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Purpose No standard of care therapy exists for patients with metastatic uveal melanoma who are not HLA-A2:01 positive. The phase 1b, open-label CLEVER study (NCT03408587) evaluated V937 in combination with ipilimumab in patients with uveal melanoma. Methods Adults with advanced uveal melanoma and liver metastases received up to 8 cycles of intravenous V937 (1 × 109 TCID50 per infusion; infusions on days 1, 3, 5, and 8 [cycle 1], then every 3 weeks [Q3W] thereafter [cycles 2–8]) and 4 cycles of intravenous ipilimumab 3 mg/kg Q3W (beginning at cycle 1 day 8). The primary endpoint was safety. Secondary endpoints included objective response rate and progression-free survival (PFS) per immune-related Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (irRECIST). Results Eleven patients were enrolled (median age, 65.0 years) and received a median of 6 injections of V937 and 3.5 infusions of ipilimumab. The best overall response was stable disease in 3 patients and progressive disease in 8 patients. All patients exhibited progression per irRECIST, with a 9% irPFS rate at week 26. Ten patients had treatment-related AEs, the most frequent of which were diarrhea (55%), fatigue (45%), and myalgia (36%). Two grade 3 AEs (diarrhea, n = 2) were considered related to ipilimumab; neither was related to V937. Conclusion Although the combination of V937 with ipilimumab had a manageable safety profile, meaningful clinical benefit was not observed in patients with uveal melanoma and liver metastases. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03408587 (January 24, 2018).

Bisphenol A (BPA), a commonly used plasticizer in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, has been shown male reproductive toxicity. However, the effects of BPA exposure on early testicular development have not been thoroughly studied and the underlying mechanism is yet to be elucidated. In the current study, neonatal male mice were exposed to BPA at 0, 0.1, and 5 mg/kg, respectively, by daily subcutaneous injection during postnatal day (PND) 1-35 to explore its effects on testicular development at PND 36 (the end of the first round of spermatogenesis). Morphological analyses showed that BPA exposure significantly induced apoptosis of testicular cells (P0.01 and P0.001) and reduced the thickness of seminiferous epithelium (P0.01). In addition, BPA exposure significantly decreased the total antioxidant capacity of testes and levels of transcription factor Nrf2 as well as its downstream antioxidant molecules of NQO1 and GPx-1 (P0.05 and P0.01). Furthermore, global m6A modifications of mRNAs were up-regulated accompanied by declined m6A demethylase (FTO) in the testes of BPA groups (P0.05 and P0.01). MeRIP-qPCR demonstrated that BPA exposure markedly increased the m6A modification of Nrf2 mRNA (P0.05 and P0.01). These findings suggest that up-regulation of m6A induced by inhibited FTO may be involved in BPA-induced testicular oxidative stress and developmental injury during postnatal development, which provides a new idea to reveal the mechanism underlying BPA interfering with testicular development.

The advances in connected vehicle systems (CVS) allow vehicles to communicate with each other and with infrastructures via wireless communication networks. This technology enables vehicles to detect potential hazards on the road, generate warnings, and assist the driver in taking preventive actions. To date, few mathematical models have been developed to predict the collision rates in connected vehicle systems. In this work, a Long Short-Term Memory model (LSTM) using time-series data of human drivers was developed to predict the collision rates in CVS by quantifying warning parameters and hazard scenario features. The model was validated with the driving performance data before and after warnings from thirty-two drivers in a behavioral experiment. The results indicated the LSTM model showed a prediction accuracy of 74% higher than SVM and logistic regression models. The LSTM model showed the potential to help optimize the warning algorithm in the connected vehicle systems to improve driver safety.

The miscibility, stability and compressibility of L-α dioleoylphosphatidylcholine/rutin laurate mixed monolayer at the air/water were investigated by Langmuir film balance to reveal the characteristic of the molecular interaction. The two components of DOPC/RL mixed monolayer were miscible throughout the mixture composition range and at three experimental temperatures of 10°C, 25°C and 37°C. At all experimental conditions, RL increased the compressibility and elasticity of the DOPC monolayer. Both the temperature and the composition of the membrane affected the form of intermolecular forces in the mixed monolayer.

Background With the advancement of sequencing technologies, a plethora of noncoding RNA (ncRNA) species have been widely discovered, including microRNAs (miRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and long ncRNAs (lncRNAs). However, the mechanism of these non-coding RNAs in diseases caused by enterovirus d68 (EV-D68) remains unclear. The goal of this research was to identify significantly altered circRNAs, lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs pathways in RD cells infected with EV-D68, analyze their target relationships, demonstrate the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network, and evaluate their biological functions. Methods The total RNAs were sequenced by high-throughput sequencing technology, and differentially expressed genes between control and infection groups were screened using bioinformatics method. We discovered the targeting relationship between three ncRNAs and mRNA using bioinformatics methods, and then built a ceRNA regulatory network centered on miRNA. The biological functions of differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) were discovered through GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. Create a protein interaction network (PPI) to seek for hub mRNAs and learn more about protein–protein interactions. The relative expression was verified using RT-qPCR. The effects of Fos and ARRDC3 on virus replication were confirmed using RT-qPCR, virus titer (TCID50/ml), Western blotting. Results 375 lncRNAs (154 upregulated and 221 downregulated), 33 circRNAs (32 upregulated and 1 downregulated), 96 miRNAs (49 upregulated and 47 downregulated), and 239 mRNAs (135 upregulated and 104 downregulated) were identified as differently in infected group compare to no-infected group. A single lncRNA or circRNA can be connected with numerous miRNAs, which subsequently coregulate additional mRNAs, according to the ceRNA regulatory network. The majority of DEmRNAs were shown to be connected to DNA binding, transcription regulation by RNA polymerase II, transcription factor, MAPK signaling pathways, Hippo signal pathway, and apoptosis pathway, according to GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. The hub mRNAs with EGR1, Fos and Jun as the core were screened through PPI interaction network. We preliminarily demonstrated that the Fos and ARRDC3 genes can suppress EV-D68 viral replication in order to further verify the results of full transcriptome sequencing. Conclusion The results of whole transcriptome analysis after EV-D68 infection of RD cells were first reported in this study, and for the first time, a ceRNA regulation network containing miRNA at its center was established for the first time. The Fos and ARRDC3 genes were found to hinder viral in RD cells. This study establishes a novel insight host response during EV-D68 infection and further investigated potential drug targets.

BackgroundIntratumoral administration of V937, a bioselected, genetically unmodified coxsackievirus A21, has previously demonstrated antitumor activity in patients with advanced melanoma as monotherapy and in combination with the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) antibody pembrolizumab. We report results from an open-label, single-arm, phase 1b study (NCT02307149) evaluating V937 plus the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 inhibitor ipilimumab in patients with advanced melanoma.MethodsAdult patients (aged ≥18 years) with histologically confirmed metastatic or unresectable stage IIIB/C or IV melanoma received intratumoral V937 on days 1, 3, 5, 8, and 22 and every 3 weeks (Q3W) thereafter for up to 19 sets of injections plus intravenous ipilimumab 3 mg/kg Q3W administered for four doses starting on day 22. Imaging was performed at screening, on days 43 and 106 and every 6 weeks thereafter; response was assessed by immune-related response criteria per investigator assessment. Primary endpoints were safety in all treated patients and objective response rate (ORR) in all treated patients and in patients with disease that progressed on prior anti-PD-1 therapy.ResultsFifty patients were enrolled and treated. ORR was 30% (95% CI 18% to 45%) among all treated patients, 47% (95% CI 23% to 72%) among patients who had not received prior anti-PD-1 therapy, and 21% (95% CI 9% to 39%) among patients who had experienced disease progression on prior anti-PD-1 therapy. Tumor regression occurred in injected and non-injected lesions. Median immune-related progression-free survival was 6.2 months (95% CI 3.5 to 9.0 months), and median overall survival was 45.1 months (95% CI 28.3 months to not reached). The most common treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were pruritus (n=25, 50%), fatigue (n=22, 44%), and diarrhea (n=16, 32%). There were no V937-related dose-limiting toxicities and no treatment-related grade 5 AEs. Treatment-related grade 3 or 4 AEs, all of which were considered related to ipilimumab, occurred in 14% of patients (most commonly dehydration, diarrhea, and hepatotoxicity in 4% each).ConclusionsResponses associated with intratumoral V937 plus ipilimumab were robust, including in the subgroup of patients who had experienced disease progression on prior anti-PD-1 therapy. Toxicities were manageable and consistent with those of the individual monotherapies.

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) are rare, heterogeneous non-Hodgkin lymphomas with poor prognoses. Pralatrexate has demonstrated efficacy in T-cell lymphomas; however, mucositis has been reported as the most common dose-modifying adverse event. Leucovorin has been shown to minimize mucositis incidence, without sacrificing pralatrexate efficacy. We retrospectively studied 34 patients (7-PTCL/27-CTCL) treated with pralatrexate alone or pralatrexate and leucovorin. Leucovorin was administered preemptively prior to any mucositis occurrence. Pralatrexate dosing ranged from 10–30 mg/m2 and clinical response or disease stabilization was observed in 85.2%. The incidence of mucositis was reduced in CTCL patients to 17% and was ameliorated in all but one patient with PTCL. There was no change the incidence of skin reactions with the addition of leucovorin. The response rates were similar to those previously reported in CTCL and PTCL. The addition of leucovorin reduced ...

The fair value of an option is given by breakeven volatility, the value of implied volatility that sets the profit and loss of a delta-hedged option to zero. We calculate breakeven volatility for 400,000 options traded on the S&P 500 Index, and we build a predictive model for these volatility values. A two-stage regression approach captures the majority of observed variation. By providing a link between option characteristics, such as moneyness and time to expiration, and breakeven volatility, we establish a nonparametric approach of pricing options without the need to specify the underlying price process. We illustrate the economic value of our approach with a simulated trading strategy based on model predictions of breakeven volatility.

Summary Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) are rare, heterogeneous non-Hodgkin lymphomas with poor prognoses. Treatment options for CTCL are limited by the their efficacy and tolerability profile. Pralatrexate has demonstrated efficacy in T-cell lymphomas, however dose-modifying adverse events, such as mucositis have occurred. We retrospectively reviewed clinical responses and toxicity in 27 CTCL patients treated with pralatrexate at doses ranging from 10-30mg/m 2 and clinical response or disease stabilization was observed in 85% even at lower doses. Administration of leucovorin resulted in no change in the incidence of skin reactions in CTCL patients but reduced the incidence of mucositis.

In this study, tung oil was polymerized with a dimaleimide (4,4’-methylene-bis( N -phenylmaleimide) (MPMI) and two diacrylates (poly(propylene glycol) diacrylate (PPGDA) and bisphenol A glycerolate diacrylate (BPAGDA) via Diels-Alder reaction (DA reaction) to prepare pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs). On the one hand, the polymer of tung oil and MPMI was readily prepared however it was too rigid to serve as a PSA. On the other hand, the polymerization of tung oil with PPGDA or BPAGDA resulted in PSAs with peel strengths ranging from 0.1 to 0.2 N cm −1 and loop tacks ranging from 0.4 to 0.5 N. Nevertheless, tung oil reacted readily with acrylic acid to form adducts (TOAA) with lower content of conjugated diene groups than those of tung oil. The use of TOAAs instead of tung oil to polymerize PPGDA failed to increase the peel strength of the resulting PSAs. However, polymerizations of TOAAs with BPAGDA resulted in PSAs with much higher peel strengths and much higher loop tacks than the polymerization of tung oil with BPAGDA. In addition, the introduction of a small amount of MPMI in the polymerization of TOAA and PPGDA significantly shortened the curing time.

Renewable castor oil (CO) was investigated as a polyol for preparation of polyurethane-based pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs). PSAs from the one-pot reaction of CO, poly(propylene glycol) (PPG), toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and DBTDL have all desirable properties for applications as surface protective films. NCO-terminated PPG-TDI adducts were prepared from reactions of PPG and TDI at room temperature (as designated as PPG-TDIR) and 100 °C (as designated as PPG-TDI100), respectively. The PSAs from reactions of CO and PPG-TDIR or PPG-TDI100 had higher peel strengths than those from reactions of CO and the mixture of PPG and TDI. PPG-TDIR resulted in a higher peel strength of the resulting PSAs than PPG-TDI100. A two-stage curing process of the partial curing of the mixture of CO and PPG-TDIR at 125 °C and the final curing in an ambient environment was better than one-stage complete curing at 125 °C in terms of enhancing the peel strength of the resulting PSAs. The NCO/OH molar ratio of 0.85 in the mixture of CO and PPG-TDIR resulted in the highest peel strength for the PSAs from CO and PPG-TDIR. The PSAs from CO and PPG-TDIR had good aging resistance and can be tailored for various applications such as labels and tapes. PPG was superior to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in terms of enhancing the peel strength of the resulting PSAs. The curing mechanisms are discussed in detail.

Heavy ion-induced single event upsets (SEUs) of static random access memory (SRAM), integrated with three-dimensional integrated circuit technology, are evaluated using a Monte Carlo simulation method based on the Geant4 simulation toolkit. The SEU cross sections and multiple cell upset (MCU) susceptibility of 3D SRAM are explored using different types and energies of heavy ions. In the simulations, the sensitivities of different dies of 3D SRAM show noticeable discrepancies for low linear energy transfers (LETs). The average percentage of MCUs of 3D SRAM increases from 17.2 to 32.95%, followed by the energy of 209Bi decreasing from 71.77 to 38.28 MeV/u. For a specific LET, the percentage of MCUs presents a notable difference between the face-to-face and back-to-face structures. In the back-to-face structure, the percentage of MCUs increases with a deeper die, compared with the face-to-face structure. The simulation method and process are verified by comparing the SEU cross sections of planar SRAM with experimental data. The upset cross sections of the planar process and 3D integrated SRAM are analyzed. The results demonstrate that the 3D SRAM sensitivity is not greater than that of the planar SRAM. The 3D process technology has the potential to be applied to the aerospace and military fields.

In this study, we report a new, simple, and solvent-free approach for the development of PSAs from renewable tung oil and diols such as propylene glycol (PG), di(ethylene glycol) (DEG), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), poly(propylene glycol) (PPG) and PEG-block-PPG-block-PEG. Tung oil reacted easily and efficiently with maleic anhydride (MA) via the Diels–Alder reaction, producing an adduct of tung oil and MA (TOMA) containing an average of 2.4 anhydride groups per triglyceride. Polymerizations of TOMA with the diols afforded cross-linked carboxylic acid-functionalized polyesters. The polyesters were found to be pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) with a peel strength of 0.3–4.5 N cm−1, a loop tack of 1–13 N, a shear adhesion of more than 168 h, and a good aging resistance. The PSA properties of the polyesters could be tailored through selection of diols and their amount. Polymerizations of TOMA with short-chain diols such as PG and DEG resulted in PSAs with low peel strength. Polymerizations of TOMA with long-chain PPGs resulted in PSAs with high peel strength and high loop tack. Incorporation of PEGs or PEG blocks into the PSAs resulted in a marked decrease in the peel strength and loop tack of the PSAs. An increase in the molecular weight of PPGs or the amount of PPGs in the reaction mixtures also decreased the peel strength and loop tack of the resulting PSAs. The new PSAs could be based on renewable materials. The preparation of the PSAs did not require any organic solvent or toxic chemical, thus being environmentally friendly.

Existing pressure sensitive adhesives (PSA) are mostly based on petrochemical-based polymers. This study reveals a new class of bio-based polymers that can be used as PSA. The polymers are hydroxyl-containing polyesters from the step-growth polymerization of epoxidized oleic acid (EOA), an AB-type monomer containing both a carboxylic acid group (A) and an epoxy group (B). The monomer is derived from epoxidation of renewable methyl oleate followed by selective hydrolysis of the ester group. The polymers (PEOA) of EOA were characterized for their chemical structure and molecular weight. The PEOA after being cured with a very small amount of a crosslinking agent could serve as a PSA with high peel strength, high tack force, superior shear resistance, excellent aging resistance, and excellent thermal stability. The PSA contains 99 wt% of green renewable materials. The PSA were also characterized for their viscoelastic properties and thermal properties.

In this study, a flume experiment was designed to investigate the characteristics of wave-induced pore water pressure in the soil of a silty seabed with different clay contents, soil layer buried depths and wave heights respectively. The study showed that water waves propagating over silty seabed can induce significant change of pore water pressure, and the amplitude of pore pressure depends on depth of buried soil layer, clay content and wave height, which are considered as the three influencing factors for pore water pressure change. The pressure will attenuate according to exponential law with increase of soil layer buried depth, and the attenuation being more rapid in those soil layers with higher clay content and greater wave height. The pore pressure in silty seabed increases rapidly in the initial stage of wave action, then decreases gradually to a stable value, depending on the depth of buried soil layer, clay content and wave height. The peak value of pore pressure will increase if clay content or depth of buried soil layer decreases, or wave height increases. The analysis indicated that these soils with 5% clay content and waves with higher wave height produce instability in bed easier, and that the wave energy is mostly dissipated near the surface of soils and 5% clay content in soils can prevent pore pressure from dissipating immediately.

This paper proposed a method to estimate cross-section of circuits at RTL level design. By combination of the intrinsic cross-section which was obtain from Monte-Carlo simulation with the results obtained from fault injection, the method can provide systematic dynamic cross-section of the design. It can be an alternative method instead of ground radiation test to get cross section. The DDC IP Core has been simulated for test. The results showed that dynamic cross-section is smaller than static cross-section in certain application. The saturated dynamic cross-section of it is about 5e-3 cm2/device.

The volatility index (VIX) documented in the Cboe white paper (The Cboe Volatility Index, 2003-2020) involves the use of quoted option prices to approximate implied variances for the S&P 500 index. Cboe uses the average price of both call and put options at the strike that is just below or at the forward price of the underlying. This procedure overestimates implied variances that are used to compute the VIX index. The error is less noticeable when quoted strikes around forward index value are significantly close to each other such as in the case of the Cboe 30-day VIX index, but becomes larger as strikes are further apart from each other as in the Cboe VVIX index (the VIX of VIX). We show that better accuracy can be achieved by using only the put price at the strike , and replacing the strike price used in the adjustment term with the forward price or the average of the two adjacent strikes that are above and below the forward price. Whatever error remaining is purely due to numerical integration. We identified two types of numerical integration errors, one from the curvature of options prices and the other from the kink that joins the put and call segments of out-of-money options at the forward price. We proposed methods to reduce both type of errors.

Existing pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) are mainly derived from petrochemicals. This study describes a novel approach for development of biobased PSAs. Epoxidized soybean oil was polymerized and cross-linked with a dicarboxylic acid to generate superior PSAs. The dicarboxylic acids used in this study included dimer acid (DA), sebacic acid, adipic acid, and a difunctional polymeric carboxylic acid that was prepared from polymerization of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BPAGE) and an excess of DA. AMC-2, a chromium(III)-based organometallic compound, was found to be the most effective catalyst for the polymerization/cross-linking. The PSAs had a peel strength of 1.4–5.0 N/cm, a loop tack of 7.1–12.6 N, a shear strength of 34 min to more than 168 h, and a good aging resistance. The adhesive properties of the PSAs can be tailored for specific applications such as PSA tapes and labels through the selection of the dicarboxylic acid and its usage. Incorporation of a small amount of phenylene-containing monome...

In Harbin, we are developing a 300 MeV proton microbeam for many applications in space science including upset studies in microelectronic devices, radiation hardness of materials for satellites and radiation effects in human tissues. There are also applications of this facility proposed for proton therapy. The microbeam system will employ a purpose-built proton synchrotron to provide the beam. However there are many challenges to be addressed in the design, construction and operation of this facility. Here we address two important design aspects for which we apply GEANT4 modeling. First, the high energy proton beam interacts strongly with beam line materials, especially the collimation slits, to produce showers of secondary particles which could introduce significant background signals and degrade the resolution of the proton microbeam. Second, the beam transport within the residual vacuum of the beam line may also introduce undesirable background radiation. In both cases mitigation strategies need to be incorporated during the design phase of the new system. We study the use of a dipole magnet following the aperture collimator to reduce the flux of secondary particles incident on the analysis chamber. Monte Carlo simulations are performed using GEANT4 and SRIM. By inserting the dipole magnet, we find as expected a significant reduction in the scattering of protons and other particles, such as neutrons and gamma rays, at the collimation system exit position. Secondary radiation from the residual gas pressure within the beam line vacuum system are also modelled and found to be negligible under the standard operating conditions.

The controlled/living radical polymerization of N-phenyl maleimide (NPMI) was achieved using 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as the initiator and 2-cyanopropyl-2-yl dithiobenzoate as the reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer agent at 75°C in dichloroethane/ethylene carbonate (60/40, w/w) mixed solvent. The block copolymers of polystyrene-b-polyNPMI and poly(n-butyl methacrylate)-b-polyNPMI were successfully prepared by chain extension from dithiobenzoate-terminated polystyrene and poly (n-butyl methacrylate) to NPMI, respectively. The obtained NPMI-based (co)polymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009

Astrocyte signals can modulate arteriolar tone, contributing to regulation of cerebral blood flow, but specific intercellular communication mechanisms are unclear. Here we used isolated cerebral arteriole myocytes, astrocytes, and brain slices to investigate whether carbon monoxide (CO) generated by the enzyme heme oxygenase (HO) acts as an astrocyte-to-myocyte gasotransmitter in the brain. Glutamate stimulated CO production by astrocytes with intact HO-2, but not those genetically deficient in HO-2. Glutamate activated transient K Ca currents and single K Ca channels in myocytes that were in contact with astrocytes, but did not affect K Ca channel activity in myocytes that were alone. Pretreatment of astrocytes with chromium mesoporphyrin (CrMP), a HO inhibitor, or genetic ablation of HO-2 prevented glutamate-induced activation of myocyte transient K Ca currents and K Ca channels. Glutamate decreased arteriole myocyte intracellular Ca 2+ concentration and dilated brain slice arterioles and this decrease and dilation were blocked by CrMP. Brain slice arteriole dilation to glutamate was also blocked by L-2-alpha aminoadipic acid, a selective astrocyte toxin, and paxilline, a K Ca channel blocker. These data indicate that an astrocytic signal, notably HO-2–derived CO, is used by glutamate to stimulate arteriole myocyte K Ca channels and dilate cerebral arterioles. Our study explains the astrocyte and HO dependence of glutamatergic functional hyperemia observed in the newborn cerebrovascular circulation in vivo.

In smooth muscle cells, localized intracellular Ca2+transients, termed “Ca2+sparks,” activate several large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+(KCa) channels, resulting in a transient KCacurrent. In some smooth muscle cell types, a significant proportion of Ca2+sparks do not activate KCachannels. The goal of this study was to explore mechanisms that underlie fractional Ca2+spark-KCachannel coupling. We investigated whether membrane depolarization or ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+release (RyR) channel activation modulates coupling in newborn (1- to 3-day-old) porcine cerebral artery myocytes. At steady membrane potentials of −40, 0, and +40 mV, mean transient KCacurrent frequency was ∼0.18, 0.43, and 0.26 Hz and KCachannel activity [number of KCachannels activated by Ca2+sparks × open probability of KCachannels at peak of Ca2+sparks ( NPo)] at the transient KCacurrent peak was ∼4, 12, and 24, respectively. Depolarization between −40 and +40 mV increased KCachannel sensitivity to Ca2+sparks and elevated the percentage of Ca2+sparks that activated a transient KCacurrent from 59 to 86%. In a Ca2+-free bath solution or in diltiazem, a voltage-dependent Ca2+channel blocker, steady membrane depolarization between −40 and +40 mV increased transient KCacurrent frequency up to ∼1.6-fold. In contrast, caffeine (10 μM), an RyR channel activator, increased mean transient KCacurrent frequency but did not alter Ca2+spark-KCachannel coupling. These data indicate that coupling is increased by mechanisms that elevate KCachannel sensitivity to Ca2+sparks, but not by RyR channel activation. Overall, KCachannel insensitivity to Ca2+sparks is a prominent factor underlying fractional Ca2+spark uncoupling in newborn cerebral artery myocytes.

This article has two objectives. First, it describes the market for precipitation derivatives and provides examples of applications of such contracts. Second, it proposes, estimates, and compares several models for precipitation. Based on the data for Chicago Midway Airport (1950–2003), we find that a mixture of exponentials and kernel density provide a better fit than a gamma distribution. A valuation example is also presented.

This article introduces mark-to-market risk into the conventional futures hedging framework. It is shown that a hedger concerned with maximum daily loss will considerably reduce his futures position when the risk is taken into account. In case of a moderate hedge horizon, the hedger will hedge approximately 80% of his spot position. The effect of mark-to-market risk decreases very slowly as the hedge horizon increases. If the hedger is concerned with average daily loss, the effect is minimal for a moderate hedge horizon. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 23:389–398, 2003

Novel pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) were developed from renewable methyl oleate (MO) and fully evaluated for their peel strength, tack force and shear resistance. MO was epoxidized and selectively hydrolyzed on the ester group to form epoxidized oleic acid (EOA) that is a bifunctional monomer containing both a carboxylic acid group and an epoxy group. EOA was step-growth polymerized to form a hydroxyl-containing polyester, which was then cured in the presence of a small amount of a polyfunctional epoxide [epoxidized soybean oil or trimethylolpropane triglycidyl ether (TMPTGE)] to afford PSAs. The PSAs from the polyester cured with TMPTGE exhibited high peel strength (2.4 N/10 mm), high tack force (5.8 N), and sufficient shear resistance (9.0 min). The PSAs can be fully based on renewable natural materials, and their preparations are environmentally friendly. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 41143.

The common practice of using different volatilities for options of different strikes in the Black-Scholes (1973) model imposes inconsistent assumptions on underlying securities. The phenomenon is referred to as the volatility smile. This paper addresses this problem by replacing the Brownian motion or, alternatively, the Geometric Brownian motion in the Black-Scholes model with a two-piece quadratic or linear function of the Brownian motion. By selecting appropriate parameters of this function we obtain a wide range of shapes of implied volatility curves with respect to option strikes. The model has closed-form solutions for European options, which enables fast calibration of the model to market option prices. The model can also be efficiently implemented in discrete time for pricing complex options. G1