Rapid-response, light-exposure control system

Rapid-response electro-optical, light exposure control system, will maintain the light reaching a camera film or other light-sensitive detector at essentially constant level, despite wide variations in the brightness of the light source. The system permits detailed photographic or photoelectric recording of the phenomenon over a range of brightnesses

EXAFS study of nickel exchanged into zeolite Y

EXAFS and near edge spectroscopy were used to monitor changes i n Ni coordination as a function of treatment conditions after aqueous exchange into zeolite Y. Our results suggest that after calcination and dehydration under the conditions of this study, major site occupancy for Ni appears to be in the tri-coordinate exchange sites , and not i n the hexagonal prisms as suggested by previous x-ray diffraction results

Decoherence of Quantum-Enhanced Timing Accuracy

Quantum enhancement of optical pulse timing accuracy is investigated in the Heisenberg picture. Effects of optical loss, group-velocity dispersion, and Kerr nonlinearity on the position and momentum of an optical pulse are studied via Heisenberg equations of motion. Using the developed formalism, the impact of decoherence by optical loss on the use of adiabatic soliton control for beating the timing standard quantum limit [Tsang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 023902 (2006)] is analyzed theoretically and numerically. The analysis shows that an appreciable enhancement can be achieved using current technology, despite an increase in timing jitter mainly due to the Gordon-Haus effect. The decoherence effect of optical loss on the transmission of quantum-enhanced timing information is also studied, in order to identify situations in which the enhancement is able to survive.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, submitte

A phenomenological approach to the simulation of metabolism and proliferation dynamics of large tumour cell populations

A major goal of modern computational biology is to simulate the collective behaviour of large cell populations starting from the intricate web of molecular interactions occurring at the microscopic level. In this paper we describe a simplified model of cell metabolism, growth and proliferation, suitable for inclusion in a multicell simulator, now under development (Chignola R and Milotti E 2004 Physica A 338 261-6). Nutrients regulate the proliferation dynamics of tumor cells which adapt their behaviour to respond to changes in the biochemical composition of the environment. This modeling of nutrient metabolism and cell cycle at a mesoscopic scale level leads to a continuous flow of information between the two disparate spatiotemporal scales of molecular and cellular dynamics that can be simulated with modern computers and tested experimentally.Comment: 58 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables, pdf onl

A Biological Inventory of Meacham Cave (Independence County, Arkansas)

During September 2008 through June 2011, we compiled a biological inventory of Meacham Cave in Independence County, AR. Compared to other caves in the region, Meacham Cave houses few vertebrates, but non-aquatic invertebrates were relatively common. A transiently-increased bacterial load in the cave’s only pool of water indicated recent fecal contamination. The combination of vandalism, low vertebrate populations, and high coliform bacterial load reveals that human abuse of the cave has significantly disrupted its ecosystem. Gating the cave in such a way as to allow the movement of bats, salamanders and other animals, while excluding humans, may allow the cave ecosystem to recover. The close proximity of the cave to Lyon College makes it ideal for long-term investigation

Liver Enzyme Abnormalities and Associated Risk Factors in HIV Patients on Efavirenz-Based HAART with or without Tuberculosis Co-Infection in Tanzania.

To investigate the timing, incidence, clinical presentation, pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetic predictors for antiretroviral and anti-tuberculosis drug induced liver injury (DILI) in HIV patients with or without TB co-infection. A total of 473 treatment naïve HIV patients (253 HIV only and 220 with HIV-TB co-infection) were enrolled prospectively. Plasma efavirenz concentration and CYP2B6*6, CYP3A5*3, *6 and *7, ABCB1 3435C/T and SLCO1B1 genotypes were determined. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were collected at baseline and up to 48 weeks of antiretroviral therapy. DILI case definition was according to Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS). Incidence of DILI and identification of predictors was evaluated using Cox Proportional Hazards Model. The overall incidence of DILI was 7.8% (8.3 per 1000 person-week), being non-significantly higher among patients receiving concomitant anti-TB and HAART (10.0%, 10.7 per 1000 person-week) than those receiving HAART alone (5.9%, 6.3 per 1000 person-week). Frequency of CYP2B6*6 allele (p = 0.03) and CYP2B6*6/*6 genotype (p = 0.06) was significantly higher in patients with DILI than those without. Multivariate cox regression model indicated that CYP2B6*6/*6 genotype and anti-HCV IgG antibody positive as significant predictors of DILI. Median time to DILI was 2 weeks after HAART initiation and no DILI onset was observed after 12 weeks. No severe DILI was seen and the gain in CD4 was similar in patients with or without DILI. Antiretroviral and anti-tuberculosis DILI does occur in our setting, presenting early following HAART initiation. DILI seen is mild, transient and may not require treatment interruption. There is good tolerance to HAART and anti-TB with similar immunological outcomes. Genetic make-up mainly CYP2B6 genotype influences the development of efavirenz based HAART liver injury in Tanzanians

Persistent anthrax as a major driver of wildlife mortality in a tropical rainforest

Anthrax is a globally important animal disease and zoonosis. Despite this, our current knowledge of anthrax ecology is largely limited to arid ecosystems, where outbreaks are most commonly reported. Here we show that the dynamics of an anthrax-causing agent, Bacillus cereus biovar anthracis, in a tropical rainforest have severe consequences for local wildlife communities. Using data and samples collected over three decades, we show that rainforest anthrax is a persistent and widespread cause of death for a broad range of mammalian hosts. We predict that this pathogen will accelerate the decline and possibly result in the extirpation of local chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) populations. We present the epidemiology of a cryptic pathogen and show that its presence has important implications for conservation

Product Feasibility Plan for Embraer ERJ-170/190 Regional Jet Coffee Maker

XYZ Company (XYZ) is an aerospace parts manufacturer based in City, State, which specializes in appliance products for large commercial aviation and the US Department of Defense. XYZ has been in a growth phase since the 2001 aviation downturn, and now has a XX% market share of coffee maker sales for large commercial aviation, making it the number three supplier to this market segment. XYZ’s success in this market segment was a primary factor in the acquisition of XYZ in December 2008, by ABC, Inc. The acquisition has provided XYZ with greater financial resources to draw upon, and combining ABC’s and XYZ’s products has reshaped the playing field in aviation appliances, by narrowing the competition to a three company race – Competitor A, Competitor B and ABC-XYZ. All three companies now have similar sizes, roughly $X.XB to$X.XB market cap, and thus have similar resources to devote to improving their market share in the aviation appliance market. Competitor A is firmly entrenched as the number one supplier to the aviation appliance market, due to a long history of OEM contracts and a high-quality, well-designed product line. As a result, Competitor A has a greater than XX% market share, and is able to charge a premium price for its products, making them vulnerable to competition from lower-cost providers. Competitor B is the next largest market share supplier to this market and has approximately a XX% market share, and competes with Competitor A on the basis of price, by offering a lower-quality product. ABC-XYZ (XYZ) has the smallest market share of the three companies, but has been very successful in applying it’s lowest-cost, high-quality approach to the large commercial aviation market segment, resulting in growth from X% to XX% market share during 2003 to 2008. XYZ has accomplished this primarily by aligning itself with airlines that employ the complementary low-cost business model, and developing strong relationships with airline personnel, including: buyers, PMA-coordinators, engineers, and maintenance personnel. XYZ feels strongly that through a combination of new financial resources and new products, and application of its proven business approach, it can overtake Competitor B and become the number two supplier to the aviation appliance market. To enable its continued growth, XYZ has identified the Regional Jet coffee maker market segment as an attractive market segment that could aid XYZ in its goal of becoming the number two supplier in aviation appliances. The Regional Jet market segment is dominated by two manufacturers – Bombardier and Embraer. XYZ has strong ties with several airlines that operate Embraer Regional Jets, and believes it can leverage these airline relationships to quickly enter the Embraer coffee maker market. Unfortunately, XYZ has only limited knowledge of this market, current products and the market potential, and needs more information to make an informed business decision of how to proceed with this product. This product feasibility plan will outline the recommended approach XYZ should use to effectively enter the Embraer coffee maker market for the ERJ-170/190 aircraft. Strategic Objectives The business objectives for the Embraer ERJ-170/190 coffee maker product is to secure an initial 36% market share of the existing fleet, and grow this by acquiring 24.8% of new deliveries for the next 8 years, while maintaining a net income greater than 25% of sales. Additionally, XYZ would like to use this product platform to establish itself as the highest-value coffee maker supplier to the growing regional jet market, and fill an empty category in XYZ’s aviation appliance product offering. Target Customers Launch Customer: Airline X – City, Country Yearly Sales Potential: 106 Units Primary Customers: Airline Z – City, Country Yearly Sales Potential: 72 Units Airline Y – City, Country Yearly Sales Potential: 72 Units Airline W – City, Country Yearly Sales Potential: 120 Units Secondary Customers: Airline V, Airline U, Airline T, Airline S, Airline R Combined Total Yearly Potential: 376 Units Market Analysis Cost challenges for airlines increasing. Products with lower purchase prices, and that decrease fuel usage have an increased competitive advantage in purchasing decisions. Low-cost airline model is rapidly growing. The low-cost airline model aligns naturally with the XYZ marketing approach of low-cost, high-quality products. Regional jet fleet will double in size over the next decade. Embraer is forecasted to be the market leader in this segment, capturing 40.1% of the new deliveries, and combining this growth with low competition for the coffee maker business, makes this market segment an attractive growth market. FAA-PMA acceptance is increasing. FAA-PMA part cost advantage and widespread acceptance provides and attractive alternative for cost-conscious airlines. Positioning, Value Proposition (Benefits) • Lower Part Price. Because of its 25% lower price than the nearest competitor, XYZ’s coffee maker will save customers $2900 to$7940 per aircraft per year. • Lower Weight Decreases Operational Costs. XYZ’s weight decrease of 3 lbs/plane over competitors’ products will decrease yearly fuel consumption by 508 gallons, saving operators $1010 per aircraft per year in fuel expenses. • Industry Leading Quality – XYZ leads the industry in product quality, as it is the only supplier that tests its coffee makers 100• Industry Leading Customer Service and Support – XYZ is “big enough to matter, and small enough to care”, and this is exemplified in our first class customer service and support via a combination of 24/7distributor support and XYZ direct relationships. Our distributors maintain inventories worldwide, and have parts available in 24hrs or less 95 XYZ Product Features • Increased Coffee Holding Capacity - Longer life for reduced operating cost. • Lighter Weight – Save fuel, for greener, lower-cost operations. • 100• Superior Packaging – Parts arrive intact, allowing inventory levels to be minimized. • FAA-PMA Approved – FAA approval frees up engineering resources for other tasks. Sales and Marketing Strategy Airlines will buy the product from XYZ’s distributors AAA and BBB, and XYZ will guide and support sales activity via its internal sales staff. The Ascend database will be utilized to identify fleet ownership and to monitor fleet operational hours, and this information will be used to target airlines that XYZ has current relationships with and those with substantial fleets. Customers will be targeted, using a sales progression strategy that builds on early successes. After launching the product with Airline X in late 2009, sales will first focus on airlines with existing relationships, and then extend to new customers in 2011-2013. A prototype of the product will be showcased by AAA at the 2009 Paris Air show, and actual product will be displayed by AAA at the 2010 Singapore Air show and London Air show to develop market awareness of the product. Leads for new customers will be generated via attendance in aviation purchasing and maintenance conferences including the ACPC and CCMA shows. Product training will be conducted with all sales personnel at AAA and BBB, as well as conducting co-visits to airlines for new sales, continuing the relationship based selling approach XYZ has successfully utilized in the large commercial aviation appliance market segment. Traditional collateral material will be available, including a product catalog, marketing brochures, data pack, and inclusion online at www.XYZ.com. Financial/Business Case Estimates are based on sales to Airline W, Airline Y, Airline Z and Airline X of 370 units in 2009, with unit sales increasing at a yearly rate of 15.4$4350 proposed retail price, forecasted sales revenue is $134,120 per month in 2010. Development costs for the product are estimated at$516,830, and capital equipment purchases required for product launch are estimated at $110,450. The product is projected to show profitability by September 2010, with a NPV of$2,352,350 using a conservative discount rate of 20%, and an IRR of 129%. Competitive Products XYZ’s product is unique in that it offers the best value for this application, as it has the lightest weight and price resulting in the lowest operating costs, and has the longest life and quality on par with the higher priced OEM product. Competitors for aftermarket sales are Competitor C (Competitor A) and Competitor B, with prices of $832 and$580, respectively. The closest competing product is the Competitor B coffee maker, as design and performance is similar, but XYZ’s quality and packaging is superior. The Competitor C coffee maker manufactured by Competitor A, is the market leader, due to its OEM status and higher quality components, but is vulnerable to lower cost competition. XYZ’s primary advantage will be it’s lower sales price and lower weight, which combine to reduce yearly operating costs of the Embraer ERJ-170/190 aircraft by $3910 to$8950. Product Schedule The product development schedule estimate is a development period lasting eight months, starting in May 2009 and concluding with FAA-PMA approval in December 2009. The schedule is achievable utilizing existing personnel, with a probability of on-time completion of 67% when compared to completion times of similar products in the last three years. Conclusions & Recommendations This product feasibility plan concludes that: 1. There is a sizeable market for the product, and customer alignment exists with XYZ’s high-value sales philosophy. 2. The product is extremely attractive financially – high NPV, rapid payback and not sensitive to discount rate. 3. XYZ can leverage its existing airline relationships to secure rapid product placement. 4. XYZ can offer a superior product, preventing price-only competition and the high-margin allows for profitability to be maintained if price does erode. 5. The product requires minimal capital equipment investment, decreasing investment risk, and improves utilization of existing assets. Based on the conclusions reached during development of this feasibility plan, it is recommended that XYZ: 1. Fund this project and begin Development in May 2009. 2. Conduct full-blown marketing study to validate market potential, and improve market knowledge. 3. Develop detailed project schedule, identifying critical path and resource requirements to ensure launch deadline of January 1, 2010 is met