Nonthermal acceleration radiation of atoms near a black hole in presence of dark energy

We investigate how dark energy affects atom-field interaction. To this end, we consider acceleration radiation of a freely falling atom close to a Schwarzschild black hole (BH) in the presence of dark energy characterized by a positive cosmological constant $\Lambda$. The resulting spacetime is endowed with a BH and a cosmological (or de Sitter) horizon. Our consideration is a \textit{nonextremal} $(1+1)$-dimensional geometry with horizons far apart, giving rise to a flat Minkowski-like region in between the two horizons. Assuming a scalar ($\text{spin}-0$) field in a Boulware-like vacuum state, and by using a basic quantum optics approach, we numerically achieve excitation probabilities for the atom to detect a photon as it falls toward the BH horizon. It turns out that the nature of the emitted radiation deeply drives its origin from the magnitude of $\Lambda$. In particular, radiation emission is enhanced due to dilation of the BH horizon by dark energy. Also, we report an oscillatory nonthermal spectrum in the presence of $\Lambda$, and these oscillations, in a varying degree, also depend on BH mass and atomic excitation frequency. We conjecture that such a hoedown may be a natural consequence of a constrained motion due to the bifurcate Killing horizon of the given spacetime. The situation is akin to the Parikh-Wilzcek tunneling approach to Hawking radiation where the presence of extra contributions to the Boltzmann factor deforms the thermality of flux. It apparently hints at field satisfying a modified energy-momentum dispersion relation within classical regime of general relativity arising as an effective low energy consequence of an underlying quantum gravity theory. Our findings may signal new ways of conceiving the subtleties surrounding the physics of dark energy.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure

Genetic study in congenital heart defects

Background: Congenital heart diseases (CHD) are relatively common with a prevalence ranging from 3.7 to 17.5 per 1000 live births. Little is known about genetic link with respect to congenital heart disease. Iroquoise (Irx) homeobox genes have been widely studied and their expression in both developing and adult heart. Author tried to study the role of irx4 and irx5 genes in structural congenital heart disease, keeping the focus on study reported by Cheng Z et al.Methods: Author studied reported mutation site sequences in 25 various congenital heart disease patients and control healthy relatives of patients. It is a unique study and there has not been such a study reported in literature till date. Besides comparison with healthy related controls, author took cardiac tissue biopsy in patients while doing corrective cardiac surgery. However, blood samples were taken from controls due to ease of feasibility.Results: Although, there were no sequence variations in the studied exon regions, but author got a base pair sequence change at 6 bp intron region, which is near the exon splice site in irx4 gene. Besides two ASD patient’s male children (one child each) had ASD prompting us to believe some role of sex linkage. However later needs pedigree analysis and sex chromosome studies for further analysis.Conclusions: Gene sequence in the Kashmiri population is unique. There is possibility of role of irx genes in CHD. ASD might have sex linkage in some

Effect of Modified Atmosphere Packaging on Maintenance of Quality in Apple

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the quality of 'Red Delicious' and 'Golden Delicious' apples. Freshly harvested fruits were wiped clean and (25 μm thick) with varying number of perforations and stored in cardboard boxes at ambient temperature. 'Golden Delicious' showed higher incidence of bitter pit as compared to 'Red Delicious' apples. MAP proved effective in controlling the bitter pit disorder and in maintenance of quality. The least incidence of bitter pit in 'Golden Delicious' was recorded with T4 (30 x 2 mm perforation) and T3 (20 x 2 mm) treatment in 'Red Delicious' apples. However, MAP retained more freshness in 'Golden Delicious' than in 'Red Delicious'

Genetic diversity analysis in the Hypericum perforatum populations in the Kashmir valley by using inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers

Assessment of genetic variability among the Hypericum perforatum populations is critical to the development of effective conservation  strategies in the Kashmir valley. To obtain accurate estimates of genetic diversity among and within populations of H. perforatum, inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers were used. The study was aimed to check, whether ISSR fingerprinting may be a useful tool for studying genetic variations among H. perforatum populations in the Kashmir valley (India). A total of 15 ISSR primers were tested with the 20 genotypes of H. perforatum. The ten informative primers were selected and used to evaluate the degree of polymorphism and genetic relationships within and among all the H. perforatum populations. ISSR of 20 genotypes analysis yielded 98 fragments that could be scored, of which 71 were polymorphic, with an average of 7.1 polymorphic fragments per primer. Number of amplified fragments varied in size from 150 to 1650 bp. Percentage of polymorphism ranged from 60% to a maximum of 100%. Resolving power ranged from a minimum of 7.7 to a maximum of 14.3. Shannon indexes ranges from 0.166 to 0.389 with an average of 0.198 and Nei’s genetic diversity (h) ranges from 6.98 to 9.8. Estimated value of gene flow (Nm = 0.579) indicated that there was limited gene flow among the populations. The genetic diversity (Ht) within the population of 0.245 was clearly higher than that of among population genetic diversity (Hs= 0.115), indicating an out-crossing predominance in the studied populations. Analysis of molecular variance by ISSR markers indicated that over half of the total variation in the studied populations (58%) could be accounted for by differences among the 8 divisions, with a further 42% being accounted for by the variation among populations within a division.The dendrogram grouping the populations by unweighted pair-group method with arithmeticaverages (UPGMA) method revealed eight main clusters. In conclusion, combined analysis of ISSR markers and hypericin content is an optimal approach for further progress and breeding programs.Keywords: Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort), inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers, unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA), Nei’s genetic diversityAfrican Journal of Biotechnology, Vol. 13(1), pp. 18-31, 1 January, 201

Numerical Solutions of Volterra Integral Equations of Third Kind and Its Convergence Analysis

The current work suggests a method for the numerical solution of the third type of Volterra integral equations (VIEs), based on Lagrange polynomial, modified Lagrange polynomial, and barycentric Lagrange polynomial approximations. To do this, the interpolation of the unknown function is considered in terms of the above polynomials with unknown coefficients. By substituting this approximation into the considered equation, a system of linear algebraic equations is obtained. Then, we demonstrate the method’s convergence and error estimations. The proposed approaches retain the possible singularity of the solution. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the singularity case has not been addressed by researchers yet. To illustrate the applicability, effectiveness, and correctness of new methods for the proposed integral equation, examples with both types of kernels, symmetric as well as non-symmetric, are provided at the end

Coordination-Driven Self-Assembly of Discrete Molecular Nanotubular Architectures

3siTwo new M8L4 tetrafacial nanotubes (T1 and T3) of different lengths have been synthesized in water using ligands L1 and L2, respectively, with acceptor cis-[(dch)Pt(NO3)2] (M) using coordination-driven self-assembly [where dch is 1,2-diaminocyclohexane, L1 is 1,4-di(pyrimidin-5-yl)benzene, and L2 is 4,4′- di(pyrimidin-5-yl)-1,1′-biphenyl]. In addition to complex T1, a tetrahedral cage of composition [M12(L1)6] (T2) was also formed in the self-assembly reaction of ligand L1 with cis-[(dch)Pt(NO3)2]. The precise composition of the products (T1 and T2) in solution was confirmed by 1H NMR and ESI–MS. Pure tube T1 was separated out by a crystallization technique and fully characterized by 1H NMR and X-ray diffraction. Temperature- and concentration-dependent NMR studies indicated no equilibrium between T1 and T2 in the solution phase, and the proportion of T1 and T2 in the mixture depends on the temperature of the reaction. In contrast to ligand L1, the self-assembly of the longer ligand, L2, with cis-[(dch)Pt(NO3)2] gave only tetrafacial tube [M8(L2)4] (T3) without any tetrahedral cage.reservedmixedBhat, Imtiyaz Ahmad; Zangrando, Ennio; Mukherjee, Partha SarathiBhat, Imtiyaz Ahmad; Zangrando, Ennio; Mukherjee, Partha Sarath

A Pd-24 Pregnant Molecular Nanoball: Self-Templated Stellation by Precise Mapping of Coordination Sites

We found that Pd(II) ion (M) and the smallest 120 bidentate donor pyrimidine (L-a) self-assemble into a mononuclear M(L-a)(4) complex (1a) instead of the expected smallest M-12(L-a)(24) molecular ball (1), presumably due to the weak coordination nature of the pyrimidine. To construct such a pyrimidine bridged nanoball, we employed a new donor tris(4-(pyrimidin-5-yl)phenyl)amine (L); which upon selective complexation with Pd(II) ions resulted in the formation of a pregnant M24L24 molecular nanoball (2) consisting of a pyrimidine-bridged Pd-12 baby-ball supported by a Pd-12 larger mother-ball. The formation of the baby-ball was not successful without the support of the mother-ball. Thus, we created an example of a self-assembly where the inner baby-ball resembling to the predicted M-12(L-a)(24) ball (1) was incarcerated by the giant outer mother-ball by means of geometrical constraints. Facile conversion of the pregnant ball 2 to a smaller M-12(L-b)(24) ball 3 with dipyridyl donor was achieved in a single step

Physical and Chemical Mutagenesis in Linum usitatissimum L. to Induce Variability in Seed Germination, Survival and Growth rate traits

The studies of induced mutation in Linum usitatissimum L. were performed by exposing the fully matured and healthy dry seeds to gamma rays at 10 and 15 Krad (Kr), Xrays at 10 and 15 Kr, hydroxylamine (HA) at 0.1% and 0.2%, and 5amino acridine (AA) at 0.1% and 0.2% doses. The observations were made for seed germination percentage, survival percentage, and growth characters such as shoot length, root length, and dry weight. Seeds treated with low dose of mutagens showed negligible effect while that with the high dose exhibited significant effects on studied parameters as compared to control. Data obtained in this study were statistically significant at 5% level. The results conclude that treatments of gamma rays and X-rays were less effective as compared to those of HA and AA treatments

The Pattern of Psychiatric Morbidity in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Cross-Sectional, Case–Control Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kashmir, North India

Introduction: Psychiatric morbidity has an increased prevalence in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Patients overall psychosocial status plays an important role in the development of depression which, when major, is said to occur in 19%–42% of cases of COPD. We aimed to study patterns of psychosocial issues in patients with COPD. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted over a period of 6 months in an Outpatient Department of Government Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar. A total of 100 COPD patients and 100 sex- and age-matched controls were included in this study and compared. The diagnosis of COPD was assessed by spirometry. Patterns of psychiatric morbidities were assessed using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Results: The frequency of psychiatric comorbidities was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in COPD patients (47%) as compared to controls (12%). The highest frequency of psychiatric morbidities in COPD patients was major depressive episode in 28% in comparison to 9% of controls. Other morbidities include panic disorder, dysthymia, generalized anxiety disorder, and suicidality. Conclusion: The frequency of psychiatric morbidities is increased in COPD patients as compared to controls. We recommend that all patients with COPD should be screened for psychiatric morbidity as there is enough scope for psychiatric services to be made available to these patients