How Effective is China’s Monetary Policy? An assessment of the link between the growth of monetary aggregates and inflation during the 2000s

The effectiveness of China’s monetary policy hinges on the existence of a robust link between the growth of monetary aggregates and inflation. This paper considers this link during the 2000s using Structural VAR models and simulated out-of-sample forecasting techniques. The results indicate that the link is far from robust. Such findings serve to underscore the importance of institutional reforms that will enable interest rates to play a more prominent role as an instrument of monetary policy.

Simulation of organismic morphology and behavior by synthetic poly-alpha-amino acids

Simulation of organismic morphology and behavior by synthetic poly-amino acid

Potentialities of proteinoids for nutritional investigation

Simultaneous synthesis of amino acids and proteinoid production for nutritional investigatio

Collaborative soft object manipulation for game engine-based virtual reality surgery simulators

In this paper we analyse and evaluate the capabilities of popular game engines to simulate and interact with soft objects. We discuss how these engines can be used for simulated surgical training applications, determine their shortcomings and make suggestions how game engines can be extended to make them more suitable for such applications

'Koze Kube Nini?' The violence of representation and the politics of social research in South Africa

Paper presented at the Wits History Workshop: Democracy, Popular Precedents, Practice and Culture, 13-15 July, 199

On the dynamics of vortex modes within magnetic islands

Recent work investigating the interaction of magnetic islands with micro-turbulence has uncovered the striking observation of large scale vortex modes forming within the island structure [W.A. Hornsby {\it et al.}, Phys. Plasmas {\bf 17} 092301 (2010)]. These electrostatic vortices are found to be the size of the island and are oscillatory. It is this oscillatory behaviour and the presence of turbulence that leads us to believe that the dynamics are related to the Geodesic Acoustic Mode (GAM), and it is this link that is investigated in this paper. Here we derive an equation for the GAM in the MHD limit, in the presence of a magnetic island modified three-dimensional axisymmetric geometry. The eigenvalues and eigenfunctions are calculated numerically and then utilised to analyse the dynamics of oscillatory large-scale electrostatic potential structures seen in both linear and non-linear gyro-kinetic simulations

Imaging complex ventral hernias, their surgical repair, and their complications

Complex ventral hernia (CVH) describes large, anterior, ventral hernias. The incidence of CVH is rising rapidly due to increasing laparotomy rates in ever older, obese and co-morbid patients. Surgeons with a specific interest in CVH repair are now frequently referring these patients for imaging, normally computed tomography scanning. This review describes what information is required from preoperative imaging and the surgical options and techniques used for CVH repair, so that radiologists understand the postoperative appearances specific to CVH and are aware of the common complications following surgery. KEY POINTS: • Complex ventral hernia (CVH) describes large abdominal wall hernias (e.g. width ≥10cm). • CVH patients are being referred increasingly for preoperative and postoperative imaging. • Imaging is pivotal to characterise preoperative morphology and quantify loss of domain. • Postoperative imaging appearances are contingent on the surgical methods used for CVH repair. • Postoperative complications are depicted easily by imaging

Matrix Metalloproteinases Expression during Limb Regeneration

poster abstractAxolotl (regeneration-competent) is one of the unique vertebrates which can regenerate missing organs such as limbs, jaws, spinal cord, and tail anytime during their life cycle. There also exists a recessive mutant of axolotl which has a phenotype called short toes (s/s, regenerationdeficient). The s/s mutant can regenerate its tail and spinal cord but cannot maintain the growth of the limb blastema, which results in the failure of limb regeneration. Remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM) during early blastema formation, also known as histolysis, leads to the release of stem cells and activation of various growth factors. Therefore, histolysis is considered to be a crucial step in regenerating the exact replica of missing limbs in axolotls. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are zinc dependent endopeptidase that have been suggested to play roles in histolysis. However, it still remains unclear if histolysis is different in limb regeneration between regeneration competent and deficient animals. In this study, we analyzed the expression patterns of MMPs and the tissue inhibitors of the MMPs (TIMPs) in axolotl and s/s utilizing MMP arrays (RayBiotech, Inc., Norcross, GA), zymography and western blots. The cut-off limbs of the axolotls and s/s were used as controls. The animals were allowed to regenerate and the blastema was collected at three stages: epidermis closure (EC), dedifferentiation (DD), and early bud (EB). The total proteins were extracted from all the samples. 20 μg of protein was used to perform MMP arrays according to manufacturer’s protocol. They detected MMP-1, -2, -3, -8, -9, -10, and -13, as well as TIMP-1, -2 and -4 in the controls, EC, DD and EB samples from axolotl and s/s. Gelatin zymograghy with 20 μg of protein confirmed that MMP-2 and -9 were expressed at all the same time points in the axolotl and s/s samples. The expression patterns of MMP-9 were similar in the axolotl and s/s until the DD stage. While later in the EB stage, the axolotl showed a decrease in MMP-9 expression and s/s showed increased expression. Western blots were performed with 40 μg of protein using MMP-2 and -9 antibodies, and confirmed the zymography results. These results suggested that the expression patterns of the MMPs, especially MMP-9, are different in regeneration competent and deficient animals. One of the keys for a healthy blastema formation, which can multiply and later repattern into the missing limb, might be the release of the critical amount of MMP at the right time. This study was supported by an IUSD start-up grant to F. Song and a grant from W. M. Keck Foundation to D. L. Stocum