Determining the Trustworthiness of New Electronic Contracts

Expressing contractual agreements electronically potentially allows agents to automatically perform functions surrounding contract use: establishment, fulfilment, renegotiation etc. For such automation to be used for real business concerns, there needs to be a high level of trust in the agent-based system. While there has been much research on simulating trust between agents, there are areas where such trust is harder to establish. In particular, contract proposals may come from parties that an agent has had no prior interaction with and, in competitive business-to-business environments, little reputation information may be available. In human practice, trust in a proposed contract is determined in part from the content of the proposal itself, and the similarity of the content to that of prior contracts, executed to varying degrees of success. In this paper, we argue that such analysis is also appropriate in automated systems, and to provide it we need systems to record salient details of prior contract use and algorithms for assessing proposals on their content. We use provenance technology to provide the former and detail algorithms for measuring contract success and similarity for the latter, applying them to an aerospace case study.

What happens after the central bank of Brazil increases the target interbank rate by 1%?

I start presenting an explicit solution to Taylorís (2001) model, in order to illustrate the link between the target interest rate and the overnight interest rate prevailing in the economy. Next, I use Vector Auto Regressions to shed some light on the evolution of key macroeconomic variables after the Central Bank of Brazil increases the target interest rate by 1%. Point estimates show a four-year accumulated output loss ranging from 0:04% (whole sample, 1980 : 1-2004 : 2; quarterly data) to 0:25% (Post-Real data only) with a Örst-year peak output response between 0:04% and 1:0%; respectively. Prices decline between 2% and 4% in a 4-year horizon. The accumulated output response is found to be between 3:5 and 6 times higher after the Real Plan than when the whole sample is considered. The 95% confidence bands obtained using bias-corrected bootstrap always include the null output response when the whole sample is used, but not when the data is restricted to the Post-Real period. Innovations to interest rates explain between 4:9% (whole sample) and 9:2% (post-Real sample) of the forecast error of GDP.

What happens after the Central Bank of Brazil increases the target interbank rate by 1%?

In this paper I use Taylor's (2001) model and Vector Auto Regressions to shed some light on the evolution of some key macroeconomic variables after the Central Bank of Brazil, through the COPOM, increases the target interest rate by 1%. From a quantitative perspective, the best estimate from the empírical analysis, obtained with a 1994 : 2 - 2004 : 2 subsample of the data, is that GDP goes through an accumulated decline, over the next four years, around 0.08%. Innovations to interest rates explain around 9.2% of the forecast erro r of GDP.

Structure-function relationship of new crotamine isoform from the Crotalus durissus cascavella

In this work we isolated a novel crotamine like protein from the Crotalus durissus cascavella venom by combination of molecular exclusion and analytical reverse phase HPLC. Its primary structure was:YKRCHKKGGHCFPKEKICLPPSSDLGKMDCRWKRK-CCKKGS GK. This protein showed a molecular mass of 4892.89 da that was determined by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. The approximately pI value of this protein was determined in 9.9 by two-dimensional electrophoresis. This crotamine-like protein isolated here and that named as Cro 2 produced skeletal muscle spasm and spastic paralysis in mice similarly to other crotamines like proteins. Cro 2 did not modify the insulin secretion at low glucose concentration (2.8 and 5.6 mM), but at high glucose concentration (16.7 mM) we observed an insulin secretion increasing of 2.7-3.0-fold than to control. The Na+ channel antagonist tetrodoxin (6 mM) decreased glucose and Cro 2-induced insulin secretion. These results suggested that Na+ channel are involved in the insulin secretion. In this article, we also purified some peptide fragment from the treatment of reduced and carboxymethylated Cro 2 (RC-Cro 2) with cyanogen bromide and protease V8 from Staphylococcus aureus. The isolated pancreatic beta-cells were then treated with peptides only at high glucose concentration (16.7 mM), in this condition only two peptides induced insulin secretion. The amino acid sequence homology analysis of the whole crotamine as well as the biologically-active peptide allowed determining the consensus region of the biologically-active crotamine responsible for insulin secretion was KGGHCFPKE and DCRWKWKCCKKGSG.

Enzymatic and structural characterization of new PLA2 isoform isolated from white venom of Crotalus durissus ruruima

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Identification of new isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis using rep-PCR products and delta-endotoxin electron microscopy

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The predatory mite Stratiolaelaps scimitus as a control agent of the fungus gnat Bradysia matogrossensis in commercial production of the mushroom Agaricus bisporus

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Description of new cicada species associated with the coffee plant and an identification key for the species of Fidicinoides (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) from Brazil

The genus Fidicinoides Boulard & Martinelli is characterized by its partially exposed timbal, not totally covered by the meta-scutellar plate as occurs in Fidicina Amyot & Serville, and has an extensive geographic distribution in Central and South America. In this work a new species for the genus is described. Fidicinoides sarutaiensis Santos, Martinelli & Maccagnan sp. n. is a medium-sized cicada, with the collected and studied specimens associated with coffee (Coffee arabica L.), in the municipality of Sarutaia, in the southeast region of São Paulo state. The species F. glauca (Goding, 1925) and F. viridifemur (Walker, 1850) are transferred to Dorisiana. An identification key for the Fidicinoides species of Brazil is also proposed.

Morphometry of megakaryocytes in the liver of New Zealand White rabbits during intrauterine and postnatal development

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Identification of new Bremia lactucae races in lettuce in São Paulo state

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Assessment of the In Vivo Genotoxicity of New Lead Compounds to Treat Sickle Cell Disease

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Mutagenicity of New Lead Compounds to Treat Sickle Cell Disease Symptoms in a Salmonella/Microsome Assay

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Radiopacity evaluation of new root canal filling materials by digitalization of images

The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiopacity of five root canal filling materials (AH Plus, Intrafill, Roeko Seal, Epiphany, and EndoRez). Following the International Organization of Standardization 687612001, five circular specimens (10 X 1 mm) were made from each material. After the material set, radiographs were made using occlusal film and a graduated aluminum step-wedge varying in thickness from 2 to 16 mm. The dental X-ray unit (GE1000) was set at 50 Kvp, 10 mA, 18 pulses/second, and distance of 33.5 cm. The radiographs were digitized, and the radiopacity was compared with the aluminum step-wedge, using WIXWIN-2000 software (Gendex). Data (mm Al) were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey tests. AH Plus and Epiphany were the most radiopaque materials (9.8 and 8.8 mm Al, respectively), followed by EndoRez (7.2 mm Al). Roeko Seal and Intrafill presented the lowest radiopacity values (5.7 and 6.1 mm Al, respectively). Although the materials evaluated demonstrated different radiopacities, all had values above the minimum recommended by the international Organization of Standardization.

Vase Life of New Tropical Cut Foliage: Cordyline terminalis

Cordyline terminalis is a tropical ornamental with high decorative value due its variety of colors and foliar patterns. This ornamental is new in the Brazilian market and has large potential to be exported. The lack of studies on postharvest aspects is a problem for new crops, and the development of good post-production techniques can reduce costs due to loss of unsalable, damaged plants. The present work aimed to characterize the vase life of red and green cultivars of C. terminalis. Conservation techniques, such as pulsing with gibberellic acid (GA(3)), wax spray, and cold storage for 10 and 20 days at 5, 10, and 13 degrees C were tested. Also, macro-and micronutrients concentration was tracked during the senescence process. In the water-based treatment (control), both cultivars had a vase life of 21 days. Vase life was not influenced by wax spray, GA pulsing, or cold storage for 10 days at 5, 10 or 13 degrees C. In both cultivars, the postharvest techniques used did not improve the vase life on this species. on the other hand, by cold storing the foliage for 20 days in any of the tested temperatures, the vase life was shortened one week, with a total of 14 days longevity compared with all other treatments. Color changes were not correlated with senescence of the foliage. Nutrients did not change during the evaluation period. C. terminalis had a vase life long enough for export, supported by cold storage up to 10 days, which did not shorten the vase life.