Revealing a new symbiotic X-ray binary with Gemini NIFS

We use K-band spectroscopy of the counterpart to the rapidly variable X-ray transient XMMU J174445.5-295044 to identify it as a new symbiotic X-ray binary. XMMU J174445.5-295044 has shown a hard X-ray spectrum (we verify its association with an Integral/IBIS 18-40 keV detection in 2013 using a short Swift/XRT observation), high and varying N$_H$, and rapid flares on timescales down to minutes, suggesting wind accretion onto a compact star. We observed its near-infrared counterpart using the Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) at Gemini-North, and classify the companion as ~ M2 III. We infer a distance of $3.1^{+1.8}_{-1.1}$ kpc (conservative 1-sigma errors), and therefore calculate that the observed X-ray luminosity (2-10 keV) has reached to at least 4$\times10^{34}$ erg/s. We therefore conclude that the source is a symbiotic X-ray binary containing a neutron star (or, less likely, black hole) accreting from the wind of a giant.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, MNRAS in pres

Near-infrared counterparts of three transient very faint neutron star X-ray binaries

We present near-infrared (NIR) imaging observations of three transient neutron star X-ray binaries, SAX J1753.5-2349, SAX J1806.5-2215 and AX J1754.2-2754. All three sources are members of the class of `very faint' X-ray transients which exhibit X-ray luminosities $L_X\lesssim10^{36}$ erg s$^{-1}$. The nature of this class of sources is still poorly understood. We detect NIR counterparts for all three systems and perform multi-band photometry for both SAX J1753.5-2349 and SAX J1806.5-2215, including narrow-band Br$_{\gamma}$ photometry for SAX J1806.5-2215. We find that SAX J1753.5-2349 is significantly redder than the field population, indicating that there may be absorption intrinsic to the system, or perhaps a jet is contributing to the infrared emission. SAX J1806.5-2215 appears to exhibit absorption in Br$_{\gamma}$, providing evidence for hydrogen in the system. Our observations of AX J1754.2--2754 represent the first detection of a NIR counterpart for this system. We find that none of the measured magnitudes are consistent with the expected quiescent magnitudes of these systems. Assuming that the infrared radiation is dominated by either the disc or the companion star, the observed magnitudes argue against an ultracompact nature for all three systems.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Failure Potential Assessment of Heat Exchanger Network for Inherently Safer Design

The inherent safety indices are the widely accepted tool to assess the inherent safety level at the preliminary design stage. Numerous inherent safety indices have been designed to assess the failure potential of shell and tube heat exchanger but limited indices have a capability to measure the failure potential of the heat exchanger network at the preliminary design stage. Moreover, integration between process design stages with risk and consequence estimation is extremely important in order to design inherently safe process plants. However, the lack of formal integration between process design stages with risk and consequence estimation results in unproductive estimation of risk levels and consequence that occurs during a particular process route until the design is completed. Few studies on the integration of risk estimation with process design are available but a viable framework is yet to be reported. Hence, based on the highlighted issue, application of integrated Risk Estimation Tool (iRET) for explosion scenarios is proposed to study the failure potential assessment of heat exchanger network (HEN) at the preliminary design stag

Novel screening test for celiac disease using peptide functionalised gold nanoparticles

© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved. AIM To develop a screening test for celiac disease based on the coating of gold nanoparticles with a peptide sequence derived from gliadin, the protein that triggers celiac disease. METHODS 20 nm gold nanoparticles were first coated with NeutrAvidin. A long chain Polyethylene glycol (PEG) linker containing Maleimide at the Ω-end and Biotin group at the α-end was used to ensure peptide coating to the gold nanoparticles. The maleimide group with the thiol (-SH) side chain reacted with the cysteine amino acid in the peptide sequence and the biotinylated and PEGylated peptide was added to the NeutrAvidin coated gold nanoparticles. The peptide coated gold nanoparticles were then converted into a serological assay. We used the peptide functionalised gold nanoparticle-based assay on thirty patient serum samples in a blinded assessment and compared our results with the previously run serological and pathological tests on these patients. RESULTS A stable colloidal suspension of peptide coated gold nanoparticles was obtained without any aggregation. An absorbance peak shift as well as color change was caused by the aggregation of gold nanoparticles following the addition of anti-gliadin antibody to peptide coated nanoparticles at levels associated with celiac disease. The developed assay has been shown to detect anti-gliadin antibody not only in quantitatively spiked samples but also in a small-scale study on real non-hemolytic celiac disease patient’s samples. CONCLUSION The study demonstrates the potential of gold nanoparticle-peptide based approach to be adapted for developing a screening assay for celiac disease diagnosis. The assay could be a part of an exclusion based diagnostic strategy and prove particularly useful for testing high celiac disease risk populations

Negotiating Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Turkey

Turkey is often visualized as a modern nation-state having a perfect balance of Eastern and Western cultural mores and traditions within dominant ideological constructions and representations, but on closer inspection, one can detect conflicts and contradictions within various texts—particularly in regards to depictions of gender and sexual identity. Upon its foundation as a nation, Turkey embarked on a state-centered, elite-driven path toward modernization and Westernization while also seeking to produce a monolithic culture. At the time, it was widely believed that Turkey could not rank among modern, Western countries without the emancipation of women. As a result of the founding of the Republic and Turkey’s quest for a unified culture, women were granted a number of legal rights and enjoined to take up their place in the public sphere. In recent years, this model of state-centered secular modernity and state feminism has come under intense scrutiny and criticism as Islamists, Kurds, feminists, and others demand their claims for recognition and force a rethinking of current understandings of Turkish identity and subjectivity, specifically regarding gender and the place and role of women in society. These controversies, contradictions, and ambiguities are reflected in women’s lives and are waged by various factions over women’s bodies within ideological constructions of identity and this study seeks to examine these disjunctures and contradictions as reflected in modern Turkish literature and culture.Negotiating Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Turkey is an essential tool for scholars and students of Middle Eastern literature, Turkish literature and culture, gender and sexuality studies, modern and postmodern literature, postcolonial and feminist literature and studies, cultural studies, religious studies, and women’s studies and seeks to place a microscopic view on a marginalized and embattled group

Negotiating Gender and Sexaulity in Contemporary Turkey

Turkey is often visualized as a modern nation-state having a perfect balance of Eastern and Western cultural mores and traditions within dominant ideological constructions and representations, but on closer inspection, one can detect conflicts and contradictions within various texts - particularly in regards to depictions of gender and sexual identity. Upon its foundation as a nation, Turkey embarked on a state-centered, elite-driven path toward modernization and Westernization while also seeking to produce a monolithic culture. At the time, it was widely believed that Turkey could not rank among modern, Western countries without the emancipation of women. As a result of the founding of the Republic and Turkey’s quest for a unified culture, women were granted a number of legal rights and enjoined to take up their place in the public sphere. In recent years, this model of state-centered secular modernity and state feminism has come under intense scrutiny and criticism as Islamists, Kurds, feminists, and others demand their claims for recognition and force a rethinking of current understandings of Turkish identity and subjectivity, specifically regarding gender and the place and role of women in society. These controversies, contradictions, and ambiguities are reflected in women’s lives and are waged by various factions over women’s bodies within ideological constructions of identity and this study seeks to examine these disjunctures and contradictions as reflected in modern Turkish literature and culture. Negotiating Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Turkey is an essential tool for scholars and students of Middle Eastern literature, Turkish literature and culture, gender and sexuality studies, modern and postmodern literature, postcolonial and feminist literature and studies, cultural studies, religious studies, and women’s studies and seeks to place a microscopic view on a marginalized and embattled group

Helical vortex phase in the non-centrosymmetric CePt_3Si

We consider the role of magnetic fields on the broken inversion superconductor CePt_3Si. We show that upper critical field for a field along the c-axis exhibits a much weaker paramagnetic effect than for a field applied perpendicular to the c-axis. The in-plane paramagnetic effect is strongly reduced by the appearance of helical structure in the order parameter. We find that to get good agreement between theory and recent experimental measurements of H_{c2}, this helical structure is required. We propose a Josephson junction experiment that can be used to detect this helical order. In particular, we predict that Josephson current will exhibit a magnetic interference pattern for a magnetic field applied perpendicular to the junction normal. We also discuss unusual magnetic effects associated with the helical order.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, Accepted as Phys Rev. Lette

Post-Anesthesia Evaluation: Using a Systems Based Team Approach to Achieve Compliance with CMS Interpretive Guidelines

Introduction: In December of 2009 the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued Revised Anesthesia Services Interpretive Guidelines. The revised post-anesthesia evaluation rules require assessment and documentation within 48 hours from the time the patient is moved into the recovery area for patients (includes outpatients prior to discharge as well as all inpatients). It applies to all patients who have had monitored anesthesia services, regional or general anesthesia. It must be performed and documented by a practitioner who is qualified to administer anesthesia and can be completed at any time and location as long as the patient has recovered sufficiently from anesthesia to answer the key questions related to the evaluation. Required key elements include assessment of mental status, pain, nausea and vomiting, temperature, hydration, respiratory and cardiovascular status. We describe the systems based team approach we used to achieve compliance with the 93% or higher post-anesthesia evaluation set by CMS and The Joint Commission. Background: UMass Memorial is a multi-campus medical center (A: Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC), C: Tertiary University site, B: Memorial).Annually we provide anesthesia coverage for approximately 37,000 patients at 43 anesthetizing locations (44% inpatients and 56% outpatient procedures). The spread of Anesthesiology resources over three sites and the resident work hour restrictions posed a challenge to ensure compliance with CMS requirements for post-anesthesia evaluation and documentation. Methods: With input from the Anesthesiologists at all three sites we designed a template form that captured the required elements of the post-anesthesia evaluation and became part of the patient medical record (figure 1). We also modified the discharge process from the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). Previously our patients were discharged when the Alderete criteria were met using a standardized post-anesthesia order set. We modified this post-anesthesia order set to add post-anesthesia evaluation and documentation to the discharge criteria (figure 2). The Peri-anesthesia staff (PACU and Surgical Admission unit) was educated about these changes. We implemented a visual clue by the patient stretcher in the PACU when the patient was discharge ready. A member of the Anesthesia team completed the evaluation and documentation prior to patient discharge from the PACU. Patients who were admitted directly to the ICU or were not seen in the PACU were seen the following day by a member of the group. We used a systems based team approach with the help of the Anesthesiology staff and Peri-anesthesia nursing to implement this process across all three campuses. Random monthly chart audits were performed by our Quality department to assess our compliance with these CMS revised guidelines (20 charts at each site per month). Conclusion: We were able to achieve an average compliance rate of 82 to 93% across the medical center (figure 3)

Evaluation of rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush.)as rootstock for salinity tolerance at seedling stage under in vitro conditions

In vitro approach was adopted to study the effect of salinity on survival and growth of rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush.) seeds. North-West (Punjab) part of India has been facing a major problem of soil salinity for citrus orchards. Therefore, it is logical to study the salinity tolerance of common citrus rootstock, rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush.), grown in the region. The seeds were treated with nine different doses of sodium salt. In all the treatments, leaves of rough lemon seedlings showed severe injury symptoms of chlorosis and necrosis while the seeds cultured in control did not show any injury. There was a significant decrease in seed germination, seedling height, internodal length, and subsequently plant weight with increasing concentration of salt. In contrast to the above characteristics, the length of primary roots increased proportionally with the increase in salt concentration in the culture media. As under stress conditions, the in vitro grown seedlings tend to increase the root length for its survival. In comparison to the control, salt treatments showed increased level of Na+ and Cl- ions in the seedlings and also resulted in a decrease of K+/Na+ ratio. Tolerance index was found minimum (100) in control and maximum in 154mM NaCl treatments after 4 and 8 weeks.Key words: Citrus, salt, sensitivity, chlorosis, sodium chloride