BAYESIAN DECISION STRATEGIES APPLIED TO PRODUCTION AND MARKETING DECISIONS FOR COW-CALF FARMS IN THE SHENANDOAH AREA OF VIRGINIA

Livestock Production/Industries,

Design and Development of Genetic Circuit Optimizer

Analog designers are interested in using optimization tools which may automate the process of transistor sizing. Genetic Algorithm (GA) uses the length and width variables of MOSFET to optimize the size of transistors in Matlab environment. The interface of few MOSFET parameters from circuit simulator PSpice to GA in Matlab was designed and demonstrated by a simple circuit

RLC effects in fine pitch anisotropic conductive film connections

The resistance, capacitance and inductance of Anisotropic Conductive Film (ACF) connections determine their high frequency electrical characteristics. The presence of capacitance and inductance in the ACF joint contributes to time delays and crosstalk noise as well as simultaneous switching noise (SSN) within the circuit. The purpose of this paper is to establish an experimental method for estimating the capacitance and inductance of a typical ACF connection. This can help to provide a more detailed understanding of the high frequency performance of ACF assemblies. Design/methodology/approach Experiments on the transient response of an ACF joint were performed using a digital oscilloscope capable of achieving the required ns resolution. An equivalent circuit model is proposed in order to quantify the capacitance (C) and inductance (L) of a typical ACF connection and this model is fitted to the experimental data. The equivalent model consisted of two resistors, an inductor, and a capacitor. Findings The capacitance and inductance of a typical ACF connection were estimated from the measured transient response using Kirchhoff's Voltage Law. The method for estimation of R, L, and C from the transient response is discussed, as are the RLC effects on the high frequency electrical characteristics of the ACF connection. Research limitations/implications There was decay time deviation between the calculation and the experiment. It may be resulted from the skin effect in the high frequency response and the adhesive surrounding joint as well. The main reason may be the capacitance dielectric lost. Further research work will be done to test the dielectric lost in the ACA joint. What is original/value of paper This paper presents a new method to characterise the high frequency properties of ACA interconnections and will be of use to engineers evaluating the performance of ACF materials in high frequency applications

On walls of marginal stability in N=2 string theories

We study the properties of walls of marginal stability for BPS decays in a class of N=2 theories. These theories arise in N=2 string compactifications obtained as freely acting orbifolds of N=4 theories, such theories include the STU model and the FHSV model. The cross sections of these walls for a generic decay in the axion-dilaton plane reduce to lines or circles. From the continuity properties of walls of marginal stability we show that central charges of BPS states do not vanish in the interior of the moduli space. Given a charge vector of a BPS state corresponding to a large black hole in these theories, we show that all walls of marginal stability intersect at the same point in the lower half of the axion-dilaton plane. We isolate a class of decays whose walls of marginal stability always lie in a region bounded by walls formed by decays to small black holes. This enables us to isolate a region in moduli space for which no decays occur within this class. We then study entropy enigma decays for such models and show that for generic values of the moduli, that is when moduli are of order one compared to the charges, entropy enigma decays do not occur in these models.Comment: 40 pages, 2 figure

Dectin-1 Is A Major β-Glucan Receptor On Macrophages

Zymosan is a β-glucan– and mannan-rich particle that is widely used as a cellular activator for examining the numerous responses effected by phagocytes. The macrophage mannose receptor (MR) and complement receptor 3 (CR3) have historically been considered the major macrophage lectins involved in the nonopsonic recognition of these yeast-derived particles. Using specific carbohydrate inhibitors, we show that a β-glucan receptor, but not the MR, is a predominant receptor involved in this process. Furthermore, nonopsonic zymosan binding was unaffected by genetic CD11b deficiency or a blocking monoclonal antibody (mAb) against CR3, demonstrating that CR3 was not the β-glucan receptor mediating this activity. To address the role of the recently described β-glucan receptor, Dectin-1, we generated a novel anti–Dectin-1 mAb, 2A11. Using this mAb, we show here that Dectin-1 was almost exclusively responsible for the β-glucan–dependent, nonopsonic recognition of zymosan by primary macro-phages. These findings define Dectin-1 as the leukocyte β-glucan receptor, first described over 50 years ago, and resolves the long-standing controversy regarding the identity of this important molecule. Furthermore, these results identify Dectin-1 as a new target for examining the immunomodulatory properties of β-glucans for therapeutic drug design

Adenoviral expression of a bispecific VHH-based neutralizing agent that targets protective antigen provides prophylactic protection from anthrax in mice

Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, secretes three polypeptides, which form the bipartite lethal and edema toxins (LT and ET, respectively). The common component in these toxins, protective antigen (PA), is responsible for binding to cellular receptors and translocating the lethal factor (LF) and edema factor (EF) enzymatic moieties to the cytosol. Antibodies against PA protect against anthrax. We previously isolated toxin-neutralizing variable domains of camelid heavy-chain-only antibodies (VHHs) and demonstrated their in vivo efficacy. In this work, gene therapy with an adenoviral (Ad) vector (Ad/VNA2-PA) (VNA, VHH-based neutralizing agents) promoting the expression of a bispecific VHH-based neutralizing agent (VNA2-PA), consisting of two linked VHHs targeting different PA-neutralizing epitopes, was tested in two inbred mouse strains, BALB/cJ and C57BL/6J, and found to protect mice against anthrax toxin challenge and anthrax spore infection. Two weeks after a single treatment with Ad/VNA2-PA, serum VNA2-PA levels remained above 1 μg/ml, with some as high as 10 mg/ml. The levels were 10- to 100-fold higher and persisted longer in C57BL/6J than in BALB/cJ mice. Mice were challenged with a lethal dose of LT or spores at various times after Ad/VNA2-PA administration. The majority of BALB/cJ mice having serum VNA2-PA levels of >0.1 μg/ml survived LT challenge, and 9 of 10 C57BL/6J mice with serum levels of >1 μg/ml survived spore challenge. Our findings demonstrate the potential for genetic delivery of VNAs as an effective method for providing prophylactic protection from anthrax. We also extend prior findings of mouse strain-based differences in transgene expression and persistence by adenoviral vectors

Eccrine Porocarcinoma of the Skin is Rising in Incidence in the East of England

[No abstract available

Eccrine Porocarcinoma of the Skin is Rising in Incidence in the East of England

[No abstract available

Analysis of Second Order Dispersion on Free Space Optical Propagation

Free space optic (FSO) can be regarded as a potential and attractive option to fiber optic. FSO has the ability to go beyond the limit of fiber optics. Unfortunately, due to the dispersion effect in the atmosphere, FSO suffers from signal loss and attenuation. Thus, practical and detailed research is needed to improve the system. Simulation on FSO propagation using measured parameter values is important to gain better understanding and level of accuracy on the pulse behavior in free space. Using MATLAB as the simulation platform and with the help of experimental parameter values, an accurate model can be obtained and studied. This will allow some level of prediction on the behavior of the propagating light pulse in the atmosphere and subsequently the FSO performance can be further improve