entrepreneurship Based Upon Trans-Local Networks

This paper offers a theorization of African diaspora venture creation. We postulate that the motivation for forming trans-local networks – to offer security when socially vulnerable or to pursue bu...
Politically connected firms and the effectiveness of International Financial Reporting Standards adoption

In response to the ongoing debate about whether IFRS has improved accounting quality, I introduce a new firm-level determinant of effective IFRS adoption: the political connectedness of a firm. Established political connections recognise value from firms, which they reward with shielding from enforcement agencies and/or providing financial resources outside of capital markets. By using the exogenous shock of mandatory IFRS adoption in the EU, I isolate the effect that political connections have on discretionary accounting choices. I find that although accounting quality is ex ante and ex post lower for politically connected firms with top executives in federal roles, there is no incremental difference in the positive effect of IFRS adoption relative to non-connecting firms. This finding suggests that political connections are not fully immune to IFRS effects, and yet the role of political connections is not completely negated by mandated IFRS adoption.
Enantiomeric structural libraries of unnatural peptides which bind DNA and alter enzymatic activity

The intent of this study was to explore comprehensively the conformational possibilities of a set of DNA-binding peptides containing C-terminal amides (Fig. 1). First, potential peptide conformations were computer generated to determine possible low-energy solution conformations and DNA-binding modes. Second, solid-phase peptide synthesis was used to produce an enantiomeric tetrapeptide library [1] comprised of unnatural amino acids. The solution properties of all 16 possible tetrapeptides were determined by RP-HPLC (Fig. 2a). All of the tetrapeptide amides generated in the library were found to bind to DNA, and their DNAbinding affinities were compared by a novel approach to affinity capillary electrophoretic analysis(ACE) (Fig. 2b).
Cost Benefit Analysis of Placing Moderately and Severely Handicapped Individuals into Competitive Employment.

This paper presents an analysis of costs incurred and tax monies saved, over an approximately 4-year period, through the successful implementation of an ongoing job training and placement program. The focus of the analysis is on the amount of money saved rather than on the wages earned by moderately and severely handicapped workers. Factors in the cost analysis include number of months the client had been working, amount of staff hours expended on the client at the job site, amount of funds expended proportionately on each client, Supplemental Social Security Income saved, estimated cost of day programming for the client if no job placement had been made, Targeted Job Tax Credit Program costs, and amount of state and federal taxes withheld. After almost 4 years, the public's cumulative savings totaled $620,576, while expenditures totaled $530,300. Thus, the total direct financial benefit to taxpayers is $90,376. Since initiation of the program, the clients' cumulative earnings are over $500,000.
The Unknown Effect of Antibiotic-Induced Dysbiosis on the Gut Microbiota

Abstract The gut microbiota is one of the densest known microbial communities and contains a complex network of interactions between a diverse population of microbes. Antibiotics disrupt gut microbial community structure and influence functionality, thereby altering the gut microbiome and its relationship to the host. Loss of diversity in the microbiome following antibiotic use can significantly impact host physiology. Diminished gut microbiota diversity has been linked with gastrointestinal symptoms. However, how a healthy microbiota influences host physiology remains unclear, which further complicates efforts to understand how antibiotics affect the structure and function of the microbiota and induce various symptoms in the host. Currently antibiotics are being used with limited success, to treat intestinal dysbiosis, without a full understanding of the mechanism. Future efforts should focus on novel treatments that facilitate the recovery of a healthy microbiome.
(30) Duration of intubation, timing of extubations, and barriers to performing extubation readiness trials in a pediatric ICU: preliminary data from a prospective unit-based study

Purpose: Timing of ventilator weaning and extubation is challenging and variable across institutions. Delayed extubation exposes pediatric patients to greater risks associated with sedation, immobility, and ventilator-induced injury. Extubation failure has also been associated with increased mortality and morbidity. We sought to determine incidence of extubation failure and barriers to extubation in our pediatric ICU (PICU). This study provides baseline data for a larger prospective study utilizing lung ultrasound to predict weaning failure. Methods: The data was collected prospectively from a mixed medical and surgical 20-bed PICU from February 2017 …
Bidirectional reflection of semitransparent polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheets on a silver film

Abstract In our recent work, record-high solar reflectance (exceeding 99%) has been demonstrated by placing a layer of highly scattering, semitransparent polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet on top of a silver film. This can significantly improve the performance of daytime radiative cooling system. Although a PTFE slab of 10-mm thick acts as an excellent diffuse reflector, it is unclear how this dual-layer structure made of a thin PTFE on a mirror-like reflector will alter the bidirectional reflection. Here, we report measurements of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of the dual-layer structure using a laser scatterometer at the wavelength of 635 nm. Measurements of the BRDF and the bidirectional transmittance distribution function (BTDF) of free-standing PTFE sheets are also performed. The measured BRDF for a PTFE sheet as thin as 236 μm on Ag is essentially diffuse except at large incidence angles. A Monte Carlo ray-tracing method incorporating both surface scattering and volumetric scattering is developed to theoretically model the BRDF in order to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. The numerical model captures the main features and can be used to study the bidirectional properties for PTFE sheets thinner than what is experimentally available.
Dynamic Host Configuration

Static assignment of names and addresses on a large network can consume a large amount of time and suffers from the same problems as any static configuration. Human errors by the network administrators can lead to duplicate IP addresses, IP addresses in the wrong ranges, and other errors.
Immuno-genomic landscape of osteosarcoma

Limited clinical activity has been seen in osteosarcoma (OS) patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). To gain insights into the immunogenic potential of these tumors, we conducted whole genome, RNA, and T-cell receptor sequencing, immunohistochemistry and reverse phase protein array profiling (RPPA) on OS specimens from 48 pediatric and adult patients with primary, relapsed, and metastatic OS. Median immune infiltrate level was lower than in other tumor types where ICI are effective, with concomitant low T-cell receptor clonalities. Neoantigen expression in OS was lacking and significantly associated with high levels of nonsense-mediated decay (NMD). Samples with low immune infiltrate had higher number of deleted genes while those with high immune infiltrate expressed higher levels of adaptive resistance pathways. PARP2 expression levels were significantly negatively associated with the immune infiltrate. Together, these data reveal multiple immunosuppressive features of OS and suggest immunotherapeutic opportunities in OS patients. The efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in osteosarcoma has been limited. Here, the authors investigate the immunogenomic landscape of osteosarcoma, and integrated analyses highlight features related to a suppressed immune microenvironment.
Vasopressin, Used as a Vasopressor During Cystoscopy, Causes Non-reassuring Fetal Status

A 29-year-old pregnant woman, G2P1 at 36 weeks estimated gestational age, had a kidney stone with left hydronephrosis and was undergoing cystoscopy and stone removal under spinal anesthesia. During surgery the fetal heart rate (FHR) and uterine contractions were being monitored externally by a labor and delivery nurse. The anesthesia provider—who did not usually take care of pregnant patients—was relieving the regular provider for lunch. The regular provider had been supporting the blood pressure as needed with phenylephrine, but the relieving provider decided to use what he thought was a small dose of vasopressin to support the blood pressure, since he was accustomed to using that medication in cardiac surgery patients (L-1).
Genomics and Interventional Oncology in Metastatic Liver Cancer

This review aims to investigate the current literature on genetic and genomic biomarkers of locoregional interventions on metastatic liver metastases. A brief overview on the most common cancers that metastasize to the liver and the role locoregional therapies, such as ablation, chemoembolization, and radioembolization, play in their treatment will be presented. Review of the literature on the genetic, metabolic, and other molecular biomarkers and how they relate to posttreatment survival and outcomes will be discussed. Evaluation of how the existing data can better inform decisions regarding locoregional treatments in those patients with metastatic lesions of the liver will be completed. Personalized treatment paradigms in different types of metastatic cancer present significant opportunities for improved overall clinical outcomes. Optimizing patient selection for localized treatments is vital to improving outcomes and determining which biomarkers correlate with improved efficacy presents many avenues for future research.
Synthesis and SERS application of gold and iron oxide functionalized bacterial cellulose nanocrystals (Au@Fe3O4@BCNCs)

Bacterial cellulose nanocrystals (BCNCs) are biocompatible cellulose nanomaterials that can host guest nanoparticles to form hybrid nanocomposites with a wide range of applications. Herein, we report the synthesis of a hybrid nanocomposite that consists of plasmonic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles supported on BCNCs. As a proof of concept, the hybrid nanocomposites were employed to isolate and detect malachite green isothiocyanate (MGITC) via magnetic separation and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Different initial gold precursor (Au3+) concentrations altered the size and morphology of the AuNPs formed on the nanocomposites. The use of 5 and 10 mM Au3+ led to a heterogenous mix of spherical and nanoplate AuNPs with increased SERS enhancements, as compared to the more uniform AuNPs formed using 1 mM Au3+. Rapid and sensitive detection of MGITC at concentrations as low as 10-10 M was achieved. The SERS intensity of the normalized Raman peak at 1175 cm-1 exhibited a log-linear relationship for MGITC concentrations between 2 × 10-10 and 2 × 10-5 M for Au@Fe3O4@BCNCs. These results suggest the potential of these hybrid nanocomposites for application in a broad range of analyte detection strategies.
Faith, Liberation, and Revolution in Fire From the Mountain by Omar Cabezas

espanolPublicado en 1982, el testimonio La montana es mas que una inmensa estepa verde (La montana) de Omar Cabezas sigue generando interes en el campo de la literatura latinoamericana, particularmente entre la critica que se dedica al testimonio y el post-testimonio. Reconocida como una de las obras fundamentales del testimonio contemporaneo, La montana describe el despertar politico e ideologico de Cabezas antes de la revolucion sandinista (1977-1979) en Nicaragua, los origenes de su relacion con el Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional y sus esfuerzos en la lucha contra la dictadura de Anastasio Somoza. A lo largo del texto hay frecuentes referencias a la propia fe del narrador, el catolicismo y Dios a la vez que llega a comprender la realidad del pueblo nicaraguense y considera la autoridad moral de la revolucion al intentar destituir a Somoza. Nuestra intencion es demostrar que, en La montana, Cabezas implicitamente considera la influencia de su fe, el catolicismo y Dios en la lucha revolucionaria. Primero contextualizaremos nuestro estudio dentro de las discusiones sobre el testimonio latinoamericano y procederemos a aproximarnos a La montana desde una perspectiva liberacional que emplea la teologia de la liberacion como punto de referencia teorico. EnglishPublished in 1982, the testimonio Fire from the Mountain (La montana es mas que una inmensa estepa verde) by Omar Cabezas continues to generate interest in the field of Latin American literature, particularly amongst critics dedicated to the testimonio and post-testimonio. Considered one of the fundamental works of contemporary testimonio, Fire from the Mountain narrates the political and ideological coming of age of Cabezas during the years preceding the Sandinista revolution (1977-1979) in Nicaragua, the origins of his relationship with the Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional (FSLN), and his efforts in the struggle against the dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza. Throughout the text there are frequent references to his own faith, Catholicism, and God as he comes to terms with the plight of the Nicaragua people and considers the moral imperative of the revolution to depose Somoza. Our intention is to demonstrate that, in Fire from the Mountain, Cabezas implicitly considers the influence of his faith, Catholicism, and God on the revolutionary struggle. We will first contextualize our study within discussions on the Latin American testimonio and proceed to frame our study of Fire from the Mountain within a liberational perspective that references liberation theology as our theoretical touchstone.
Structured, relativistic jets driven by radiation

Relativistic jets, or highly collimated and fast-moving outflows, are endemic to many astrophysical phenomena. The jets produced by gamma-ray bursts and tidal disruption events are accompanied by the accretion of material onto a black hole or neutron star, with the accretion rate exceeding the Eddington limit of the compact object by orders of magnitude. In such systems, radiation dominates the energy-momentum budget of the outflow, and the dynamical evolution of the jet is governed by the equations of radiation hydrodynamics. Here we show that there are analytic solutions to the equations of radiation hydrodynamics in the viscous (i.e., diffusive) regime that describe structured, relativistic jets, which consist of a fast-moving, highly relativistic core surrounded by a slower-moving, less relativistic sheath. In these solutions, the slower-moving, outer sheath contains most of the mass, and the jet structure is mediated by local anisotropies in the radiation field. We show that, depending on the pressure and density profile of the ambient medium, the angular profile of the jet Lorentz factor is Gaussian or falls off even more steeply with angle. These solutions have implications for the nature of jet production and evolution in hyperaccreting systems, and demonstrate that such jets -- and the corresponding jet structure -- can be sustained entirely by radiative processes. We discuss the implications of these findings in the context of jetted tidal disruption events and short and long gamma-ray bursts.
Nanoscale optical assessment of photochemical changes of SU-8 photoresist induced by ultrashort near-IR optical excitation

Modern device manufacturing heavily relies on photolithographic techniques to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures. Direct laser writing using multiphoton absorption is commonly employed. A key challenge in troubleshooting 3D structure fabrication is understanding why structures are destroyed and/or defects are created during development (collectively “fabrication errors”). In this report, we explore new approaches to avoid and assess fabrication errors. We demonstrate a novel way to expose photoresists by developing rows of SU-8 photoresist using intense (~ 10–40 TW/cm2) femtosecond pulses at much longer (1.7 µm) wavelength than conventionally used for multiphoton micromachining. We then apply atomic force microscopy-infrared absorption spectroscopy to provide chemically-specific nanoscopic imaging to distinguish photoinduced modifications of SU-8 photoresist. The focus of this report is on testing the feasibility of novel fabrication and detection methods. While no 3D structures were fabricated in this report, infrared femtosecond excitation can be combined with existing 3D patterning techniques to fabricate 3D structures. By inducing, detecting and imaging development at the nanoscale, the demonstrated new approach opens new doors for future 3D manufacturing and its quality assessment.
A virada internacional na História Intelectual

Historians in all fields have more recently been moving towards studies they describe variously as international, transnational, comparative, and global. Their efforts have not been identical in scope, in subject matter, or in motivation, nor is there any consensus on how these non-national approaches to history should be distinguished from each other. The family resemblance that links these approaches is the desire to go above or beyond the histories of states defined by nations and of nations bounded by states. Taken together, these projects comprise the international turn in historical writing. In this case, the best way to proceed is to return to the roots of intellectual history itself in the period before historiography had been adopted as a handmaiden of national states.
Reading the Book of Habakkuk through a Lens of Cultural Trauma

Despite numerous helpful efforts to ascertain Habakkuk’s historical context, few scholars ask how Habakkuk addresses itself to audiences across varying contexts. Employing Jeffrey Alexander’s conce...
Relationship Between Macular Vessel Density and Total Retinal Blood Flow in Primary Open-angle Glaucoma.

PRECIS An association between macular vessel density (VD) and total retinal blood flow (TRBF) was demonstrated in subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and visual field (VF) loss. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to report relationships of macular VD metrics and TRBF in POAG. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 24 POAG and 19 healthy control subjects participated in the study. Subjects underwent optical coherence tomography and angiography for measurements of inner retinal thickness (IRT), VD, and spacing between large vessels (SLV) and small vessels (SSV). Doppler optical coherence tomography imaging was performed for TRBF measurement. In POAG subjects, automated perimetry was performed and VF loss expressed as mean deviation was measured. RESULTS Compared with the control group, POAG group had decreased VD, TRBF, IRT, and increased SLV (P<0.0001). Decreased VD (Pearson correlation, r=0.51; P<0.0001; N=43) and increased SLV (Spearman correlation, rs=-0.47; P=0.001) were correlated with decreased TRBF. Decreased VD and SSV (r≥0.39; P≤0.001; N=43) and increased SLV (rs=-0.71; P<0.0001) were associated with decreased IRT. Decreased VF mean deviation was correlated with decreased VD, SSV, IRT (r≥0.53; P≤0.001; N=24), and with increased SLV (rs=-0.84; P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The finding of an association between macular VD and TRBF supports the role of vascular factors in the pathophysiology of POAG and potential conduct of future studies aimed at identifying multiple image-based vascular metrics for disease diagnosis.
Do Federal Regulations Affect Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Disparities in Chronic Rhinosinusitis Research?:

ObjectiveThe Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have asserted that diverse demographic representation in clinical trials is essential. In light of these federa...
Consequences of Choice of House Apportionment Method in 2020

Replicating classic work by Balinski and Young (1982) we show the implications of choice of apportionment methods for the 2020 House of Representatives seat allocation.
Soft-covering via Constant-composition Superposition codes

We consider the problem of soft-covering with constant composition superposition codes and characterize the optimal soft-covering exponent. A double-exponential concentration bound for deviation of the exponent from its mean is also established. We demonstrate an application of the result to achieving the secrecy-capacity region of a broadcast channel with confidential messages under a per-codeword cost constraint. This generalizes the recent characterization of the wiretap channel secrecy-capacity under an average cost constraint, highlighting the potential utility of the superposition soft-covering result to the analysis of coding problems.
Exercise 7: Hemolytic Plaque Assay (The Jerne Plaque Assay)

The hemolytic plaque assay (also known as localized hemolysis in gel or Jerne plaque assay) can be used to demonstrate that individual plasma cells are monospecific. The assay permits the visualization of the small amount of antibody released in the vicinity of a single plasma cell.
A Comprehensive System for Identifying Patients With Type 1 Diabetes at Increased Risk for Diabetic Ketoacidosis at Texas Children's Hospital

Quality Improvement Success Stories are published by the American Diabetes Association in collaboration with the American College of Physicians and the National Diabetes Education Program. This series is intended to highlight best practices and strategies from programs and clinics that have successfully improved the quality of care for people with diabetes or related conditions. Each article in the series is reviewed and follows a standard format developed by the editors of Clinical Diabetes. The following article describes a project at Texas Children9s Hospital aimed at improving identification of patients with type 1 diabetes at high risk for diabetic ketoacidosis.
SP5 Cell and DNA Repositories in the Twenty-First Century: A Genetics Perspective.

The Rutgers University Cell and DNA Repository (RUCDR), a not-for-profit unit of the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, has processed over 130,000 individual donor blood samples and has distributed over 400,000 DNA samples in the past nine years. The blood samples were directly obtained from several hundred collection sites in the United States and nearly all other parts of the world, mostly in support of investigator-initiated, NIH-funded projects directed toward the discovery of genes involved in complex diseases such as autism, alcoholism, bipolar disorder, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, schizophrenia, and substance abuse. During the most recent period, RUCDR has supplied large numbers of DNA samples for very high density SNP genotyping projects such as Genome Association Information Network (GAIN) and others. In the course of this work, RUCDR has introduced new technologies and automation as well as novel approaches toward quality assurance. We will review the critical steps that have produced this successful and cost-effective effort. As cell and DNA repositories will likely have increased utility in the future, we will present one view of the flexibility that will be necessary if we are to best serve our constituents—the individuals suffering from the complex diseases and the researchers attempting to find causes and treatments. As the RUCDR also serves the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, their needs will be contrasted with those of academic researchers.
A CORBA-Based Negotiation Strategy in E-Commerce

Current Negotiation in E-Commerce trading systems is very important part that advances software's running efficiency. A CORBA-based negotiation strategy that applies agents' negotiation technology to interact, capture and reuse successful negotiation experiences is presented. The negotiation technology includes agent's argumentation mechanism based messages and reasoning mechanism (Case Base Reasoning), which provides adaptive negotiation strategies that can be generated dynamically. An XML-based message mechanism was presented firstly. To improve the system adaptive and extensive, we illustrate this strategy in the commodity-trading domain and have developed a web-based negotiation module for commodity trading. The software architecture, design and implementation of the CORBA-based commodity-trading module are presented.
Data Monitoring Committees in Clinical Trials: A Practical Perspective

Introduction Responsibilities of the Data Monitoring Committee and Motivating Illustrations Composition of a Data Monitoring Committee Independence of the Data Monitoring Committee: Avoiding Conflicts of Interest Confidentiality Issues Relating to the Data Monitoring Committee Data Monitoring Committee Meetings Data Monitoring Committee Interactions with Other Trial Components or Related Groups Statistical, Philosophical and Ethical Issues in Data Monitoring Determining When a Data Monitoring Committee Is Needed Regulatory Considerations for the Operation of Data Monitoring Committees Index
Modeling Vision with Headlights in a Systems Context

The Headlamp Evaluation Model accepts as input the candlepower patterns of the headlamp system being evaluated and provides a measures of driver visual performance based on a large number of simulated seeing distance tests and glare discomfort checks on a standardized test route. The output of the Model, termed the Figure of Merit, is the percentage of the distance traveled by the simulated driver on the standardized test route in which the seeing distance to pedestrians and pavement lines, and the discomfort glare levels experienced by opposing drivers, simultaneously meet certain acceptance criteria. /SASI/
On the Performance of Sparse Recovery Via $\ell_p$ -Minimization $(0 \leq p \leq 1)$

It is known that a high-dimensional sparse vector x* in TV can be recovered from low-dimensional measurements y = Ax* where Am×n(m <; n) is the measurement matrix. In this paper, with A being a random Gaussian matrix, we investigate the recovering ability of lp-minimization (0 ≤ p ≤ 1) as p varies, where lp-minimization returns a vector with the least lp quasi norm among all the vectors x satisfying Ax = y. Besides analyzing the performance of strong recovery where lp-minimization is re quired to recover all the sparse vectors up to certain sparsity, we also for the first time analyze the performance of "weak" recovery of lp -minimization (0 ≤ p <; 1) where the aim is to recover all the sparse vectors on one support with a fixed sign pattern. When α(:= m/n) → 1, we provide sharp thresholds of the sparsity ratio (i.e., percentage of nonzero entries of a vector) that differentiates the success and failure via lp -minimization. For strong recovery, the threshold strictly decreases from 0.5 to 0.239 as p increases from 0 to 1. Surprisingly, for weak recovery, the threshold is 2/3 for all p in [0, 1), while the threshold is 1 for l1-minimization. We also explicitly demonstrate that lp-minimization (p <; 1) can re turn a denser solution than lp-minimization. For any a G (0.1), we provide bounds of the sparsity ratio for strong recovery and weak recovery, respectively, below which lp-minimization succeeds. Our bound of strong recovery improves on the existing bounds when a is large. In particular, regarding the recovery threshold, this paper argues that lp-minimization has a higher threshold with smaller p for strong recovery; the threshold is the same for all p for sectional recovery; and lp -minimization can outperform lp-minimization for weak recovery. These are in contrast to traditional wisdom that lp-minimization, though computationally more expensive, always has better sparse recovery ability than l0 -minimization since it is closer to l1-minimization. Finally, we provide an intuitive explanation to our findings. Numerical examples are also used to un ambiguously confirm and illustrate the theoretical predictions.
Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) birth patterns and human presence in zoological settings

There is some evidence to suggest that zoo visitors may have a disruptive impact on zoo-housed animals, especially primates. While some consider western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) to be particularly reactive to large crowds, the evidence of these effects is mixed, and is likely highly influenced by exhibit design, and group composition. While the majority of studies have focused on behavioral responses to human presence, there is the potential for physiological effects as well, including the possibility of affecting the timing of parturition. Such effects have been demonstrated in laboratory-housed callitrichids and chimpanzees, but unlike laboratory settings where human presence is lowest during the weekends, human presence might peak during weekends in public zoo settings. However, in a study of zoo-housed chimpanzees, there were no significant differences between the number of chimpanzee births that occurred on weekdays compared to weekends [Wagner and Ross, 2008], and we sought to test these questions with gorillas. We analyzed the timing of 336 live gorilla births and 48 stillbirths at 53 accredited North American zoos from 1985-2014, and similarly to chimpanzees, found no weekend or weekday effect on number of births (live births: G = 0.000, p = 1; stillbirths: G = 0.166, p < 0.684). These data add to our understanding of the potential influence of human presence on primate behavior and physiology, and add to evidence suggesting that the effects of zoo visitors on exhibited species may be less profound than previously assumed.
SO2: Origins of unequal bond lengths in the C̃1B2 electronic state

Abstract An experimentally established potential energy maximum and double minimum in the anti-symmetric stretching coordinate of the C state of sulfur dioxide is discussed. Comparison is made between (1) the usual assumption that the double minimum arises from promotion of an electron into an antibonding orbital, and (2) the possibility that the C 1 B 2 state is vibronically coupled to higher lying 1 A 1 states. Two-state vibronic models are shown to reproduce the five observed levels of the ν 3 vibration of the C state.
An analysis of the concept of comfort

Comfort is a term that has a significant historical and contemporary association with nursing. Since the time of Nightingale, it is cited as designating a desirable outcome of nursing care. Comfort is found in nursing science, for example in diagnostic taxonomies, and in references to the art of nursing, as when practice is described. Roy, Orlando, Watson, Paterson and others use comfort in major nursing theories. The term can signify both physical and mental phenomena and it can be used as a verb and a noun. However, because comfort has many different meanings, the reader has had the burden of deciding if the term is meant in one of its ordinary language senses or if its context reveals some special nursing sense. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the semantics and extension of the term 'comfort' in order to clarify its use in nursing practice, theory and research. The semantic analysis begins with ordinary language because the common meanings of the term are the primary ones used in nursing practice and are the origin of technical nursing usages. Comfort is discussed as the term is found in nursing, including texts, standards of care, diagnoses and theory. An account of patient needs assessment is used to cull three technical senses of the term from its ordinary language meanings. After contrasting these senses in order to justify their separateness, they are shown to reflect differing aspects of therapeutic contexts. Defining attributes of the three senses are then explicated and presented in table format. The last section of the paper addresses some of the ways that the extensions of the senses can be measured.
"Welches Gesetz ist der Mensch in seiner Wirksamkeit?": Pedagogy and Media in Fichte's Encounter with Mesmerism

The author explores how Fichte's encounter with Mesmerism and the Mesmerist cure puts pressure on his conception of pedagogy and communications media. For Fichte, Mesmer's theory of animal magnetism offers a competing model of interpersonal relation undescribable by the logic of the self-conscious subject. The author argues that Fichte's consideration of Mesmerism in light of the oral lecture—a fixture of German scholarly culture and of Fichte's engagement as a public intellectual—reveals certain fundamental tensions at work in concepts of mediation, communication, autonomy, and intersubjectivity, concepts that in turn organize the idealistneohumanist notion of Bildung.
Effect of aerosol speckle phase decorrelation on the allowable signal averaging time for coherent optical receivers

It is generally thought that the maximum signal averaging time for coherent (heterodyne) optical receivers is limited by the aerosol speckle phase decorrelation time. Fortunately, for many applications this is not true. It is demonstrated analytically and confirmed by experimental data that for many applications the signal averaging time is limited by the shorter of the laser transmitter or atmospheric turbulence phase decorrelation times. This can have a significant impact on lowering the threshold for signal detection when the fast Fourier transform (maximum likelihood estimator) is used to detect the signal.
From living wages to family wages

This paper analyzes the rhetoric and policy goals of the living wage movement. While the rhetoric focuses on workers in the context of their families, the wage levels demanded by activists and mandated by laws are almost never adequate to support families with children, especially single‐parent families. We contend the problem is a fundamental, conceptual one: focusing only on setting a single hourly wage obscures the diverse needs of poor families. In this context, the needs of the most marginalized families (single‐parent families) become invisible. However, a “living wage” is recently being conceived more broadly by activists, in terms of wage and non‐wage work supports, and is seen as applying to the working poor more generally. We argue that the current transformation of the idea of a living wage must continue if the movement is to represent all poor workers. We explore implications for the policy agenda of the movement.
Infrared solar glint clutter on the ocean surface.

A closed-form expression is developed for the infrared solar glint clutter radiance generated by the near-horizon ocean surface. The clutter radiance is calculated as a function of water temperature, wind speed, wind direction, and solar position and agrees well with midwave infrared imagery measurements.
Evaluation of a Negative Relationship between Abundance during Spawning and Size at Maturity in Kokanee

Abstract The relationship between average size at maturity and the number of individuals present at the peak of the spawning run was evaluated in a population of kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka that experienced a large increase in accessible spawning habitat after the loss of a spawning barricade at Bucks Creek, California. Data on peak abundance, peak population density, and body sizes of spawning kokanee were compared with available data from years when the barricade restricted the spawning run. The data, which spanned a period of 34 years, collectively demonstrated that a negative size–abundance relationship caused by density-dependent growth has been a persistent feature of the population. Peak kokanee abundance during spawning was unaffected by the presence of the spawning barricade, but peak spawning density was significantly higher during years when the spawning run was restricted by the spawning barricade than during years when the spawning run was unrestricted. The magnitude of this difference was inv...
Cathepsins: novel drug targets for cardiovascular diseases?

‘A possible application of cathepsin inhibitors in current clinical trials offers us a hope of developing noninvasive therapeutic approaches.’ Cathepsins, a family of cysteine proteases, were thought merely to degrade proteins in acidic compartments inside cells. Identification of regulatory cathepsins greatly broadened the view of investigators in this field. More than a decade of basic research has revealed a series of critical roles for cathepsins in pulmonary, autoimmune, neurologic and periodontal diseases, bone catabolism, tumors and even viral infection. In addition to intracellular protein degradation of unwanted proteins, cysteine protease cathepsins also degrade extracellular matrix proteins, generate antigenic peptides, mediate the trafficking of major histocompatibility molecules and loading of the immunogenic peptide, produce pathologic peptides, and activate latent cell growth factors or enzymes. The detection of extracellular active cathepsins made this family of proteases extraordinarily attractive and important to the study of many pathologic symptoms involving extracellular matrix degradation and tissue remodeling, although it is still unknown how these intracellular residents are secreted. Elastolytic cathepsins in blood vessels
Cutaneous denervation of psoriasiform mouse skin improves acanthosis and inflammation in a sensory neuropeptide dependent manner

Nervous system involvement in psoriasis pathogenesis is supported by increases in nerve fiber numbers and neuropeptides in psoriatic skin and by reports detailing spontaneous plaque remission following nerve injury. Using the KC-Tie2 psoriasiform mouse model, we investigated the mechanisms by which nerve injury leads to inflammatory skin disease remission. Cutaneous nerves innervating dorsal skin of KC-Tie2 animals were surgically axotomized and beginning 1 day after denervation, CD11c+ cell numbers decreased by 40% followed by a 30% improvement in acanthosis at 7 days and a 30% decrease in CD4+ T-cell numbers by 10 days. Restoration of substance P (SP) signaling in denervated KC-Tie2 skin prevented decreases in CD11c+ and CD4+ cells, but had no effect on acanthosis; restoration of calcitonin gene–related peptide (CGRP) signaling reversed the improvement in acanthosis and prevented denervated-mediated decreases in CD4+ cells. Under innervated conditions, small-molecule inhibition of SP in KC-Tie2 animals resulted in similar decreases to those observed following surgical denervation for cutaneous CD11c+ and CD4+ cell numbers; whereas small-molecule inhibition of CGRP resulted in significant reductions in CD4+ cell numbers and acanthosis. These data demonstrate that sensory nerve-derived peptides mediate psoriasiform dendritic cell and T-cell infiltration and acanthosis and introduce targeting nerve-immunocyte/KC interactions as potential psoriasis therapeutic treatment strategies.
Nonthermal component in heat-induced structural deformation and phase transition in gold

Using an ultrafast optical pump-probe technique, we study the dynamics of the heat-induced structural deformation and phase transition in gold at early time delays (within 1 ps after excitation) by monitoring both the fundamental and second-harmonic generation (SHG) signals of the probe beam. The ratios of the time-resolved fundamental and SHG signals with respect to low-intensity reference curves reveal clear changes immediately following pump excitation for intensities above $0.9\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}$ the melting threshold that is absent for lower intensities. These observations indicate a disordered lattice due to electronic heating and suggest that a nonthermal component exists in the heat-induced structural deformation and phase transition in gold.
Plastic deformation mechanisms in nanocrystalline columnar grain structures

We present an atomistic study of the plastic deformation mechanisms occurring in columnar structures of nanocrystalline Ni, with particular emphasis on the process of dislocation emission form the grain boundaries. The samples are constructed with grain boundaries characterized by random tilt misorientations around a common (110) type axis. All samples contain the same 36 grains polycrystalline microstructure, with grain sizes ranging from 4 to 20 nm in order to isolate size effects on the deformation mechanisms. Tensile deformations up to 8% were simulated and the strain stress curves observed for these samples show grain size effects in both the elastic and plastic portions. An inverse Hall-Petch effect is observed for the nominal stress at a fixed strain, but disappears when the grain size-dependent elastic modulus is used to construct an 0.5% offset yield stress. Both dislocation emission from the grain boundaries and grain boundary accommodation of plasticity are observed. Dislocation emission comes largely from pre-existing dislocation-like structures in the grain boundaries, and increases rapidly for grain sizes textgreater 4 nm. However, the number of dislocations per unit length of grain boundary saturates to a constant value at large grain sizes, indicating a fixed density of pre-existing sources in the grain boundaries. A simple model wherein dislocation emission is prohibited within a small distance from grain triple junctions accounts for the overall density versus grain size. Grain boundary sliding was observed in the same regions of the microstructure in all grain sizes, and to approximately the same degree. A simple model accounting for both dislocations and sliding is consistent with the observed trends in plastic strain versus grain size. The implications of these observations for more realistic three-dimensional samples are briefly discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.