Complexity of determining exact tolerances for min-max combinatorial optimization problems

Suppose that we are given an instance of a combinatorial optimization problemwith min-max objective along with an optimal solution for it. Let the cost of asingle element be varied. We refer to the range of values of the element’s costfor which the given optimal solution remains optimal as its exact tolerance. Inthis paper we examine the problem of determining the exact tolerance of eachelement in combinatorial optimization problems with min-max objectives. Weshow that under very weak assumptions, the exact tolerance of each elementcan be determined in polynomial time if and only if the original optimizationproblem can be solved in polynomial time

From 2D conformal to 4D self-dual theories: quaternionic analyticity

It is shown that self-dual theories generalize to four dimensions both the conformal and analytic aspects of two-dimensional conformal field theories. In the harmonic space language there appear several ways to extend complex analyticity (natural in two dimensions) to quaternionic analyticity (natural in four dimensions). To be analytic, conformal transformations should be realized on $CP^3$, which appears as the coset of the complexified conformal group modulo its maximal parabolic subgroup. In this language one visualizes the twistor correspondence of Penrose and Ward and consistently formulates the analyticity of Fueter.Comment: 24 pages, LaTe

What makes you not a Buddhist? : a preliminary mapping of values

This study sets out to establish which Buddhist values contrasted with or were shared by adolescents from a non-Buddhist population. A survey of attitude toward a variety of Buddhist values was fielded in a sample of 352 non-Buddhist schoolchildren aged between 13 and 15 in London. Buddhist values where attitudes were least positive concerned the worth of being a monk/nun or meditating, offering candles & incense on the Buddhist shrine, friendship on Sangha Day, avoiding drinking alcohol, seeing the world as empty or impermanent and Nirvana as the ultimate peace. Buddhist values most closely shared by non-Buddhists concerned the Law of Karma, calming the mind, respecting those deserving of respect, subjectivity of happiness, welfare work, looking after parents in old age and compassion to cuddly animals. Further significant differences of attitude toward Buddhism were found in partial correlations with the independent variables of sex, age and religious affiliation. Correlation patterns paralleled those previously described in theistic religions. Findings are applied to spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and for the teaching of religious to pupils of no faith adherence. The study recommends that quantitative psychometrics employed to conceptualize Buddhist values by discriminant validity in this study could be extended usefully to other aspects of the study of Buddhism, particularly in quest of validity in the conceptualization of Buddhist identity within specifically Buddhist populations

Magnetic enhancement of Co0.2_{0.2}Zn0.8_{0.8}Fe2_2O4_4 spinel oxide by mechanical milling

We report the magnetic properties of mechanically milled Co$_{0.2}$Zn$_{0.8}$Fe$_2$O$_4$ spinel oxide. After 24 hours milling of the bulk sample, the XRD spectra show nanostructure with average particle size $\approx$ 20 nm. The as milled sample shows an enhancement in magnetization and ordering temperature compared to the bulk sample. If the as milled sample is annealed at different temperatures for the same duration, recrystallization process occurs and approaches to the bulk structure on increasing the annealing temperatures. The magnetization of the annealed samples first increases and then decreases. At higher annealing temperature ($\sim$ 1000$^{0}$C) the system shows two coexisting magnetic phases {\it i.e.}, spin glass state and ferrimagnetic state, similar to the as prepared bulk sample. The room temperature M\"{o}ssbauer spectra of the as milled sample, annealed at 300$^{0}$C for different durations (upto 575 hours), suggest that the observed change in magnetic behaviour is strongly related with cations redistribution between tetrahedral (A) and octahedral (O) sites in the spinel structure. Apart from the cation redistribution, we suggest that the enhancement of magnetization and ordering temperature is related with the reduction of B site spin canting and increase of strain induced anisotropic energy during mechanical milling.Comment: 14 pages LaTeX, 10 ps figure

Formation of finite antiferromagnetic clusters and the effect of electronic phase separation in Pr{_0.5}Ca{_0.5}Mn{_0.975}Al{_0.025}O{_3}

We report the first experimental evidence of a magnetic phase arising due to the thermal blocking of antiferromagnetic clusters in the weakened charge and orbital ordered system Pr{_0.5}Ca{_0.5}Mn{_0.975}Al{_0.025}O{_3}. The third order susceptibility (\chi_3) is used to differentiate this transition from a spin or cluster glass like freezing mechanism. These clusters are found to be mesoscopic and robust to electronic phase separation which only enriches the antiphase domain walls with holes at the cost of the bulk, without changing the size of these clusters. This implies that Al substitution provides sufficient disorder to quench the length scales of the striped phases.Comment: 4 Post Script Figure

Efficient and Robust NK-Cell Transduction With Baboon Envelope Pseudotyped Lentivector

NK-cell resistance to transduction is a major technical hurdle for developing NK-cell immunotherapy. By using Baboon envelope pseudotyped lentiviral vectors (BaEV-LVs) encoding eGFP, we obtained a transduction rate of 23.0 ± 6.6% (mean ± SD) in freshly-isolated human NK-cells (FI-NK) and 83.4 ± 10.1% (mean ± SD) in NK-cells obtained from the NK-cell Activation and Expansion System (NKAES), with a sustained transgene expression for at least 21 days. BaEV-LVs outperformed Vesicular Stomatitis Virus type-G (VSV-G)-, RD114- and Measles Virus (MV)- pseudotyped LVs (p < 0.0001). mRNA expression of both BaEV receptors, ASCT1 and ASCT2, was detected in FI-NK and NKAES, with higher expression in NKAES. Transduction with BaEV-LVs encoding for CAR-CD22 resulted in robust CAR-expression on 38.3 ± 23.8% (mean ± SD) of NKAES cells, leading to specific killing of NK-resistant pre-B-ALL-RS4;11 cell line. Using a larger vector encoding a dual CD19/CD22-CAR, we were able to transduce and re-expand dual-CAR-expressing NKAES, even with lower viral titer. These dual-CAR-NK efficiently killed both CD19KO- and CD22KO-RS4;11 cells. Our results suggest that BaEV-LVs may efficiently enable NK-cell biological studies and translation of NK-cell-based immunotherapy to the clinic

Evaluation of High Resolution Melting analysis as an alternate tool to screen for risk alleles associated with small kidneys in Indian newborns

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most common forms of sequence variations in the human genome. They contribute to the human phenotypic spectrum and are associated with variations in response to pathogens, drugs and vaccines. Recently, SNPs in three human genes involved in kidney development (<it>RET</it>, <it>PAX2 </it>and <it>ALDH1A2</it>) have been reported to be associated with variation in renal size and function. These known SNPs could potentially be used in the clinic as markers for identifying babies who may have smaller kidneys and permit close follow up for early detection of hypertension and acquired renal dysfunction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of High Resolution Melting technique (HRM) as a tool for detecting the known SNPs in these three genes in comparison to sequencing which is the gold standard.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>High resolution melting analysis was performed on 75 DNA samples that were previously sequenced for the known polymorphisms in <it>RET </it>(rs1800860), <it>PAX2 </it>(rs11190688) and <it>ALDH1A2 </it>(rs7169289) genes. The SNPs were G > A transitions in <it>RET </it>and <it>PAX2 </it>and A > G in <it>ALDH1A2 </it>gene. A blinded assessment was performed on these samples for evaluation of the HRM technique as compared to sequencing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Each variant had a unique melt curve profile that was reproducible. The shift in melting temperature (Tm) allowed visual discrimination between the homozygous alleles (major and minor) in all three genes. The shape of the melting curve as compared to the major allele homozygous curve allowed the identification of the heterozygotes in each of the three SNPs. For validation, HRM was performed on 25 samples for each of the three SNPs. The results were compared with the sequencing results and 100% correct identification of the samples was obtained for <it>RET</it>, <it>PAX2</it>, and <it>ALDA1H2 </it>gene.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>High Resolution Melting analysis is a simple, rapid and cost effective technique that could be used in a large population to identify babies with the risk alleles. These high risk children could be followed up for early detection of hypertension and acquired renal dysfunction.</p

Widespread fear of dengue transmission but poor practices of dengue prevention : A study in the slums of Delhi, India

Background This study has been conducted to throw light on the knowledge and practices related to dengue fever among the poor population living in Delhi's slums. Materials A household survey was conducted in 2013 among 3,350 households. The households were stratified by a number of variables related to socio-economic status and health events such as hospitalisation. The data collection was completed through face-to-face interviews conducted with the help of 25 field investigators. Results About 8% of the households had at least one diagnosed dengue case. In comparison to the population surveyed, teenagers (15-19 years) and adults (30-34 years) were more affected whereas children under four years of age were underrepresented. Housewives are more affected by dengue (24%) compared to their share of the population surveyed (17%). Despite the fact that 77% of the respondents are worried about mosquitoes, only 43% of them monitor environment to avoid the presence of breeding sites. Conclusion One cannot exclude the possibility that though young children under the age of four years are exposed to the virus, either their cases were asymptomatic or family members infected during this period had potentially more serious symptoms leading to hospitalisation. This result could thus be explained by budget-related health choices made by this population which do not favour small children. Educational programs should target housewives to improve their impact, as they are the ones mostly responsible for water storage and cleanliness of the house and its neighbourhood. Even with a dengue experience and potentially an acute perception of the risk and its factors, a proper management of environmental conditions is lacking. This along with the fact that word-of-mouth is the main source of information quoted should be a message for municipality health workers to give door-to-door information on how to prevent breeding sites and dengue infection

(Un)becoming women: Indian factory women's counternarratives of gender

This paper portrays the life stories of five factory workers in Delhi whose life trajectories run counter to normative femininity. As daughters and wives, they are neglected, abandoned or rejected by their families; they live alone, with their parents past the age that is their natal right, with siblings, or with families and men who are not related to them. I explore the circulation of their counternarratives and how their gender transgressions go public through ordinary forms of talk, such as gossip and rumor. I argue that their move out of the normative is not produced by, but produces, their gender politics; that their agency emerges cognitively from the telling of their stories in tandem with their interlocutors' credulity and uptake; and that the site of gender politics for working class Indian women lies in the informal subaltern publics that are formed by the circulation of their stories. Contrary to the notion of a stable unitary subject that precedes the political, these women's counternarratives demonstrate the subject‐in‐process as a political effect. Their alterity does not exist outside the heteronormative gender order but demarcates the boundaries of its historicity, hinting at both the internal contradictions of existing gender relations and their future possibilities.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/112196/1/j.1467-954X.2011.02026.x.pd