An Economic Model-Based Matching Approach Between Buyers and Sellers Through a Broker in an Open E-Marketplace

A broker in an open e-marketplace enables buyers and sellers to do business with each other. Although a broker plays an important role in e-marketplaces, theory and guidelines for matching between buyers and sellers in multi-attribute exchanges are limited. Therefore, a challenge for a broker’s responsibility is how to maximize a buyer’s total satisfaction degree as its goals under the consideration of trade-off between a buyer’s buying quantity and price paid to a seller, and other attributes. To solve this challenge, this paper proposes an economic model-based matching approach between a buyer’s requirements and a seller’s offers. The major contributions of this paper are that (i) a broker can model a seller’s price policy as per a buyer’s buying quantity through communication between a broker and a seller; (ii) due to each buyer’s different quantity demand, a broker models a buyer’s satisfaction degree as per a buyer’s buying quantity based on communication between a broker and a buyer; and (iii) to carry out a broker’s matching processes, an objective function and a set of constraints are generated to help a broker to maximize a buyer’s total satisfaction degree. Experimental results demonstrate the good performance of the proposed approach.     

Early SIV and HIV infection promotes the LILRB2/MHC-I inhibitory axis in cDCs

Classical dendritic cells (cDCs) play a pivotal role in the early events that tip the immune response toward persistence or viral control. In vitro studies indicate that HIV infection induces the dysregulation of cDCs through binding of the LILRB2 inhibitory receptor to its MHC-I ligands and the strength of this interaction was proposed to drive disease progression. However, the dynamics of the LILRB2/MHC-I inhibitory axis in cDCs during early immune responses against HIV are yet unknown. Here, we show that early HIV-1 infection induces a strong and simultaneous increase of LILRB2 and MHC-I expression on the surface of blood cDCs. We further characterized the early dynamics of LILRB2 and MHC-I expression by showing that SIVmac251 infection of macaques promotes coordinated up-regulation of LILRB2 and MHC-I on cDCs and monocytes/macrophages, from blood and lymph nodes. Orientation towards the LILRB2/MHC-I inhibitory axis starts from the first days of infection and is transiently induced in the entire cDC population in acute phase. Analysis of the factors involved indicates that HIV-1 replication, TLR7/8 triggering, and treatment by IL-10 or type I IFNs increase LILRB2 expression. Finally, enhancement of the LILRB2/MHC-I inhibitory axis is specific to HIV-1 and SIVmac251 infections, as expression of LILRB2 on cDCs decreased in naturally controlled chikungunya virus infection of macaques. Altogether, our data reveal a unique up-regulation of LILRB2 and its MHC-I ligands on cDCs in the early phase of SIV/HIV infection, which may account for immune dysregulation at a critical stage of the anti-viral response.     

ID-Based Public Auditing Protocol for Cloud Storage Data Integrity Checking with Strengthened Authentication and Security

Cloud storage service reduces the burden of data users by storing users’ data files in the cloud. But, the files might be modified in the cloud. So, data users hope to check data files integrity periodically. In a public auditing protocol, there is a trusted auditor who has certain ability to help users to check the integrity of data files. With the advantages of no public key management and verification, researchers focus on public auditing protocol in ID-based cryptography recently. However, some existing protocols are vulnerable to forgery attack. In this paper, based on ID-based signature technology, by strengthening information authentication and the computing power of the auditor, we propose an ID-based public auditing protocol for cloud data integrity checking. We also prove that the proposed protocol is secure in the random oracle model under the assumption that the Diffie-Hellman problem is hard. Furthermore, we compare the proposed protocol with other two ID-based auditing protocols in security features, communication efficiency and computation cost. The comparisons show that the proposed protocol satisfies more security features with lower computation cost.     

Approximation,Mad Men and the Death of JFK

In this article I take the US television series Mad Men (2007—present) as an exemplary ‘approximation’, a term I adopt to signal the way in which certain texts construct a changeable, fluid ‘truth’ resulting from collisions, exchange and dialectical argument. Approximations are layered, their formal layerings mirroring a layered, multifaceted argument. Mad Men integrates and represents real historical events within a fictional setting, and act that suggests that an event or action can never be finished, fixed and not open to reassessment. Specifically, this article examines ‘The Grown Ups’, Episode 12 of Season 3, which charts the events of 22 November 1963, the day Kennedy was assassinated. Although we might be able to bring to mind the images and conspiracy theories that have been made available since (such Abraham Zapruder’s 8 mm home movie footage of the assassination), these images were not available at the time. Mad Men as a series always strives to represent its historical milieu as authentically as possible, so the characters re-enact 22 November 1963 as authentically as possible by watching only what was on television that day (the news bulletin, Walter Kronkite’s announcement that Kennedy is dead). The contemporary backdrop to these events, including the resonances of ‘9/11’ through Mad Men, inform and collide with the authenticity on the screen.     

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator—emerging regulator of cancer

Mutations of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) cause cystic fibrosis, the most common life-limiting recessive genetic disease among Caucasians. CFTR mutations have also been linked to increased risk of various cancers but remained controversial for a long time. Recent studies have begun to reveal that CFTR is not merely an ion channel but also an important regulator of cancer development and progression with multiple signaling pathways identified. In this review, we will first present clinical findings showing the correlation of genetic mutations or aberrant expression of CFTR with cancer incidence in multiple cancers. We will then focus on the roles of CFTR in fundamental cellular processes including transformation, survival, proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial–mesenchymal transition in cancer cells, highlighting the signaling pathways involved. Finally, the association of CFTR expression levels with patient prognosis, and the potential of CFTR as a cancer prognosis indicator in human malignancies will be discussed.     

Quantitative Analysis of Multi-Recovery-Based Intrusion Tolerance Model

Quantitative analysis has always been a difficult problem in security analysis of intrusion tolerance systems. An intrusion tolerance model based on multiple recovery mechanisms is introduced in this paper and how to quantify the security attributes of the model is proposed. A state transition model with recovery states more accurately describes the dynamic behavior of the system. Considering that recovery mechanisms have a great impact on the security performance of the system, we set up the cost models corresponding to different recovery mechanisms. We propose a feasible security measure based on mean cost to security failure in order to evaluate the system cost during the recovery phase. The experimental results confirmed the feasibility of the proposed methods.     

Quantum Theory and the Nature of Consciousness

Our interest focusses on the idea, that consciousness is a powerful acting entity. Up to now there does not exist a scientific concept for this idea. This is not due to problems within the field of psychology or brain research, but rather in resisting theories of modern physics. That is, why we have to search for a solution in the field of physics. A solution can be found in a new understanding of the basics of physical theory. That could be given by abstract and absolute quantum bits of information (AQI bits). To avoid the popular misunderstanding of “information” as “meaningful” it was necessary to find a new word for the free-of-meaning AQI bits: the AQI bits establish a quantum pre-structure termed “Protyposis” (Greek: “pre-formation”), out of which real objects can be formed, starting from energetical and material elementary particles. The Protyposis AQI bits provide a pre-structure for all entities in natural sciences. They are the basic entities, whereof the physical nature of the brain, on the one hand, and the mental nature of consciousness, on the other hand, were formed during the cosmological and the following biological evolution. A deeper understanding of quantum structures may help to overcome the resistance against quantum theory in the field of brain research and consciousness. The key for an understanding is the concept of Protyposis, which means an abstract quantum information free of any definite meaning. With the AQI bits of the Protyposis, both, massless and massive quantum particles can be constructed. Even quantum information with special meanings, in example grammatically formulated thoughts, eventually could be explained. As long as the fundamental basis of quantum theory is misunderstood as being formed by a manifold of some small objects like atoms, quarks, or strings, the problem of understanding consciousness has no solution. If instead we understand quantum theory as based on truly simple quantum structures, there would be no longer fundamental problems for an understanding of consciousness.     

峰值电量约束下的场桥能耗最小化问题研究

随着化石能源的大量使用带来的环境污染问题日益严峻,关注能源使用效率的集装箱港口绿色化运营研究成为近年来的热点之一.本文以集装箱堆场中需要执行预倒箱作业的场桥为研究对象,考虑场桥不同运行状态下的单位时间电量需求不同以及峰值电量实时约束,建立了以总能耗最小化为目标的多场桥调度问题的混合整数规划数学模型.继而,将关键变量利用非连续贝和连续贝两种不同的方式进行编码,将次级变量利用启发式规则进行解码,并设计了相对应的遗传算法交叉与变异方法.数值实验表明,连续贝编码方法表现更为优异;通过与Cplex在小规模算例中的比较,与粒子群算法及人工蜂群算法在大规模算例中的比较,验证了所设计遗传算法的有效性.同时,通过与传统策略的对比,表明本模型可以同时实现能耗总需求与峰值需求两方面的优化,从而可以为港口管理人员在不影响既定日常运营工作的前提下降低能源成本提供科学有效的指导.     

Superior corrosion resistance-dependent laser energy density in(CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 high entropy alloy coating fabricated by laser cladding

(CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 high entropy alloy(HEA)coatings were successfully fabricated on a substrate of Q235 steel by laser cladding technology.These(CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 HEA coatings possess excellent properties,particularly corrosion resistance,which is clearly superior to that of some typical bulk HEA and common engineering alloys.In order to obtain appropriate laser cladding preparation process parameters,the effects of laser energy density on the microstructure,microhardness,and corrosion resistance of(CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 HEA coating were closely studied.Results showed that as the laser energy density increases,precipitation of the Laves phase in(CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 HEA coating gradually decreases,and diffusion of the Fe element in the substrate intensifies,affecting the integrity of the(CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 HEA.This decreases the microhardness of(CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 HEA coatings.Moreover,the relative content of Cr2O3,Cr(OH)3,and Nb2O5 in the surface passive film of the coating decreases with increasing energy density,causing corrosion resistance to decrease.This study demonstrates the controllability of a high-performance HEA coating using laser cladding technology,which has significance for the laser cladding preparation of other CoCrFeNi-system HEA coatings.     

基于群偏好与用户偏好协同演化的群推荐方法

群推荐系统已经成为社交网络平台的重要工具,为群体用户提供兼顾个性化和整体满意度的产品和服务.现有群推荐方法大多是对个性化推荐方法的集成和聚合,忽略了群体和用户的交互影响以及群偏好和成员偏好的动态变化,从而无法保障群推荐系统的效果.为此,本文提出一种基于群偏好和用户偏好协同演化的群推荐方法,能够建模群体和用户的动态交互.具体而言,本文将用户偏好建模成其历史偏好和群影响的加权聚合结果,将群偏好建模成群历史偏好和新加入成员偏好的加权聚合结果,最终预测群体可能消费的产品列表和成员可能加入的群体列表.实验结果表明,本文所提模型在群体消费行为和用户加群行为的预测表现都优于基准算法,并兼具很好的鲁棒性.