Terahertz Absorption Spectra of Silicate Cosmic Analog Dusts Using a Novel Spectrometer

Metal-containing amorphous silicate grains are expected to be a major component of interstellar dust. Amorphous silicate grains containing magnesium, iron, and calcium have been synthesized in the IWU chemistry department. I have contributed to the construction and testing of an instrument that will be used to measure terahertz absorption spectra of cold samples at astronomically interesting temperatures. To study cosmic dust analogs, we installed dust samples, embedded in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) pellets, in a sample-exchanger and cooled it down within a cryostat to 3.0 Kelvin. Using a blackbody radiation source, we measured the transmission of terahertz light through those samples using a semiconductor bolometer. Light from the blackbody radiation source travelled through a Fourier Transform Spectrometer which allowed us to obtain the frequency dependence of the absorption of the dust sample. By using the Bruggeman eective-medium approximation, we accounted for the high density of dust in our pellets compared to the negligible density in the interstellar medium (ISM). Then we can use the mass of the dust contained in each sample pellet to calculate (frequency dependent) absorptivity per unit mass of dust from the absorption spectra. We obtained spectra at several interesting astronomical temperatures between 4-30 Kelvin. From the summer of 2018, we have carried out two cool-downs with several sets of data for different dust analogs. Using the data that we have gathered, I fitted the absorptivity with a power law in frequency (goal 2), following the work of other groups. Finally, I measured any variation of the power law indices as a function of dust temperature (goal 3)

Ezetimibe therapy: mechanism of action and clinical update.

The lowering of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is the primary target of therapy in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events. Although statin therapy is the mainstay for LDL-C lowering, a significant percentage of patients prescribed these agents either do not achieve targets with statin therapy alone or have partial or complete intolerance to them. For such patients, the use of adjuvant therapy capable of providing incremental LDL-C reduction is advised. One such agent is ezetimibe, a cholesterol absorption inhibitor that targets uptake at the jejunal enterocyte brush border. Its primary target of action is the cholesterol transport protein Nieman Pick C1 like 1 protein. Ezetimibe is an effective LDL-C lowering agent and is safe and well tolerated. In response to significant controversy surrounding the use and therapeutic effectiveness of this drug, we provide an update on the biochemical mechanism of action for ezetimibe, its safety and efficacy, as well as the results of recent randomized studies that support its use in a variety of clinical scenarios

液体含浸型自浄表面の機能性向上のためのマイクロ／ナノ構造化と表面修飾

首都大学東京, 2018-03-25, 博士（工学）首都大学東

Empirical Analysis on Non-Performing Loans of Listed Banks in Vietnam

Non-performing loans has always been a serious concern for the banking system in Vietnam over the years, especially after the financial crisis year 2008. The huge volume of non-performing loans may lead to severe consequences for the whole economy at both macroeconomic and microeconomic level. The determinants of the NPLs problems are identified by building up models that explain non-performing loans by macroeconomic factors and bank-specific factors which are adjusted from the earlier studies to fit with the context in Vietnam. In short, the level of NPLs is primarily contributed by bank-specific factors. Also, it is recommended that banks should improve lending policies to prevent the increase in non-performing loans. Last but not least, it is urgent for the State Bank of Vietnam in general and banks themselves in particular to conduct a strict procedure in implementation, control, management, and supervision of all activities in order to carry out solutions in time before the problems are getting worse. Keywords: NPLs, macroeconomic, banks DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-6-03 Publication date: February 29th 202

3D reconstruction of coronary artery using Feldkamp-Davis-Kress algorithm

An important cause of death in industrialized countries is coronary heart diseases. To treat those pathologies, a percutaneous intervention that consists in inserting a catheter in the femoral artery is performed. The instrument is directed to the affected arteries, and coronary angiography is used to lead the surgeon in an interventional context. However, 2D angiography which is frequently used during an intervention, does not consider depth, resulting in high doses of contrast agent and an extended exposure to X-ray. To mitigate the impact of these problems, medical imaging techniques such as 3D coronary artery imaging are used to assist surgeons during the intervention. Many imaging modalities are used to acquire the sequences, but the rotational angiography is favored due to its lower contrast agent use and its ease of use in an interventional context. This imaging technique allows the surgeon to guide the catheter in 3D in a clear manner, and limit the use of X-rays and contrast agent by reducing the duration of the intervention. In this thesis, we present a flexible algorithm, Feldkamp-Davis-Kress (FDK), to reconstruct 3D model of coronary artery in multiple angle views. The dual-axis rotational coronary artery angiography is proposed to use along with this algorithm. The cameras parameters are first calibrated by a nonlinear optimization where the reprojection error is minimized. Then the optimal working view is calculated to avoiding the vessel overlap and foreshortening effects. To reduce the cardiac motion effect, ECG-gated is applied into the reconstruction algorithm. The proposed method can be used in the framework to improve 3D navigation guidance in surgery. It could be a good tool for clinicians in coronary artery disease

Efficiency of Farmer Organisations in Supplying Supermarkets with Quality Food in Vietnam

The development of supermarkets in Vietnam, as in other emerging countries, goes along with an increasing concern on the part of purchasers for food quality. The paper investigates whether farmer organisations are able to help small-scale farmers get access to supermarkets, and the role that supermarkets and public support play in their emergence and development. It is based on case studies involving a number of stakeholders marketing vegetables, flavoured rice and litchi fruit in Vietnam. The interviews investigated patterns of horizontal and vertical coordination that link farmers to supermarkets, the distribution of costs and benefits between farmers and traders along the chains in relation to the strategy of quality differentiation. Eight farmer associations that work in the form of private commercial organisations are regular supermarket suppliers for the selected products. Their ability to supply supermarkets is related to the combination of functions they make available to their members, especially as regards training to improve quality (appearance, taste, safety), quality promotion and control, for which they receive public support, as well as their participation in flexible contracts with supermarkets, shops and schools. Supermarket supply through farmer associations increases farmer incomes when compared with traditional chains, yet the situation is reported to change with the increase in supermarket competition. The paper argues that changes in farmer organisation are not only due to supplying supermarkets, but also to public and international support to food quality improvement, which have been of benefit to supermarkets.Agribusiness, Industrial Organization,

Advanced SOM & K Mean Method for Load Curve Clustering

From the load curve classification for one customer, the main features such as the seasonal factors, the weekday factors influencing on the electricity consumption may be extracted. By this way some utilities can make decision on the tariff by seasons or by day in week. The popular clustering techniques are the SOM & K-mean or Fuzzy K-mean. SOM &Kmean is a prominent approach for clustering with a two-level approach: first, the data set will be clustered using the SOM and in the second level, the SOM will be clustered by K-mean. In the first level, two training algorithms were examined: sequential and batch training. For the second level, the K-mean has the results that are strongly depended on the initial values of the centers. To overcome this, this paper used the subtractive clustering approach proposed by Chiu in 1994 to determine the centers. Because the effective radius in Chiu’s method has some influence on the number of centers, the paper applied the PSO technique to find the optimum radius. To valid the proposed approach, the test on well-known data samples is carried out. The applications for daily load curves of one Southern utility are presented

Utility of 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Cholesterol Guidelines in HIV-Infected Adults With Carotid Atherosclerosis.

BackgroundAlthough HIV is associated with increased atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, it is unknown whether guidelines can identify HIV-infected adults who may benefit from statins. We compared the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and 2004 Adult Treatment Panel III recommendations in HIV-infected adults and evaluated associations with carotid artery intima-media thickness and plaque.Methods and resultsCarotid artery intima-media thickness was measured at baseline and 3 years later in 352 HIV-infected adults without clinical atherosclerotic CVD and not on statins. Plaque was defined as IMT >1.5 mm in any segment. At baseline, the median age was 43 (interquartile range, 39-49), 85% were men, 74% were on antiretroviral medication, and 50% had plaque. The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines were more likely to recommend statins compared with the Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines, both overall (26% versus 14%; P<0.001), in those with plaque (32% versus 17%; P=0.0002), and in those without plaque (16% versus 7%; P=0.025). In multivariable analysis, older age, higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, pack per year of smoking, and history of opportunistic infection were associated with baseline plaque. Baseline IMT (hazard ratio, 1.18 per 10% increment; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-1.33; P=0.005) and plaque (hazard ratio, 2.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-4.08; P=0.037) were each associated with all-cause mortality, independent of traditional CVD risk factors.ConclusionsAlthough the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines recommended statins to a greater number of HIV-infected adults compared with the Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines, both failed to recommend therapy in the majority of HIV-affected adults with carotid plaque. Baseline carotid atherosclerosis but not atherosclerotic CVD risk scores was an independent predictor of mortality. HIV-specific guidelines that include detection of subclinical atherosclerosis may help to identify HIV-infected adults who are at increased atherosclerotic CVD risk and may be considered for statins

Determinants of job seekers to select recruitment agency for new job vacancies

The most important determinant of organizational effectiveness is the ability to attract, hire, and develop capable talent. The ability to attract and retain superior employees can lead to sustained competitive advantage for organizations. This is difficult due to the shrinking availability of qualified labor. The use of recruitment agency (RA) or employment agency allows human resource departments to target and identify quality candidates with more efficiency. RA, kind of consultancy, is normally understood as third party recruiter that finds jobs for people seeking them and finds people to fill particular jobs3 . Some RA focus their efforts on executive, managerial, and professional positions (white and yellow collar workers). These firms are split into two groups: (1) contingency firms that charge a fee only after a candidate has been hired by a client company and (2) retainer firms that charge a client a set fee whether or not the contracted search is successful. Most of RA in Vietnam apply contingency basis. Majority of foreign and big local companies use RA as one of the key recruitment sources to attract middle to senior level employees despite there is maybe higher expenses of this source than using other recruitment sources in some extents below: • The job vacancy is top confidential and recruiter cannot launch the public recruitment • The vacancy requires very short time to fill • The limited staffing resources of recruiting department or • The limited candidate pool in some industries or function which may cause very long time to fill the vacancy or to find out the right candidate