Ab initio calculations of optical properties of silver clusters: cross-over from molecular to nanoscale behavior

Electronic and optical properties of silver clusters were calculated using two different \textit{ab initio} approaches: 1) based on all-electron full-potential linearized-augmented plane-wave method and 2) local basis function pseudopotential approach. Agreement is found between the two methods for small and intermediate sized clusters for which the former method is limited due to its all-electron formulation. The latter, due to non-periodic boundary conditions, is the more natural approach to simulate small clusters. The effect of cluster size is then explored using the local basis function approach. We find that as the cluster size increases, the electronic structure undergoes a transition from molecular behavior to nanoparticle behavior at a cluster size of 140 atoms (diameter $\sim 1.7$\,nm). Above this cluster size the step-like electronic structure, evident as several features in the imaginary part of the polarizability of all clusters smaller than Ag$_\mathrm{147}$, gives way to a dominant plasmon peak localized at wavelengths 350\,nm$\le\lambda\le$ 600\,nm. It is, thus, at this length-scale that the conduction electrons' collective oscillations that are responsible for plasmonic resonances begin to dominate the opto-electronic properties of silver nanoclusters

Comparing Presenting Clinical Features in 48 Children With Microscopic Polyangiitis to 183 Children Who Have Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis (Wegener's) : an ARChiVe Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE: To uniquely classify children with microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), to describe their demographic characteristics, presenting clinical features, and initial treatments in comparison to patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's) (GPA). METHODS: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) classification algorithm was applied by computation to categorical data from patients recruited to the ARChiVe (A Registry for Childhood Vasculitis: e-entry) cohort, with the data censored to November 2015. The EMA algorithm was used to uniquely distinguish children with MPA from children with GPA, whose diagnoses had been classified according to both adult- and pediatric-specific criteria. Descriptive statistics were used for comparisons. RESULTS: In total, 231 of 440 patients (64% female) fulfilled the classification criteria for either MPA (n\u2009=\u200948) or GPA (n\u2009=\u2009183). The median time to diagnosis was 1.6 months in the MPA group and 2.1 months in the GPA group (ranging to 39 and 73 months, respectively). Patients with MPA were significantly younger than those with GPA (median age 11 years versus 14 years). Constitutional features were equally common between the groups. In patients with MPA compared to those with GPA, pulmonary manifestations were less frequent (44% versus 74%) and less severe (primarily, hemorrhage, requirement for supplemental oxygen, and pulmonary failure). Renal pathologic features were frequently found in both groups (75% of patients with MPA versus 83% of patients with GPA) but tended toward greater severity in those with MPA (primarily, nephrotic-range proteinuria, requirement for dialysis, and end-stage renal disease). Airway/eye involvement was absent among patients with MPA, because these GPA-defining features preclude a diagnosis of MPA within the EMA algorithm. Similar proportions of patients with MPA and those with GPA received combination therapy with corticosteroids plus cyclophosphamide (69% and 78%, respectively) or both drugs in combination with plasmapheresis (19% and 22%, respectively). Other treatments administered, ranging in decreasing frequency from 13% to 3%, were rituximab, methotrexate, azathioprine, and mycophenolate mofetil. CONCLUSION: Younger age at disease onset and, perhaps, both gastrointestinal manifestations and more severe kidney disease seem to characterize the clinical profile in children with MPA compared to those with GPA. Delay in diagnosis suggests that recognition of these systemic vasculitides is suboptimal. Compared with adults, initial treatment regimens in children were comparable, but the complete reversal of female-to-male disease prevalence ratios is a provocative finding

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Not AvailableA field experiment was conducted for three consecutive seasons (2005-06 to 2007-08) to study the influence of graded doses of vermicompost (2,4, & 6 ton/ha) on the crop growth performance , yield parameters, cured leaf quality and root knot incidence in Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco grown in the light soils of Southern Transition Zone of Karnataka (AESR No.7). The Experiment was conducted with five treatments and four replications in a randomized Block Design on red sandy loam soils, low in organic carbon, medium to high in available phosphorus and potassium status. Application of vermicompost @ 4-6 t/ha significantly influenced all the crop growth parameters like plant height, number of leaves produced and leaf expansion at 60 days after planting. Application of vermicopmost @ 2,4 and 6 t/ha increased the cured leaf production by 8.4, 13.3 and 13.0 % and top grade Equivalent by 9.5, 15.5 and 14.5% respectively over recommenced NPK alone. Among all the treatments, vermicompost @ 4 t/ha along with recommended NPK recorded the maximum cured leaf yield and significantly higher top grade Equivalent yield compared to the recommended FYM application (8 t/ha) + NPK schedule . The root – knot incidence (RKI) was also significantly decreased by the application of vermicompost @ 4-6 t/ha. The study revealed that application of vermicompost @ 4 t/ha along with the recommended NPK (60:40:120 kg/ha) was found to be ideal for maximizing the productivity and quality of FCV tobacco in Karnataka Light Soils region.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableA field experiment was conducted for three consecutive seasons (2005-06 to 2007-08) to study the influence of graded doses of vermicompost (2,4, & 6 t/ha) on the crop growth, yield parameters, leaf quality and root-knot incidence in Flue-cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco grown in the light soils of Southern Transition Zone of Karnataka (STZ Zone No.7). The experiment was conducted with five treatments and four replications in a Randomized Block Design on red sandy loam soils, low in organic carbon, medium to high in available phosphorus and potassium status. Application of vermicompost @ 4-6 t/ha significantly influenced all the crop growth parameters like plant height, number of leaves and leaf expansion at 60 days after planting. Application of vermicopmost @ 2, 4 and 6 t/ha increased the cured leaf production by 8.4, 13.3 and 13.0% and top grade equivalent by 9.5, 15.5 and 14.5%, respectively over recommended NPK alone. Among all the treatments, vermicompost @ 4 t/ha along with recommended NPK recorded the maximum cured leaf yield and significantly higher top grade equivalent yield compared to the recommended FYM application (8 t/ha) + NPK schedule. The root-knot incidence (RKI) was also significantly decreased by the application of vermicompost @ 4-6 t/ha. The study revealed that application of vermicompost @4 t/ha along with the recommended NPK (60:40:120 kg/ha) was found to be ideal for maximizing the productivity and quality of FCV tobacco in Karnataka Light Soils.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableRoot knot nematodes pose serious threat to FCV tobacco production in Karnataka light soil region causing severe loss in yield and quality. Nematode management by use of carbofuran and dazomet 98% is quite possible, but indiscriminate use of such chemical nematicides leads to environmental pollution due to residues in water and soil. Hence, poultry manure, which is a locally available organic source, was evaluated against root-knot nematodes in FCV tobacco nursery for three years. Results revealed that, there was no adverse effect of poultry manure on tobacco seed germination. At 60 DAS, Poultry manure @ 200 g/m2 was on par with poultry manure @ 250 g/m2 in recording reduced Root-Knot Index (RKI) of 1.36 and 1.34 respectively and also was on par with neem cake + soil solarization (1.40) and dazomet @ 30 g/m2 (1.22). Similarly application of Poultry manure @ 200 g/ m2 in FCV tobacco nursery beds resulted in 40% reduction in number of root galls /g root, 34% reduction in number of root knot nematode adult females/g root, 43% reduction in number of root knot nematode egg masses/g root and 36.9% reduction in root knot nematode soil population/100g soil compared to untreated check. Poultry manure @ 200 g/m2 was on par with poultry manure @ 250 g/m2 in recording significantly increased healthy and root-knot free transplantable seedlings to the tune of 48.0 and 59.0 per cent respectively compared to untreated check.Not Availabl

A case for societal digital security culture

Information and communication technology systems, such as remote health care monitoring and smart mobility applications, have become indispensable parts of our lives. Security vulnerabilities in these systems could cause financial losses, privacy/safety compromises, and operational interruptions. This paper demonstrates through examples, that technical security solutions for these information systems, alone, are not sufficient to protect individuals and their assets from attacks. It proposes to complement (usable) technical solutions with Societal Digital Security Culture (SDSC): collective knowledge, common practices, and intuitive common behavior about digital security that the members of a society share. The paper also suggests a set of approaches for improving SDSC in a society and demonstrates using a case study how the suggested approaches could be integrated to compose a plan for improving SDSC