Progress in weakly coupled string phenomenology

The weakly coupled vacuum of $E_8\otimes E_8$ heterotic string theory remains an attractive scenario for particle physics. The particle spectrum and the issue of dilaton stabilization are reviewed. A specific model for hidden sector condensation and supersymmetry breaking, that respects known constraints from string theory, is described, and its phenomenological and cosmological implications are discussed.Comment: 15 pages, full postscript also available from http://phyweb.lbl.gov/theorygroup/papers/48640.p

Chronic toxicity of inhaled thymol in lungs and respiratory tracts in mouse model.

Epinephrine HFA (Primatene® Mist) is a newly formulated asthma metered dose inhaler developed to replace the previous Primatene® Mist CFC. The formulation of Epinephrine HFA contains thymol, a substance recognized to be safe by the FDA. Although the content of thymol contained in Epinephrine HFA is much lower compared to many common foods and medications available, there are no known nonclinical data about the chronic toxicity of thymol through inhalation. Two sequential 6-month studies of identical design were conducted to assess the chronic toxicity of inhaled thymol in mice. Four treatment groups, (a) Air; (b) vehicle control; (c) Article-1 (thymol 0.1%); and (d) Article-2 (thymol 0.5%) were assessed in 128 mice for 26 weeks. The mice were sacrificed at the end of the treatment period and a histopathologic evaluation was performed with respect to lungs, bronchial lymph nodes, nasal passages/nasopharynx, and trachea. Forty-five pathologic assessment parameters (PAPs) were evaluated. In total, 5591 data points from 487 mouse organs were assessed. Chronic toxicity index was calculated for 16 PAPs that had multiple histopathologic abnormal observations. The t tests were conducted for these 16 PAPs (Articles-1 and 2 versus Air and vehicle control, respectively), and all P-values were greater than .05 indicating no significant differences between all treatment groups. An evaluation was also conducted for 25 PAPs that had only a very small number of pathologic abnormalities. No significant differences for chronic toxicity were found when comparing mice under long-term repeated exposure of high doses of inhaled thymol and mice that inhaled no thymol

Pharmacokinetic study of thymol after intravenous injection and high-dose inhalation in mouse model.

Thymol is generally recognized as a safe substance by the FDA and has been widely used in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries. Pharmacokinetic (PK) studies of thymol have been previously conducted for oral administration, but there has been no PK study for inhalation administration or intravenous (IV) injection. This study aims at exploring and comparing the inhalation and IV PK profile of thymol in a mouse model. The inhalation PK for mouse model was corrected with fur/skin absorption. Thirty-two male CD-1 mice were randomized into two study arms, Arm-A for intravenous (n = 16) and Arm-B for inhalation (n = 16). The amount of thymol in the mouse serum was measured for Arm-A and for Arm-B at the highest dose. Furthermore, 48 mice were utilized for fur/skin absorption of thymol. In total, 320 mouse serum samples for thymol were analyzed by LC/MS method. After inhalation, the peak concentration of thymol in mouse serum was 42.3 ng/mL (Cmax ) and occurred at 2 minutes (tmax ). The AUC of the inhaled thymol at 0-60 minutes (AUC0-60) was 464 ng/mL/min. From 10-60 minutes post-dose, the PK inhalation curve appeared to be higher than that for the IV injection. This is likely attributed to the effect of absorption of thymol through the fur/skin of mice. After an adjustment by fur/skin absorption, the PK profile for net inhalation closely matched the two-compartment model. In fact, the bioavailability for the net inhalation of thymol was 74% and 77% relative to that for IV injection per AUC0-60min and AUC0-infinite, respectively

Theory of collective Raman scattering from a Bose-Einstein condensate

Recent experiments have demonstrated superradiant Raman scattering from a Bose-Einstein condensate driven by a single off-resonant laser beam. We present a quantum theory describing this phenomenon, showing Raman amplification of matter wave due to collective atomic recoil from 3-level atoms in a $\Lambda$-configuration. When atoms are initially in a single lower internal state, a closed two-level system is realized between atoms with different internal states, and entangled atom-photon pairs can be generated. When atoms are initially prepared in both the lower internal states, a fraction of atoms recoiling in the backward direction can be generated.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Gender in Engineering Departments: Are There Gender Differences in Interruptions of Academic Job Talks?

We use a case study of job talks in five engineering departments to analyze the under-studied area of gendered barriers to finalists for faculty positions. We focus on one segment of the interview day of short-listed candidates invited to campus: the “job talk”, when candidates present their original research to the academic department. We analyze video recordings of 119 job talks across five engineering departments at two Research 1 universities. Specifically, we analyze whether there are differences by gender or by years of post-Ph.D. experience in the number of interruptions, follow-up questions, and total questions that job candidates receive. We find that, compared to men, women receive more follow-up questions and more total questions. Moreover, a higher proportion of women’s talk time is taken up by the audience asking questions. Further, the number of questions is correlated with the job candidate’s statements and actions that reveal he or she is rushing to present their slides and complete the talk. We argue that women candidates face more interruptions and often have less time to bring their talk to a compelling conclusion, which is connected to the phenomenon of “stricter standards” of competence demanded by evaluators of short-listed women applying for a masculine-typed job. We conclude with policy recommendations

His Own Vine and Fig Tree: Review of \u3ci\u3eThe Papers of George Washington: Retirement Series\u3c/i\u3e. Volume l-March 4-December 28,1797; Volume 2-Janual)\u27 2-September 15,1798; Volume 3, September 16, 1798-AprilI9, 1799; Volume4-April 20-December 15, 1799. Dorothy Twohig, editor; Philander D. Chase, senior associate editor; Beverly H. Runge, associate editor; Frank E. Grizzard, Jr., Edward G. Lengel, Mark A Mastromarino, Elizabeth B. Mercer, and Jack D. Warren, assistant editors; W. W. Abbot, editor emeritus.

The four-volume Retirement Series of The Papers o/George Washington includes the ex-president\u27s correspondence from March 4, 1797, the day following John Adams\u27s inauguration as the nation\u27s second president, until December 10,1799, four days before Washington\u27s death. The fifth and final subset of The Papers and the third to be completed, it provides us with an immeasurably richer portfolio on the final years of Washington\u27s life than is available from John C. Fitzpatrick\u27s previously published The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745-1799 (Washington, 1931-1944), While Fitzpatrick published a substantial number of the letters -written by Washington during this period, he only occasionally reproduced portions of other documents the former president generated or letters Washington received

Schoodic Cove: A History, Chapter 2, The Gourley Years (1940 to 1972)

The second chapter in a history of Schoodic Cove that explores the history of Schoodic Lake Camps and how the Gourleys managed by exceedingly hard work and charm to provide a few hundred families with outdoor vacations in the tradition of the Maine Sporting Camp. This chapter includes Part 5: William J. Gourley and Katherine Maud Stowe Gourley; Part 6: Buying Schoodic Lake Camps and Raising a Family; Part 7: Expanding and Improving the Business; Part 8: Maintenance: Wood, Water, Telephone and the Camp Road; Part 9: Docks, Boats, Motors and Guests--Fisherman and Hunters; Part 10: Those Who Came to Camp; Part 11: Major Construction Projects; and Part 12: Time for a Change

Schoodic Cove: A History, Chapter 1, A Path through History to Schoodic Cove

The first chapter in a history of Schoodic Cove that traces the developments that preceded and followed the coming of the railroad to Schoodic and explores the history of the sporting camps that emerged between 1897 and 1940. The chapter is broken into four parts: Part 1: The Path Through History to Schoodic Cove; Part 2: The First Sporting Camps in Schoodic Cove; Part 3: Nelson and Emma McNaughton\u27s Lakeside Camps; and Part 4: The Cables and Schoodic Lake Camps

MicroRNA-23a promotes myelination in the central nervous system.

Demyelinating disorders including leukodystrophies are devastating conditions that are still in need of better understanding, and both oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelin synthesis pathways are potential avenues for developing treatment. Overexpression of lamin B1 leads to leukodystrophy characterized by demyelination of the central nervous system, and microRNA-23 (miR-23) was found to suppress lamin B1 and enhance oligodendrocyte differentiation in vitro. Here, we demonstrated that miR-23a-overexpressing mice have increased myelin thickness, providing in vivo evidence that miR-23a enhances both oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelin synthesis. Using this mouse model, we explored possible miR-23a targets and revealed that the phosphatase and tensin homologue/phosphatidylinositol trisphosphate kinase/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway is modulated by miR-23a. Additionally, a long noncoding RNA, 2700046G09Rik, was identified as a miR-23a target and modulates phosphatase and tensin homologue itself in a miR-23a-dependent manner. The data presented here imply a unique role for miR-23a in the coordination of proteins and noncoding RNAs in generating and maintaining healthy myelin