Two Gallium data sets, spin flavour precession and KamLAND

We reexamine the possibility of a time modulation of the low energy solar neutrino flux which is suggested by the average decrease of the Ga data in line with our previous arguments. We perform two separate fits to the solar neutrino data, one corresponding to 'high' and the other to 'low' Ga data, associated with low and high solar activity respectively. We therefore consider an alternative to the conventional solar+KamLAND fitting, which allows one to explore the much wider range of the $\theta_{12}$ angle permitted by the KamLAND fitting alone. We find a solution with parameters $\Delta m^2_{21}=8.2\times 10^{-5} eV^2, tan^{2}\theta=0.31$ in which the 'high' and the 'low' Ga rates lie far apart and are close to their central values and is of comparable quality to the global best fit, where these rates lie much closer to each other. This is an indication that the best fit in which all solar and KamLAND data are used is not a good measure of the separation of the two Ga data sets, as the information from the low energy neutrino modulation is dissimulated in the wealth of data. Furthermore for the parameter set proposed one obtains an equally good fit to the KamLAND energy spectrum and an even better fit than the 'conventional' LMA one for the reactor antineutrino survival probability as measured by KamLAND.Comment: V2: 15 pages, 3 eps figures, fit improved, final version to appear in Journal of Physics

How familiarity warps representation in the face space

Recognition of familiar as compared to unfamiliar faces is robust and resistant to marked image distortion or degradation. Here we tested the flexibility of familiar face recognition with a morphing paradigm where the appearance of a personally familiar face was mixed with the appearance of a stranger (Experiment 1) and the appearance of one's own face with the appearance of a familiar face and the appearance of a stranger (Experiment 2). The aim of the two experiments was to assess how categorical boundaries for recognition of identity are affected by familiarity. We found a narrower categorical boundary for the identity of personally familiar faces when they were mixed with unfamiliar identities as compared to the control condition, in which the appearance of two unfamiliar faces was mixed. Our results suggest that familiarity warps the representational geometry of face space, amplifying perceptual distances for small changes in the appearance of familiar faces that are inconsistent with the structural features that define their identities

Familiarity Facilitates Detection of Angry Expressions

Personal familiarity facilitates rapid and optimized detection of faces. In this study, we investigated whether familiarity associated with faces can also facilitate the detection of facial expressions. Models of face processing propose that face identity and face expression detection are mediated by distinct pathways. We used a visual search paradigm to assess if facial expressions of emotion (anger and happiness) were detected more rapidly when produced by familiar as compared to unfamiliar faces. We found that participants detected an angry expression 11% more accurately and 135 ms faster when produced by familiar as compared to unfamiliar faces while happy expressions were detected with equivalent accuracies and at equivalent speeds for familiar and unfamiliar faces. These results suggest that detectors in the visual system dedicated to processing features of angry expressions are optimized for familiar faces

Metabolite Identification of Helicobacter Pylori Supernatant Using Near-IR Raman Spectroscopy

Helicobacter pylori, a non-invasive gram-negative bacteria is well known for its direct cause and effect relationship with peptic ulcer, gastric or duodenal ulceration. Its severe effect on human begin with its colonization and production of various enzyme like Vacuolating cytotoxin, Urease and Heat shock proteins. Urease is complex spherical protein which causes hydrolysis of gastric urea to ammonia and CO 2 . The enzymatic reaction results in increase of gastric pH and hence results in gastric cancer. We present a photonic based technique to identify these proteins in its natural supernatant condition. The Raman spectrum of Helicobacter pylori is reported and the vibrational peaks are identified with corresponding chemical bonds in the biochemical enzyme. This can lay the foundation for future diagnostic tool for clinical detection of peptic ulcer, gastric or duodenal ulceration

An fMRI dataset in response to “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, a socially-rich, naturalistic movie

Naturalistic stimuli evoke strong, consistent, and information-rich patterns of brain activity, and engage large extents of the human brain. They allow researchers to compare highly similar brain responses across subjects, and to study how complex representations are encoded in brain activity. Here, we describe and share a dataset where 25 subjects watched part of the feature film “The Grand Budapest Hotel” by Wes Anderson. The movie has a large cast with many famous actors. Throughout the story, the camera shots highlight faces and expressions, which are fundamental to understand the complex narrative of the movie. This movie was chosen to sample brain activity specifically related to social interactions and face processing. This dataset provides researchers with fMRI data that can be used to explore social cognitive processes and face processing, adding to the existing neuroimaging datasets that sample brain activity with naturalistic movies

Conjugatable water-soluble Pt(ii) and Pd(ii) porphyrin complexes: Novel nano- and molecular probes for optical oxygen tension measurement in tissue engineering

Measurement of oxygen tension in compressed collagen sheets was performed using matrix-embedded optical oxygen sensors based on platinum(II) and palladium(II) porphyrins supported on polyacrylamide nanoparticles. Bespoke, fully water-soluble, mono-functionalised Pt(II) and Pd(II) porphyrin complexes designed for conjugation under mild conditions were obtained using microwave-assisted metallation. The new sensors display a linear response (1/τ vs. O₂) to varying oxygen tension over a biologically relevant range (7.0 × 10⁻⁴ to 2.7 × 10⁻¹ mM) in aqueous solutions; a behaviour that is maintained following conjugation to polyacrylamide nanoparticles, and following embedding of the nanosensors in compressed collagen sheets, paving the way to innovative approaches for real-time resolution of oxygen gradients throughout 3D matrices useful for tissue regeneration

Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in SAP Fiori

This article presents a case study that was carried out in two companies that have implemented SAP Fiori. The As-Is and To-Be description of the process in which SAP Fiori was implemented was performed. The advantages and disadvantages of using SAP Fiori were also identified. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) has been used in order to understand the aspects that most influence users to consider SAP Fiori as an added value, and how it optimizes the tasks of users. TAM has two variables that will influence the acceptance of a technology, which are: perceived ease of use and perceived utility.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Neutrino transition magnetic moments and the solar magnetic field on the light of the Kamland evidence

We present here a recopilation of recent results about the possibility of detecting solar electron antineutrinos produced by solar core and convective magnetic fields. These antineutrinos are predicted by spin-flavor oscillations at a significant rate even if this mechanism is not the leading solution to the SNP. Using the recent Kamland results and assuming a concrete model for antineutrino production by spin-flavor precession in the convective zone based on chaotic magnetic fields,we obtain bounds on the flux of solar antineutrinos, on the average conversion neutrino-antineutrino probability and on intrinsic neutrino magnetic moment. In the most conservative case, \mu\lsim 2.5\times 10^{-11} \mu_B (95% CL). When studying the effects of a core magnetic field, we find in the weak limit a scaling of the antineutrino probability with respect to the magnetic field profile in the sense that the same probability function can be reproduced by any profile with a suitable peak field value. In this way the solar electron antineutrino spectrum can be unambiguosly predicted. We use this scaling and the negative results indicated by the KamLAND experiment to obtain upper bounds on the solar electron antineutrino flux. We find that, for a wide family of magnetic field profiles in the sun interior, the antineutrino appearance probability is largely determined by the magnetic field intensity but not by its shape. Explicit limits on neutrino transition moments are also obtained consistent with the convective case. These limits are therefore largerly independent of the detailed structure of the magnetic field in the solar interior.Comment: Expanded version of a presentation contributed to `` 8th International Workshop On Topics In Astroparticle And Underground Physics (TAUP 2003)'

Mutations in RpoB Gene and Their Association with Rifampicin-resistance Levels in Clinical Isolates of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis

Present study was aimed to identify most frequent mutations in rpoB gene region and to evaluate the association between mutations in rpoB gene and resistance levels to Rifampicin in clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis of different geographical regions of India. A total of 100 clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were included in this study. Drug susceptibility testing against first line anti-tuberculosis drugs was performed on LJ medium by conventional minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) method and the mutation(s) in rpoB gene of M. tuberculosis isolates were analyzed by sequencing method. Of the 100 M. tuberculosis isolates, 31 (31.0%) and 18 (18.0%) were found resistant and susceptible for all four first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs. The genetic mutations were observed in 96% (72/75) rifampicin-resistant M. tuberculosis isolates, while 4% (3/75) of rifampicin-resistant isolates did not have any mutation in rpoB gene. The mutation TCG531TTG (Ser531Leu) was found as most common and frequent mutation in 69.3% (52/75) of rifampicin-resistant isolates of M. tuberculosis with MIC level (≥ 512mg/l). The mutation at codon 511 was associated with low degree (128mg/l) of rifampicin-resistance, deletions at codons 514-516 or substitution at codon 516 were found to be associated with moderate degree (256mg/l) of rifampicin-resistance and mutations at codon 526, 531 were associated with the high degree (512mg/l) of rifampicin-resistance in M. tuberculosis isolates of Indian origin. The findings of this study will be useful for the development of raid and more specific indigenous molecular tools for the early diagnosis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in the country