Synthesis and magnetic properties of cobalt nickel nanoparticles prepared by chemical reduction methods.

The purpose of this work was to prepare and characterise CoxNii.x/CoNiO core-shell magnetic nanoparticles which showed magnetic exchange bias. The particles were synthesised using a variety of stabilising surfactants and nucleating seeds, via the polyol reduction method. The surfactants were used to coat nanoparticles of various diameters, to prevent agglomeration and oxidation. A mixture of 1:1 oleic acid: oleylamine was found to be the best stabilising agent for the particles as it protected against complete oxidation whilst allowing a partial oxide shell to form. Phosphine-based surfactants yielded particles with spherical morphologies. However, these particles were too small to support oxide-shell growth, and oxidised fully to antiferromagnetic phases. The nucleation of particles was probed using homogeneous and heterogeneous methods. Homogeneous nucleation resulted in particles which had predominantly oxidised to the core, and therefore did not yield pronounced exchange bias effects. Heterogeneous nucleation was attempted using various seeding techniques and seed materials. Platinum seeds were found to be the most effective in controlling the size of CoxNii_x nanoparticles. They yielded larger particles with core-shell morphology. Following optimisation of the synthesis conditions, a compositional series of CoxNii.x nanoparticulate composite alloys were made. All samples were analysed using TEM to determine the size and structure of the individual particles. A number of other techniques including X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, Electron energy loss spectroscopy and Thermogravimetric magnetic analysis, were also used to fully characterise the phase, crystallinity, composition and oxidation in individual particles. The magnetic properties of the particles, made using the various reaction conditions, were measured using the SQUID technique. Exchange bias has been observed in several of the alloyed samples in additional to the cobalt particles made using the polyol technique. Nickel particles did not display any characteristic exchange bias properties

MGA Entertainment, Consumer Entertainment Products Company: Marketing Strategies for ‘Bratz’

YesToy industry in the US is product driven and full of challenges. This case presents an overview of the California-based Micro Games of America (MGA) Entertainment, which is a consumer entertainment products company, engaged in innovative lines of proprietary and licensed products including toys and games, dolls, consumer electronics, home decor, stationery and sporting goods. It had more than 200 licences. In 2001, MGA launched a fashion doll called ‘Bratz’, and it sold 150 million Bratz dolls all over the world. Bratz line surpassed the legendary brand ‘Barbie’—Mattel, Inc.’s flagship brand—in a short span of time through many innovative marketing strategies and different product placement, roll-outs, tie-ins and other promotional tactics, despite facing many challenges, such as, fast-changing demographics, shorter product life cycle (PLC) and negative perceptions about brand. This case can be used to address two issues: first, structural change drivers and trends that shaped the toy industry in developed economies and, second, how to develop effective marketing strategies for product with shorter PLC in highly product-driven market

Cell division in apicomplexan parasites is organized by a homolog of the striated rootlet fiber of algal flagella

Apicomplexa are intracellular parasites that cause important human diseases including malaria and toxoplasmosis. During host cell infection new parasites are formed through a budding process that parcels out nuclei and organelles into multiple daughters. Budding is remarkably flexible in output and can produce two to thousands of progeny cells. How genomes and daughters are counted and coordinated is unknown. Apicomplexa evolved from single celled flagellated algae, but with the exception of the gametes, lack flagella. Here we demonstrate that a structure that in the algal ancestor served as the rootlet of the flagellar basal bodies is required for parasite cell division. Parasite striated fiber assemblins (SFA) polymerize into a dynamic fiber that emerges from the centrosomes immediately after their duplication. The fiber grows in a polarized fashion and daughter cells form at its distal tip. As the daughter cell is further elaborated it remains physically tethered at its apical end, the conoid and polar ring. Genetic experiments in Toxoplasma gondii demonstrate two essential components of the fiber, TgSFA2 and 3. In the absence of either of these proteins cytokinesis is blocked at its earliest point, the initiation of the daughter microtubule organizing center (MTOC). Mitosis remains unimpeded and mutant cells accumulate numerous nuclei but fail to form daughter cells. The SFA fiber provides a robust spatial and temporal organizer of parasite cell division, a process that appears hard-wired to the centrosome by multiple tethers. Our findings have broader evolutionary implications. We propose that Apicomplexa abandoned flagella for most stages yet retained the organizing principle of the flagellar MTOC. Instead of ensuring appropriate numbers of flagella, the system now positions the apical invasion complexes. This suggests that elements of the invasion apparatus may be derived from flagella or flagellum associated structures

Pro-environmental behaviour, locus of control and willingness to pay for environmental friendly products

YesMarketers have realized the importance of assessing consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) before introducing green products across different target audience. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relative influence of consumers’ pro-environmental behaviours (PEBs) and environmental locus of control (ELOC) on their WTP for green products. The study sample consisted of 256 Indian consumers which were recruited with the help of convenience sampling. A structured questionnaire was administered with scales that were well established and that have been used in previous research. Data were analysed with the help of CFA and structural equation modelling to test the relationship of ELOC and PEB anon WTP. Second, clustering respondents according to their PEB and ELOC has been done to find its differential effect on WTP with the help of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Findings of the study highlight that WTP for green products is significantly predicted by two variables which are in following order: PEB and ELOC. Results of cluster analysis and MANOVA revealed that WTP differ significantly with the level of intensity of ELOC and PEB among Indian consumers. It advances the body of knowledge centred on the interplay of the PEB and ELOC to WTP for green products. Additional work is clearly required to consider the wide range of potentially relevant variables like brand image, prices, advertisements and product quality that ensures the generalizability of findings. The hypothesis framed, tested and inferences made can form a basis of extremely valued toolkit for those green marketers who take caution when planning their marketing and communications strategies to stimulate the WTP by conveying a reason and motivation to act environmentally. In this study, an understanding of WTP for green products is developed. The much required knowledge gap in terms of interplay of ELOC and PEB on WTP has been filled with the help of the present study. It has been identified that those consumer groups who displays higher PEB and ELOC forms the primary target audience for green product marketer

Genome-wide and Mendelian randomisation studies of liver MRI yield insights into the pathogenesis of steatohepatitis

Background A non-invasive method to grade the severity of steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based corrected T1 (cT1). We aimed to identify genetic variants influencing liver cT1 and use genetics to understand mechanisms underlying liver fibroinflammatory disease and its link with other metabolic traits and diseases. Methods First, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 14,440 Europeans in UK Biobank with liver cT1 measures. Second, we explored the effects of the cT1 variants on liver blood tests, and a range of metabolic traits and diseases. Third, we used Mendelian randomisation to test the causal effects of 24 predominantly metabolic traits on liver cT1 measures. Results We identified six independent genetic variants associated with liver cT1 that reached GWAS significance threshold (p<5x10-8). Four of the variants (rs75935921 in SLC30A10, rs13107325 in SLC39A8, rs58542926 in TM6SF2, rs738409 in PNPLA3) were also associated with elevated transaminases and had variable effects on liver fat and other metabolic traits. Insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver and BMI were causally associated with elevated cT1 whilst favourable adiposity (instrumented by variants associated with higher adiposity but lower risk of cardiometabolic disease and lower liver fat) was found to be protective. Conclusion The association between two metal ion transporters and cT1 indicates an important new mechanism in steatohepatitis. Future studies are needed to determine whether interventions targeting the identified transporters might prevent liver disease in at risk individuals

Effect of weed and fertilizer management on weed control and productivity of onion (Allium cepa)

An experiment was conducted to examine the effect of weed management and plant nutrition practices on weed biomass, growth parameters and bulb yield of onion (Allium cepa L.). Weed management practices included alone application of herbicides, viz. pendimethalin, oxyfluorfen and fluazipop-p-butyl, their combination with hand weeding, weed free and weedy check. The crop was fertilized with three levels viz., 75% RDF, RDF (100:50:50 NPK kg/ha) and 125% RDF. The results indicated that weed management and fertilizer levels had a significant effect on weed population dynamics and onion bulb crop. The total weed density decreased significantly with application of pendimethalin 1 kg/ha or oxyfluorfen 0.24 kg/ha + one hand weeding at 40 days after transplanting (DAT) during both the seasons of investigation. Echinochloa ssp., Trianthema portulacastrum, Digera arvensis Forsk. Physalis minima L. and Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. were found as major weeds in the crop. Higher onion bulb yield (38.0 t/ha) was recorded with pendimethalin 1 kg/ha + one hand weeding at 40 DAT. The increase in yield was 83.7% compared to the yield obtain in weedy check. Increasing level of fertilizer applications increased the total biomass of grassy and broad leaves weeds. Application of 125% RDF significantly improved bulb yield and increase in yield was 19.4 and 10.5% over 75% RDF and RDF respectively. On the basis of interaction, combination of pendimethalin 1 kg/ha fb 1 hand weeding at 40 DAT and 100% RDF was most productive (39.8 t/ha) and profitable (Net return 2,69,422/ha and benefit: cost ratio 7.85)

Safety and Efficacy of Pemetrexed in Maintenance Therapy of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer incidence continues to rise and is the number one cause of cancer death in both men and women worldwide with projected 221,130 new cases and 156,940 deaths in the United States in 2011.1 Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents more than 85% of the cases with most patients having either locally advanced or metastatic disease at the time of initial diagnosis, and approximately 60%–70% of them have an adenocarcinoma histologic subtype. In the last three years, we have seen several advances in the management of NSCLC, with several factors playing an important role in the treatment decision making process. Maintenance therapy has been added to the algorithm of NSCLC management and Pemetrexed has been studied as single agent or in combination in this setting with recent studies showing safety and improved progression free survival (PFS) and/or overall survival (OS), still the disease for the most part has a dismal outcome. More research work needs to be done to identify which patients truly benefit from these approaches, and to whom we should offer maintenance or switch maintenance vs. close observation

Causality analysis of media influence on environmental attitude, intention and behaviors leading to green purchasing

YesThis research provides a comprehensive delineation of the process that leads to the formation of green behavior by including the role played by media and attitude towards environment-friendly packaging, along with ecological concern and perceived consumer effectiveness. The study offers a parsimonious framework that measures the major antecedents of environmental attitude divided into inward and outward orientation. Moreover, it also measures the effects of these environmental attitudes and attitude towards green packaging on green purchase intention. A total of 308 usable questionnaires were obtained from Indian consumers and data analysis was conducted using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The results show that inward environmental attitude and attitude towards green packaging play a pivotal role in shaping green purchase intention. Surprisingly, outward environmental attitude was found to be non-significant. Findings offer implications for marketing managers and public policy makers, as well as reveal fruitful avenues for further research

Self identity and internal environmental locus of control: Comparing their influences on green purchase intentions in high-context versus low-context cultures

YesThis study empirically examines the combined effect of two crucial internal consumer predispositions, self-identity (SI) and internal environmental locus of control (INELOC), among consumers in a collectivistic culture and an individualistic culture. The study validated the extended theory of planned behaviour to predict consumers' green purchase intentions. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse primary data collected from 365 American and 408 Indian respondents. Analysis revealed differences between the two cultures. Green self-identity influenced attitude more than perceived behavioural control among American consumers, while the reverse was true for Indian consumers. Conversely, INELOC positively and significantly affected only Indian consumers’ perceived behavioural control, not that of American consumers

OWL-POLAR : semantic policies for agent reasoning

The original publication is available at www.springerlink.comPostprin