Effects of the Nearest-Neighbour Coulomb Interactions on the Ground State of the Periodic Anderson Model

The magnetic and non-magnetic ground states of the periodic Anderson model with Coulomb interaction between $f$-electrons on the nearest-neighbour(NN) sites are investigated using a variational method, which gives exact calculation of the expectation values in the limit of infinite dimensions. It is shown that for a critical value of NN Coulomb interactions the magnetic ground state of the periodic Anderson model in the Kondo regime is unstable. Factors in terms of the physical processes responsible for instability of the magnetic ground state are also discussed. Our study indicates the importance of the NN Coulomb interactions for correlated two band models.Comment: RevTeX, 6 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Penerapan Pembelajaran Tematik Untuk Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar IPA Materi Pada Lingkungan Siswa Kelas I SDN 018 Letawa Kecamatan Sarjo Kabupaten Mamuju Utara

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan hasil belajar dengan tema lingkungan pada kelas I SD Negeri 018 Letawa Kecamatan Sarjo Kabupaten Mamuju Utara. Penelitian dilaksanakan dengan dua siklus, dan setiap siklus terdiri dari empat tahap yaitu : Perencanaan, Pelaksanaan, Observsi dan refleksi. Subjek penelitian ini adalah semua siswa kelas I SD Negeri 018 Letawa Kecamatan Sarjo Kabupaten Mamuju Utara Tahun Pelajaran 2012/2013 dengan jumlah siswa 32 orang. Data penelitian ini diperoleh dari observasi kegiatan guru dan kegiatan belajar siswa. Berdasarkan hasil analisa data, pada siklus I diperoleh Daya Serap Individu 69% dan Ketuntasan Belajar Klasikal 75%. Sedangkan Pada siklus II meningkat dengan Daya Serap Individu 75% dan Ketuntasan Belajar Klasikal 81%, serta hasil belajar siswa mengalami peningkatan secara klasikal dari siklus I ke sisklus II yaitu 75,0% ke 81,25%

The impact of the 2003 national cultural policy on the performing arts industry in Zambia with specific reference to working conditions

ABSTRACT The purpose of the project research was to investigate the impact of the Zambian 2003 national cultural policy on the performing arts industry with specific reference to working conditions both in the public and private domains in Zambia. It is also an effort to assess the efficacy of the cultural policy within a broader policy environment. Generally, two categories of performing artists namely the publicly and privately sponsored exist in Zambia. Two sample groups representing the two categories of performing artists were consulted in the study. The publicly sponsored sample was drawn from the uniformed services and the national dance troupe while the privately sponsored performers were represented by a selection of performers who do not work in the civil service. The methodology included field and desk research in which social-scientific and humanistic methods involving structured and semi-structured interviews were used, coupled with the use of textual materials from employment and performance contracts, civil service terms of employment, the National Arts Council Act, national arts associations’ constitutions, cultural and labour policies among others. The results revealed mixed reactions from all the respondents with regard to the research question; however it became apparent that the policy had not positively impacted on the industry as the negative responses outweighed the positive feedback. Despite the policy theoretically addressing a number of issues in the arts industry, it was very difficult to practically implement the strategies therein successfully. A number of reasons can be advanced for the inefficiency such as lack of matching sectoral legislation to enforce the policy and the absence of a union to complement government’s efforts. It was further discovered that to some extent, the formulation of the policy was rushed and did not very well fit into the traditional perspectives of the people about the arts industry. This reinforces the question of whether is it necessary for all nations to have cultural policies when supporting institutional and legal frameworks are not in place. The Zambian case reveals the pitfalls in legislating culture.

PENGENALAN PERANGKAT TIK BAGI ANAK SEKOLAH DASAR DI DESA PEMO

Kegiatan pengenalan perangkat Teknologi Informasi dan Komunikasi (TIK) bagi anak-anak sejak sekolah dasar sangat perlu dilakukan. Hal ini agar anak-anak bisa mengetahui dan menggunakan perangkat teknologi dengan baik untuk menambahkan wawasannya mengenai ilmu pengetahuan, terutama berkaitan dengan materi yang telah disampaikan oleh bapak ibu gurunya di sekolah. Anak-anak sekolah dasar didesa Pemo selama ini menggunakan perangkat TIK, hanya handphone. Penggunaannya hanya sebatas untuk menerima telepon dan mengirim pesan. Kegiatan ini dilakukan bagi anak-anak sekolah dasar yang berjumlah 8 orang. Tujuan dari kegiatan ini, agar anak-anak mampu mengenal dan menggunakan perangkat TIK sebagai sarana untuk belajar. Materi disajikan pada saat pengabdian antara lain: 1) mengenal perangkat TIK; 2) mengenal laptop; 3) mengetik di microsoft word; 4) mengakses internet menggunakan handphone dan laptop. Hasil setelah melakukan kegiatan pengabdian ini, anak-anak merasa senang, karena sudah mendapatkan pengalaman, pengetahuan dan ketrampilan mengenai penggunaan TIK sebagai media belajar

A novel AhR ligand, 2AI, protects the retina from environmental stress.

Various retinal degenerative diseases including dry and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinitis pigmentosa, and diabetic retinopathy are associated with the degeneration of the retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) layer of the retina. This consequently results in the death of rod and cone photoreceptors that they support, structurally and functionally leading to legal or complete blindness. Therefore, developing therapeutic strategies to preserve cellular homeostasis in the RPE would be a favorable asset in the clinic. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a conserved, environmental ligand-dependent, per ARNT-sim (PAS) domain containing bHLH transcription factor that mediates adaptive response to stress via its downstream transcriptional targets. Using in silico, in vitro and in vivo assays, we identified 2,2'-aminophenyl indole (2AI) as a potent synthetic ligand of AhR that protects RPE cells in vitro from lipid peroxidation cytotoxicity mediated by 4-hydroxynonenal (4HNE) as well as the retina in vivo from light-damage. Additionally, metabolic characterization of this molecule by LC-MS suggests that 2AI alters the lipid metabolism of RPE cells, enhancing the intracellular levels of palmitoleic acid. Finally, we show that, as a downstream effector of 2AI-mediated AhR activation, palmitoleic acid protects RPE cells from 4HNE-mediated stress, and light mediated retinal degeneration in mice

A tapered multi-gap multi-aperture pseudospark-sourced electron gun based X-band slow wave oscillator

The experimental study of a tapered, multi-gap, multi-aperture pseudospark-sourced electron gun based X-band plasma assisted slow wave oscillator is presented. The designed electron gun is based on the pseudospark discharge concept and has been used to generate a high current density and high energy electron beam simultaneously. The distribution of apertures has been arranged such that the field penetration potency inside the backspace of the hollow-cathode is different while passing through the tapered gap region. This leads to non-concurrent ignition of the discharge through all the channels which is, in general, quite challenging in the case of multi-aperture plasma cathode electron gun geometries. Multiple and successive hollow cathode phases are reported from this electron gun geometry, which have been confirmed using simulations. This geometry also has led to the achievement of ∼71% fill factor inside the slow wave oscillator for an electron beam of energy of 20 keV and a beam current density in the range of 115-190 A/cm2 at a working argon gas pressure of 18 Pa. The oscillator has generated broadband microwave output in the frequency range of 10-11.7 GHz with a peak power of ∼10 kW for ∼50 ns

Multinational evaluation of the measurement invariance of the level of personality functioning scale–brief form 2.0: comparison of student and community samples across seven countries

DSM-5’s Level of Personality Functioning Scale (LPFS) was introduced as a dimensional rating of impairments in self- and interpersonal functioning, and the LPFS – Brief Form (LPFS-BF) was the first published corresponding self-report. The updated LPFS-BF 2.0 has been translated into several languages and international research supports many of the instrument’s psychometric properties; however, its measurement invariance has only been evaluated across a few countries. This study expands previous studies as an introductory step in a global evaluation of the LPFS-BF 2.0’s measurement invariance. Archival data (N = 5,618, 57% female) from seven countries (Canada, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Italy, United Arab Emirates, United States of America) were used for this study. Participants were recruited from both community (n = 4,677) and student (n = 941) populations. After confirming adequate model fit separately in the community and student samples, we evaluated a series of increasingly stringent model comparisons to test three aspects of measurement invariance (configural, metric, scalar) and then examined latent mean differences across countries. Full scalar invariance was supported in the community sample and partial scalar invariance was supported in the student sample. Evaluation of latent mean differences revealed multiple significant differences. Overall, the LPFS-BF 2.0 appears to assess self- and interpersonal functioning impairment similarly across the included countries. Findings are discussed through the lenses of the cultures from which participants were recruited, as well as in the context of alternative explanations. Limitations, plans for future research, and implications for both research and clinical practice are offered

On the Experimental Evidence for Possible Superconductivity in LK99

The desire to create an energy efficient world is bound to be incomplete without the discovery of a room temperature superconductor at ambient pressure. A recent report on the room-temperature ambient-pressure superconductor has inspired scientists to study the Cu doped Lead apatite named as LK-99. Here, we have synthesized Cu doped LK-99 and Ni-doped LK-99 compounds and studied their temperature dependent transport and magnetization behavior. In spite of the presence of impurity phase Cu$_2$S, the temperature dependent resistance shows an insulating nature of the sample. The radio frequency penetration depth measurement unveils the absence of diamagnetic flux expulsion in this sample. The temperature dependent ac susceptibility measurements reveal the paramagnetic nature of the Ni doped LK-99