108 research outputs found

    Stress Relaxation in Aging Soft Colloidal Glasses

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    We investigate the stress relaxation behavior on the application of step strains to aging aqueous suspensions of the synthetic clay Laponite. The stress exhibits a two-step decay, from which the slow relaxation modes are extracted as functions of the sample ages and applied step strain deformations. Interestingly, the slow time scales that we estimate show a dramatic enhancement with increasing strain amplitudes. We argue that the system ends up exploring the deeper sections of its energy landscape following the application of the step strain.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure

    A STUDY ON ANTIMICROBIAL SENSITIVITY AND COST ANALYSIS OF ANTIBIOTICS IN PEDIATRIC UNIT AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL.

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     Objectives: (1) To determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in pediatrics, (2) to identify the pattern of empirical antibiotic usage, (3) to determine the cost analysis of generic antibiotic usage pattern, (4) to assess the different dosage forms of antibiotics.Methods: A retrospective observational study was carried out. The study population included the medical records of children aged day 1–15 years with bacterial infection who got admitted in the pediatric department of the hospital. The average cost for each generic dosage form of antibiotic was calculated.Result: Among the 176 cases taken for the study, sepsis (35.8%) was found to be the most common disease. Bacterial infection showed gender predominance in males (62.5%) and occurrence of sepsis was highly found in age groups of 0–1 years (55.68%). Among the 14 causative organisms, methicillin-resistant coagulase negative staphylococci (61.93%) was predominant in Gram-positive and Escherichia coli (38.06%) for Gram-negative. Highly prescribed drug for empirical therapy was considered to be amikacin (39.20%). Widely prescribed antibiotics were amikacin (21%), ceftriaxone (15.1%), ampicillin (12.34%) and meropenem (9.57%), among which meropenem was found to be of high cost.Conclusion: It should be taken care that the drug should be given not only based on the sensitivity pattern but can also consider the economic affordability of the patient, with reference to existing brands from the formulary. This would help in reducing the burden of health-care cost for the patients

    Linear and nonlinear rheology of wormlike micelles

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    Several surfactant molecules self-assemble in solution to form long, cylindrical, flexible wormlike micelles. These micelles can be entangled with each other leading to viscoelastic phases. The rheological properties of such phases are very interesting and have been the subject of a large number of experimental and theoretical studies in recent years. We shall report on our recent work on the macrorheology, microrheology and nonlinear flow behaviour of dilute aqueous solutions of a surfactant CTAT (Cetyltrimethylammonium Tosilate). This system forms elongated micelles and exhibits strong viscoelasticity at low concentrations (\sim 0.9 wt%) without the addition of electrolytes. Microrheology measurements of G(ω)G(\omega) have been done using diffusing wave spectroscopy which will be compared with the conventional frequency sweep measurements done using a cone and plate rheometer. The second part of the paper deals with the nonlinear rheology where the measured shear stress σ\sigma is a nonmonotonic function of the shear rate γ˙\dot{\gamma}. In stress-controlled experiments, the shear stress shows a plateau for γ˙\dot{\gamma} larger than some critical strain rate, similar to the earlier reports on CPyCl/NaSal system. Cates et al have proposed that the plateau is a signature of mechanical instability in the form of shear bands. We have carried out extensive experiments under controlled strain rate conditions, to study the time-dependence of shear stress. The measured time series of shear stress has been analysed in terms of correlation integrals and Lyapunov exponents to show unambiguously that the behaviour is typical of low dimensional dynamical systems.Comment: 15 pages, 10 eps figure

    New bounds for Randic and GA indices

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    The main goal of this paper is to present some new lower and upper bounds for the Randic and GA indices in terms of Zagreb and modified Zagreb indices.Selçuk Üniversites

    Degenerate recognition of MHC class I molecules with Bw4 and Bw6 motifs by a killer cell Ig-like receptor 3DL expressed by macaque NK cells

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    The killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) expressed on the surface of natural killer (NK) cells recognize specific major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) molecules and regulate NK cell activities against pathogen-infected cells and neoplasia. In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, survival is linked to host KIR and MHC-I genotypes. In the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) macaque model, however, the role of NK cells is unclear due to the lack of information on KIR-MHC interactions. Here, we describe the first characterization of a KIR-MHC interaction in pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina). Initially, we identified three distinct subsets of macaque NK cells that stained ex vivo with macaque MHC-I tetramers loaded with SIV peptides. We then cloned cDNAs corresponding to 15 distinct KIR3D alleles. One of these, KIR049-4, was an inhibitory KIR3DL that bound MHC-I tetramers and prevented activation, degranulation and cytokine production by macaque NK cells after engagement with specific MHC-I molecules on the surface of target cells. Furthermore, KIR049-4 recognized a broad range of MHC-I molecules carrying not only the Bw4 motif but also Bw6 and non-Bw4/Bw6 motifs. This degenerate, yet peptide-dependent, MHC reactivity differs markedly from the fine specificity of human KIRs

    Why nature matters:A systematic review of intrinsic, instrumental, and relational values

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    In this article, we present results from a literature review of intrinsic, instrumental, and relational values of nature conducted for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, as part of the Methodological Assessment of the Diverse Values and Valuations of Nature. We identify the most frequently recurring meanings in the heterogeneous use of different value types and their association with worldviews and other key concepts. From frequent uses, we determine a core meaning for each value type, which is sufficiently inclusive to serve as an umbrella over different understandings in the literature and specific enough to help highlight its difference from the other types of values. Finally, we discuss convergences, overlapping areas, and fuzzy boundaries between different value types to facilitate dialogue, reduce misunderstandings, and improve the methods for valuation of nature's contributions to people, including ecosystem services, to inform policy and direct future research.</p

    Physical properties of tender coconut

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    Not AvailableThe physical properties such as tender coconut size, weight, husk thickness, and husk moisture tender content play a vital role in the development of an efficient and ergonomic trimming machine. The important physical properties of tender coconuts of cultivars namely Kulasekaran Green Dwarf (KGD), Andaman Giant Tall (AGT), Ganga Bondam (GB), Malayan Orange Dwarf (MOD), and Chowghat Orange Dwarf (COD) were determined. The important properties including weight, diameter, height, husk thickness, husk moisture content, shell diameter, shell height, and shell thickness were high for nuts of AGT and low for COD nuts. The average bulk density, true density, and porosity of AGT were 332.47 kg m−3, 1,196.67 kg m−3, and 72.21%, respectively. The husk weight and volume of water of AGT were 87.77% and 12.39% high, respectively, compared with COD. In the correlation study, the coconut weight correlated positively (r = 0.791) with the diameter and vertical distance between the shell and the fruit base (r = 0.813). The principal component analysis suggested that the cultivars GB, KGD, and MOD have similar physical properties to COD and AGT. Thus, the present investigation documents crucial basic information to design an efficient and superior tender coconut trimming machine.ICA

    Diverse values of nature for sustainability

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    Twenty-five years since foundational publications on valuing ecosystem services for human well-being(1,2), addressing the global biodiversity crisis(3) still implies confronting barriers to incorporating nature's diverse values into decision-making. These barriers include powerful interests supported by current norms and legal rules such as property rights, which determine whose values and which values of nature are acted on. A better understanding of how and why nature is (under)valued is more urgent than ever(4). Notwithstanding agreements to incorporate nature's values into actions, including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)(5) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals(6), predominant environmental and development policies still prioritize a subset of values, particularly those linked to markets, and ignore other ways people relate to and benefit from nature(7). Arguably, a 'values crisis' underpins the intertwined crises of biodiversity loss and climate change(8), pandemic emergence(9) and socio-environmental injustices(10). On the basis of more than 50,000 scientific publications, policy documents and Indigenous and local knowledge sources, the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) assessed knowledge on nature's diverse values and valuation methods to gain insights into their role in policymaking and fuller integration into decisions(7,11). Applying this evidence, combinations of values-centred approaches are proposed to improve valuation and address barriers to uptake, ultimately leveraging transformative changes towards more just (that is, fair treatment of people and nature, including inter- and intragenerational equity) and sustainable futures
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