440 research outputs found
Estimating the Effect of Poker Room Promotions on Player Traffic
This paper examines the impact of poker room promotions on player traffic in casino-based poker rooms. Casinos regularly spend significant portions of their marketing budget on promotions, including free-play, item-based offers, complementary hotel rooms, and travel reimbursements (among others), in an effort to drive casino traffic. Poker room promotions, by contrast, are unique within the context of casino promotions because they are both player-funded and paid in cash. Despite these significant differences between poker room and other casino promotions, prior research has not provided empirical evidence on the effectiveness of poker room promotions. Using collected data on casino-based poker games and poker room promotions over an eight-month period, we present an analysis investigating the impact of common types of poker room promotions on player traffic. Our research conclusively demonstrates a consistently strong positive effect of poker room promotions on player traffic. This research offers a number of important insights not only for the gaming industry, but also for other industries which make use of a variety of promotion types (e.g. retail, hospitality and tourism, etc.)
Consistency between ARPES and STM measurements on SmB
Strongly correlated topological surface states are promising platforms for
next-generation quantum applications, but they remain elusive in real
materials. The correlated Kondo insulator SmB is one of the most promising
candidates, with theoretically predicted heavy Dirac surface states supported
by transport and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) experiments. However, a
puzzling discrepancy appears between STM and angle-resolved photoemission
(ARPES) experiments on SmB. Although ARPES detects spin-textured surface
states, their velocity is an order of magnitude higher than expected, while the
Dirac point -- the hallmark of any topological system -- can only be inferred
deep within the bulk valence band. A significant challenge is that SmB
lacks a natural cleavage plane, resulting in ordered surface domains limited to
10s of nanometers. Here we use STM to show that surface band bending can shift
energy features by 10s of meV between domains. Starting from our STM spectra,
we simulate the full spectral function as an average over multiple domains with
different surface potentials. Our simulation shows excellent agreement with
ARPES data, and thus resolves the apparent discrepancy between large-area
measurements that average over multiple band-shifted domains and
atomically-resolved measurements within a single domain
Topological Schr\"odinger cats: Non-local quantum superpositions of topological defects
Topological defects (such as monopoles, vortex lines, or domain walls) mark
locations where disparate choices of a broken symmetry vacuum elsewhere in the
system lead to irreconcilable differences. They are energetically costly (the
energy density in their core reaches that of the prior symmetric vacuum) but
topologically stable (the whole manifold would have to be rearranged to get rid
of the defect). We show how, in a paradigmatic model of a quantum phase
transition, a topological defect can be put in a non-local superposition, so
that - in a region large compared to the size of its core - the order parameter
of the system is "undecided" by being in a quantum superposition of conflicting
choices of the broken symmetry. We demonstrate how to exhibit such a
"Schr\"odinger kink" by devising a version of a double-slit experiment suitable
for topological defects. Coherence detectable in such experiments will be
suppressed as a consequence of interaction with the environment. We analyze
environment-induced decoherence and discuss its role in symmetry breaking.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure
GALEX UV Color Relations for Nearby Early-Type Galaxies
We use GALEX/optical photometry to construct color-color relationships for
early-type galaxies sorted by morphological type. We have matched objects in
the GALEX GR1 public release and the first IR1.1 internal release, with the RC3
early-type galaxies having a morphological type -5.5<T<-1.5 with mean error in
T<1.5, and mean error on (B-V)T<0.05. After visual inspection of each match, we
are left with 130 galaxies with a reliable GALEX pipeline photometry in the
far-UV and near-UV bands. This sample is divided into Ellipticals (-5.5<T<-3.5)
and Lenticulars (-3.5<T<-1.5). After correction for the Galactic extinction,
the color-color diagrams FUV-NUV vs. (B-V)_{Tc} are plotted for the two
subsamples. We find a tight anti-correlation between the FUV-NUV and (B-V)_{Tc}
colors for Ellipticals, the UV color getting bluer when the (B-V)_{Tc} get
redder. This relationship very likely is an extension of the color-metallicity
relationship into the GALEX NUV band. We suspect that the main source of the
correlation is metal line blanketing in the NUV band. The FUV-NUV vs B-V
correlation has larger scatter for lenticular galaxies; we speculate this
reflects the presence of low level star formation. If the latter objects (i.e.
those that are blue both in FUV-NUV and B-V) are interpreted as harboring
recent star formation activity, this would be the case for a few percent (~4%)
of Ellipticals and ~15% of Lenticulars; this would make about 10% of early-type
galaxies with residual star formation in our full sample of 130 early-type
galaxies. We also plot FUV-NUV vs. the Mg_2 index and central velocity
dispersion. We find a tight anti-correlation between FUV-NUV and the Mg_2
index(...).Comment: 25 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in ApJS (abstract
abridged), typos corrected in section 2.
Combination stem cell therapy for heart failure
Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) that are not eligible for transplantation have limited therapeutic options. Stem cell therapy such as autologous bone marrow, mobilized peripheral blood, or purified cells thereof has been used clinically since 2001. To date over 1000 patients have received cellular therapy as part of randomized trials, with the general consensus being that a moderate but statistically significant benefit occurs. Therefore, one of the important next steps in the field is optimization. In this paper we discuss three ways to approach this issue: a) increasing stem cell migration to the heart; b) augmenting stem cell activity; and c) combining existing stem cell therapies to recapitulate a "therapeutic niche". We conclude by describing a case report of a heart failure patient treated with a combination stem cell protocol in an attempt to augment beneficial aspects of cord blood CD34 cells and mesenchymal-like stem cells
Probing the Intermediate-Age Globular Clusters in NGC 5128 from Ultraviolet Observations
We explore the age distribution of the globular cluster (GC) system of the
nearby elliptical galaxy NGC 5128 using ultraviolet (UV) photometry from Galaxy
Evolution Explorer (GALEX) observations, with UV - optical colors used as the
age indicator. Most GCs in NGC 5128 follow the general trends of GCs in M31 and
Milky Way in UV - optical color-color diagram, which indicates that the
majority of GCs in NGC 5128 are old similar to the age range of old GCs in M31
and Milky Way. A large fraction of spectroscopically identified
intermediate-age GC (IAGC) candidates with ~ 3-8 Gyr are not detected in the
FUV passband. Considering the nature of intermediate-age populations being
faint in the far-UV (FUV) passband, we suggest that many of the
spectroscopically identified IAGCs may be truly intermediate in age. This is in
contrast to the case of M31 where a large fraction of spectroscopically
suggested IAGCs are detected in FUV and therefore may not be genuine IAGCs but
rather older GCs with developed blue horizontal branch stars. Our UV photometry
strengthens the results previously suggesting the presence of GC and stellar
subpopulation with intermediate age in NGC 5128. The existence of IAGCs
strongly indicates the occurrence of at least one more major star formation
episode after a starburst at high redshift.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, accepted for ApJ Lette
Pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and biomarker evaluation of transforming growth factor-β receptor I kinase inhibitor, galunisertib, in phase 1 study in patients with advanced cancer
Purpose Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling plays a key role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of tumors, including malignant glioma. Small molecule inhibitors (SMI) blocking TGF-β signaling reverse EMT and arrest tumor progression. Several SMIs were developed, but currently only LY2157299 monohydrate (galunisertib) was advanced to clinical investigation. Design The first-in-human dose study had three parts (Part A, dose escalation, n = 39; Part B, safety combination with lomustine, n = 26; Part C, relative bioavailability study, n = 14). Results A preclinical pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model predicted a therapeutic window up to 300 mg/day and was confirmed in Part A after continuous PK/PD. PK was not affected by co-medications such as enzyme-inducing anti-epileptic drugs or proton pump inhibitors. Changes in pSMAD2 levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were associated with exposure indicating target-related pharmacological activity of galunisertib. Twelve (12/79; 15 %) patients with refractory/relapsed malignant glioma had durable stable disease (SD) for 6 or more cycles, partial responses (PR), or complete responses (CR). These patients with clinical benefit had high plasma baseline levels of MDC/CCL22 and low protein expression of pSMAD2 in their tumors. Of the 5 patients with IDH1/2 mutation, 4 patients had a clinical benefit as defined by CR/PR and SD ≥6 cycles. Galunisertib had a favorable toxicity profile and no cardiac adverse events. Conclusion Based on the PK, PD, and biomarker evaluations, the intermittent administration of galunisertib at 300 mg/day is safe for future clinical investigation
The Look-back Time Evolution of Far-Ultraviolet Flux from the Brightest Cluster Elliptical Galaxies at z < 0.2
We present the GALEX UV photometry of the elliptical galaxies in Abell
clusters at moderate redshifts (z < 0.2) for the study of the look-back time
evolution of the UV upturn phenomenon. The brightest elliptical galaxies (M_r <
-22) in 12 remote clusters are compared with the nearby giant elliptical
galaxies of comparable optical luminosity in the Fornax and Virgo clusters. The
sample galaxies presented here appear to be quiescent without signs of massive
star formation or strong nuclear activity, and show smooth, extended profiles
in their UV images indicating that the far-UV (FUV) light is mostly produced by
hot stars in the underlying old stellar population. Compared to their
counterparts in nearby clusters, the FUV flux of cluster giant elliptical
galaxies at moderate redshifts fades rapidly with ~ 2 Gyrs of look-back time,
and the observed pace in FUV - V color evolution agrees reasonably well with
the prediction from the population synthesis models where the dominant FUV
source is hot horizontal-branch stars and their progeny. A similar amount of
color spread (~ 1 mag) in FUV - V exists among the brightest cluster elliptical
galaxies at z ~ 0.1, as observed among the nearby giant elliptical galaxies of
comparable optical luminosity.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Special GALEX ApJ Supplement,
December 200
Global Profiling of Rice and Poplar Transcriptomes Highlights Key Conserved Circadian-Controlled Pathways and cis-Regulatory Modules
Circadian clocks provide an adaptive advantage through anticipation of daily and seasonal environmental changes. In plants, the central clock oscillator is regulated by several interlocking feedback loops. It was shown that a substantial proportion of the Arabidopsis genome cycles with phases of peak expression covering the entire day. Synchronized transcriptome cycling is driven through an extensive network of diurnal and clock-regulated transcription factors and their target cis-regulatory elements. Study of the cycling transcriptome in other plant species could thus help elucidate the similarities and differences and identify hubs of regulation common to monocot and dicot plants.Using a combination of oligonucleotide microarrays and data mining pipelines, we examined daily rhythms in gene expression in one monocotyledonous and one dicotyledonous plant, rice and poplar, respectively. Cycling transcriptomes were interrogated under different diurnal (driven) and circadian (free running) light and temperature conditions. Collectively, photocycles and thermocycles regulated about 60% of the expressed nuclear genes in rice and poplar. Depending on the condition tested, up to one third of oscillating Arabidopsis-poplar-rice orthologs were phased within three hours of each other suggesting a high degree of conservation in terms of rhythmic gene expression. We identified clusters of rhythmically co-expressed genes and searched their promoter sequences to identify phase-specific cis-elements, including elements that were conserved in the promoters of Arabidopsis, poplar, and rice.Our results show that the cycling patterns of many circadian clock genes are highly conserved across poplar, rice, and Arabidopsis. The expression of many orthologous genes in key metabolic and regulatory pathways is diurnal and/or circadian regulated and phased to similar times of day. Our results confirm previous findings in Arabidopsis of three major classes of cis-regulatory modules within the plant circadian network: the morning (ME, GBOX), evening (EE, GATA), and midnight (PBX/TBX/SBX) modules. Identification of identical overrepresented motifs in the promoters of cycling genes from different species suggests that the core diurnal/circadian cis-regulatory network is deeply conserved between mono- and dicotyledonous species
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