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Persistence of UK Real Estate returns: a Markov chain analysis
The persistence of investment performance is a topic of perennial interest to investors. Efficient Markets theory tells us that past performance can not be used to predict future performance yet investors appear to be influenced by the historical performance in making their investment allocation decisions. The problem has been of particular interest to investors in real estate; not least because reported returns from investment in real estate are serially correlated thus implying some persistence in investment performance. This paper applies the established approach of Markov Chain analysis to investigate the relationship between past and present performance of UK real estate over the period 1981 to 1996. The data are analysed by sector, region and size. Furthermore some variations in investment performance classification are reported and the results are shown to be robust
Gene doctoring: a method for recombineering in laboratory and pathogenic Escherichia coli strains
Background: Homologous recombination mediated by the lambda-Red genes is a common method for making chromosomal modifications in Escherichia coli. Several protocols have been developed that differ in the mechanisms by which DNA, carrying regions homologous to the chromosome, are delivered into the cell. A common technique is to electroporate linear DNA fragments into cells. Alternatively, DNA fragments are generated in vivo by digestion of a donor plasmid with a nuclease that does not cleave the host genome. In both cases the lambda-Red gene products recombine homologous regions carried on the linear DNA fragments with the chromosome. We have successfully used both techniques to generate chromosomal mutations in E. coli K-12 strains. However, we have had limited success with these lambda-Red based recombination techniques in pathogenic E. coli strains, which has led us to develop an enhanced protocol for recombineering in such strains. \ud
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Results: Our goal was to develop a high-throughput recombineering system, primarily for the coupling of genes to epitope tags, which could also be used for deletion of genes in both pathogenic and K-12 E. coli strains. To that end we have designed a series of donor plasmids for use with the lambda-Red recombination system, which when cleaved in vivo by the I-SceI meganuclease generate a discrete linear DNA fragment, allowing for C-terminal tagging of chromosomal genes with a 6xHis, 3xFLAG, 4xProteinA or GFP tag or for the deletion of chromosomal regions. We have enhanced existing protocols and technologies by inclusion of a cassette conferring kanamycin resistance and, crucially, by including the sacB gene on the donor plasmid, so that all but true recombinants are counter-selected on kanamycin and sucrose containing media, thus eliminating the need for extensive screening. This method has the added advantage of limiting the exposure of cells to the potential damaging effects of the lambda-Red system, which can lead to unwanted secondary alterations to the chromosome. \ud
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Conclusion: We have developed a counter-selective recombineering technique for epitope tagging or for deleting genes in E. coli. We have demonstrated the versatility of the technique by modifying the chromosome of the enterohaemorrhagic O157:H7 (EHEC), uropathogenic CFT073 (UPEC), enteroaggregative O42 (EAEC) and enterotoxigenic H10407 (ETEC) E. coli strains as well as in K-12 laboratory strains
Dynamic criticality in glass-forming liquids
We propose that the dynamics of supercooled liquids and the formation of
glasses can be understood from the existence of a zero temperature dynamical
critical point. To support our proposal, we derive from simple physical
assumptions a dynamic field theory for supercooled liquids, which we study
using the renormalization group (RG). Its long time behaviour is dominated by a
zero temperature critical point, which for dimensions d > 2 belongs to the
directed percolation universality class. Molecular dynamics simulations confirm
the existence of dynamic scaling behaviour consistent with the RG predictions.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
Culex tarsalis is a competent vector species for Cache Valley virus
Background: Cache Valley virus (CVV) is a mosquito-borne orthobunyavirus endemic in North America. The virus is
an important agricultural pathogen leading to abortion and embryonic lethality in ruminant species, especially
sheep. The importance of CVV in human public health has recently increased because of the report of severe
neurotropic diseases. However, mosquito species responsible for transmission of the virus to humans remain to be
determined. In this study, vector competence of three Culex species mosquitoes of public health importance, Culex
pipiens, Cx. tarsalis and Cx. quinquefasciatus, was determined in order to identify potential bridge vector species
responsible for the transmission of CVV from viremic vertebrate hosts to humans.
Results: Variation of susceptibility to CVV was observed among selected Culex species mosquitoes tested in this
study. Per os infection resulted in the establishment of infection and dissemination in Culex tarsalis, whereas Cx.
pipiens and Cx. quinquefasciatus were highly refractory to CVV. Detection of viral RNA in saliva collected from
infected Cx. tarsalis provided evidence supporting its role as a competent vector.
Conclusions: Our study provided further understanding of the transmission cycles of CVV and identifies Cx. tarsalis
as a competent vector
Dephasing Times in a Non-degenerate Two-Dimensional Electron Gas
Studies of weak localization by scattering from vapor atoms for electrons on
a liquid helium surface are reported. There are three contributions to the
dephasing time. Dephasing by the motion of vapor atoms perpendicular to the
surface is studied by varying the holding field to change the characteristic
width of the electron layer at the surface. A change in vapor density alters
the quasi-elastic scattering length and the dephasing due to the motion of
atoms both perpendicular and parallel to the surface. Dephasing due to the
electron-electron interaction is dependent on the electron density.Comment: 4 pages, Revte
Gravitational Waves from Core Collapse Supernovae
We present the gravitational wave signatures for a suite of axisymmetric core
collapse supernova models with progenitors masses between 12 and 25 solar
masses. These models are distinguished by the fact they explode and contain
essential physics (in particular, multi-frequency neutrino transport and
general relativity) needed for a more realistic description. Thus, we are able
to compute complete waveforms (i.e., through explosion) based on
non-parameterized, first-principles models. This is essential if the waveform
amplitudes and time scales are to be computed more precisely. Fourier
decomposition shows that the gravitational wave signals we predict should be
observable by AdvLIGO across the range of progenitors considered here. The
fundamental limitation of these models is in their imposition of axisymmetry.
Further progress will require counterpart three-dimensional models.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure
Electrical properties of Bi-implanted amorphous chalcogenide films
The impact of Bi implantation on the conductivity and the thermopower of
amorphous chalcogenide films is investigated. Incorporation of Bi in Ge-Sb-Te
and GeTe results in enhanced conductivity. The negative Seebeck coefficient
confirms onset of the electron conductivity in GeTe implanted with Bi at a dose
of 2x1016 cm-2. The enhanced conductivity is accompanied by defect accumulation
in the films upon implantation as is inferred by using analysis of the
space-charge limited current. The results indicate that native coordination
defects in lone-pair semiconductors can be deactivated by means of ion
implantation, and higher conductivity of the films stems from additional
electrically active defects created by implantation of bismuth.Comment: This is an extended version of the results presented in Proc. SPIE
8982, 898213 (2014
Miniature Toroidal Radio Frequency Ion Trap Mass Analyzer
A miniature ion trap mass analyzer is reported. The described analyzer is a 1/5-scale version of a previously reported toroidal radio frequency (rf) ion trap mass analyzer. The toroidal ion trap operates with maximum rf trapping voltages about 1 kVp-p or less; however despite the reduced dimensions, it retains roughly the same ion trapping capacity as conventional 3D quadrupole ion traps. The curved geometry provides for a compact mass analyzer. Unit-mass resolved mass spectra for n-butylbenzene, xenon, and naphthalene are reported and preliminary sensitivity data are shown for naphthalene. The expected linear mass scale with rf amplitude scan is obtained when scanned using a conventional mass-selective instability scan mode combined with resonance ejection
Wave Propagation in Stochastic Spacetimes: Localization, Amplification and Particle Creation
Here we study novel effects associated with electromagnetic wave propagation
in a Robertson-Walker universe and the Schwarzschild spacetime with a small
amount of metric stochasticity. We find that localization of electromagnetic
waves occurs in a Robertson-Walker universe with time-independent metric
stochasticity, while time-dependent metric stochasticity induces exponential
instability in the particle production rate. For the Schwarzschild metric,
time-independent randomness can decrease the total luminosity of Hawking
radiation due to multiple scattering of waves outside the black hole and gives
rise to event horizon fluctuations and thus fluctuations in the Hawking
temperature.Comment: 26 pages, 1 Postscript figure, submitted to Phys. Rev. D on July 29,
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