Generalized Virial Theorem and Pressure Relation for a strongly correlated Fermi gas

For a two-component Fermi gas in the unitarity limit (ie, with infinite scattering length), there is a well-known virial theorem, first shown by J. E. Thomas et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 120402 (2005). A few people rederived this result, and extended it to few-body systems, but their results are all restricted to the unitarity limit. Here I show that there is a generalized virial theorem for FINITE scattering lengths. I also generalize an exact result concerning the pressure, first shown in cond-mat/0508320, to the case of imbalanced populations.Comment: 5 page

A Memory Model for Concept Hierarchy Representation and Commonsense Reasoning

Most associative memory models perform one level mapping between predefined sets of input and output patterns1 and are unable to represent hierarchical knowledge. Complex AI systems allow hierarchical representation of concepts, but generally do not have learning capabilities. In this paper, a memory model is proposed which forms concept hierarchy by learning sample relations between concepts. All concepts are represented in a concept layer. Relations between a concept and its defining lower level concepts, are chunked as cognitive codes represented in a coding layer. By updating memory contents in the concept layer through code firing in the coding layer, the system is able to perform an important class of commonsense reasoning, namely recognition and inheritance

Recombinant Adenovirus Expressing Anti-Cancer Gene in Colon Cancer Cell Explant in Mice

Gene therapy is an alternative method to cure or slow down the progression of malignant cancer. Recombinant adenovirus encoding viral protein 2 (VP2) (ADV-VP2) of very virulent infectious bursal disease virus (vvIBDV) was employed to eliminate cancer cells by apoptosis mechanism. Besides, another recombinant adenovirus encoding murine endostatin (ADV-endo) was constructed aiming to block the formation of new blood vessels that supply nutrients to tumor. Recombinant adenoviruses were found to express the VP2 gene at a significantly high level in cancer cells, especially adenocarcinomas, with the relative quantification (RQ) value from 149.58 to 233.12 fold 72 hour (hr) post-infection (p.i). However, only small traces of VP2 gene expression was found in non-cancer cells, with the RQ value ranging from 0.04 to 0.54 fold 72 hr p.i. The capacity of recombinant adenovirus to infect target cells is dependent on the level of coxsackievirus adenovirus receptor (CAR) available in each cell. DNA fragmentation test, TUNEL assay, FITC Annexin V/PI double staining quantification test and caspase tests were carried out to determine the apoptosis induction level by recombinant adenovirus as well as the apoptosis related pathway. All four apoptosis tests were in agreement with recombinant adenovirus induced apoptosis in cancer cells, particularly in MCF-7, CT26 and HepG2, but not in non-cancer cells. CT26 cells demonstrated DNA fragmentation as early as 24 hr p.i, followed by MCF-7 and HepG2 cells, which showed DNA fragments during 48 and 72 hr p.i. These three cancer cells indicated significantly higher apoptotic cells proportion via TUNEL assay and FITC Annexin V/PI double staining test, with the percentage of apoptotic cells ranging from 78.0% to 60.0%. Caspase tests indicated that recombinant adenovirus activated apoptosis at the late stage of infection, through the intrinsic pathway by caspase 2 (initiator caspase), then led to the activation caspase 3 (effector caspase). No apoptosis was detected in cancer cells infected with mock adenovirus vector, thus apoptosis induction was solely contributed by the inserted gene. Colon cancer cells explanted mice were used as a model for cancer therapy in the present study. Tumor size regression was found in multiple doses of recombinant adenovirus treated mice but no regression was found in control mice. Partial tumor size regression was observed in mice treated with 1 dose of ADV-VP2. Complete regression of tumor mass was observed in 5 out of 6 mice and 2 out of 6 mice treated with 3 and 2 doses of ADV-VP2, respectively. Combined treatment of ADV-VP2 and ADV-endo demonstrated prolong mice survival time for up to one month as compared to control mice. Female mice can survive 15 days longer than male mice which suffered from similar large tumor mass. Mouse organs of recombinant adenovirus treated groups were comparable to the control group due to the nature of adenovirus which transiently expressed. The gene expression level in mouse intestines were significantly higher than other organs, 93.06±1.82 fold in 3 doses ADV-VP2 treated mice. Findings collectively justified the ability of ADV-VP2 to induce apoptosis effectively in tumor mass upon booster administration. In conclusion, the combined administration of recombinant adenovirus (ADV-VP2 and ADV-endo) had therapeutic potential against cancer. Further investigation on the optimal dosage of combined therapy need to be carried out in order to achieve the augmentative effect of these constructs on cancer therapy

As Low Birth Weight Babies Grow, Can 'Good' Parents Buffer this Adverse Factor? A Research Note.

This research note combines two national Taiwanese datasets to investigate the relationship between low birth weight (LBW) babies, their family background and their future academic outcomes. We find that LBW is negatively correlated with the probability of such children attending university at the age of 18; however, when both parents are college or senior high school graduates, such negative effects may be partially offset. We also show that discrimination against daughters does occur, but only in those cases where the daughters were LBW babies. Moreover, high parental education (HPE) can only buffer the LBW shock among moderately-LBW children (as compared to very-LBW children) and full term-LBW children (as compared to preterm-LBW children).

Parental Education and Child Health: Evidence from a Natural Experiment in Taiwan

This paper exploits a natural experiment to estimate the causal impact of parental education on child health in Taiwan. In 1968, the Taiwanese government extended compulsory education from six to nine years. From that year through 1973, the government opened 254 new junior high schools, an 80 percent increase, at a differential rate among regions. We form treatment and control groups of women or men who were age 12 or under on the one hand and between the ages of 13 and 20 or 25 on the other hand in 1968. Within each region, we exploit variations across cohorts in new junior high school openings to construct an instrument for schooling. We employ this instrument to estimate the causal effects of mother's or father's schooling on the incidence of low birthweight and mortality of infants born to women in the treatment and control groups or the wives of men in these groups in the period from 1978 through 1999. Parents' schooling, especially mother's schooling, does indeed cause favorable infant health outcomes. The increase in schooling associated with the reform saved almost 1 infant life in 1,000 live births, resulting in a decline in infant mortality of approximately 11 percent.

Perception on the Quality of Life, Communication and Life Satisfaction among Individuals with Parkison’s and Their Caregivers

BACKGROUND: Speech impairment, which reduces Quality of Life (QOL), frequently occurs in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD). As speaking is required for social interaction, speech impairment can reduce one’s life satisfaction. Although QOL has been well-studied in individuals with PD, the QOL of their caregivers has seldom been investigated. This study compared the QOL of individuals with PD and their caregivers. The relationships between QOL, self-rated speech scale, and life satisfaction level were examined.METHOD: A total of 20 individuals with PD and their caregivers completed the Parkinson’s disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39) scale and the Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS). In addition, PD participants were asked to complete the Self-Rated Speech Scale (SRSS) to rate their speech intelligibility.RESULT: PD participants reported significantly lower QOL scores than their caregivers. However, there was no difference between the two groups on the social support and stigma dimensions, indicating that both groups reported similar levels of social support and stigma in their daily lives. A moderate significant correlation was observed between the LSS and PDQ-39 scores in the PD group, suggesting that life satisfaction could affect their QOL. Moreover, moderate correlation was found between the LSS and SRSS, showing that participants self-reported speech intelligibility has an impact on their life satisfaction.CONCLUSION: In general, individuals with PD showed lower QOL than their caregivers. Given that the SRSS, LSS and QOL are moderately correlated, identifying patients’ perception on their speech intelligibility and life satisfaction could help clinicians to better understand their patients’ needs when delivering speech therapy services.

What is the value of built heritage? Assessing spillover effects of conserving historic sites in Singapore

10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104393Land Use Policy9110439

Adenoviral based gene therapy for cancer in human and animals: a review

Adenovirus vector is the most common used vector in clinical gene therapy. The development of adenovirus from the first generation until the helper-dependent adenovirus vector has greatly reduced toxicity and immunogenicity. The helper-dependent adenovirus can also prolong transgene expression. Tissue- or disease-specific approach has been used to improve the specificity of adenoviral vector for cancer gene therapy. This review summarizes some adenoviral gene therapy and targeting approaches available for human cancer as well as animal cancer