Digital Commons Network^™

The Incoherence Of Dormant Commerce Clause Nondiscrimination: A Rejoinder To Professor Denning, Edward A. Zelinsky

Articles

A sound intuition animates Professor Denning's defense of the doctrinal status quo under the dormant commerce clause: the courts should not lightly abandon well-established constitutional canons. I nevertheless remain unconvinced by Professor Denning's effort to justify the long-standing interpretation of the dormant commerce clause as forbidding taxes which discriminate against interstate commerce. Whatever the historical justification for this constitutional precept, its past utility, or its visceral appeal, dormant commerce clause nondiscrimination is today doctrinally incoherent in tax contexts. The problem is not one of borderlines and close cases. Rather, at its core, the notion of dormant commerce clause tax nondiscrimination …

Comparative Evaluation Of Two Models Of Upqc For Suitable Interface To Enhance Power Quality, Malabika Basu, S. P. Das, Gopal Dubey

Articles

Majority of the dispersed generations from renewable energy sources are connected to the grid through power electronic interface, which introduce additional harmonics in the distribution systems. Research is being carried out to integrate active filtering with specific interface such that a common power quality (PQ) platform could be achieved. For generalized solution, a unified power quality conditioner (UPQC) could be the most comprehensive PQ protecting device for sensitive non-linear loads, which require quality input supply. Also, load current harmonic isolation needs to be ensured for maintaining the quality of the supply current. The present paper describes two control scheme models …

Digital Watermarking And Self-Authentication Using Chirp Coding, Jonathan Blackledge

Articles

This paper discusses a new approach to ‘watermarking’ digital signals using linear frequency modulated or ‘chirp’ coding. The principles underlying this approach are based on the use of a matched filter to provide a reconstruction of a chirped code that is uniquely robust, i.e. in the case of very low signal-to-noise ratios.

Chirp coding for authenticating data is generic in the sense that it can be used for a range of data types and applications (the authentication of speech and audio signals, for example). The theoretical and computational aspects of the matched filter and the properties of a chirp are …

Modelling And Computer Simulation Of Radar Screening Using Plasma Clouds, Jonathan Blackledge

Articles

Following a brief introduction on the principles of screening an aerospace vehicle using a plasma, we develop models for the Impulse Response Functions (IRFs) associated with microwave (Radar) back-scattering from a strong and weakly ionized plasma screen. In the latter case, it is shown that the strength of the return signal is determined by an IRF that is characterised by the simple negative exponential exp(−σ₀t/Є₀) where σ₀ is the average conductivity of the plasma, Є₀ is the permittivity of free space and t is the two-way travel time. For a weakly ionized plasma, the …

Influence Of Electric Field And Light On An Easy Axis Of Nlc Confined By Rectangular Channel At Weak Surface Anchoring, S.V. Pasechnik, A.V. Dubtsov, Yuri Panarin, D.V. Shmeliova, V.A. Tsvetkov, V.G. Chigrinov

Articles

We present new experimental results on combined action of light and electric field on a nematic liquid crystal in a rectangular channel at a weak surface anchoring. The first experimental study of slow surface dynamics at combined action of electric field and polarized light in new experimental geometry was performed. Influence of polarized light on spatial twist-like deformation of a director field induced by electric field was established.

Experimental Study For The Conditions Of Analog Switching In Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Cells, V. Manjuladevi, Yuri Panarin, J.K. Vij

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The authors study the effect of the spontaneous polarization (PS) of a ferroelectric liquid crystal mixture with compensated helix and of the thickness of the alignment layer (da) on the analog switching in a cell. The quality of analog switching is established in terms of its contrast ratio, texture in the dark state, and the electrostatic energy. The latter approximates to PS 2da for da

Discontinuous Change In The Smectic Layer Thickness In Ferrielectric Liquid Crystals, V. P. Panov, J. K. Vij, Yuri Panarin, C. Blanc, V. Lorman, J. W. Goodby

Articles

The temperature dependence of the thickness of thick free-standing films is studied using a high-resolution film thickness measurement technique. A small discontinuity in the temperature dependence of the smectic layer thickness at every phase transition between ferro-, ferri-, and antiferroelectric phases is observed. We show that the major contribution to it arises from a change in the smectic tilt angle.

The Role Of Spontaneous Polarization And The Thickness Of Alignment Layers On The V-Shaped Switching In Flc Cells, V. Manjuladevi, J.K. Vij, Yuri Panarin

Articles

Ferroelectric liquid crystal mixtures with the various values of spontaneous polarizations were prepared, and the substrates were coated with different thicknesses of aligning agent. The frequency dependence of the electrooptic response of these materials in cells with various thickness of alignment layers has been measured. The coercive voltage as well as the contrast ratios are calculated. Our results support the ‘‘electrostatic model’’, according to which both the value of spontaneous polarization and the thickness of the alignment layer play important roles in the V-shaped switching.

Using Comparative Torts Materials To Teach First-Year Torts, Anthony J. Sebok

Articles

The article argues that incorporating comparative torts materials, particularly from European jurisdictions such as Germany and Italy, can effectively enhance the teaching of tort damages in first-year law courses. This approach is not about adopting a comparative curriculum but using these materials to provide deeper insights into American tort law.

The Social Security Administration's New Disability Adjudication Rules: A Significant And Promising Reform, Frank S. Bloch, Jeffrey S. Lubbers, Paul R. Verkuil

Articles

The article evaluates the Social Security Administration's (SSA) new Disability Service Improvement (DSI) process, introduced in 2006, which aims to address inefficiencies and inconsistencies in disability adjudication. The reforms include key innovations such as Quick Disability Determinations (QDDs), the Medical and Vocational Expert System (MVES), and the replacement of the Appeals Council with the Decision Review Board (DRB). While the reforms represent a significant and promising step toward improving the disability determination process, the article identifies remaining concerns, particularly regarding the role of the Federal Reviewing Official (FRO) and rules for submitting evidence at administrative hearings.

Nitrocellulose As A General Tool For Fungal Slide Mounts, David Barry, Cecilia Chan, Gwilym A. Williams

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No abstract provided.

A Peroxisomal Acyltransferase In Mouse Identifies A Novel Pathway For Taurine Conjugation Of Fatty Acids., Sarah-Jayne Reilly, Eithne O'Shea, O'Byrne James, Stefan Alexson, Mary Hunt

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A wide variety of endogenous carboxylic acids and xenobiotics are conjugated with amino acids, before excretion in urine or bile. The conjugation of carboxylic acids and bile acids with taurine and glycine has been widely characterized and de-novo synthesized bile acids are conjugated to either glycine or taurine in peroxisomes. Peroxisomes are also involved in the oxidation of several other lipid molecules, such as very long chain acyl-CoAs, branched chain acyl-CoAs and prostaglandins. In this study we have now identified a novel peroxisomal enzyme called acyl-CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferase (ACNAT1). Recombinantly expressed ACNAT1 acts as an acyltransferase that efficiently conjugates very …

Adenoviral Mediated Gene Transfer Into The Dog Brain In Vivo, Marianela Candolfi, Kurt Kroeger, Elizabeth Pluhar, Chunyan Liu, Carlos Barcia, Josee Bergeron, Mariana Puntel, James Curtin, Elizabeth Mcniel, Andrew Freese, John Ohlfest, Peter Moore, William Kuoy, Pedro Lowenstein, Maria Castro

Articles

OBJECTIVE: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a devastating brain tumor for which there is no cure. Adenoviral-mediated transfer of conditional cytotoxic (herpes simplex virus [HSV] 1-derived thymidine kinase [TK]) and immunostimulatory (Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand [Flt3L]) transgenes elicited immune-mediated long-term survival in a syngeneic intracranial GBM model in rodents. However, the lack of a large GBM animal model makes it difficult to predict the outcome of therapies in humans. Dogs develop spontaneous GBM that closely resemble the human disease; therefore, they constitute an excellent large animal model. We assayed the transduction efficiency of adenoviral vectors (Ads) encoding beta-galactosidase (betaGal), TK, …

Peroxisomes Contain A Specific Phytanoly-Coa/Pristanoyl-Coa Thioesterase Acting As A Novel Auxiliary Enzyme In Alpha-And Beta-Oxidation Of Methyl-Branched Fatty Acids In Mouse, Maria Westin, Mary Hunt, Stefan Alexson

Articles

Phytanic acid and pristanic acid are derived from phytol, which enter the body via the diet. Phytanic acid contains a methyl group in position three and therefore cannot undergo b-oxidation directly, but instead must first undergo a-oxidation to pristanic acid, which then enters b-oxidation. Both these pathways occur in peroxisomes, and in this study we have identified a novel peroxisomal acyl-CoA thioesterase, named ACOT6, which we show is specifically involved in phytanic acid and pristanic acid metabolism. Sequence analysis of ACOT6 revealed a putative peroxisomal targeting signal at the C-terminal end, and cellular localization experiments verified it as a peroxisomal …

Chlamydia Trachomatis Detection In Cervical Preservcyt Specimens From An Irish Urban Female Population, Helen Keegan, Fergus Ryan, Alison Malkin, M. Griffin, Helen Lambkin

Articles

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of cervical Chlamydia trachomatis infection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in urban women undergoing routine cervical cytological screening and to investigate the relationship with age, cytology, smoking status and concurrent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Methods: A total of 996 women (age range 16–69 years) attending general practitioners for routine liquid-based cervical smear screening in the Dublin area were recruited in the study of prevalence of C. trachomatis. Informed consent was obtained and liquid-based cytology (LBC) specimens were sent for cytological screening. DNA was extracted from residual LBC and tested …

Human Papillomavirus Prevalence And Genotypes In An Opportunistically Screened Irish Female Population, Helen Keegan, Fergus Ryan, Alison Malkin, Mairead Griffin, Helen Lambkin

Articles

This study aims to evaluate human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence and predominating genotypes in liquid-based cervical cytology samples from an Irish urban female population. In addition to use of routine cervical cytology testing, women are screened for HPV using the MY09/11 primers for the HPV L1 gene and primers for β-globin amplification in a multiplex format. Overall, 996 women between the ages of 16 and 72 years (average age: 35) are included in the study and HPV prevalence was 19.8%. Cytology results showed that 88.9% were normal, 9% borderline or mild dyskaryosis, 1.1% moderate dyskaryosis and 0.9% severe dyskaryosis. Human papillomavirus …

Mutagenesis Of The Catalytic Triad Of Tissue Transglutaminase Abrogates Coeliac Disease Serum Iga Autoantibody Binding, Greg Byrne, Fergus Ryan, John Jackson, Con Feighery, Jacinta Kelly

Articles

Background and aims: Tissue transglutaminase (tTG) is an autoantigen in coeliac disease and the related disorder, dermatitis herpetiformis. The detection of autoantibodies directed against tTG is a highly specific marker of coeliac disease; however, it is unclear if there is a role for these autoantibodies in the disease process. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the catalytic triad of tTG is targeted by coeliac disease autoantibodies. Methods: A full-length wild-type recombinant tTG and a novel site-directed mutagenic variant lacking the catalytic triad were produced in Escherichia coli. Serum samples from 61 biopsy-proven coeliac disease and 10 dermatitis …

Emergence And Control Of Fluoroquinolone Resistant Toxin A Negative Toxin B Positive Clostridium Difficile, Denise Drudy, N. Harnedy, S. Fanning, Margaret Hannan, Lorraine Kyne

Articles

No abstract provided.

Identification Of A 17-Nucleotide Splicing Enhancer In Hpv-16 L1 That Counteracts The Effect Of Multiple Hnrnp A1-Binding Splicing Silencers, Ziaomin Zhao, Joanna Fay, Stefan Schwartz, Helen Lambkin

Articles

Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) infections can in rare cases persist and cause lesions that may progress to cervical cancer. Cells in the lesions are not permissive for virus production, nor are cervical cancer cells. The intracellular environment is such that it prevents production of the highly immunogenic, viral structural proteins L1 and L2. One may speculate that inhibition of L1 and L2 expression is a prerequisite for persistence and cancer progression.We have therefore investigated how expression of HPV-16 L1 is regulated.We found that the only splice site in the HPV-16 late region, which is used to produce L1 mRNAs, …

Colour Doppler Spatial Resolution Performance Testing, Jacinta Browne, Ian Brown, Peter Hoskins, Amanda Watson, Alex Elliott

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No abstract available

Photoinduced Surface Relief Studies In An Acrylamide-Based Photopolymer, Pavani Kotakonda, Izabela Naydenova, Suzanne Martin, Vincent Toal

Articles

Surface relief gratings (SRGs) have been optically recorded in a dry, self-developing acrylamide-based photopolymer. An investigation of the dependence of photoinduced surface relief amplitude and profile on recording intensity, UV post-exposure, thickness of the sample, composition of the photopolymer and temperature at constant spatial frequency was carried out using white light interferometry. Non-sinusoidal surface relief grating profiles which depend on sample thickness were observed at low spatial frequency. The surface relief effect is intended to be applied to the alignment of liquid crystals (LCs) for different applications such as voltage controllable diffraction gratings, lenses, polarizing components and switches.

Alternative Exon Usage Selectively Determines Both Tissue Distribution And Subcellular Localization Of The Acyl-Coa Thioesterase 7 Gene Products., Mary Hunt, Sinead Greene, Kjell Hultenby, L. Thomas Svensson, Susanna Engberg, Stefan E H Alexson

Articles

Acyl-CoA thioesterases (ACOTs) catalyze the hydrolysis of acyl-CoAs to free fatty acids and coenzyme A. Recent studies have demonstrated that one gene named Acot7, reported to be mainly expressed in brain and testis, is transcribed in several different isoforms by alternative usage of first exons. Strongly decreased levels of ACOT7 activity and protein in both mitochondria and cytosol was reported in patients diagnosed with fatty acid oxidation defects, linking ACOT7 function to regulation of fatty acid oxidation in other tissues. In this study, we have identified five possible first exons in mouse Acot7 (Acot7a-e) and show that all five first …

Thermal Effectiveness Characteristics Of Low Approach Indirect Evaporative Cooling Systems In Buildings, Ben Costelloe, Donal Finn

Articles

Meteorological enthalpy analysis of temperate and maritime climates above latitude 45°N suggests that the water-side evaporative cooling technique has considerable unrealised potential with contemporary “high temperature” building cooling systems—such as chilled ceilings and displacement ventilation. As low approach conditions are the key to exploiting the cooling potential of the ambient air, thermal performance at such conditions needs to be investigated. To address the research issues, an industrial scale test rig, based on a low approach open cooling tower and plate heat exchanger and designed to maximise evaporative cooling potential, has been constructed. The thermal effectiveness of such systems (as a …

A Novel Wideband Semi-Planar Miniaturized Antenna, Giuseppe Ruvio, Max Ammann

Articles

A semi-planar miniaturized antenna which operates over the FCC allocated UWB spectrum is presented. The small antenna comprises a folded conducting element connected to a printed section. Several solutions are introduced which create different current paths increasing the effective dimensions of the antenna. The antenna is examined for the stand-alone case and for the antenna mounted in various locations on a larger handset-type groundplane. The impedance and radiation characteristics show a relative independence of the groundplane size and the antenna location on it. The proposed antenna is a valuable candidate for handset applications due to its compactness. The proposed antenna …

Macrobending Fiber Loss Filter, Ratiometric Wavelength Measurement And Application, Qian Wang, Ginu Rajan, Gerald Farrell, Pengfei Wang, Yuliya Semenova, Thomas Freir

Articles

A macrobending standard single-mode fibre (SMF28) is optimized as an edge filter, with the optimal bending radius and length determined according to the bend loss and polarization sensitivity of the bending fibre. An all-fibre ratiometric wavelength system is built and calibrated. The system's accuracy and resolution is discussed with the influence of noise of input signal and photodetectors. Finally, the ratiometric system is employed for the demodulation of FBG strain sensing.

Quantum Dot Energy Relaxation Mediated By Plasmon Emission In Doped Covalent Semiconductor Heterostructures, A. V. Fedorov, Anna Baranov, I. D. Rukhlenko, T. S. Perova, Kevin Berwick

Articles

The interaction between interface plasmons within a doped substrate and quantum dot electrons or holes has been theoretically studied in double heterostructures based on covalent semiconductors. The interface plasmon modes, the corresponding dispersion relationship, and the intraband carrier relaxation rate in quantum dots are reported. We find the critical points in the interface plasmon density of states for multilayered structures results in enhanced quantum dot intraband carrier relaxation when compared to that for a single heterostructure. A detailed discussion is made of the relaxation rate and the spectral position dependencies on the quantum dot layer thickness as well as on …

An Approach To Unification Using A Linear Systems Model For The Propagation Of Broad-Band Signals, Jonathan Blackledge

Articles

We review the inhomogeneous scalar Helmholtz equation in three-dimensions and the scattering of scalar wavefields from a scatterer of compact support. An asymptotic solution is then considered representing the effect of the frequency approaching zero when a ‘wavefield’ reduces to a ‘field’. The characteristics of ultra-low frequency Helmholtz scattering are then considered and the physical significance discussed of a model that is based on the scattering of Helmholtz wavefields over a broad frequency spectrum. This is equivalent to using a linear systems approach for modelling the propagation, interaction and detection of broad-band signals and provides an approach to the classification …

Diffusion And Fractional Diffusion Based Models For Multiple Light Scattering And Image Analysis, Jonathan Blackledge

Articles

This paper considers a fractional light diffusion model as an approach to characterizing the case when intermediate scattering processes are present, i.e. the scattering regime is neither strong nor weak. In order to introduce the basis for this approach, we revisit the elements of formal scattering theory and the classical diffusion problem in terms of solutions to the inhomogeneous wave and diffusion equations respectively. We then address the significance of these equations in terms of a random walk model for multiple scattering. This leads to the proposition of a fractional diffusion equation for modelling intermediate strength scattering that is based …

Optical Performance Of Non-Blocking 4x4 Optical Switch: Simulation And Experiment, V. Alex, A. Dubtsov, Yuri Panarin, T. Wilkinson

Articles

A prototype of pure non-blocking 4x4 optical LC switch was designed and built. This switch is based on conventional LCD technology, where the each pixel controlled the polarization state of the light beam. An addressing algorithm was described. The optical performance of the switch, such as cross-talk and insertion loss, was simulated and experimentally studied. The suggested approach offers several advantages over the conventional cross-point architecture such as: cost; complexity; size; adjustment; and optical performance.

Microstructures And Viscoelastic Properties Of Anisotropic Magnetorheological Elastomers, Lin Chen

Articles

The microstructures and viscoelastic properties of anisotropic magnetorheological elastomers were investigated in this paper. The measurement results show that their mechanical properties are greatly dependent on the magnetic flux density applied in preparation. A finite-column model was proposed to describe the relations between the microstructures and the viscoelastic properties. The simulation results agree well with the experimental results.