Automatic signal range selector for metering devices Patent

Voltage range selection apparatus for sensing and applying voltages to electronic instruments without loading signal sourc

High expansion coefficient glasses can be sealed to common metals

New series of high expansion coefficient glasses can be sealed by fusion onto hot surfaces of metals and alloys. Glasses have relatively low working temperatures, good chemical durability, and can be used in electrical insulators and feedthroughs to fluid or vacuum systems

Trust and privacy in distributed work groups

Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop on Social Computing, Behavioral Modeling and PredictionTrust plays an important role in both group cooperation and economic exchange. As new technologies emerge for communication and exchange, established mechanisms of trust are disrupted or distorted, which can lead to the breakdown of cooperation or to increasing fraud in exchange. This paper examines whether and how personal privacy information about members of distributed work groups influences individuals' cooperation and privacy behavior in the group. Specifically, we examine whether people use others' privacy settings as signals of trustworthiness that affect group cooperation. In addition, we examine how individual privacy preferences relate to trustworthy behavior. Understanding how people interact with others in online settings, in particular when they have limited information, has important implications for geographically distributed groups enabled through new information technologies. In addition, understanding how people might use information gleaned from technology usage, such as personal privacy settings, particularly in the absence of other information, has implications for understanding many potential situations that arise in pervasively networked environments.Preprin

Study of arc-jet propulsion devices Final report, 20 Nov. 1964 - 19 Dec. 1965

Energy transfer mechanisms in radiation, water, and regeneratively cooled, and MPD arc jet propulsion device

Maximumfactuur en kleine risico’s: verdeling van de eigen bijdragen voor gezondheidszorg in België

Overal in Europa komt de financiering van publieke systemen van ziekteverzekering of gezondheidszorg onder druk door de sterke stijging van de uitgaven. België ontsnapt niet aan deze evolutie. De stijging van de uitgaven voor gezondheidszorg lag bij ons zeker gedurende de laatste jaren zelfs duidelijk boven het Europese gemiddelde. Ondanks de grote maatschappelijke populariteit van ons systeem van verplichte ziekteverzekering, vormt het probleem van de kostenbeheersing toch steeds één van de belangrijkste discussiepunten tijdens de regeringsonderhandelingen. Wanneer de stijging van de uitgaven niet kan worden afgeremd, zullen in de toekomst ongetwijfeld fundamentele vragen over de organisatie van het systeem naar voor worden geschoven (Schokkaert en Van de Voorde, 2003)

Induced Anticlinic Ordering and Nanophase Segregation of Bow-Shaped Molecules in a Smectic Solvent

Recent experiments indicate that doping low concentrations of bent-core molecules into calamitic smectic solvents can induce anticlinic and biaxial smectic phases. We have carried out Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of mixtures of rodlike molecules (hard spherocylinders with length/breadth ratio $L_{\rm rod}/D = 5$) and bow- or banana-shaped molecules (hard spherocylinder dimers with length/breadth ratio $L_{ban}/D = 5$ or 2.5 and opening angle $\psi$) to probe the molecular-scale organization and phase behavior of rod/banana mixtures. We find that a low concentration (3%) of $L_{ban}/D = 5$ dimers induces anticlinic (SmC$_A$) ordering in an untilted smectic (SmA) phase for $100^\circ \le \psi < 150^\circ$. For smaller $\psi$, half of each bow-shaped molecule is nanophase segregated between smectic layers, and the smectic layers are untilted. For $L_{ban}/D = 2.5$, no tilted phases are induced. However, with decreasing $\psi$ we observe a sharp transition from {\sl intralamellar} nanophase segregation (bow-shaped molecules segregated within smectic layers) to {\sl interlamellar} nanophase segregation (bow-shaped molecules concentrated between smectic layers) near $\psi = 130^\circ$. These results demonstrate that purely entropic effects can lead to surprisingly complex behavior in rod/banana mixtures.Comment: 5 pages Revtex, 7 postscript figure

Renormalized couplings and scaling correction amplitudes in the N-vector spin models on the sc and the bcc lattices

For the classical N-vector model, with arbitrary N, we have computed through order \beta^{17} the high temperature expansions of the second field derivative of the susceptibility \chi_4(N,\beta) on the simple cubic and on the body centered cubic lattices. (The N-vector model is also known as the O(N) symmetric classical spin Heisenberg model or, in quantum field theory, as the lattice O(N) nonlinear sigma model.) By analyzing the expansion of \chi_4(N,\beta) on the two lattices, and by carefully allowing for the corrections to scaling, we obtain updated estimates of the critical parameters and more accurate tests of the hyperscaling relation d\nu(N) +\gamma(N) -2\Delta_4(N)=0 for a range of values of the spin dimensionality N, including N=0 [the self-avoiding walk model], N=1 [the Ising spin 1/2 model], N=2 [the XY model], N=3 [the classical Heisenberg model]. Using the recently extended series for the susceptibility and for the second correlation moment, we also compute the dimensionless renormalized four point coupling constants and some universal ratios of scaling correction amplitudes in fair agreement with recent renormalization group estimates.Comment: 23 pages, latex, no figure

Pharmacological targeting of KDM6A and KDM6B, as a novel therapeutic strategy for treating craniosynostosis in Saethre-Chotzen syndrome

Background: During development, excessive osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPC) within the cranial sutures can lead to premature suture fusion or craniosynostosis, leading to craniofacial and cognitive issues. Saethre-Chotzen syndrome (SCS) is a common form of craniosynostosis, caused by TWIST-1 gene mutations. Currently, the only treatment option for craniosynostosis involves multiple invasive cranial surgeries, which can lead to serious complications. Methods: The present study utilized Twist-1 haploinsufficient (Twist-1(del/+)) mice as SCS mouse model to investigate the inhibition of Kdm6a and Kdm6b activity using the pharmacological inhibitor, GSK-J4, on calvarial cell osteogenic potential. Results: This study showed that the histone methyltransferase EZH2, an osteogenesis inhibitor, is downregulated in calvarial cells derived from Twist-1(del/+) mice, whereas the counter histone demethylases, Kdm6a and Kdm6b, known promoters of osteogenesis, were upregulated. In vitro studies confirmed that siRNA-mediated inhibition of Kdm6a and Kdm6b expression suppressed osteogenic differentiation of Twist-1(del/+) calvarial cells. Moreover, pharmacological targeting of Kdm6a and Kdm6b activity, with the inhibitor, GSK-J4, caused a dose-dependent suppression of osteogenic differentiation by Twist-1(del/+) calvarial cells in vitro and reduced mineralized bone formation in Twist-1(del/+) calvarial explant cultures. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and Western blot analyses found that GSK-J4 treatment elevated the levels of the Kdm6a and Kdm6b epigenetic target, the repressive mark of tri-methylated lysine 27 on histone 3, on osteogenic genes leading to repression of Runx2 and Alkaline Phosphatase expression. Pre-clinical in vivo studies showed that local administration of GSK-J4 to the calvaria of Twist-1(del/+) mice prevented premature suture fusion and kept the sutures open up to postnatal day 20. Conclusion: The inhibition of Kdm6a and Kdm6b activity by GSK-J4 could be used as a potential non-invasive therapeutic strategy for preventing craniosynostosis in children with SCS.Clara Pribadi, Esther Camp, Dimitrios Cakouros, Peter Anderson, Carlotta Glackin and Stan Grontho