Ping Pong Diplomacy: US - China Supply Chain Relations Today

“The wide world is all about you: you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot forever fence it out.” The masterpiece that is The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien holds many timeless words of wisdom, the one quoted above being a good summary of this paper. This business thesis will tell the story of ping pong diplomacy, globalization, and how this diplomacy can be revived in a modern world where U.S. – China contentions continue to threaten supply chain stability

Youth Employment

Youth employment is the norm in American society. Approximately 80% of youth report holding jobs during their high school years (National Research Council, 1998). Entry into the labor market often begins early, with about half of youth ages 12 and 13 reporting that they work (Rothstein & Herz, 2000). Although statistics are gathered regularly about youth employment in the general population, comparatively little was known about employment patterns of youth with disabilities until the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) collected data from 1987 to 1990 (see footnote 1). The National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) (see footnote 2) began updating and expanding data on youth with disabilities in 2001, including information on employment. Information reported here comes from telephone interviews and a mail survey conducted in 2001 with parents and guardians of youth with disabilities, and from comparisons made with 1987 NLTS employment data. Findings from NLTS2 are generalizable to youth with disabilities nationally who were 13 to 16 years old in December of 2000, and to each of 12 federal disability categories and to each age group (e.g., all 13-year-old students with disabilities, all 14-year-old students with disabilities, etc.). According to parents' reports, almost 60% of youth with disabilities are employed during a 1-year period -- some at work-study jobs, but the vast majority at non-school-related jobs

The Peyer's patch mononuclear phagocyte system at steady state and during infection

The gut represents a potential entry site for a wide range of pathogens including protozoa, bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Consequently, it is protected by one of the largest and most diversified population of immune cells of the body. Its surveillance requires the constant sampling of its encounters by dedicated sentinels composed of follicles and their associated epithelium located in specialized area. In the small intestine, Peyer's patches (PPs) are the most important of these mucosal immune response inductive sites. Through several mechanisms including transcytosis by specialized epithelial cells called M-cells, access to the gut lumen is facilitated in PPs. Although antigen sampling is critical to the initiation of the mucosal immune response, pathogens have evolved strategies to take advantage of this permissive gateway to enter the host and disseminate. It is, therefore, critical to decipher the mechanisms that underlie both host defense and pathogen subversive strategies in order to develop new mucosal-based therapeutic approaches. Whereas penetration of pathogens through M cells has been well described, their fate once they have reached the subepithelial dome (SED) remains less well understood. Nevertheless, it is clear that the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) plays a critical role in handling these pathogens. MPS members, including both dendritic cells and macrophages, are indeed strongly enriched in the SED, interact with M cells, and are necessary for antigen presentation to immune effector cells. This review focuses on recent advances, which have allowed distinguishing the different PP mononuclear phagocyte subsets. It gives an overview of their diversity, specificity, location, and functions. Interaction of PP phagocytes with the microbiota and the follicle- associated epithelium as well as PP infection studies are described in the light of these new criteria of PP phagocyte identification. Finally, known alterations affecting the different phagocyte subsets during PP stimulation or infection are discussed

Influence of the Length of a Cylinder on its Aeolian Tone Level: Measurement and Modelling

The tonal noise generated by the flow over elongated cylinders is measured using microphones in the anechoic wind tunnel BETI of Institut Pprime. The effect of the length to diameter ratio of the cylinder is assessed by varying the diameter from 6 mm to 20 mm within the constant width (750mm), open jet, test section. The velocity is varied from 10 to 40 m/s, leading to a Reynolds number range of about 4,000 ­ 53,000. A proper normalization is needed to obtain a good collapse of experimental data from nearly 10 studies on the same evolution in 3 steps: for very short cylinders, the tone level does not depend on the length; for semi-long cylinders, it follows the fourth power of the length to diameter ratio; for very long cylinder, the length's influence vanishes in the form of a sound level asymptote. This sigmoidal evolution is noticed for both the circular section and the square section cylinders, and questions the classical modelling of the aeroacoustic process using compact, coherent segments of cylinder associated with a coherence length to account for spanwise phase loss. Literature data from numerical simulation or experiment using end-plates are included in the analysis too

Cylinder aeroacoustics: experimental study of the influence of cross-section shape on spanwise coherence length

New data and review of the spanwise coherence length is provided for flows over cylinders of different cross-sections: circular of diameter d, and rectangular of sectional aspect ratios (breadth (b) to height (d) ratio AR = b/d) of 1, 2 and 3. In the present measurements, the body has both d and spanwise length of 70d fixed, and the Reynolds number (based on d) range 6000–27,000 is covered. Two-point data are obtained from two hot-wire probes, one fixed in the symmetry plane and the other moving on the corresponding spanwise axis. Their position in a cross plane are deduced from preliminary measurement of the mean flow with a single probe, allowing fair comparisons between the different geometries and the introduction of uncertainty bars on coherence length values. At all tested regimes, a very good agreement is noticed between velocity-based and pressure-based coherence experimental data. Coherence length definitions are revisited, and the aeroacoustically consistent, integral length definition is selected, allowing fair synthesis of literature data into a single chart and empirical functions. Definitions for coherence decay models (e.g. Gaussian or Laplacian) are also adapted so that coherence length and coherence integral shall be equivalent. This preliminary work on coherence data and its spanwise integration enables transparent regressions and model selection. Generally, the Gaussian model is relevant for the lift peak, while the coherence exhibits a Laplacian decay at harmonics. On average, at peak Strouhal number, the coherence length for the circular and square cylinders is of 5d while it is of the order of 15d for the rectangular sections. It is concluded that the flow over those latter geometries is still a two-dimensional dynamics at the tone frequency. These values are almost preserved over the tested Reynolds number range. Coherence length value at harmonics is extensively documented. Spanwise coherence length is also discussed as an ingredient of acoustic efficiency

Profiling of Haemophilus influenzae strain R2866 with carbohydrate-based covalent probes.

We demonstrate the application of four covalent probes based on anomerically pure d-galactosamine and d-glucosamine scaffolds for the profiling of Haemophilus influenzae strain R2866. The probes have been used successfully for the labelling of target proteins not only in cell lysates, but also in intact cells. Differences in the labelling patterns between lysates and intact cells indicate that the probes can penetrate into the periplasm, but not the cytoplasm of H. influenzae. Analysis of selected target proteins by LC-MS/MS suggests predominant labelling of nucleotide-binding proteins, including several known antibacterial drug targets. Our protocols will aid the identification of molecular determinants of bacterial pathogenicity in Haemophilus influenzae and other bacterial pathogens

Plasma Ketone and Medium Chain Fatty Acid Response in Humans Consuming Different Medium Chain Triglycerides During a Metabolic Study Day

Background: Medium chain triglycerides (MCT) are ketogenic but the relationship between the change in plasma ketones and the change plasma medium chain fatty acids (MCFA)—octanoate, decanoate, or dodecanoate—after an oral dose of MCT is not well-known. An 8 h metabolic study day is a suitable model to assess the acute effects on plasma ketones and MCFA after a dose of tricaprylin (C8), tricaprin (C10), trilaurin (C12) or mixed MCT (C8C10).Objective: To assess in healthy humans the relationship between the change in plasma ketones, and octanoate, decanoate and dodecanoate in plasma total lipids during an 8 h metabolic study day in which a first 20 ml dose of the homogenized test oil is taken with breakfast and a second 20 ml dose is taken 4 h later without an accompanying meal.Results: The change in plasma acetoacetate, β-hydroxybutyrate and total ketones was highest after C8 (0.5 to 3 h post-dose) and was lower during tests in which octanoate was absent or was diluted by C10 in the test oil. The plasma ketone response was also about 2 fold higher without an accompanying meal (P = 0.012). However, except during the pure C10 test, the response of octanoate, decanoate or dodecanoate in plasma total lipids to the test oils was not affected by consuming an accompanying meal. Except with C12, the 4 h area-under-the-curve of plasma β-hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate was 2–3 fold higher when no meal was consumed (P < 0.04).Conclusion: C8 was about three times more ketogenic than C10 and about six times more ketogenic than C12 under these acute metabolic test conditions, an effect related to the post-dose increase in octanoate in plasma total lipids

ANÁLISE ESPACIAL DA DISTRIBUIÇÃO DO ENSINO EM FUNÇÃO DA RENDA EM UMA BACIA HIDROGRÁFICA

The current study aimed to analyze the spatial distribution relationship among schooling indexes, concerning the money income of census tracts of the watershed Una river, which is located at Ibiuna, municipality of São Paulo state. Together with the 2010 Population Census, Ordinary Kriging were used as geostatistical analysis. Kernel test was applied to evaluate the density of schools. According to the Pearson test, there was a correlation between schooling rates and money income on the population older than 20 years, showing that, as smaller the income, smaller are the schooling levels. Associated with that, the distribution of areas with the smallest schooling levels are the same with the biggest agricultural vocation. Therefore, in conclusion the schooling distribution potential regarding the income is an important management tool for public and social policies.O presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar a relação da distribuição espacial dos indicadores de escolaridade em função da renda per capita dos setores censitários da Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Una (BHRU), localizado no município de Ibiúna-SP. Para isso foram utilizadas técnicas de geoestatística, como estimação de Krigagem Ordinária, teste de Kernel, para avaliar a distribuição da renda e a densidade das escolas juntamente com dados do Censo Demográfico de 2010. De acordo com o teste de Pearson, houve correlação das taxas de escolaridade e renda apenas entre a população com mais de 20 anos. Demonstrando que, quanto menor a renda menor o nível de escolaridade da população, coincidindo a distribuição das áreas de menor renda e escolaridade com as áreas de maior vocação agrícola. Portanto, podemos concluir que conhecer o potencial da distribuição da educação em função da renda é uma ferramenta importante para políticas públicas e sociais. Palavras-chave: escolaridade; krigagem; distribuição espacial; sistemas de informações geográficas.   Spatial analysis of education distribution concerning a watershed money income   ABSTRACT: The current study aims to analyze the spatial distribution relationship among schooling indexes, considering the money income of census tracts of the watershed Una river, which is located at Ibiuna, municipality of São Paulo state. The 2010 Population Census and the Ordinary Kriging were used as geostatistical analysis. Kernel test was applied to evaluate schools density. Pearson test demonstrated a correlation between schooling rates and money income on the population older than 20 years, showing that, the smaller the income, the smaller are the schooling levels. Associated with that, the area distribution of the smallest schooling levels are the same with the biggest agricultural vocation. Therefore, in conclusion, understanding the schooling distribution potential in relation to the income is an important management tool for public and social policies. Keywords: schooling; kriging; spatial distribution; geographic information systems

A preliminary approach in the prediction of orthodontic bone remodeling by coupling experiments, theory and numerical models

Orthodontic treatments are based on a prolonged application of mechanical forces on the teeth through orthodontic appliances, leading to tooth movement due to the remodeling of the surrounding bone. Bone response is dependent on the biological reactions occurring in the periodontal ligament (PDL) and more specifically on those related to vascular changes (Pavlin and Gluhak-Heinrich 2001). Hence, optimal forces and moments are required to obtain the desired tooth displacements without generating deleterious effects. Although the biological events occurring during orthodontic tooth movement are nowadays better understood, the correlation between orthodontic force systems, desmodontal reactions and bone remodeling is not well established (Meikle 2005). Little is known about the forces and moments developed on more than two adjacent teeth (Badawi et al. 2009). In this work, we focus our analysis on a buccal upper right canine in infraclusion and extract the experimental measurements of the mechanical forces developed onto the complete dental arch. These are then transferred into a numerical finite element (FE) model to determine the PDL deformation and hence, through a theoretical numerical model, quantify the cellular mechanobiological reactions at the root of orthodontic bone remodeling

Academic team formation as evolving hypergraphs

This paper quantitatively explores the social and socio-semantic patterns of constitution of academic collaboration teams. To this end, we broadly underline two critical features of social networks of knowledge-based collaboration: first, they essentially consist of group-level interactions which call for team-centered approaches. Formally, this induces the use of hypergraphs and n-adic interactions, rather than traditional dyadic frameworks of interaction such as graphs, binding only pairs of agents. Second, we advocate the joint consideration of structural and semantic features, as collaborations are allegedly constrained by both of them. Considering these provisions, we propose a framework which principally enables us to empirically test a series of hypotheses related to academic team formation patterns. In particular, we exhibit and characterize the influence of an implicit group structure driving recurrent team formation processes. On the whole, innovative production does not appear to be correlated with more original teams, while a polarization appears between groups composed of experts only or non-experts only, altogether corresponding to collectives with a high rate of repeated interactions