374 research outputs found
Parallel (//) ELLPACK: An Expert System for Parallel Processing of Partial Differential Equations
Ablowitz-Ladik system with discrete potential. I. Extended resolvent
Ablowitz-Ladik linear system with range of potential equal to {0,1} is
considered. The extended resolvent operator of this system is constructed and
the singularities of this operator are analyzed in detail.Comment: To be published in Theor. Math. Phy
Linking functional with personal income distribution: a stock-flow consistent approach
© 2015 Taylor & Francis. This paper develops a benchmark stock-flow consistent model that links functional with personal income distribution. The model consists of various household groups that receive income from different sources or from the same sources in different proportions. The dynamic linkage between functional and personal income distribution is formulated as part of a complete macroeconomic system. Inequality decomposition techniques are employed to associate income sources with personal income distribution. Simulation exercises are conducted to reveal the various ways through which functional and personal income distribution interact. In the simulations, a rise in the exogenous component of low-skilled workers’ wage share reduces inequality in the short run; in the medium to long run inequality starts increasing due to certain macroeconomic developments, but remains lower than its initial level in almost all cases. A change in functional income distribution due to a rise in the dividend payout ratio of firms increases inequality both in the short run and the long run
Differences in Inflammatory Markers between Nulliparous Women Admitted to Hospitals in Preactive vs Active Labor
Objective To determine whether labor-associated inflammatory markers differ between low-risk, nulliparous women in preactive vs active labor at hospital admission and over time. Study Design Prospective comparative study of low-risk, nulliparous women with spontaneous labor onset at term (n = 118) sampled from 2 large Midwestern hospitals. Circulating concentrations of inflammatory markers were measured at admission and again 2 and 4 hours later: namely, neutrophil, and monocyte counts; and serum inflammatory cytokines (interleukin -1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-10) and chemokines (interleukin-8). Biomarker concentrations and their patterns of change over time were compared between preactive (n = 63) and active (n = 55) labor admission groups using Mann-Whitney U tests. Results Concentrations of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 in the active labor admission group were significantly higher than concentrations in the preactive labor admission group at all 3 time points. Neutrophil levels were significantly higher in the active group at 2 and 4 hours after admission. The rate of increase in neutrophils and interleukin-10 between admission and 2 hours later was faster in the active group (P \u3c .001 and P = .003, respectively). Conclusion Circulating concentrations of several inflammatory biomarkers are higher and their rate of change over time since admission is faster among low-risk, nulliparous women admitted to hospitals in active labor, as compared with those admitted in preactive labor. More research is needed to determine if progressive changes in inflammatory biomarkers might be a useful adjunct to improving the assessment of labor progression and determining the optimal timing of labor admission
Air transport liberalisation and airport dependency: developing a composite index
Air transport liberalisation in Europe has produced some major changes to the networks operated by airlines
and the services available at airports. Within this context the degree of airport dependency in terms
of market, spatial and temporal concentration is important to know from an economic geography and risk
management perspective. A composite index called the Airport Dependency Index (ADI) is developed to
measure airport dependency based on the concept of the relative Gini coefficient. Liberalisation has had
varying impacts depending on the size and type of airport and so a comparison is made of the degree of
dependency at a large sample of European airports using the ADI. The ADI has the potential to provide
insight on the sustainability and worthiness of financing airport projects, and on whether airports should diversify further their activities by investing in the growth and expansion of their network
Acute administration of the olive constituent, oleuropein, combined with ischemic postconditioning increases myocardial protection by modulating oxidative defense
Oleuropein, one of the main polyphenolic constituents of olive, is cardioprotective against ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI). We aimed to assess the cardioprotection afforded by acute administration of oleuropein and to evaluate the underlying mechanism. Importantly, since antioxidant therapies have yielded inconclusive results in attenuating IRI-induced damage on top of conditioning strategies, we investigated whether oleuropein could enhance or imbed the cardioprotective manifestation of ischemic postconditioning (PostC). Oleuropein, given during ischemia as a single intravenous bolus dose reduced the infarct size compared to the control group both in rabbits and mice subjected to myocardial IRI. None of the inhibitors of the cardioprotective pathways, l-NAME, wortmannin and AG490, influence its infarct size limiting effects. Combined oleuropein and PostC cause further limitation of infarct size in comparison with PostC alone in both animal models. Oleuropein did not inhibit the calcium induced mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening in isolated mitochondria and did not increase cGMP production. To provide further insights to the different cardioprotective mechanism of oleuropein, we sought to characterize its anti-inflammatory potential in vivo. Oleuropein, PostC and their combination reduce inflammatory monocytes infiltration into the heart and the circulating monocyte cell population. Oleuropein's mechanism of action involves a direct protective effect on cardiomyocytes since it significantly increased their viability following simulated IRI as compared to non-treated cells. Îźleuropein confers additive cardioprotection on top of PostC, via increasing the expression of the transcription factor Nrf-2 and its downstream targets in vivo. In conclusion, acute oleuropein administration during ischemia in combination with PostC provides robust and synergistic cardioprotection in experimental models of IRI by inducing antioxidant defense genes through Nrf-2 axis and independently of the classic cardioprotective signaling pathways (RISK, cGMP/PKG, SAFE)
Dynamic light scattering study on phase separation of a protein-water mixture: Application on cold cataract development in the ocular lens
We present a detailed dynamic light scattering study on the phase separation
in the ocular lens emerging during cold cataract development. Cold cataract is
a phase separation effect that proceeds via spinodal decomposition of the lens
cytoplasm with cooling. Intensity auto-correlation functions of the lens
protein content are analyzed with the aid of two methods providing information
on the populations and dynamics of the scattering elements associated with cold
cataract. It is found that the temperature dependence of many measurable
parameters changes appreciably at the characteristic temperature ~16+1 oC which
is associated with the onset of cold cataract. Extending the temperature range
of this work to previously inaccessible regimes, i.e. well below the phase
separation or coexistence curve at Tcc, we have been able to accurately
determine the temperature dependence of the collective and self-diffusion
coefficient of proteins near the spinodal. The analysis showed that the
dynamics of proteins bears some resemblance to the dynamics of structural
glasses where the apparent activation energy for particle diffusion increases
below Tcc indicating a highly cooperative motion. Application of ideas
developed for studying the critical dynamics of binary protein/solvent
mixtures, as well as the use of a modified Arrhenius equation, enabled us to
estimate the spinodal temperature Tsp of the lens nucleus. The applicability of
dynamic light scattering as a non-invasive, early-diagnostic tool for ocular
diseases is also demonstrated in the light of the findings of the present
paper
Engaging with literacy provision in the early years:language-use and emergent literacy in child-initiated play
Raman scattering study of the a-GeTe structure and possible mechanism for the amorphous-to-crystal transition
We report on an inelastic (Raman) light scattering study of the local
structure of amorphous GeTe films. A detailed analysis of the
temperature-reduced Raman spectra has shown that appreciable structural changes
occur as a function of temperature. These changes involve modifications of
atomic arrangements such as to facilitate the rapid amorphous-to-crystal
transformation, which is the major advantage of phase-change materials used in
optical data storage media. A particular structural model, supported by
polarization analysis, is proposed being compatible with the experimental data
as regards both the structure of a-GeTe and the crystallization transition. The
remarkable difference between the Raman spectrum of the crystal and the glass
can thus naturally be accounted for.Comment: Published in: J. Phys. Condens. Matter. 18, 965-979 (2006
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