108 research outputs found
Stress Relaxation in Aging Soft Colloidal Glasses
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.
 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
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 ( 0.9 wt%) without the addition of
electrolytes. Microrheology measurements of 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 is a nonmonotonic function of the shear rate . In
stress-controlled experiments, the shear stress shows a plateau for
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
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
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
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
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
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Choice of forecast scenario impacts the carbon allocation at the same global warming levels
The anthropogenic carbon distribution between the atmosphere, land surface and ocean varies significantly with the choice of scenario for identical changes in mean global surface temperature. Moving to a lower CO2 emissions scenario means that warming levels occur later, and with significantly less carbon in the three main carbon reservoirs. After 2 °C of warming, the multi-model mean ocean allocation can be up to 3 % different between scenarios, or 36 Pg in total with an even larger difference in some single model means. For the UKESM1 model, the difference between the minimum and maximum atmospheric fraction at the 2 °C Global Warming Level (GWL) is 3.6 %. This is equivalent to 50 Pg of additional carbon in the atmosphere, or the equivalent of five years of our current global total emissions.
In the lower CO2 concentration scenarios, SSP1-1.9 and SSP1-2.6, the ocean fraction grows over time while the the land surface fraction remains constant. In the higher CO2 concentration scenarios, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5, the ocean fraction remains constant over time while the the land surface fraction decreases over time.
Higher equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS) models reach the GWLs sooner, and with lower atmospheric CO2 than lower sensitivity models. However, the choice of scenario has a much larger impact on the percentage carbon allocation at a given warming level than the individual model's ECS
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Scenario choice impacts carbon allocation projection at global warming levels
We show that the distribution of anthropogenic carbon between the atmosphere, land surface, and
ocean differs with the choice of projection scenario even for identical changes in mean global surface tempera-
ture. Warming thresholds occur later in lower-CO2-emissions scenarios and with less carbon in the three main
reservoirs than in higher-CO2-emissions scenarios. At 2 ◦C of warming, the mean carbon allocation differs by up
to 63 PgC between scenarios, which is equivalent to approximately 6 years of the current global total emissions.
At the same warming level, higher-CO2-concentration scenarios have a lower combined ocean and land carbon
allocation fraction of the total carbon compared to lower-CO2-concentration scenarios.
The warming response to CO2, quantified as the equilibrium climate sensitivity, ECS, directly impacts the
global warming level exceedance year and hence the carbon allocation. Low-ECS models have more carbon
than high-ECS models at a given warming level because the warming threshold occurs later, allowing more
emissions to accumulate.
These results are important for carbon budgets and mitigation strategies as they impact how much carbon the
ocean and land surface could absorb at a given warming level. Carbon budgeting will be key to reducing the
impacts of anthropogenic climate change, and these findings could have critical consequences for policies aimed
at reaching net zero
Diverse values of nature for sustainability
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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