Volatility clustering in land markets

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the volatility clustering in the return of land markets through both theoretical and empirical approaches.Design/methodology/approach– Using extensive monthly panel data at the provincial level from 1986 to 2013, the authors identify the existence of time-correlated and time-varying returns in Canadian land markets.Findings– Consistent with the proposed theory, volatility clustering in land markets tends to be observed in more populated areas.Originality/value– The result has significant implications for portfolio management, economic theory and government policy by revealing the systematic pattern of volatility clustering in land markets.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Emerald via http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/PM-02-2014-000

SERS-Enabled Lab-on-a-Chip Systems

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been combined with microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC) systems for sensitive optofluidic detection for more than a decade. However, most microfluidic SERS devices still suffer from analyte contamination and signal irreproducibility. In recent years, both the microfluidics and SERS communities have developed their own solutions that are complementary to each other; their combination even has potential for commercialization. In this review, the recent advances in both fields are summarized with regard to the development of reliable multifunctional SERS-enabled LoC systems and their broad applications. Starting from SERS fundamentals, reproducible SERS substrates and dynamic microfluidic trapping are discussed. Based on their combination, on-chip applications beyond SERS are presented, and insight can be gained into the commercialization of portable SERS chips.postprin

Exercise-Induced Changes in Exhaled NO Differentiates Asthma With or Without Fixed Airway Obstruction From COPD With Dynamic Hyperinflation.

Asthmatic patients with fixed airway obstruction (FAO) and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) share similarities in terms of irreversible pulmonary function impairment. Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) has been documented as a marker of airway inflammation in asthma, but not in COPD. To examine whether the basal eNO level and the change after exercise may differentiate asthmatics with FAO from COPD, 27 normal subjects, 60 stable asthmatics, and 62 stable COPD patients were studied. Asthmatics with FAO (n = 29) were defined as showing a postbronchodilator FEV(1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) ≤70% and FEV(1) less than 80% predicted after inhaled salbutamol (400 μg). COPD with dynamic hyperinflation (n = 31) was defined as a decrease in inspiratory capacity (ΔIC%) after a 6 minute walk test (6MWT). Basal levels of eNO were significantly higher in asthmatics and COPD patients compared to normal subjects. The changes in eNO after 6MWT were negatively correlated with the percent change in IC (r = −0.380, n = 29, P = 0.042) in asthmatics with FAO. Their levels of basal eNO correlated with the maximum mid-expiratory flow (MMEF % predicted) before and after 6MWT. In COPD patients with air-trapping, the percent change of eNO was positively correlated to ΔIC% (rs = 0.404, n = 31, P = 0.024). We conclude that asthma with FAO may represent residual inflammation in the airways, while dynamic hyperinflation in COPD may retain NO in the distal airspace. eNO changes after 6MWT may differentiate the subgroups of asthma or COPD patients and will help toward delivery of individualized therapy for airflow obstruction

A unified constitutive model for asymmetric tension and compression creep-ageing behaviour of naturally aged Al-Cu-Li alloy

A set of unified constitutive equations is presented that predict the asymmetric tension and compression creep behaviour and recently observed double primary creep of pre-stretched/naturally aged aluminium-cooper-lithium alloy AA2050-T34. The evolution of the primary micro- and macro-variables related to the precipitation hardening and creep deformation of the alloy during creep age forming (CAF) are analysed and modelled. Equations for the yield strength evolution of the alloy, including an initial reversion and subsequent strengthening, are proposed based on a theory of concurrent dissolution, re-nucleation and growth of precipitates during artificial ageing. We present new observations of so-called double primary creep during the CAF process. This phenomenon is then predicted by introducing effects of interacting microstructures, including evolving precipitates, diffusing solutes and dislocations, into the sinh-law creep model. In addition, concepts of threshold creep stress σth and a microstructure-dependant creep variable H, which behave differently under different external stress directions, are proposed and incorporated into the creep model. This enables prediction of the asymmetric tension and compression creep-ageing behaviour of the alloy. Quantitative transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and related small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis have been carried out for selected creep-aged samples to assist the development and calibration of the constitutive model. A good agreement has been achieved between the experimental results and the model. The model has the potential to be applied to creep age forming of other heat-treatable aluminium alloys

Herpes zoster and its neurological complications

Ninety-three Chinese patients with cutaneous herpes zoster were seen during a 4-year period. Thoracic zoster occurred most commonly, followed by ophthalmic, cervical and lumbosacral zoster. Neurological complications were present in eleven patients (11.8%), the commonest being Ramsay-Hunt syndrome and segmental limb paresis. The clinical picture, pathogenesis, treatment and outcome of segmental limb paresis, myelitis and delayed contralateral hemiparesis following zoster ophthalmicus are discussed. Nine immunocompromised patients received intravenous adenine arabinoside (vidarabine) or acycloguanosine (acyclovir), and no cutaneous or visceral spread occurred in these patients.published_or_final_versio

Garment patterns generating based on 3-D body scanning

2009-2010 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

First two cases of living related liver transplantation with complicated anatomy of blood vessels in Beijing

Aim: Living related liver transplantation (LRLT) has been developed in response to the paediatric organ donor shortage. Though it has been succeeded in many centers worldwide, the safety of the donor is still a major concern, especially in donors with anatomy variation. We succeeded in performing the first two cases of living related liver transplantation with complicated anatomy of blood vessels as a way to overcome cadaveric organ shortage in Beijing. Methods: Two patients, with congenital liver fibrosis and congenital biliary atresia were performed with living donor liver transplantation in our hospital and then followed up from November 12 to December 13, 2001. The two living donors, mother and father, were healthy aged 34 and 35 years. One right lobe (segment V, VI, VII, VIII) and one left lateral lobe (segment II and III) were used. The grafts weighed 394 g and 300 g. The ratio of graff weight to the standard liver volume (SLV) of donors was 68% and 27%. The graft weight to recipient body weight ratio was 3.2% and 4.4%. The graft weight to recipient estimated standard liver mass (ESLM) ratio was 63% and 85%. The two donors had complicated blood vessel variation. Results: Two patients undergone living donor liver transplantation had good results. Abnormal liver function with high bilirubin level appeared in a few days after operation, bur liver function returned to normal one month after operation with bilirubin level almost decreased to near normal. No bleeding, thrombosis, infection and bile leakage occurred. One had an acure rejection and recovered. The two donors recovered in two weeks. One had slight fever because of a little collection in abdomen and recovered after paracentesis and drainage. Conclusion: Living donor liver transplantation has been proved to be a good way that offers a unique opportunity of getting a timely liver graft as a response to shortage of pediatric donors, though it could be a technically difficult operation if there is anatomical variation. Copyright © 2004 by The WJG Press.published_or_final_versio

Slow cooling and efficient extraction of C-exciton hot carriers in MoS2 monolayer

In emerging optoelectronic applications, such as water photolysis, exciton fission and novel photovoltaics involving low-dimensional nanomaterials, hot-carrier relaxation and extraction mechanisms play an indispensable and intriguing role in their photo-electron conversion processes. Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides have attracted much attention in above fields recently; however, insight into the relaxation mechanism of hot electron-hole pairs in the band nesting region denoted as C-excitons, remains elusive. Using MoS2 monolayers as a model two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide system, here we report a slower hot-carrier cooling for C-excitons, in comparison with band-edge excitons. We deduce that this effect arises from the favourable band alignment and transient excited-state Coulomb environment, rather than solely on quantum confinement in two-dimension systems. We identify the screening-sensitive bandgap renormalization for MoS2 monolayer/graphene heterostructures, and confirm the initial hot-carrier extraction for the C-exciton state with an unprecedented efficiency of 80%, accompanied by a twofold reduction in the exciton binding energy