Comparison of eigenvalues for a fourth-order four-point boundary value problem

We establish the existence of a smallest eigenvalue for the fourth-order four-point boundary value problem $\left (\phi_p(u''(t)) \right )'' = \lambda h(t) u(t), \, u'(0) = 0, \, \beta_0 u(\eta_0) = u(1), \, \phi_p'(u''(0)) = 0, \, \beta_1\phi_p(u''(\eta_1)) = \phi_p(u''(1))$, $p > 2$, $0 < \eta_1,\eta_0 < 1, 0 < \beta_1, \beta_0 < 1$, using the theory of u$_0$-positive operators with respect to a cone in a Banach space. We then obtain a comparison theorem for the smallest positive eigenvalues, $\lambda_1$ and $\lambda_2$, for the differential equations $\left ( \phi_p(u''(t)) \right )'' = \lambda_1 f(t) u(t)$ and $\left ( \phi_p(u''(t)) \right )'' =\lambda_2 g(t) u(t)$ where $0 \leq f(t) \leq g(t), t \in [0,1]$

Electronic conduction in a three-terminal molecular transistor

The electronic conduction of a novel, three-terminal molecular architecture, analogous to a heterojunction bipolar transistor is studied. In this architecture, two diode arms consisting of donor-acceptor molecular wires fuse through a ring, while a gate modulating wire is a \pi-conjugated wire. The calculated results show the enhancement or depletion mode of a transistor by applying a gate field along the positive or negative direction. A small gate field is required to switch on the current in the proposed architecture. The changes in the electronic conduction can be attributed to the intrinsic dipolar molecular architecture in terms of the evolution of molecular wavefunctions, specifically the one associated with the terphenyl group of the modulating wire in the presence of the gate field.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure

OC-163 identification of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) using field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS)

Introduction Resident colonic bacteria, principally anaerobes and firmicutes, ferment undigested fibre. The resultant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) formed are dissolved in the faeces but also absorbed and excreted in the urine. We have previously shown that electronic nose (E-nose) analysis of urine VOCs distinguishes between Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC) and healthy volunteers (HV): the underlying principle is pattern recognition of disease-specific “chemical fingerprint”. High-Field Asymmetric Waveform Ion Mobility Spectrometry (FAIMS) offers a possible alternative. The underlying principle is separation of VOC chemical components based on their different ion mobilties in high electric fields. We performed a pilot study in the above groups, the patients in remission (Rem) or with active disease (AD), to assess if this technology could achieve separation between the groups. The results were validated against E-nose analysis. Methods 59 subjects were studied; HV n=14, UC (Rem) n=18, UC (AD) n=4; CD (Rem) n=19, CD (AD) n=4. Urine samples (7 ml) in universal containers (25 ml) were heated to 40±0.1 C. The headspace (the air above the sample) was then analysed using FAIMS. The data were analysed by Fisher Discriminant Analysis. Results The technique distinguished between the three groups. Additionally, patients with active disease could be distinguished from those in remission. These results were concordant with E-nose analysis. Conclusion This pilot shows that urine VOCs, analysed by the different approaches of E-nose and FAIMS, the latter a novel application, can distinguish the healthy from those with UC and CD when disease is active or in remission. The two technologies together offer a non-invasive approach to diagnosis and follow-up in inflammatory bowel disease

Fruit and vegetable consumption among urban Canadian schoolchildren living in a socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhood

Purpose: Fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption was examined among children aged seven to 10 years in a London, Ontario, neighbourhood. The goal was to determine areas requiring targeted programs to promote healthy lifestyles. Methods: Data were gathered from 136 students in grades 2 to 4. Each student attended one of four elementary schools within a neighbourhood designated a priority by the City of London Child and Youth Network. The Day in the Life Questionnaire was used to collect the data. Instances of FV consumption were compared with Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide (CFG) guidelines. Results: Ninety-eight percent of participants did not follow the CFG-recommended minimum guidelines; they had fewer than five instances of FV consumption daily. Eighty-seven percent had fewer than two instances of FV consumption daily. Conclusions: These data support national findings of low FV consumption among children

Neurocognitive markers of passive suicidal ideation in late-life depression

Objectives: (1) To delineate whether cognitive flexibility and inhibitory ability are neurocognitive markers of passive suicidal ideation (PSI), an early stage of suicide risk in depression and (2) to determine whether PSI is associated with volumetric differences in regions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in middle-aged and older adults with depression. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: University medical school. Participants: Forty community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults with depression from a larger study of depression and anxiety (NIMH R01 MH091342-05 PI: O\u27Hara). Measurements: Psychiatric measures were assessed for the presence of a DSM-5 depressive disorder and PSI. A neurocognitive battery assessed cognitive flexibility, inhibitory ability, as well as other neurocognitive domains. Results: The PSI group (n = 18) performed significantly worse on cognitive flexibility and inhibitory ability, but not on other neurocognitive tasks, compared to the group without PSI (n = 22). The group with PSI had larger left mid-frontal gyri (MFG) than the no-PSI group. There was no association between cognitive flexibility/inhibitory ability and left MFG volume. Conclusions: Findings implicate a neurocognitive signature of PSI: poorer cognitive flexibility and poor inhibitory ability not better accounted for by other domains of cognitive dysfunction and not associated with volumetric differences in the left MFG. This suggests that there are two specific but independent risk factors of PSI in middle- and older-aged adults

A multi-country level analysis of the environmental attitudes and behaviours among young consumers

Environmental issues have become more prominent internationally and are increasingly featured in discussion by governments, business and academics. This paper presents the results of a study which examines the concerns for environmental issues and purchase behaviours of a sample of 1173 young consumers in England, Germany, Portugal and Spain; countries which represent different realities in terms of economic development, social context and cultural issues. An analysis of the differences between the respondents from the four countries regarding concepts such as man-nature orientation, generativity, environmental concern, consumer perceived effectiveness, conservation behaviour and environmentally-friendly buying behaviour is presented. The results obtained confirm the existence of significant differences between countries for almost all variables. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC

APLIKASI PEWARNAAN BAHAN ALAM MANGROVE UNTUK BAHAN BATIK SEBAGAI DIVERSIFIKASI USAHA DI DESA BINAAN KABUPATEN SEMARANG

ABSTRAK  Masyarakat desa Gemawang, Kecamatan Jambu di kabupaten Semarang telah memulai usaha kecil menengah dalam porduksi batik dengan pewarna bahan alam indigo. Namun permasalahan yang muncul adalah dominasi warna yang ditemukan hanya monoton pada warna hijau dan biru. Dari permasalahan tersebut, Tim Pengabdian Ilmu Kelautan melakukan uji lanjutan modifikasi warna bahan alam untuk mengaplikasikan bahan alam dari darat dan dari laut yang jarang ditemukan dalam pemasaran pewarnaan bahan alam.  Berdasarkan hal tersebut, maka tujuan penelitian adalah untuk mendapatkan warna alam yang menarik dan bervariasi dari tambahan warna tanaman mangrove dalam peningkatan kreatifitas sebagai upaya perluasan pasar batik di desa Gemawang, Kecamatan jambu Kabupaten Semarang. Materi penelitian yang digunakan adalah daun dan batang tanaman mangrove yang di ekstraksi dan selanjutnya hasil ekstraksi dengan menggunakan fiksasi tawas, kapur dan tunjung dicelupkan pada kain untuk mendapatkan warna yang kuat dan tidak luntur. Hasil penelitian memperlihatkan bahwa pewarnaan dari daun dan batang pada 6 jenis tanaman mangrove yaitu: Sorenasia alba, Rizophora sp, Avecenia sp, Ceripos decandra, Lumicera sp memperlihatkan warna yang hampir sama, yakni dari warna coklat muda hingga coklat tua gelap. Hasil pewarnaan alam mangrove memperlihatkan variasi warna terang, yang berbeda,  tidak luntur terjadi pada batang dan daun jenis Agriceros sp serta batang dan daun jenis Lumicera sp.  Warna alam dari daun mangrove jenis Agriceros sp dengan fiksasi gabungan kapur dan tunjung tampak warna lebih kuat, dan tidak gelap serta tidak luntur