High contrast optical modulation by surface acoustic waves

Numerical Calculations are employed to study the modulation of light by surface acoustic waves (SAWs) in photonic band gap (PBG) structures. The on/off contrast ratio in PBG switch based on optical cavity is determined as a function of the SAW induced dielectric modulation. We show that these structures exhibit high contrast ratios even for moderate acousto-optic couplingComment: 7 manuscript pages and 5 figures; submitted to Applied Physics Letters on April 24, 200

Introduction and growth of Gracilaria edulis, in Minicoy lagoon (Lakshadweep)

Agarophyte, Gracilaria edulis was not occuring in Minicoy lagoon .With a view to bringing in this commercially important resource into the vast lagoon of Minicoy Island, seed material of G. edulis was introduced from Kavaratti Island (Lakshadweep. 400 Km north of Minicoy) and Gulf of Mannar (Mandapam) in the year March 1990

Economic pseudodivision processes for obtaining square root, logarithm, and arctan

Modified Meggitt methods (pseudodivision methods) are suggested for evaluating logarithm, arctan, and square root. The modifications described here consist in restricting the magnitude of the pseudopartial remainsler such that the pseudoquotient assumes a form close to the minimal representation in the radix of choice. These methods will become useful for large-scale integrated system design

In vitro susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to trifluoperazine

The reference strain, Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, 19 drug-sensitive and 15 drug resistant clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis were tested for their in vitro susceptibility to trifluoperazine (TFP), an antipsychotic drug, by broth dilution method. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of TFP against M. tuberculosis H37Rv were 8 and 32 mg/l, respectively. The distribution of the sensitive and resistant isolates, with respect to the MIC of TFP, was similar. The distribution of the sensitive and resistant isolates, with respect to the MBC of TFP, was different and the difference was statistically significant. The findings suggest that TFP is more bactericidal to drug-resistant isolates than to the sensitive isolates

Uric acid disposition during intermittent chemotherapy of pulmonary tuberculosis with regimens containing pyrazinamide & rifampicin

Uric acid disposition during intermittent chemotherapy of pulmonary tuberculosis was studied in 13 patients allocated to a thrice-weekly regimen containing pyrazinamide in addition to rifampicin, isoniazid and streptomycin and in 19 patients allocated to a twice-weekly regimen of the same four drugs; the dosage of pyrazinam ide was 50 mg/kg in the former and 70 mg/kg in the latter. In the thrice-weekly series, the mean serum uric acid concentration ½ h before drug administration at 2 months (5.5 mg/dl) was significantly higher (P< 0.001) than that on admission (3.2 mg/ dl); hyperuricaemia (>7 mg/dl) was observed in none of the patients on admission and in 3 at 2 months. In the twice-weekly series, the two values (3.4 and 3.1 mg/dl, respectively) were similar, and none of the patients bad hyperuricaemia. The mean concentrations 5 h after drug administration at 2 months were significantly higher (P< 0.001) than those before drug administration in both the series (6.6 and 4.8 mg/dl, respectively), and hyperuricaemia was observed in 4 patients, all in the thrice weekly series

Optimization of certain physical parameters for the mariculture of Gracilaria edulis (Gmelin) Silva in Minicoy lagoon (Laccadive Archipelago)

Mariculture of the agar-yielding, red seaweed, Gracilaria edulis (Rhodophyta) was conducted in Minicoy lagoon during 1990–1992. Experiments were conducted on dry matter accumulation, effects of planting density, depth of water above culture nets, periodic cleaning for removal of epiphytes, grazing and the yield as well as regeneration of G. edulis after successive harvests to understand the optimum requirements of this seaweed. Six culture methods were tested and the yields obtained were compared to arrive at a culture method suitable for Minicoy lagoon

Characterisation of human steroid hormone transport mediated by Cdr1p, a multidrug transporter of Candida albicans, belonging to the ATP binding cassette super family

Cdr1p, a multidrug transporter from a pathogenic yeast Candida albicans, confers resistance to several unrelated drugs including anti-Candida drugs. We demonstrate that Cdr1p can specifically transport human steroid hormones namely &#946;-estradiol and corticosterone. Saccharomyces cerevisiae transformant S-12, harbouring the CDR1 gene, accumulated about 3-fold less [3H]&#946;-estradiol and about 2-fold less [3H]corticosterone than the non-transformed strain. When CDR1 was expressed in AD strain (AD-CDR1) which had seven ATP binding cassette (ABC) superfamily of putative transporter genes disrupted, the net accumulation of these hormones as compared to S-12 was significantly lower. Efflux of &#946;-estradiol and corticosterone was inhibited by a 100-fold higher (200 nM) concentration of &#946;-estradiol, corticosterone, ergosterol or dexamethasone, but progesterone which could not be transported by Cdr1p did not affect the efflux and thus accumulation. Interestingly, some of the drugs viz. cycloheximide, chloramphenicol, fluconazole and o-phenanthroline, to which CDR1 confers resistance, could also prevent efflux and enhance accumulation to some extent. In conclusion, we show that human steroid hormones could be the substrates for Cdr1p and the energy dependent transport mediated by it is specific for estradiol and corticosterone

Serum protein profile in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

A detailed study of the alterations in the serum protein fractions following commencement of effective anti-tuberculosis treatment was undertaken in 511 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. The concentration of serum albumin was 20-30 per cent higher (P<0.001) and that of a1, a2 and g -globulins significantly lower at the end of treatment than on admission (P <0.01), the magnitude of decrease being 7-17 per cent for g -globulin, 19-30 per cent for a1- globulin and 35-38 per cent for a2- globulin. In all, 481 patients had a favourable response to treatment, 46 of whom had a bacteriological relapse within 18 months of stopping treatment. The likelihood of a relapse was found to be greater with higher a2 -globulin concentrations at the end of treatment, the proportions of patients who relapsed being 3, 9, 13 and 15 per cent with a2 -globulin concentrations of < 0.40, 0.40-0.59, 0.60-0.79 and > 0.80 g/dl (P=0.02)

Labor Laws and Innovation

Stringent labor laws can provide firms a commitment device to not punish short-run failures and thereby spur their employees to pursue value-enhancing innovative activities. Using patents and citations as proxies for innovation, we identify this effect by exploiting the time-series variation generated by staggered country-level changes in dismissal laws. We find that within a country, innovation and economic growth are fostered by stringent laws governing dismissal of employees, especially in the more innovation-intensive sectors. Firm-level tests within the United States that exploit a discontinuity generated by the passage of the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act confirm the cross-country evidence.