Kinetic exchange opinion model: solution in the single parameter map limit

We study a recently proposed kinetic exchange opinion model (Lallouache et. al., Phys. Rev E 82:056112, 2010) in the limit of a single parameter map. Although it does not include the essentially complex behavior of the multiagent version, it provides us with the insight regarding the choice of order parameter for the system as well as some of its other dynamical properties. We also study the generalized two- parameter version of the model, and provide the exact phase diagram. The universal behavior along this phase boundary in terms of the suitably defined order parameter is seen.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figure

Thermomechanical properties and microstructure of alumina-zirconia

Al2O3-ZrO2 composites were prepared in two compositional ranges, 15 wt% ZrO2 and 29 wt% ZrO2 with or without yttria or magnesia stabilizers. While 1.5 wt% Y2O3 produced tetragonal ZrO2 and fine grain microstructure, the 4.5 wt% Y2O3 developed cubic and tetragonal ZrO2 with similar microstructure. Al2O3 with 29.5 wt% ZrO2-1.5 wt% Y2O3 composition had the highest strength (3,300 kg/cm2). The bending strength remained more or less the same after the first thermal shock, and then it decreased gradually, but retained some strength after 20 cycles of quench. The load vs displacement curve became nonlinear after thermal shock possibly because of formation of microcracks which could be seen by microstructural studies

Zirconia mullite ceramics by reaction-sintering

Zirconia-mullite composites were prepared byin situ reaction between zircon and alumina. Stabilizers like yttria and magnesium carbonate were used. Almost vitrified bodies were obtained by sintering at 1465–1535°C. Flexural strength increased on annealing at 1040°C

A thermally-invariant, additively manufactured, high-power graphene resistor for flexible electronics

Solution processed two-dimensional (2D) layered materials and their integration with additive manufacturing techniques, such as ink-jet printing, is a facile approach for incorporating these exotic materials into device platforms for flexible electronics. In this work, graphene ink formulations are successfully utilized toward the design and fabrication of high-power resistive structures that are printed on both rigid and flexible substrates and have the potential to deliver close to 10 W of power. A near-flat, negative temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) is measured with an activation energy E a ~ 2.4 meV for electron hopping, which is 100×  lower compared to E a values for high TCR materials. The TCR and E a values are amongst the lowest reported for 2D layered material systems. The thermal-invariance of resistivity for such high-power graphene printed resistors is attractive for applications, for example to provide a stable heating source for flexible electronics over extreme thermal environments. The transport characteristics of the ink-jet printed features is modeled as a composite structure in order to explain the thermal response which appears to be mediated via defects in the sonicated graphite, and correlates well to inferences made from Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy analysis conducted on the printed graphene structures. In order to fabricate such functional structures with ink-jet printing, the active nozzle number, printing passes, and annealing conditions are shown to play an important role to determine line resolution, and also dictate the morphological and electronic transport characteristics of the printed graphene features

Unexplained recurrent hematuria and clot retention following transurethral resection of the prostate

Severe hemorrhage following a prostatectomy is a rare and serious complication. A 60-year-old male with recurrent hematuria and clot retention following transurethral resection of the prostate  (TURP) which led to anemia presented at our department and was treated with repeated clot evacuation and fulguration and lastly re-resection and fulguration succeed to stop bleeding. At 18 months follow-up, the patient had recovered well. We concluded that re-resection and fulguration on fresh tissue without opening the venous sinusoids should be considered as one of the effective treatment of choice in recurrent hemorrhage following TURP.   

Enhanced cryogenic magnetocaloric effect in Eu8Ga16Ge30 clathrate nanocrystals

We observe an enhanced magnetic entropy change ( D S M ) at cryogenic temperatures (T < 20 K) in Eu 8 Ga 16 Ge 30 clathrate (type-I) nanocrystals prepared by a ball milling method. With reduction in the crystal size to 15 nm, D S M is enhanced at low temperatures, reaching the highest value ( 10 J/kg K) at 5 K for a field change of 5 T. For all samples investigated, there is a cross-over tem- perature ( 25 K) in D S M (T) above which D S M decreases with crystal size, opposite to that observed at low temperatures. A careful analysis of the magnetic and magnetocaloric data reveals that as the crystal size decreases the magnetic interaction between Eu 2 þ ions on the Eu2 site gov- erning the primary ferromagnetic transition at 35 K becomes gradually weaker, in effect, altering the interaction between Eu 2 þ ions occupying the Eu1 and Eu2 sites responsible for the secondary ferromagnetic transition at 15 K. As a result, we have observed a strong change in magnetization and the enhancement of D S M at low temperature

Double Haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Results in Successful Engraftment of Bone Marrow from Both Donors without Graft-versus-Host or Graft-versus-Graft Effects

We established double-haploidentical (DH) hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) murine models to explore competitive engraftment, graft-versus-graft effect and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). T cell–depleted (TCD) bone marrow (BM) cells from B6SJF1 (donor 1 [D1]) and B6D2F1 (donor 2 [D2]) mice achieved >90% donor engraftment when transplanted into B6CBAF1 mice. B6CBAF1 recipients survived without evidence of GVHD when undergoing HSCT with TCD-BM from 2 haploidentical donors, D1 and D2. DH-HSCT recipients had significantly higher leukocyte and neutrophil counts than single-haploidentical HSCT recipients from either D1 or D2. DH recipients consistently showed successful mixed chimerism in both BM and spleen. Two other DH-HSCT models, B6D2F1 + C3D2F1→B6C3F1 and B6CBAF1 + B6SJLF1→B6D2F1, showed similar engraftment patterns. Low-dose T cell infusion from both D1 and D2 increased the degree of early engraftment of the respective donors in BM and spleen; however, this early engraftment pattern did not determine long-term engraftment dominance. In the long term, minimally engrafted D1 BM recovered and comprised >50% of all donor- derived B, T, and natural killer cells. We conclude that early BM engraftment is determined by donor T cell immunodominance, but long-term engraftment is related to the engraftment potential of stem cells after DH-HSCT

Mahanine exerts in vitro and in vivo antileishmanial activity by modulation of redox homeostasis

Earlier we have established a carbazole alkaloid (mahanine) isolated from an Indian edible medicinal plant as an anticancer agent with minimal effect on normal cells. Here we report for the first time that mahanine-treated drug resistant and sensitive virulent Leishmania donovani promastigotes underwent apoptosis through phosphatidylserine externalization, DNA fragmentation and cell cycle arrest. An early induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) suggests that the mahanine-induced apoptosis was mediated by oxidative stress. Additionally, mahanine-treated Leishmania-infected macrophages exhibited anti-amastigote activity by nitric oxide (NO)/ROS generation along with suppression of uncoupling protein 2 and Th1-biased cytokines response through modulating STAT pathway. Moreover, we have demonstrated the interaction of a few antioxidant enzymes present in parasite with mahanine through molecular modeling. Reduced genetic and protein level expression of one such enzyme namely ascorbate peroxidase was also observed in mahanine-treated promastigotes. Furthermore, oral administration of mahanine in acute murine model exhibited almost complete reduction of parasite burden, upregulation of NO/iNOS/ROS/IL-12 and T cell proliferation. Taken together, we have established a new function of mahanine as a potent antileishmanial molecule, capable of inducing ROS and exploit antioxidant enzymes in parasite along with modulation of host’s immune response which could be developed as an inexpensive and nontoxic therapeutics either alone or in combination

Consequences of temperature fluctuations in observables measured in high energy collisions

We review the consequences of intrinsic, nonstatistical temperature fluctuations as seen in observables measured in high energy collisions. We do this from the point of view of nonextensive statistics and Tsallis distributions. Particular attention is paid to multiplicity fluctuations as a first consequence of temperature fluctuations, to the equivalence of temperature and volume fluctuations, to the generalized thermodynamic fluctuations relations allowing us to compare fluctuations observed in different parts of phase space, and to the problem of the relation between Tsallis entropy and Tsallis distributions. We also discuss the possible influence of conservation laws on these distributions and provide some examples of how one can get them without considering temperature fluctuations.Comment: Revised version of the invited contribution to The European Physical Journal A (Hadrons and Nuclei) topical issue about 'Relativistic Hydro- and Thermodynamics in Nuclear Physics' guest eds. Tamas S. Biro, Gergely G. Barnafoldi and Peter Va