Non-Gaussian Dynamics in Smectic Liquid Crystals of Parallel Hard Rods

Using computer simulations, we studied the diffusion and structural relaxation in equilibrium smectic liquid crystal bulk phases of parallel hard spherocylinders. These systems exhibit a non-Gaussian layer-to-layer diffusion due to the presence of periodic barriers and transient cages, and show remarkable similarities with the behavior of out-of-equilibrium supercooled liquids. We detect a very slow inter-layer relaxation dynamics over the whole density range of the stable smectic phase which spans a time interval of four time decades. The intrinsic nature of the layered structure yields a hopping-type diffusion which becomes more heterogeneous for higher packing fractions. In contrast, the in-layer dynamics is typical of a dense fluid with a relatively fast decay. Our results on the dynamic behavior agree well with that observed in systems of freely rotating hard rods, but differ quantitavely, as the height of the periodic barriers reduces to zero at the nematic-smectic transition for aligned rods, while it remains finite for freely rotating rods.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figure

THE AGRICULTURAL RISK MANAGEMENT SIMULATOR MICROCOMPUTER PROGRAM

The Agricultural Risk Management Simulator (ARMS) is a microcomputer program designed to help users evaluate strategies for managing yield and price risk in crop farming operations. Risk management strategies are defined by choices regarding crop mix, the purchase of multiple peril crop insurance, and the use of forward contracting. Probabilistic budgeting is used to determine the net cash flow probability distribution for each strategy considered. Flexibility with regard to both sources of probabilistic information and the form of yield and price probability distributions is a noteworthy feature of the program.Risk and Uncertainty,

Lactoferrin's anti-cancer properties. Safety, selectivity, and wide range of action

Despite recent advances in cancer therapy, current treatments, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, although beneficial, present attendant side effects and long-term sequelae, usually more or less affecting quality of life of the patients. Indeed, except for most of the immunotherapeutic agents, the complete lack of selectivity between normal and cancer cells for radio- and chemotherapy can make them potential antagonists of the host anti-cancer self-defense over time. Recently, the use of nutraceuticals as natural compounds corroborating anti-cancer standard therapy is emerging as a promising tool for their relative abundance, bioavailability, safety, low-cost effectiveness, and immuno-compatibility with the host. In this review, we outlined the anti-cancer properties of Lactoferrin (Lf), an iron-binding glycoprotein of the innate immune defense. Lf shows high bioavailability after oral administration, high selectivity toward cancer cells, and a wide range of molecular targets controlling tumor proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, and metastasization. Of note, Lf is able to promote or inhibit cell proliferation and migration depending on whether it acts upon normal or cancerous cells, respectively. Importantly, Lf administration is highly tolerated and does not present significant adverse effects. Moreover, Lf can prevent development or inhibit cancer growth by boosting adaptive immune response. Finally, Lf was recently found to be an ideal carrier for chemotherapeutics, even for the treatment of brain tumors due to its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, thus globally appearing as a promising tool for cancer prevention and treatment, especially in combination therapies

Analisis Status Nitrogen Tanah dalam Kaitannya dengan Serapan N oleh Tanaman Padi Sawah di Desa Waimital, Kecamatan Kairatu, Kabupaten Seram Bagian Barat

Nitrogen is a major nutrient for plant growth. Nitrogen function to increase vegetative growth, increase the number of tillers and increase the number of grains/clusters and increase the size of rice grain. The purpose of research was to analyze the availability of N in the soil and plant N content, and calculating fertilizer needs to increase rice productivity. Research was conducted using survey methods with an area sampling approach, conducted in October 2012 - January 2013. The research area was 590.6 ha. The soil total N ranged from very low (KP3 and 5 at 0.06% and 0.09% respectively), until low (KP 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 at 0.14%, 0.15%, 0.13% 0.17% and 0.14% respectively. Meanwhile, the plant N sampled from the start of grain filling until harvest were low, ranged from 1% - 1.31%. The doses of fertilizer needed to sustain 5 ton ha-1 rice for the next planting season by adding Urea were as much as KP 1 (224.3 kg ha-1), KP 2 (224.25 kg ha-1), KP 3 (224.7 kg ha-1), KP 4 (224.35 kg ha-1), KP 5 (224.55 kg ha-1), KP 6 (224.15 kg ha-1) and KP 7 (224.3 kg ha-1)

Factors Influencing the Development of Social Change Involvement

How to cultivate and encourage the motivation to become an agent of positive social change has not been studied to a great degree. For example, what kind of factors influence the development and growth in nurses toward a desire to be involved in changing society for the better? Knowledge of these factors could help educators and nurse leaders provide and encourage those growth opportunities. The purpose of this research was to interview nurses known to be deeply involved in various types of positive social change and discover what factors influenced this development. Three overall themes emerged as influencing factors for involvement in positive social change including emerging perspectives; experiences and encounters; and consideration of the successful effects of social change attempts

Stochastic Turing patterns in the Brusselator model

A stochastic version of the Brusselator model is proposed and studied via the system size expansion. The mean-field equations are derived and shown to yield to organized Turing patterns within a specific parameters region. When determining the Turing condition for instability, we pay particular attention to the role of cross diffusive terms, often neglected in the heuristic derivation of reaction diffusion schemes. Stochastic fluctuations are shown to give rise to spatially ordered solutions, sharing the same quantitative characteristic of the mean-field based Turing scenario, in term of excited wavelengths. Interestingly, the region of parameter yielding to the stochastic self-organization is wider than that determined via the conventional Turing approach, suggesting that the condition for spatial order to appear can be less stringent than customarily believed.Comment: modified version submitted to Phys Rev. E. 5. 3 Figures (5 panels) adde

Thermal conductivity and dielectric properties of polypropylene-based hybrid compounds containing multiwalled carbon nanotubes

In this article, we explore the possibility to develop composites with improved thermal conductivity and electrically insulating properties. The strategy adopted is to combine a thermal and electrical conductive filler (multiwalled carbon nanotubes) with secondary dielectric (but thermally conductive) fillers. To this end, particles with different compositions, sizes, and shape were used as secondary fillers and the composites, prepared by melt compounding, are characterized in terms of thermal and dielectric properties. Results show that, in ternary formulations, an increase of thermal conductivity is always verified for all kind of secondary particles. Analogously, increments in electrical conductivity are observed for ternary compounds containing larger size secondary fillers, while a significant reduction is achieved with the addition of smaller ones. This behavior is explained in terms of mutual distribution of the fillers and is consistent with direct (scanning electron microscopy) and indirect (rheological) observations