59,324 research outputs found
State Prescription Drug Price Web Sites: How Useful to Consumers?
Compares ten sites and identifies key limitations due to data omissions, gaps between insured and uninsured consumers, and varied program implementation. Presents alternative policy options such as requiring price lists from pharmacies
Are Black Holes Elementary Particles?
Quantum black holes are the smallest and heaviest conceivable elementary
particles. They have a microscopic size but a macroscopic mass. Several
fundamental types have been constructed with some remarkable properties.
Quantum black holes in the neighborhood of the Galaxy could resolve the paradox
of ultra-high energy cosmic rays detected in Earth's atmosphere. They may also
play a role as dark matter in cosmology.Comment: Lecture delivered in Conference on Particle Physics, Astrophysics and
Quantum Field Theory: 75 Years since Solvay, 27 -29 November 2008, Nanyang
Executive Centre, Singapore. 10 page
First-Fit is Linear on Posets Excluding Two Long Incomparable Chains
A poset is (r + s)-free if it does not contain two incomparable chains of
size r and s, respectively. We prove that when r and s are at least 2, the
First-Fit algorithm partitions every (r + s)-free poset P into at most
8(r-1)(s-1)w chains, where w is the width of P. This solves an open problem of
Bosek, Krawczyk, and Szczypka (SIAM J. Discrete Math., 23(4):1992--1999, 2010).Comment: v3: fixed some typo
Spatial Control of Photoemitted Electron Beams using a Micro-Lens-Array Transverse-Shaping Technique
A common issue encountered in photoemission electron sources used in electron
accelerators is the transverse inhomogeneity of the laser distribution
resulting from the laser-amplification process and often use of frequency up
conversion in nonlinear crystals. A inhomogeneous laser distribution on the
photocathode produces charged beams with lower beam quality. In this paper, we
explore the possible use of microlens arrays (fly-eye light condensers) to
dramatically improve the transverse uniformity of the drive laser pulse on UV
photocathodes. We also demonstrate the use of such microlens arrays to generate
transversely-modulated electron beams and present a possible application to
diagnose the properties of a magnetized beam.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1609.0166
The best practice for preparation of samples from FTA®cards for diagnosis of blood borne infections using African trypanosomes as a model system
Background: Diagnosis of blood borne infectious diseases relies primarily on the detection of the causative agent
in the blood sample. Molecular techniques offer sensitive and specific tools for this although considerable
difficulties exist when using these approaches in the field environment. In large scale epidemiological studies,
FTA®cards are becoming increasingly popular for the rapid collection and archiving of a large number of samples.
However, there are some difficulties in the downstream processing of these cards which is essential for the
accurate diagnosis of infection. Here we describe recommendations for the best practice approach for sample
processing from FTA®cards for the molecular diagnosis of trypanosomiasis using PCR.
Results: A comparison of five techniques was made. Detection from directly applied whole blood was less
sensitive (35.6%) than whole blood which was subsequently eluted from the cards using Chelex®100 (56.4%).
Better apparent sensitivity was achieved when blood was lysed prior to application on the FTA cards (73.3%)
although this was not significant. This did not improve with subsequent elution using Chelex®100 (73.3%) and was
not significantly different from direct DNA extraction from blood in the field (68.3%).
Conclusions: Based on these results, the degree of effort required for each of these techniques and the difficulty
of DNA extraction under field conditions, we recommend that blood is transferred onto FTA cards whole followed
by elution in Chelex®100 as the best approach
Dynamic instability transitions in 1D driven diffusive flow with nonlocal hopping
One-dimensional directed driven stochastic flow with competing nonlocal and
local hopping events has an instability threshold from a populated phase into
an empty-road (ER) phase. We implement this in the context of the asymmetric
exclusion process. The nonlocal skids promote strong clustering in the
stationary populated phase. Such clusters drive the dynamic phase transition
and determine its scaling properties. We numerically establish that the
instability transition into the ER phase is second order in the regime where
the entry point reservoir controls the current and first order in the regime
where the bulk is in control. The first order transition originates from a
turn-about of the cluster drift velocity. At the critical line, the current
remains analytic, the road density vanishes linearly, and fluctuations scale as
uncorrelated noise. A self-consistent cluster dynamics analysis explains why
these scaling properties remain that simple.Comment: 11 pages, 14 figures (25 eps files); revised as the publised versio
Horizon Mass Theorem
A new theorem for black holes is found. It is called the horizon mass
theorem. The horizon mass is the mass which cannot escape from the horizon of a
black hole. For all black holes: neutral, charged or rotating, the horizon mass
is always twice the irreducible mass observed at infinity. Previous theorems on
black holes are: 1. the singularity theorem, 2. the area theorem, 3. the
uniqueness theorem, 4. the positive energy theorem. The horizon mass theorem is
possibly the last general theorem for classical black holes. It is crucial for
understanding Hawking radiation and for investigating processes occurring near
the horizon.Comment: A new theorem for black holes is establishe
Regulation of eosinophilia and allergic airway inflammation by the glycan-binding protein galectin-1
Galectin-1 (Gal-1), a glycan-binding protein with broad antiinflammatory activities, functions as a proresolving mediator in autoimmune and chronic inflammatory disorders. However, its role in allergic airway inflammation has not yet been elucidated. We evaluated the effects of Gal-1 on eosinophil function and its role in a mouse model of allergic asthma. Allergen exposure resulted in airway recruitment of Gal-1-expressing inflammatory cells, including eosinophils, as well as increased Gal-1 in extracellular spaces in the lungs. In vitro, extracellular Gal-1 exerted divergent effects on eosinophils that were N-glycan- And dose-dependent. At concentrations ≤0.25 μM, Gal-1 increased eosinophil adhesion to vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, caused redistribution of integrin CD49d to the periphery and cell clustering, but inhibited ERK(1/2) activation and eotaxin-1-induced migration. Exposure to concentrations ≥1 μM resulted in ERK(1/2)- dependent apoptosis and disruption of the F- Actin cytoskeleton. At lower concentrations, Gal-1 did not alter expression of adhesion molecules (CD49d, CD18, CD11a, CD11b, L-selectin) or of the chemokine receptor CCR3, but decreased CD49d and CCR3 was observed in eosinophils treated with higher concentrations of this lectin. In vivo, allergen-challenged Gal-1-deficient mice exhibited increased recruitment of eosinophils and CD3+ T lymphocytes in the airways as well as elevated peripheral blood and bone marrow eosinophils relative to corresponding WT mice. Further, these mice had an increased propensity to develop airway hyperresponsiveness and displayed significantly elevated levels of TNF-α in lung tissue. This study suggests that Gal-1 can limit eosinophil recruitment to allergic airways and suppresses airway inflammation by inhibiting cell migration and promoting eosinophil apoptosis.Fil: Ge, Xiao Na. University of Minnesota; Estados UnidosFil: Ha, Sung Gil. University of Minnesota; Estados UnidosFil: Greenberg, Yana G.. University of Minnesota; Estados UnidosFil: Rao, Amrita. University of Minnesota; Estados UnidosFil: Bastan, Idil. University of Minnesota; Estados UnidosFil: Blidner, Ada Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Rao, Savita P.. University of Minnesota; Estados UnidosFil: Rabinovich, Gabriel Adrián. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Sriramarao, P.. University of Minnesota; Estados Unido
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