An intelligent tourist system: An application of integrated intelligent response mechanisms

query in a database system can fail for many reasons, including lack of available data, user error, or conflict between the query and the database semantics. Furthermore, conventional Database Systems (DBS), in most cases, do not incorporate facilities to detect the user intention behind a query. These database systems are therefore not able to provide additional information beyond an answer to a query. While additional or alternative information may not match a query semantically or grammatically, it is often required to support decision-making and to assist in carrying out actions. It is therefore very desirable to develop a mechanism that takes into account factors like user errors, user interests or intention, to prevent a query from failing and to facilitate the retrieval of alternative and relevant information which includes more than the basic answers to an original question.</p

Dewetting Dynamics of a Solid Microsphere by Emulsion Drops

A novel micropipet technique was developed to quantify the dewetting dynamics of individual microsphere particles by emulsified viscous crude oil drops in aqueous media. This technique allowed dynamic microscale receding contact angles of water to be measured in situ for solid–oil–water systems. System parameters, including modification of glass microspheres and characteristics of oil drops, were varied to study their effect on dewetting dynamics of the systems. Increasing solvent dosage in viscous oil was found to decrease static receding contact angle of water for clean and bitumen-treated glass surfaces, but showed a negligible effect on static receding contact angle for ethyl cellulose (EC)-treated glass surface. Interestingly, dynamic dewetting behavior exhibited a strong dependence on surface modification and the addition of solvent to viscous oil. No dewetting dynamics was observed for clean hydrophilic glass surface. For bitumen- or EC-treated glass surfaces, more rapid dewetting dynamics of water were determined with increasing addition of solvent to viscous oil. Both de Gennes viscous dissipation hydrodynamic and the Blake/Haynes molecular-kinetic models were developed for the current system to understand the observed dynamic dewetting characteristics

Rigid-Rod Sulfonated Polyamide as an Aqueous-Processable Binder for Li-Ion Battery Electrodes

Polymer binders are important components of most battery electrodes, ensuring high performance and long-term durability. Increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries in the automotive, stationary power, and portable electronics industries calls for a greener binder to replace poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF). We evaluate the performance of aqueous solution-processed electrodes prepared with a rigid-rod polymer binder, poly(2,2′-disulfonyl-4,4′-benzidine terephthalamide) (PBDT). The polyamide backbone and double-helical configuration of PBDT give rise to its mechanical strength and rigidity, and its functional nature (H-bonding amides and sulfonates) can provide specific binding with electrode particles. LiFePO4 electrodes prepared with 3 wt % PBDT show mechanical integrity and cycling stability, achieving over 1000 cycles at 4C rate with negligible capacity decay. These electrodes demonstrate comparable rate performance with their PVDF counterparts while eliminating fluorine from the electrode as well as the organic solvents needed for processing. This study reveals that PBDT holds great potential as a binder for advanced sustainable batteries

Three-Dimensional Anisotropic Carrier Mobility and Structure–Property Relationships for [1]Benzothieno[3,2‑<i>b</i>][1]benzothiophene Derivatives: A Theoretical Study

Through the Marcus electron-transfer theory combined with the random walk technique for the charge-carrier diffusion process, we simulated the three-dimensional (3D) distributions of hole and electron mobilities for [1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (BTBT) and its derivatives. Our predicted mobility ranges agree well with the measured field-effect mobility of the BTBT derivatives. We further analyzed the charge-transfer mobility anisotropy of the studied compounds, and the optimum conducting-channel direction relative to the crystal axis was determined, which provides a reliable reference to assist in the performance optimization of field-effect transistors (FETs). Moreover, we analyzed in detail the influences of different substituents on the reorganization energies, ionization energies, electron affinities, frontier molecular orbital charge distributions, and solid-state packing motifs of the BTBT. It was found that the reorganization energies and energy barrier of charge injection effectively decreased with the fusion of the thiophene ring. However, the herringbone packing of BTBT is transformed to π stacking at a local site; as a result, the hole and electron mobilities of BTBT decreased slightly. In comparison, attaching electron-withdrawing −COPhF to BTBT not only increases the electron affinities significantly but also increases the electronic couplings and decreases the reorganization energy related to the electron transfer. It provides a promising way to design n-type or ambipolar organic semiconducting materials

Substrate Stiffness Coupling TGF-β1 Modulates Migration and Traction Force of MDA-MB-231 Human Breast Cancer Cells in Vitro

Cancer cell migration is the hallmark of tumor metastasis; however, the mechanisms of cancer cell migration have not been fully understood. Considering the fact that biophysical and biochemical properties of the tumor microenvironment are altered during tumor progression, it is instinctive to think about whether the changed microenvironment can regulate cancer cell migration. Herein, we cultured human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) on polyacrylamide gel substrates with different stiffnesses (1, 5, 10, and 20 kPa) with and without transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1, 2 ng/mL) treatment to evaluate the effects of the altered tumor microenvironment on cancer cell migration in addition to the response of traction force generation and cytoskeleton remodeling. The results demonstrated that MDA-MB-231 migration increased with increasing substrate stiffness and was further enhanced with TGF-β1 addition. Traction forces and cytoskeleton remodeling were also found to be enhanced in response to TGF-β1 treatment. Furthermore, inhibiting myosin IIA-mediated contraction by blebbistatin decreased TGF-β1-enhanced traction force but increased TGF-β1-enhanced migration. These results imply that both biophysical (like stiffness) and biochemical (like TGF-β1) factors could orthogonally regulate cancer cell migration

Changes of metabolic and endocrine variables in obese PCOS model induced by high-fat diet.

<p>Values are means ± SD.</p><p>*p<0.0167 versus CO by Bonferoni post-hoc test.</p>#<p>p<0.0167 versus PO by Bonferoni post-hoc test.</p

Effects of exercise and diet on metabolic and endocrine variables in PF rats.

<p>Values are means ± SD.</p><p>*p<0.0167 versus PF-SF by Bonferoni post-hoc test.</p>#<p>p<0.0167 versus PF-EF by Bonferoni post-hoc test.</p

Estimating the Impact of State Budget Cuts and Redirection of Prevention Resources on the HIV Epidemic in 59 California Local Health Departments

<div><p>Background</p><p>In the wake of a national economic downturn, the state of California, in 2009–2010, implemented budget cuts that eliminated state funding of HIV prevention and testing. To mitigate the effect of these cuts remaining federal funds were redirected. This analysis estimates the impact of these budget cuts and reallocation of resources on HIV transmission and associated HIV treatment costs.</p> <p>Methods and Findings</p><p>We estimated the effect of the budget cuts and reallocation for California county health departments (excluding Los Angeles and San Francisco) on the number of individuals living with or at-risk for HIV who received HIV prevention services. We used a Bernoulli model to estimate the number of new infections that would occur each year as a result of the changes, and assigned lifetime treatment costs to those new infections. We explored the effect of redirecting federal funds to more cost-effective programs, as well as the potential effect of allocating funds proportionately by transmission category. We estimated that cutting HIV prevention resulted in 55 new infections that were associated with $20 million in lifetime treatment costs. The redirection of federal funds to more cost-effective programs averted 15 HIV infections. If HIV prevention funding were allocated proportionately to transmission categories, we estimated that HIV infections could be reduced below the number that occurred annually before the state budget cuts.</p> <p>Conclusions</p><p>Reducing funding for HIV prevention may result in short-term savings at the expense of additional HIV infections and increased HIV treatment costs. Existing HIV prevention funds would likely have a greater impact on the epidemic if they were allocated to the more cost-effective programs and the populations most likely to acquire and transmit the infection.</p> </div

Changes of ovarian morphological parameters in PF.

<p>Values are means ± SD.</p><p>*p<0.0167 versus CO by Bonferoni post-hoc test.</p

Figures and cell types of vaginal smears.

<p><b>A</b>: preoestrus, loaded mainly with epithelial cell; <b>B</b>: estrus, loaded mainly with keratinocytes; <b>C</b>:metoestrus,displaying epithelial cell, keratinocytes, and leukocytes; <b>D</b>:diestrus, displaying full of leukocytes (magnification ×100).</p