Inter arma; being essays written in time of war,

Reprinted from the Edinburgh review.

Orientations in Time: Music and the Construction of Historical Narrative in 20th and 21st Century African-American Literature

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06

The accuracy of interceptive action in time and space

Hitting a moving target demands that movement is both spatially and temporally accurate. Recent experiments have begun to reveal how performance of such actions depends on the spatial and temporal accuracy requirements of the task. The results suggest a simple strategy for achieving spatiotemporal accuracy using brief, high-speed movements.

On the existence of solutions to boundary value problems on time scales

This work formulates existence theorems for solutions to two-point boundary value problems on time scales. The methods used include maximum principles, a priori bounds and topological degree theory.

Variability in time delay between two models of pulse oximeters for deriving the photoplethysmographic signals

Pulse oximetry is commonly used as an arterial blood oxygen saturation (SaO(2)) measure. However, its other serial output, the photoplethysmography (PPG) signal, is not as well studied. Raw PPG signals can be used to estimate cardiovascular measures like pulse transit time (PTT) and possibly heart rate (HR). These timing-related measurements are heavily dependent on the minimal variability in phase delay of the PPG signals. Masimo SET (R) Rad-9 (TM) and Novametrix Oxypleth oximeters were investigated for their PPG phase characteristics on nine healthy adults. To facilitate comparison, PPG signals were acquired from fingers on the same hand in a random fashion. Results showed that mean PTT variations acquired from the Masimo oximeter (37.89 ms) were much greater than the Novametrix (5.66 ms). Documented evidence suggests that I ms variation in PTT is equivalent to I mmHg change in blood pressure. Moreover, the PTT trend derived from the Masimo oximeter can be mistaken as obstructive sleep apnoeas based on the known criteria. HR comparison was evaluated against estimates attained from an electrocardiogram (ECG). Novametrix differed from ECG by 0.71 +/- 0.58% (p < 0.05) while Masimo differed by 4.51 +/- 3.66% (p > 0.05). Modem oximeters can be attractive for their improved SaO(2) measurement. However, using raw PPG signals obtained directly from these oximeters for timing-related measurements warrants further investigations.

Chaos Theory as an Approach to Understanding MICE in Time of Crisis

MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions), has generated high foreign exchange revenue for the economy worldwide. In Thailand, MICE tourists are recognized as ‘quality’ visitors, mainly because of their high-spending potential. Having said that, Thailand’s MICE sector has been influenced by a number of crises following September 11, 2001. Consequently, professionals in the MICE sector must be prepared to deal with such complex phenomena of crisis that might happen in the future. While a number of researches have examined the complexity of crises in the tourism context, there has been little focus on such issues in the MICE sector. As chaos theory provides a particularly good model for crisis situations, it is the aim of this paper to propose a chaos theory-based approach to the understanding of complex and chaotic system of the MICE sector in time of crisis.

Spatial patterns of asynuclein positive glial cytoplasmic inclusions in multiple system atrophy

In cases of multiple system atrophy (MSA), glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCI) were distributed randomly or present in large diffuse clusters (>1,600 μm in diameter) in most areas studied. These spatial patterns contrast with those reported for filamentous neuronal inclusions in the tauopathies and α-synucleinopathies. © 2003 Movement Disorder Society.

Clustering of neuronal inclusions in "dementia with neurofilament inclusions"

Dementia with neurofilament inclusions (DNI) is a new disorder characterized clinically by early-onset dementia and histologically by the presence of intraneural inclusions immunopositive for neurofilament antigens but lacking tau and α-synuclein reactivity. We studied the clustering patterns of the neurofilament inclusions (NI) in regions of the temporal lobe in three cases of DNI to determine whether they have the same spatial patterns as inclusions in the tauopathies and α-synucleinopathies. The NI exhibited a clustered distribution (mean size of clusters 400 μm, range 50-800 μm, SD 687.8) in 24/28 of the areas studied. In 22 of these areas, the clusters exhibited a regular distribution along the tissue parallel to the pia mater or alveus. In 3 cortical areas, there was evidence of a more complex pattern in which the NI clusters were aggregated into larger superclusters. In 6 cortical areas, the size of the clusters approximated to those of the cells of origin of the cortico-cortical pathways but in the remaining areas cluster size was smaller than 400 μm. Despite the unique molecular profile of the NI, their spatial patterns are similar to those shown by filamentous neuronal inclusions in the tauopathies and α-synucleinopathies.

Product variety and just-in-time conflict and challenge

This paper addresses the question of how just-in-time can be implemented within high variety manufacture. To illustrate some of the principles in relation to the high variety-low volume situation the case of a computer manufacturer is considered in detail. For contrast the paper also considers the case of the manufacture of highly-configured four wheel drive vehicles where both variety and volumes are high. The most important issue in high variety/low volume production is that JIT operation should be seen in terms of the tactical holding of inventory in upstream buffers within the supply chain so that value is not added to work in progress prematurely. Tactical buffers ensure that service levels are maintained and the risk of stock-outs is minimized. In high variety/high volume production schedule integrity is the key factor, unreliable schedules being a major inhibitor to the introduction of JIT.

Laminar distribution of ballooned neurons and tau positive neurons with inclusions in patients with corticobasal degeneration

The laminar distribution of ballooned neurons (BN) and tau positive neurons with inclusions (tau+ neurons) was studied in the frontal and temporal cortex in twelve patients with corticobasal degeneration (CBD). In the majority of brain areas, the density of BN and tau+ neurons was maximal in the lower and upper cortical laminae respectively. The densities of tau+ neurons in the upper and lower cortex were positively correlated. In the majority of brain areas, however, no correlations were observed between the densities of BN and tau+ neurons. The laminar distribution of the BN may reflect the degeneration of the feedback cortico-cortical and/or the efferent cortical pathways. By contrast, the distribution of the tau+ neurons may reflect the degeneration of the feed-forward cortico-cortical pathways. In addition, BN and tau+ neurons may arise as a result of distinct pathological processes.

A morphometric study of the spatial patterns of TDP-43 immunoreactive neuronal inclusions in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) with progranulin (GRN) mutation

Mutations of the progranulin (GRN) gene are a major cause of familial frontotemporal lobar degeneration with transactive response (TAR) DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) proteinopathy (FTLD-TDP). We studied the spatial patterns of TDP-43 immunoreactive neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions (NCI) and neuronal intranuclear inclusions (NII) in histological sections of the frontal and temporal lobe in eight cases of FTLD-TDP with GRN mutation using morphometric methods and spatial pattern analysis. In neocortical regions, the NCI were clustered and the clusters were regularly distributed parallel to the pia mater; 58% of regions analysed exhibiting this pattern. The NII were present in regularly distributed clusters in 35% of regions but also randomly distributed in many areas. In neocortical regions, the sizes of the regular clusters of NCI and NII were 400-800 µm, approximating to the size of the modular columns of the cortico-cortical projections, in 31% and 36% of regions respectively. The NCI and NII also exhibited regularly spaced clustering in sectors CA1/2 of the hippocampus and in the dentate gyrus. The clusters of NCI and NII were not spatially correlated. The data suggest degeneration of the cortico-cortical and cortico-hippocampal pathways in FTLD-TDP with GRN mutation, the NCI and NII affecting different clusters of neurons.

The spectrum and severity of FUS-immunoreactive inclusions in the frontal and temporal lobes of ten cases of neuronal intermediate filament inclusion disease

Neuronal intermediate filament inclusion disease (NIFID), a rare form of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), is characterized neuropathologically by focal atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes, neuronal loss, gliosis, and neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions (NCI) containing epitopes of ubiquitin and neuronal intermediate filament proteins. Recently, the 'fused in sarcoma' (FUS) protein (encoded by the FUS gene) has been shown to be a component of the inclusions of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with FUS mutation, NIFID, basophilic inclusion body disease, and atypical FTLD with ubiquitin-immunoreactive inclusions (aFTLD-U). To further characterize FUS proteinopathy in NIFID, and to determine whether the pathology revealed by FUS immunohistochemistry (IHC) is more extensive than a-internexin, we have undertaken a quantitative assessment of ten clinically and neuropathologically well-characterized cases using FUS IHC. The densities of NCI were greatest in the dentate gyrus (DG) and in sectors CA1/2 of the hippocampus. Anti-FUS antibodies also labeled glial inclusions (GI), neuronal intranuclear inclusions (NII), and dystrophic neurites (DN). Vacuolation was extensive across upper and lower cortical layers. Significantly greater densities of abnormally enlarged neurons and glial cell nuclei were present in the lower compared with the upper cortical laminae. FUS IHC revealed significantly greater numbers of NCI in all brain regions especially the DG. Our data suggest: (1) significant densities of FUS-immunoreactive NCI in NIFID especially in the DG and CA1/2; (2) infrequent FUS-immunoreactive GI, NII, and DN; (3) widely distributed vacuolation across the cortex, and (4) significantly more NCI revealed by FUS than a-internexin IHC.