Full-wave electromagnetic modes and hybridization in nanoparticle dimers

The plasmon hybridization theory is based on a quasi-electrostatic approximation of the Maxwell’s equations. It does not take into account magnetic interactions, retardation effects, and radiation losses. Magnetic interactions play a dominant role in the scattering from dielectric nanoparticles. The retardation effects play a fundamental role in the coupling of the modes with the incident radiation and in determining their radiative strength; their exclusion may lead to erroneous predictions of the excited modes and of the scattered power spectra. Radiation losses may lead to a significant broadening of the scattering resonances. We propose a hybridization theory for non-Hermitian composite systems based on the full-Maxwell equations that, overcoming all the limitations of the plasmon hybridization theory, unlocks the description of dielectric dimers. As an example, we decompose the scattered field from silicon and silver dimers, under different excitation conditions and gap-sizes, in terms of dimer modes, pinpointing the hybridizing isolated-sphere modes behind them

Relationship of Organizational Culture and Citizenship Behavior on Soft Skills as Mediated by Transformational Leadership: The Case of Philippine State Universities

The paper investigated the relationship of organizational culture and organizational citizenship behavior on soft skills as mediated by transformational leadership. Data from 324 faculty members were collected through G-power as the basis for the computation of sample size. This study used descriptive-correlational design and structural equation modeling. A Self-constructed questionnaire was utilized, having formatted on a 4-point scale. The Kruskal Wallis, ANOVA, T-test, correlation coefficient, regression, and SmartPLS were used to test the hypotheses. The result of this study reveals that faculty members have strong organizational culture, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) was good, transformational leadership was good, and the respondent’s soft skills were also good. Transformational leadership was predicted by OCBI, OCBO, and clan culture. Soft skills are predicted by inspirational motivation and individual influence. As to Organization Culture and OCB, the predictors of soft skills are OCB-O, OCB-I, and negatively predicted by clan culture. Transformational leadership has a partial mediating effect between OCB, organizational culture, and soft skills. However, organizational culture and organizational citizenship behavior have a significant direct effect on soft skills.Keywords: Organizational Culture, Organizational Citizenship Behavior, Transformational Leadership, Soft Skills, State Universit

Descripción de la cinética de hidratación de los granos y su mejora utilizando la tecnología de ultrasonido

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo estudiar el proceso de hidratación de granos y su posible mejora usando la tecnología del ultrasonido. Para lo cual, se estudió la cinética de hidratación de diferentes granos (Tarwi, frejol Adzuki, granos de sorgo y granos de maíz) correlacionando la morfología de ellos con modelos matemáticos y mecanismos de transferencia de materia. Además, se estudió el efecto de la temperatura del agua de remojo y el efecto del contenido de humedad inicial de los granos para complementar la descripción del proceso. Asimismo, se estudió la aplicación del ultrasonido para mejorar el proceso de hidratación, describiendo los posibles mecanismos (efectos directos e indirectos) que mejoran la transferencia de materia. Como resultado, se comprobó que la forma como el agua entra en los granos es un fenómeno complicado que se lleva a cabo no sólo por difusión, sino también por capilaridad. Además, se usaron y propusieron modelos matemáticos apropiados para explicar el proceso, describiendo sus parámetros de acuerdo a la morfología de los granos y los mecanismos de transferencia de materia. Al mismo tiempo, fue determinado como el ultrasonido mejora la transferencia de materia y en qué condiciones del proceso actúan los efectos directos (flujo inercial y efecto esponja) y efectos indirectos (formación de micro canales por la cavitación acústica), maximizando el efecto de dicha tecnología. Finalmente, se demostró que la tecnología de ultrasonido mejora el proceso de hidratación de los granos de maíz reduciendo significativamente el tiempo del proceso aproximadamente en un 35 %, sin modificar las propiedades térmicas, reológicas y estructurales de su almidón. En conclusión, la presente investigación mejoró la descripción de proceso de hidratación de granos y demostró que la tecnología del ultrasonido puede ser usado para mejorar el proceso sin alterar los principales componentes de los granos. Cabe resaltar que los resultados son muy deseados tanto desde el punto de vista industrial como el académico.PRONABECTesi

Infantile trauma: representations of self, others and relationships and problematic behaviours in maltreated children.

Literature suggests that different types of early traumatic experiences (such as child maltreatment) have an impact on children’s psychological well-being, especially, in terms of understanding and expectations of relationships, representations of self and others and on their emotion regulation. This can influence their attachment pattern and their emotional and behavioural development. Narrative tasks, such as the Story Stem Assessment Profile, offer the children an opportunity to express their expectations about themselves, others and relationships, especially attachment relationships (Hodges & Steele, 2000; Hodges, Steele, Kaniuk, Hillman & Asquith, 2009). An area of research that needs further study is the investigation of the link, in traumatised children, between children representations and their symptomatology. The present exploratory research investigates the connection between early traumatic experiences of maltreatment, children's representations of self, others and relationships and psychological well-being in terms of behavioural problems and stress. 25 maltreated and 25 non-maltreated children, aged 4 to 8 years old, participated in this research. The measures used were the Story Stem Assessment Profile to investigate child's representations of self, others and relationships (Hodges et al., 2013), the Child Behavior Checklist to identify behavioural problems in the child (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000) and the Parent Stress Index to evaluate the magnitude of stress in the parent–child system, as seen by the mother (Abidin,1990). Preliminary data suggest that traumatised children showed more behavioural and post-traumatic symptoms. Moreover, they represented the world as a dangerous place where adults are dangerous or unaware, protection is lacking and extreme violence often occurs

Job and Life Satisfaction of Teaching Personnel in a State University in Quezon Province

This study aimed to explore the relationship of job and life satisfaction of the teaching personnel in a state university in Quezon Province. Data from 204 teaching personnel were collected through purposive sampling from that state university. Descriptive-Correlational design was used in this study. Based on the result, the teaching personnel are satisfied with the compensation and benefits, promotion, supervisory practices and working condition. Furthermore, the teaching personnel are satisfied with their family, health, social relationship and work. Consequently, the teaching personnel in that state university in Quezon Province are satisfied with their lives. Moreover, there is a significant relationship between job satisfaction and life satisfaction. The result also showed that there is no significant difference on the level of job and life satisfaction when grouped according to profile

Lectin-binding sites in the seminal vesicles of entire and castrated horses

This research was undertaken to determine the glycoconjugates secreted by the glandular epithelium of the seminal vesicles in the entire and castrated horses using lectin histochemistry in combination with sialidase digestion and deglycosylation pre-treatments. The following lectins were used: Con-A, UEA-I, LTA, WGA, GSA-IB4, SBA, PNA, ECA and DBA. In the entire stallion, the glandular cells expressed the following sugar residues: a-Fuc, internal GlcNAc, terminal b- and a-GalNAc, b-D-Gal-(1-4)-GlcNAc and a-Gal included in O-linked oligosaccharides; b-Gal-(1-3)-GalNAc belonged to both O- and N-oligosaccharides whereas terminal GlcNAc to N-linked glycans. Additionally, a-Gal and b-Gal acted as acceptor sugars for sialic acid moieties. In castrated horses, the glandular epithelium showed a different lectin labelling pattern. In particular, we evidenced internal GlcNAc, a-GalNAc, b-Gal-(1-3)-GalNAc in both O- and N-linked glycoproteins whereas b-GalNAc and b-Gal-(1-3)-GalNAc in O-linked glycoproteins. The differences evidenced in the lectin profile between the stallion and castrated horse suggested an hormonal regulation of the glycoconjugate production. Additionally, the plurality of glycomolecules detected in the secretions of the stallion may be involved in spermatozoa maturatio

Lagrangian Variational Framework for Boundary Value Problems

A boundary value problem is commonly associated with constraints imposed on a system at its boundary. We advance here an alternative point of view treating the system as interacting "boundary" and "interior" subsystems. This view is implemented through a Lagrangian framework that allows to account for (i) a variety of forces including dissipative acting at the boundary; (ii) a multitude of features of interactions between the boundary and the interior fields when the boundary fields may differ from the boundary limit of the interior fields; (iii) detailed pictures of the energy distribution and its flow; (iv) linear and nonlinear effects. We provide a number of elucidating examples of the structured boundary and its interactions with the system interior. We also show that the proposed approach covers the well known boundary value problems.Comment: 41 pages, 3 figure

Lower Bounds to Quality Factor of Small Radiators through Quasistatic Scattering Modes

The problem of finding the optimal current distribution supported by a small radiator yielding the minimum quality ($Q$) factor is a fundamental problem in electromagnetism. $Q$ factor bounds constrain the maximum operational bandwidth of devices including antennas, metamaterials, and open optical resonators. In this manuscript, a representation of the optimal current distribution in terms of quasistatic scattering modes is introduced. Quasi-electrostatic and quasi-magnetostatic modes describe the resonances of small plasmonic and high-permittivity particles, respectively. The introduced representation leads to analytical and closed form expressions of the electric and magnetic polarizability tensors of arbitrarily shaped objects, whose eigenvalues are known to be linked to the minimum $Q$. Hence, the minimum $Q$ and the corresponding optimal current are determined from the sole knowledge of the eigenvalues and the dipole moments associated with the quasistatic modes. It is found that, when the radiator exhibits two orthogonal reflection symmetries, its minimum $Q$ factor can be simply obtained from the $Q$ factors of its quasistatic modes, through a parallel formula. When an electric type radiator supports a spatially uniform quasistatic resonance mode, or when a magnetic type resonator supports a mode of curl type, then these modes are guaranteed to have the minimum $Q$ factor

Expression and Comparative Genomics of Two Serum Response Factor Genes in Zebrafish

Serum response factor (SRF) is a single copy, highly conserved transcription factor that governs the expression of hundreds of genes involved with actin cytoskeletal organization, cellular growth and signaling, neuronal circuitry and muscle differentiation. Zebrafish have emerged as a facile and inexpensive vertebrate model to delineate gene expression, regulation, and function, and yet the study of SRF in this animal has been virtually unexplored. Here, we report the existence of two srf genes in zebrafish, with partially overlapping patterns of expression in 3 and 7 day old developing animals. The mammalian ortholog (srf1) encodes for a 520 amino acid protein expressed in adult vascular and visceral smooth muscle cells, cardiac and skeletal muscle, as well as neuronal cells. The second zebrafish srf gene (srf2), encoding for a presumptive protein of only 314 amino acids, is transcribed at lower levels and appears to be less widely expressed across adult tissues. Both srf genes are induced by the SRF coactivator myocardin and attenuated with a short hairpin RNA to mammalian SRF. Promoter studies with srf1 reveal conserved CArG boxes that are the targets of SRF-myocardin in embryonic zebrafish cells. These results reveal that SRF was duplicated in the zebrafish genome and that its protein expression in all three muscle cell types is highly conserved across vertebrate animals suggesting an ancient code for transcriptional regulation of genes unique to muscle cell lineages

STAT3 can serve as a hit in the process of malignant transformation of primary cells

The transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) acts downstream of many pro-oncogenic signals, including cytokines, growth factors and oncogenes, and is accordingly constitutively active in a wide variety of tumors that often become addicted to it. Moreover, STAT3 is a key player in mediating inflammation-driven tumorigenesis, where its aberrant continuous activation is typically triggered by local or systemic production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6. We recently showed that mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from STAT3C k/in mice, which express physiological levels of the constitutively active mutant STAT3C, display features of transformed cells such as increased proliferation, resistance to apoptosis and senescence, and aerobic glycolysis. Here, we show that pre-existing constitutively active STAT3 is sufficient to prime primary MEFs for malignant transformation upon spontaneous immortalization. Transformation is strictly STAT3-dependent and correlates with high resistance to apoptosis and enhanced expression of anti-apoptotic/pro-survival genes. Additionally, hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α level is elevated by twofold and contributes to STAT3 oncogenic activity by supporting high rates of aerobic glycolysis. Thus, constitutively active STAT3, an accepted essential factor for tumor growth/progression, can also act as a first hit in multistep carcinogenesis; this ability to predispose cells to malignant transformation may be particularly relevant in the pro-oncogenic niche represented by chronically inflamed tissues