Insulin-like growth factor I-dependent regulation of prolidase activity in cultured human skin fibroblasts

In metastatic breast cancer the goal to reach must be the best possible palliation with minimum discomfort for the patient. We reviewed our experience with radiotherapy (20 or 30 Gy), systemic therapy and brace. Among 2200 breast cancer patients, we extracted 28 potential candidates for resection. All of them developed new metastases outside the treated field within one year. Local control was achieved in 68%, and 80% of them had stable or better performance status at 3 months. From our analysis, even patients with a so called "solitary lesion" do not seem to have a better prognosis than others. We conclude that radiotherapy (with systemic therapy and a brace) is still first-choice treatment for vertebral metastases; CT-guided percutaneous biopsy can avoid worthless major operations. The role of surgery should be limited to neurological compression, severe mechanical instability and to salvage the failures of conservative treatment.     

An efficient multigrid preconditioner for Maxwell’s equations in micromagnetism

We consider a system of Maxwell’s and Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equations describing magnetization dynamics in micromagnetism. The problem is discretized by a convergent, unconditionally stable finite element method. A multigrid preconditioned Uzawa type method for the solution of the algebraic system resulting from the discretized Maxwell’s equations is constructed. The efficiency of the method is demonstrated on numerical experiments and the results are compared to those obtained by simplified models.     

Effect of numerical integration on meshless methods

In this paper, we present the effect of numerical integration on meshless methods with shape functions that reproduce polynomials of degree k1. The meshless method was used on a second order Neumann problem and we derived an estimate for the energy norm of the error between the exact solution and the approximate solution from the meshless method under the presence of numerical integration. This estimate was obtained under the assumption that the numerical integration scheme satisfied a form of Green’s formula. We also indicated how to obtain numerical integration schemes satisfying this property.     

Robust portfolio optimization via solution to the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation

We consider a problem of dynamic stochastic portfolio optimization modelled by a fully non-linear Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation. Using the Riccati transformation, the HJB equation is transformed to a simpler quasi-linear partial differential equation. An auxiliary quadratic programming problem is obtained, which involves a vector of expected asset returns and a covariance matrix of the returns as input parameters. Since this problem can be sensitive to the input data, we modify the problem from fixed input parameters to worst-case optimization over convex or discrete uncertainty sets both for asset mean returns and their covariance matrix. Qualitative as well as quantitative properties of the value function are analysed along with providing illustrative numerical examples. We show application to robust portfolio optimization for the German DAX30 Index.     

HFOLD - A program package for calculating two-body MSSM Higgs decays at full one-loop level

HFOLD (Higgs Full One Loop Decays) is a Fortran program package for calculating all MSSM Higgs two-body decay widths and the corresponding branching ratios at full one-loop level. The package is done in the SUSY Parameter Analysis convention and supports the SUSY Les Houches Accord input and output format.

Program summary

Program title: HFOLDCatalogue identifier: AEJG_v1_0Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEJG_v1_0.htmlProgram obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen?s University, Belfast, N. IrelandLicensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.htmlNo. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 340 621No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 1 760 051Distribution format: tar.gzProgramming language: Fortran 77Computer: Workstation, PCOperating system: LinuxRAM: 524 288 000 BytesClassification: 11.1External routines: LoopTools 2.2 (http://www.feynarts.de/looptools/), SLHALib 2.2 (http://www.feynarts.de/slha/). The LoopTools code is included in the distribution package.Nature of problem: A future high-energy e⁺e⁻ linear collider will be the best environment for the precise measurements of masses, cross sections, branching ratios, etc. Experimental accuracies are expected at the per-cent down to the per-mile level. These must be matched from the theoretical side. Therefore higher order calculations are mandatory.Solution method: This program package calculates all MSSM Higgs two-body decay widths and the corresponding branching ratios at full one-loop level. The renormalization is done in the DR scheme following the SUSY Parameter Analysis convention. The program supports the SUSY Les Houches Accord input and output format.Running time: The example provided takes only a few seconds to run.     

New multichannel electron energy analyzer with cylindrically symmetrical electrostatic field

This article discusses an electron energy analyzer with a cylindrically symmetrical electrostatic field, designed for rapid Auger analysis. The device was designed and built. The best parameters of the analyzer were estimated and then experimentally verified.     

Correlation of microhardness and morphology in injection-moulded poly(ethylene terephtalate)

Microindentation hardness has been applied to a series of injection-moulded poly(ethylene terephtalate) samples prepared using a range of mould temperatures, T _c. The morphology of the samples was characterized by X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. Depending on T _c, it is shown that microhardness is lower at the surface than in the core of the mouldings. Results are discussed in terms of the volume fraction of spherulites filling the mouldings which is shown to be dependent upon T _c. The influence of an annealing treatment on the properties of the mouldings is examined. The microhardness values are correlated with the thickness and with the surface free energy of the lamellar crystals. The results obtained indicate that increasing annealing temperatures first leads to an increase and then to a sudden decrease of hardness. The latter can be associated with the changes occurring in the number of defects on the crystal's surface.     

The squid picovoltmeter operating in magnetic fields up to 3.2 T

A method which enables the Squid dc voltmeter to be operated with a sample exposed to a significant external magnetic field is presented. A special superconducting shield with a finite time constant has been used to suppress time-dependent components of the field. With the shield, the Squid voltmeter has been able to work in magnetic fields up to 0.7 T in the flux-locked loop mode. The total voltage noise per unit bandwidth V_rms (referred to input) does not exceed the value of . To extend the range of performance to higher magnetic fields, simple low pass filters have been built into the input circuit to increase its time constant. With the signal coil of the Squid shunted by a resistor R_B = 3 × 10⁻⁶ω, the Squid voltmeter could be operated in fields up to 3.2 T with

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