Characterizations of Levy Distribution via Sub-Independence of the Random Variables and Truncated Moments

The concept of sub-independence is based on the convolution of the distributions of the random variables. It is much weaker than that of independence, but is shown to be sufficient to yield the conclusions of important theorems and results in probability and statistics. It also provides a measure of dissociation between two random variables which is much stronger than uncorrelatedness. Following Ahsanullah and Nevzorov (2014), we present certain characterizations of Levy distribution based on: (i) the sub-independence of the random variables; (ii) a simple relationship between two truncated moments; (iii) conditional expectation of certain function of the random variable. In case of independence, characterization (i) reduces to that of Ahsanullah and Nevzorov (2014)

Experimental Study of Heat Convection From Stationary and Oscillating Circular Cylinder in Cross Flow

An experimental study is made on the processes of heat transfer from the surface of a forced oscillating cylinder in a crossflow. A range of oscillation amplitude (A/D =0.1,0.2), forced oscillation frequency (0<St_c<1), and Reynolds number (Re=550, 1100, 3500) is covered in water (Pr=6). Besides the increase at the natural vortex shedding frequency, large increases in the heat transfer are found at certain superharmonics. By using Digital Particle Image Velocimetry/Thermometry (DPIV/T), the increase in the heat transfer rate is found to correlate inversely with the distance at which vortices roll-up behind the cylinder, i.e., the distance decreases when the heat transfer increases. The cause of the increase is found to be the removal of the stagnant and low heat convecting fluid at the base of the cylinder during the roll-up of the vortices

Effects of Phosphorus and Copper on Factors Influencing Nutrient Uptake, Photosynthesis, and Grain Yield of Wheat

Author Institution: Department of Agronomy, The Ohio State UniversityApplication of large amounts of phosphorus fertilizers is used to enhance early plant growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). This practice can lead to an accumulation of phosphorus in soil and a reduced copper uptake by plants which may result in a reduction of plastocyanin concentrations in chloroplasts. As a result, photosynthetic rates and crop yield can be adversely affected. While copper uptake is sometimes enhanced by vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi, large accumulations of soil phosphorus can reduce VAM-enhanced copper uptake

The Prognostic Effect of Ethnicity for Gastric and Esophageal Cancer: The Population-Based Experience in British Columbia, Canada

Background: Gastric and esophageal cancers are among the most lethal human malignancies. Their epidemiologyis geographically diverse. This study compares the survival of gastric and esophageal cancer patients amongseveral ethnic groups including Chinese, South Asians, Iranians and Others in British Columbia (BC), Canada.Methods: Data were obtained from the population-based BC Cancer Registry for patients diagnosed with invasiveesophageal and gastric cancer between 1984 and 2006. The ethnicity of patients was estimated according to theirnames and categorized as Chinese, South Asian, Iranian or Other. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis wasused to estimate the effect of ethnicity adjusted for patient sex and age, disease histology, tumor location, diseasestage and treatment.Results: The survival of gastric cancer patients was significantly different among ethnic groups. Chinese patientsshowed better survival compared to others in univariate and multivariate analysis. The survival of esophagealcancer patients was significantly different among ethnic groups when the data was analyzed by a univariate test(p = 0.029), but not in the Cox multivariate model adjusted for other patient and prognostic factors.Conclusions: Ethnicity may represent underlying genetic factors. Such factors could influence host-tumorinteractions by altering the tumor’s etiology and therefore its chance of spreading. Alternatively, genetic factorsmay determine response to treatments. Finally, ethnicity may represent non-genetic factors that affect survival.Differences in survival by ethnicity support the importance of ethnicity as a prognostic factor, and may provideclues for the future identification of genetic or lifestyle factors that underlie these observations

Signatures of d-Wave Symmetry on Thermal Dirac Fermions in Graphene-Based F/I/d Junctions

We study theoretically the behavior of thermal massless Dirac fermions inside graphene-based Ferromagnetic/Insulator/d-wave (s-wave) superconductor (F/I/d and F/I/S) junctions in the ballistic regime. Using the Dirac-BdG wave functions within the three regions and appropriate boundary conditions, the Andreev and Normal reflection coefficients are derived. By employing the obtained Andreev and Normal reflection coefficients the characteristics of heat current through the F/I/d and F/I/S junctions are investigated within the thin barrier approximation. We find that for s-wave superconductors, thermal conductance oscillates sinusoidally vs barrier strength. The finding persist for the values of $\alpha$, the orientation of d-wave superconductor crystal in the $k$-space, below $\pi/4$. By increasing temperature, the thermal conductance is increased exponentially for small values of $\alpha$ and for larger values the quantity is modified to exhibit a linear behavior at $\alpha=\pi/4$ which is similar to Wiedemann-Franz law for metals in low temperatures.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Casimir force in the presence of a magnetodielectric medium

In this article we investigate the Casimir effect in the presence of a medium by quantizing the Electromagnetic (EM) field in the presence of a magnetodielectric medium by using the path integral formalism. For a given medium with definite electric and magnetic susceptibilities, explicit expressions for the Casimir force are obtained which are in agree with the original Casimir force between two conducting parallel plates immersed in the quantum electromagnetic vacuum.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur

Development of a DNA-Liposome Complex for Gene Delivery Applications

The association structures formed by cationic liposomes and DNA(Deoxyribonucleic acid)-liposome have been effectively utilized as gene carriers in transfection assays. In this research study, cationic liposomes were prepared using a modified lipid film hydration method consisting of a lyophilization step for gene delivery applications. The obtained results demonstrated that the mean particle size had no significant change while the polydispersity (PDI) increased after lyophilization. The mean particle size slightly reduced after lyophilization (520 ± 12 nm to 464 ± 25 nm) while the PDI increased after lyophilization (0.094 ± 0.017 to 0.220 ± 0.004). In addition. The mean particle size of vesicles increases when DNA is incorporated to the liposomes (673 ± 27 nm). According to the Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images, the spherical shape of liposomes confirmed their successful preservation and reconstitution from the powder. It was found that liposomal formulation has enhanced transfection considerably compared to the naked DNA as negative control. Finally, liposomal formulation in this research had a better function than Lipofectamine® 2000 as a commercialized product because the cellular activity (cellular protein) was higher in the prepared lipoplex than Lipofectamine® 2000

Inherent-opening-controlled pattern formation in carbon nanotube arrays

We have introduced inherent openings into densely packed carbon nanotube arrays to study self-organized pattern formation when the arrays undergo a wetting–dewetting treatment from nanotube tips. These inherent openings, made of circular or elongated hollows in nanotube mats, serve as dewetting centres, from where liquid recedes from. As the dewetting centres initiate dry zones and the dry zones expand, surrounding nanotubes are pulled away from the dewetting centres by liquid surface tension. Among short nanotubes, the self-organized patterns are consistent with the shape of the inherent openings, i.e. slender openings lead to elongated trench-like structures, and circular holes result in relatively round nest-like arrangements. Nanotubes in a relatively high mat are more connected, like in an elastic body, than those in a short mat. Small cracks often initialize themselves in a relatively high mat, along two or more adjacent round openings; each of the cracks evolves into a trench as liquid dries up. Self-organized pattern control with inherent openings needs to initiate the dewetting process above the nanotube tips. If there is no liquid on top, inherent openings barely enlarge themselves after the wetting–dewetting treatment