Observation of narrow fluorescence from doubly driven four-level atoms at room temperature

Unusually narrow fluorescence peaks are seen from Rubidium-85 atoms under the action of two driving laser fields that are in a three dimensional molasses configuration. One of the lasers is held at a fixed detuning from the "cooling" transition, while the other is scanned across the "repumping" transitions. The fluorescence peaks are split into symmetric pairs, with the seperation within a pair increasing with the detuning of the cooling laser. For large detunings additional small peaks are seen. A simple model is proposed to explain these experimental observations.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, needs epl.cl

Impact of Risk and Trust on The Purchase Decision of Online Shopping Customers- a Study With Reference to Chennai City

Purpose: The main aim and purpose of this paper to the intrinsic relationship among risk, trust and purchase decision of online shopping customers and to validate the constructs of risk and trust in the study area of Chennai city.   Theoretical Framework: The whole theory of this research leans upon the consumers' perceptions of risk and trust in online purchases arise from the need for the product and purchase convenience. The technology readiness in online transactions motivates the online shopping consumers to take their purchase decision amid risk and Trust.   Design/Methodology/Approach: The well-structured questionnaire is circulated among 750 respondents, 50 each in all the 15 zones of Chennai city and able to receive usable 511 responses. The data was investigated through statistical tools, correlation analysis, Cronbach alpha method, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation model (SEM).   Findings: It is found that the purchase decision of online consumers depends upon their optimistic purchase attitude towards online shopping, the risk involved in online shopping and customer trust in online shopping.   Research Practical and Social Implications: This present research revealed a practical research along with social implications namely both state and central governments in India should form strategies to assure security to online shopping and even encourage even the unorganized sector to involve in online shopping.   Originality/Value: The originality of this research is the development and test of three hypotheses pertaining to the relationship among three marketing entities in perceived of consumers, trust of consumers and their purchase decision. The relationship has the empirical proof to emphasize their value

Protocol for quantum-logical operations in an optical lattice using nonresonant absorption of photon pairs

Two nonidentical atoms may be entangled by inducing simultaneous cooperative absorption of a photon pair from a light field that is nonresonant to either atom in isolation. The atoms may be of two different elements, of different isotopes of the same element, or of a single isotope undergoing different transitions. Utilizing this cooperative process, we propose a protocol for a conditional operation with neutral atoms in an optical lattice. Current practical capabilities permit execution of the scheme

Fixed-bed column studies for the elimination of Cd2+ ions by native and protonated watermelon rind

Watermelon rind (WR) an agro-waste was protonated aiming to eliminate the alkali and alkaline metal ions and investigated towards adsorption of Cd2+ ions in a continuous process. The protonation step resulted in the elimination of K+ and Mg2+ ions from the watermelon rind surface, and the protonation was confirmed with FTIR and EDX techniques. Comparative investigations were carried out between native and protonated WR in a continuous process, and parameters such as rate of flow, feed concentration and bed heights were optimised. At higher bed depths and lower rates of flow and initial feed concentrations, the columns provided maximum adsorption of Cd2+ ions. Optimal conditions in this study were found to be 1 ml, 3 cm and 50 mg L−1, respectively, for flow rate, bed depths and initial concentrations. The adsorption capacity of native and protonated WR was experimentally calculated to be 97.9 and 107.3 mg g−1, respectively. The PWR exhibited higher adsorption capacity compared to WR, and this is due to the protonation step, which eliminated the alkali and alkaline metal ions bound onto the WR surface that blocked the active sites. The data obtained in the continuous columns were fitted to mathematical models such as Adams–Bohart, Thomas and Yoon–Nelson models, and the later models were able to explain the adsorption process well. Lastly, regeneration of the WR and PWR was investigated, and 0.1 M HCl exhibited higher desorption and regeneration efficiency compared to 0.1 M acetic acid. These results suggest that the protonation of watermelon rind results in enhanced adsorption of Cd ions, and both native and protonated are effective adsorbents

Insight into the Architecture of the NuRD Complex: Structure of the RbAp48-MTA1 Subcomplex

The nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase (NuRD) complex is a widely conserved transcriptional co-regulator that harbors both nucleosome remodeling and histone deacetylase activities. It plays a critical role in the early stages of ES cell differentiation and the reprogramming of somatic to induced pluripotent stem cells. Abnormalities in several NuRD proteins are associated with cancer and aging. We have investigated the architecture of NuRD by determining the structure of a subcomplex comprising RbAp48 and MTA1. Surprisingly, RbAp48 recognizes MTA1 using the same site that it uses to bind histone H4, showing that assembly into NuRD modulates RbAp46/48 interactions with histones. Taken together with other results, our data show that the MTA proteins act as scaffolds for NuRD complex assembly. We further show that the RbAp48-MTA1 interaction is essential for the in vivo integration of RbAp46/48 into the NuRD complex

A systematic review of the literature on digital transformation: insights and implications for strategy and organizational change

In this article we provide a systematic review of the extensive yet diverse and fragmented literature on digital transformation (DT), with the goal of clarifying boundary conditions to investigate the phenomenon from the perspective of organizational change. On the basis of 279 articles, we provide a multi-dimensional framework synthesizing what is known about DT and discern two important thematical patterns: DT is moving firms to malleable organizational designs that enable continuous adaptation, and this move is embedded in and driven by digital business ecosystems. From these two patterns, we derive four perspectives on the phenomenon of DT: technology impact, compartmentalized adaptation, systemic shift and holistic co-evolution. Linking our findings and interpretations to existing work, we find that the nature of DT is only partially covered by conventional frameworks on organizational change. On the basis of this analysis, we derive a research agenda and provide managerial implications for strategy and organizational change.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sequence analysis of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) BRLF1 gene in nasopharyngeal and gastric carcinomas

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has a biphasic infection cycle consisting of a latent and a lytic replicative phase. The product of immediate-early gene BRLF1, Rta, is able to disrupt the latency phase in epithelial cells and certain B-cell lines. The protein Rta is a frequent target of the EBV-induced cytotoxic T cell response. In spite of our good understanding of this protein, little is known for the gene polymorphism of BRLF1.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>BRLF1 gene was successfully amplified in 34 EBV-associated gastric carcinomas (EBVaGCs), 57 nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPCs) and 28 throat washings (TWs) samples from healthy donors followed by PCR-direct sequencing. Fourteen loci were found to be affected by amino acid changes, 17 loci by silent nucleotide changes. According to the phylogenetic tree, 5 distinct subtypes of BRLF1 were identified, and 2 subtypes BR1-A and BR1-C were detected in 42.9% (51/119), 42.0% (50/119) of samples, respectively. The distribution of these 2 subtypes among 3 types of specimens was significantly different. The subtype BR1-A preferentially existed in healthy donors, while BR1-C was seen more in biopsies of NPC. A silent mutation A/G was detected in all the isolates. Among 3 functional domains, the dimerization domain of Rta showed a stably conserved sequence, while DNA binding and transactivation domains were detected to have multiple mutations. Three of 16 CTL epitopes, NAA, QKE and ERP, were affected by amino acid changes. Epitope ERP was relatively conserved; epitopes NAA and QKE harbored more mutations.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This first detailed investigation of sequence variations in BRLF1 gene has identified 5 distinct subtypes. Two subtypes BR1-A and BR1-C are the dominant genotypes of BRLF1. The subtype BR1-C is more frequent in NPCs, while BR1-A preferentially presents in healthy donors. BR1-C may be associated with the tumorigenesis of NPC.</p

Role of Androgen Receptor CAG Repeat Polymorphism and X-Inactivation in the Manifestation of Recurrent Spontaneous Abortions in Indian Women

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of CAG repeat polymorphism and X-chromosome Inactivation (XCI) pattern in Recurrent Spontaneous Abortions among Indian women which has not been hitherto explored. 117 RSA cases and 224 Controls were included in the study. Cases were recruited from two different hospitals - Lakshmi Fertility Clinic, Nellore and Fernandez Maternity Hospital, Hyderabad. Controls were roughly matched for age, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. The CAG repeats of the Androgen Receptor gene were genotyped using a PCR-based assay and were analysed using the GeneMapper software to determine the CAG repeat length. XCI analysis was also carried out to assess the inactivation percentages. RSA cases had a significantly greater frequency of allele sizes in the polymorphic range above 19 repeats (p = 0.006), which is the median value of the controls, and in the biallelic mean range above 21 repeats (p = 0.002). We found no evidence of abnormal incidence of skewed X-inactivation. We conclude that longer CAG repeat lengths are associated with increased odds for RSA with statistical power estimated to be ∼90%