Test Experiment for Time-Reversal Symmetry Breaking Superconductivity

A new experiment is proposed to probe the time-reversal symmetry of a superconductor. It is shown that a time-reversal symmetry breaking superconductor can be identified by the observation of a fractional flux in connection with a Josephson junction in a special geometry.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures available upon request, Revtex, MIT-CMT-OC

Electronic states of PrCoO3_3: X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and LDA+U density of states studies

Electronic states of PrCoO$_3$ are studied using x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. Pr 3d$_{5/2}$ core level and valence band (VB) were recorded using Mg K$_\beta$ source. The core level spectrum shows that the 3d$_{5/2}$ level is split into two components of multiplicity 4 and 2, respectively due to coupling of the spin states of the hole in 3d$_{5/2}$ with Pr 4f holes spin state. The observed splitting is 4.5 eV. The VB spectrum is interpreted using density of states (DOS) calculations under LDA and LDA+U. It is noted that LDA is not sufficient to explain the observed VB spectrum. Inclusion of on-site Coulomb correlation for Co 3d electrons in LDA+U calculations gives DOS which is useful in qualitative explanation of the ground state. However, it is necessary to include interactions between Pr 4f electrons to get better agreement with experimental VB spectrum. It is seen that the VB consists of Pr 4f, Co 3d and O 2p states. Pr 4f, Co 3d and O 2p bands are highly mixed indicating strong hybridization of these three states. The band near the Fermi level has about equal contributions from Pr 4f and O 2p states with somewhat smaller contribution from Co 3d states. Thus in the Zaanen, Sawatzky, and Allen scheme PrCoO$_3$ can be considered as charge transfer insulator. The charge transfer energy $\Delta$ can be obtained using LDA DOS calculations and the Coulomb-exchange energy U' from LDA+U. The explicit values for PrCoO$_3$ are $\Delta$ = 3.9 eV and U' = 5.5 eV; the crystal field splitting and 3d bandwidth of Co ions are also found to be 2.8 and 1.8 eV, respectively.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures; to appear J. Phys.: Condens. Matte

ILIOTIBIAL BAND SYNDROME INJURED RUNNERS INCREASE FLEXIBILITY USING SOFT TISSUE MOBILIZATION AND INCREASE FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH USING A HEAT PACK-IMPLICATIONS FOR FASTER RECOVERY

The purpose of this study was to quantify the effects of two independent treatments, soft tissue mobilization and a localized heat pack, upon iliotibial band syndrome injured runner. Iliotibial band injured runners (n=5) who were actively seeking soft tissue mobilization as a treatment were recruited. These runners received one of three randomized treatments during three consecutive visits - (1) soft tissue mobilization (2) an iliotibial band isolating heat pack (3) rest. Iliotibial band flexibility and functional abductor strength measures were taken before and after each treatment. Flexibility was quantified by determining the hip and knee abduction moments generated during the iliotibial band stretch. Each active treatment resulted in significant changes when compared to the treatment of rest. Soft tissue mobilization increased flexibility at the hip and knee while the heat pack increased functional abductor strength

Bioelectrode based chitosan-nano copper oxide for application to lipase biosensor

Chitosan (Chit)-nanocrystalline CuO composite prepared from Chitosan and CuO nanoparticles by a spin coating method. CuO nanoparticles (45 nm) synthesized by Sol-gel citrate method and characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrochemical studies revels that these Chit-nano CuO electrode provide favorable condition for immobilization of enzyme lipase [LIP] specific enzyme for triglyceride detection, resulting in enhanced electron transfer at the interface. The prepared bioelctrode (LIP/Chit-nano CuO/Au bioelectrode) is utilized for triglyceride [TG] sensing using cyclic voltammetry (CV) with hexacyanoferrate as mediator. The electrochemical response studies shows on improved sensing performance of bioelectrode exhibit high sensitivity, low detection limit and good linearity of tributyrin concentration with fast response time. The low value of Michallis-Menten constant indicates high affinity of LIP towards the analyte (tributyrin). The Redox behavior of nano CuO makes an efficient matrix with chitosan for triglyceride [TG] biosensor.                                                        &nbsp

Do Maternal Vitamin D Levels Influence Vitamin D Levels in Preterm Neonates?

Objective To determine the prevalence of Vitamin D (VitD) deficiency/insufficiency in mothers of preterm neonates less than or equal to 32 weeks of gestation and determine if the current level of VitD supplementation used for preterm neonates is appropriate. Design Prospective study from 10th May 2015 to 1st November 2016. Setting Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Canberra Hospital. Patients Mothers and their preterm neonates born less than or equal to 32 weeks gestation. Interventions Maternal VitD levels were obtained within 3-4 days following delivery. Neonatal VitD levels were obtained in the first 3-4 days of life, at 3-4 weeks of age, and at 6-8 weeks of age. Demographic data and data on VitD intake from parenteral nutrition, enteral feeds, and vitamin supplementation agents were collected. Results 70 neonates were enrolled into the study. Median gestation was 29 (27-30) weeks and median birth weight 1197 (971.2-1512.5) grams. Median maternal VitD level was 54.5 (36-70.7) nmol/L, median neonatal Vit D level at birth was 57 (42-70) nmol/L. Median Vit D level at 3 weeks and 6 weeks were 63.5 nmol/L (53-80.2) nmol/L and 103 (71.5-144) nmol/L respectively. 22/55 (40%) mothers were VitD deficient/insufficient. 25/70 (36%) neonates were VitD deficient/insufficient at birth. Of those neonates who were VitD deficient/insufficient at birth 5/25(10%) were deficient/insufficient at 6 weeks. The median intake of VitD at 6 weeks was 826.5 (577.5-939.5) IU/day. Conclusions VitD deficiency/insufficiency in mothers of preterm neonates and in preterm neonates at birth is common. Routine screening of maternal VitD and their preterm neonates along with individualized supplementation regimens in mothers and preterm infants may optimize VitD status and reduce risk of ongoing VitD deficiency/insufficiency

Synthesis of polyesteramides by a new palladium catalyzed carbonylation–polycondensation reaction

This is the published version. Copyright © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2001Alternating polyesteramides are prepared by palladium catalyzed carbonylation–polycondensation reactions of aromatic diiodides and aminohydroxy compounds in the presence of an organic base

Simulations of a weakly conducting droplet under the influence of an alternating electric field

We investigate the electrohydrodynamics of an initially spherical droplet under the influence of an external alternating electric field by conducting axisymmetric numerical simulations using a charge-conservative volume-of-fluid based finite volume flow solver. The mean amplitude of shape oscillations of a droplet subjected to an alternating electric field for leaky dielectric fluids is the same as the steady-state deformation under an equivalent root mean squared direct electric field for all possible electrical conductivity ratio $(K_r)$ and permittivity ratio $(S)$ of the droplet to the surrounding fluid. In contrast, our simulations for weakly conducting media show that this equivalence between alternating and direct electric fields does not hold for $K_r \ne S$. Moreover, for a range of parameters, the deformation obtained using the alternating and direct electric fields is qualitatively different, i.e. for low $K_r$ and high $S$, the droplet becomes prolate under alternating electric field but deforms to an oblate shape in the case of the equivalent direct electric field. A parametric study is conducted by varying the time period of the applied alternating electric field, the permittivity and the electrical conductivity ratios. It is observed that while increasing $K_r$ has a negligible effect on the deformation dynamics of the droplet for $K_r<S$, it enhances the deformation of the droplet when $K_r>S$ for both alternating and direct electric fields. We believe that our results may be of immense consequence in explaining the morphological evolution of droplets in a plethora of scenarios ranging from nature to biology.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

Development of an Intelligent System for IoT using Web Services and Cyber Physical Approaches

The Internet of Things (IoT) is changing the way we perceive information. It has inspired solutions for a variety of everyday problems. With the advent of IoT, the internet will house several ldquointelligent ldquoobjects capable of making their own decisions and communicate with each other in an efficient manner. Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) represent a new paradigm of future intelligent systems. They consist of loosely coupled subsystems which interact with mechanisms of Service oriented Architecture (SoA). One of the most important goals for many organizations is to satisfy their clientsrsquo service level agreements with respect to the response time and throughput. Web services are one of the popular technologies to achieve SOA solutions.Web service is a very important candidate technology to achieve SOA requirements that allows the service providers to publish their services to many service consumers. nbs