52,771 research outputs found
Differential response of primary alveolar type I and type II cells to LPS stimulation.
The alveolar epithelium serves as a barrier between organism and environment and functions as the first line of protection against potential respiratory pathogens. Alveolar type II (TII) cells have traditionally been considered the immune cells of the alveolar epithelium, as they possess immunomodulatory functions; however, the precise role of alveolar type I (TI) cells, which comprise ∼95% of the alveolar epithelial surface area, in lung immunity is not clear. We sought to determine if there was a difference in the response of TI and TII cells to lung injury and if TI cells could actively participate in the alveolar immune response. TI cells isolated via fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) from LPS-injured rats demonstrated greater fold-induction of multiple inflammatory mediators than TII cells isolated in the same manner from the same animals. Levels of the cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β from cultured primary rat TI cells after LPS stimulation were significantly increased compared to similarly studied primary rat TII cells. We found that contrary to published reports, cultured TII cells produce relatively small amounts of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β after LPS treatment; the higher levels of cytokine expression from cultured TII cells reported in the literature were likely from macrophage contamination due to traditional non-FACS TII cell isolation methods. Co-culture of TII cells with macrophages prior to LPS stimulation increased TNF-α and IL-6 production to levels reported by other investigators for TII cells, however, co-culture of TI cells and macrophages prior to LPS treatment resulted in marked increases in TNF-α and IL-6 production. Finally, exogenous surfactant blunted the IL-6 response to LPS in cultured TI cells. Taken together, these findings advocate a role for TI cells in the innate immune response and suggest that both TI and TII cells are active players in host defense mechanisms in the lung
Rocketdyne's advanced coal slurry pumping program
The Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International Corporation is conducting a program for the engineering, fabrication, and testing of an experimental/prototype high-capacity, high-pressure centrifugal slurry feed pump for coal liquefaction purposes. The abrasion problems in a centrifugal slurry pump are primarily due to the manner in which the hard, solid particles contained in the slurry are transported through the hydraulic flow passages within the pump. The abrasive particles can create scraping, grinding, cutting, and sandblasting effects on the various exposed parts of the pump. These critical areas involving abrasion and impact erosion wear problems in a centrifugal pump are being addressed by Rocketdyne. The mechanisms of abrasion and erosion are being studied through hydrodynamic analysis, materials evaluation, and advanced design concepts
Asymptotic properties of eigenmatrices of a large sample covariance matrix
Let where is a matrix
with i.i.d. complex standardized entries having finite fourth moments. Let
in which
and where
is the Mar\v{c}enko--Pastur law with parameter ; which
converges to a positive constant as , and and are unit vectors in ,
having indices and , ranging in a compact subset
of a finite-dimensional Euclidean space. In this paper, we prove that the
sequence converges weakly to a
-dimensional Gaussian process. This result provides further evidence in
support of the conjecture that the distribution of the eigenmatrix of is
asymptotically close to that of a Haar-distributed unitary matrix.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/10-AAP748 the Annals of
Applied Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aap/) by the Institute of
Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org
Algebraic techniques in designing quantum synchronizable codes
Quantum synchronizable codes are quantum error-correcting codes that can
correct the effects of quantum noise as well as block synchronization errors.
We improve the previously known general framework for designing quantum
synchronizable codes through more extensive use of the theory of finite fields.
This makes it possible to widen the range of tolerable magnitude of block
synchronization errors while giving mathematical insight into the algebraic
mechanism of synchronization recovery. Also given are families of quantum
synchronizable codes based on punctured Reed-Muller codes and their ambient
spaces.Comment: 9 pages, no figures. The framework presented in this article
supersedes the one given in arXiv:1206.0260 by the first autho
Does the bracket-ligature combination affect the amount of orthodontic space closure over three months? A randomized controlled trial
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of bracket-ligature combination on the amount of orthodontic space closure over three months. DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial with three parallel groups. SETTING: A hospital orthodontic department (Chesterfield Royal Hospital, UK). PARTICIPANTS: Forty-five patients requiring upper first premolar extractions. METHODS: Informed consent was obtained and participants were randomly allocated into one of three groups: (1) conventional pre-adjusted edgewise brackets and elastomeric ligatures; (2) conventional pre-adjusted edgewise brackets and Super Slick((R)) low friction elastomeric ligatures; (3) Damon 3MX((R)) passive self-ligating brackets. Space closure was undertaken on 0.019x0.025-inch stainless steel archwires with nickel-titanium coil springs. Participants were recalled at four weekly intervals. Upper alginate impressions were taken at each visit (maximum three). The primary outcome measure was the mean amount of space closure in a 3-month period. RESULTS: A one-way ANOVA was undertaken [dependent variable: mean space closure (mm); independent variable: group allocation]. The amount of space closure was very similar between the three groups (1 mm per 28 days); however, there was a wide variation in the rate of space closure between individuals. The differences in the amount of space closure over three months between the three groups was very small and non-significant (P = 0.718). CONCLUSION: The hypothesis that reducing friction by modifying the bracket/ligature interface increases the rate of space closure was not supported. The major determinant of orthodontic tooth movement is probably the individual patient response
Elliptic Flow from a Transversally Thermalized Fireball
The agreement of elliptic flow data at RHIC at central rapidity with the
hydrodynamic model has led to the conclusion of very rapid thermalization. This
conclusion is based on the intuitive argument that hydrodynamics, which assumes
instantaneous local thermalization, produces the largest possible elliptic flow
values and that the data seem to saturate this limit. We here investigate the
question whether incompletely thermalized viscous systems may actually produce
more elliptic flow than ideal hydrodynamics. Motivated by the extremely fast
primordial longitudinal expansion of the reaction zone, we investigate a toy
model which exhibits thermalization only in the transverse directions but
undergoes collisionless free-streaming expansion in the longitudinal direction.
For collisions at RHIC energies, elliptic flow results from the model are
compared with those from hydrodynamics. With the final particle yield and
\kt-distribution fixed, the transversally thermalized model is shown not to
be able to produce the measured amount of elliptic flow. This investigation
provides further support for very rapid local kinetic equilibration at RHIC. It
also yields interesting novel results for the elliptic flow of massless
particles such as direct photons.Comment: revtex4, 15 pages + 10 embedded EPS figure
Models of Financial Markets with Extensive Participation Incentives
We consider models of financial markets in which all parties involved find
incentives to participate. Strategies are evaluated directly by their virtual
wealths. By tuning the price sensitivity and market impact, a phase diagram
with several attractor behaviors resembling those of real markets emerge,
reflecting the roles played by the arbitrageurs and trendsetters, and including
a phase with irregular price trends and positive sums. The positive-sumness of
the players' wealths provides participation incentives for them. Evolution and
the bid-ask spread provide mechanisms for the gain in wealth of both the
players and market-makers. New players survive in the market if the
evolutionary rate is sufficiently slow. We test the applicability of the model
on real Hang Seng Index data over 20 years. Comparisons with other models show
that our model has a superior average performance when applied to real
financial data.Comment: 17 pages, 16 figure
Pion Interferometry for Hydrodynamical Expanding Source with a Finite Baryon Density
We calculate the two-pion correlation function for an expanding hadron source
with a finite baryon density. The space-time evolution of the source is
described by relativistic hydrodynamics and the Hanbury-Brown-Twiss (HBT)
radius is extracted after effects of collective expansion and multiple
scattering on the HBT interferometry have been taken into account, using
quantum probability amplitudes in a path-integral formalism. We find that this
radius is substantially smaller than the HBT radius extracted from the
freeze-out configuration.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
Inference and Optimization of Real Edges on Sparse Graphs - A Statistical Physics Perspective
Inference and optimization of real-value edge variables in sparse graphs are
studied using the Bethe approximation and replica method of statistical
physics. Equilibrium states of general energy functions involving a large set
of real edge-variables that interact at the network nodes are obtained in
various cases. When applied to the representative problem of network resource
allocation, efficient distributed algorithms are also devised. Scaling
properties with respect to the network connectivity and the resource
availability are found, and links to probabilistic Bayesian approximation
methods are established. Different cost measures are considered and algorithmic
solutions in the various cases are devised and examined numerically. Simulation
results are in full agreement with the theory.Comment: 21 pages, 10 figures, major changes: Sections IV to VII updated,
Figs. 1 to 3 replace
Non-equilibrium chemistry and dust formation in AGB stars as probed by SiO line emission
We have performed high spatial resolution observations of SiO line emission
for a sample of 11 AGB stars using the ATCA, VLA and SMA interferometers.
Detailed radiative transfer modelling suggests that there are steep chemical
gradients of SiO in their circumstellar envelopes. The emerging picture is one
where the radial SiO abundance distribution starts at an initial high
abundance, in the case of M-stars consistent with LTE chemistry, that
drastically decreases at a radius of ~1E15 cm. This is consistent with a
scenario where SiO freezes out onto dust grains. The region of the wind with
low abundance is much more extended, typically ~1E16 cm, and limited by
photodissociation. The surpisingly high SiO abundances found in carbon stars
requires non-equilibrium chemical processes.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure. To be published in the proceedings of the
conference "Why Galaxies Care about AGB Stars", held in Vienna, August 7-11,
2006; F. Kerschbaum, C. Charbonnel, B. Wing eds, ASP Conf.Ser. in pres
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