2,404 research outputs found
Soft-collinear effects in prompt photon production
We extend next-to-leading logarithmic threshold and joint resummation for
prompt photon production to include leading collinear effects. The impact of
these effects is assessed for both fixed-target and collider kinematics. We
find them in general to be small, but noticeable.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures, added comment on fragmentation contribution and
one more reference. Version to appear in Phys. Rev.
In Search of an Ideal Test for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Kala-azar
The latex agglutination test (KAtex), direct agglutination test (DAT), and the rK39 immuno-chromatographic strip test (dipstick test) were evaluated for their role in the diagnosis and prognosis of visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) in India. Sera and urine samples from 455 subjects—150 confirmed visceral leishmaniasis cases, 160 endemic controls, 100 non-endemic controls, and 45 other febrile diseases—were included in the study. The sensitivity of the KAtex, DAT, and rK39 strip test was 87% [95% confidence interval (CI) 80–96], 93.3% (95% CI 88–100), and 98% (95% CI 93–100) respectively. The specificity of these tests was 98% (95% CI 93–100), 93% (95% CI 87–100), and 89% (95% CI 82–97) for the KAtex, DAT, and rK39 strip test respectively. Fifty cases were followed up and subjected to the KAtex, DAT, and rK39 strip test after 30 days of successful treatment. The DAT and rK39 strip test showed positive results in all the 50 cases whereas the KAtex showed no positive reaction in any case. Based on the results, it is concluded that the sensitivity and specificity of the DAT and rK39 strip test are comparable but the greater convenience of use of the strip test makes it a better tool for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in the peripheral areas of endemic regions whereas the sensitivity of the KAtex needs to be improved to promote its use as a first-line diagnostic test in the field-setting. It may be used for the prognosis of the disease as antigen becomes undetectable in urine after 30 days of the completion of the treatment. Alternatively, it can be used as an adjunct with rK39 for sero-epidemiological surveys
Utilization of Jamun Fruit (Syzygium Cumini) for Production of Red Wine
Jamun (Syzygium cumini) fruit was utilized for the production of red wine which is offering a lot of health benefits by acting as an effective medicine. The alcohol content of wine varied from 6.62 to 10.25 depending upon the variable concentration of total soluble sugars (7.88 to 10.53%) and varying levels of yeast (5, 10, 15 and 20%). Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used in the process of fermentation. The wine that had 8.22% alcohol obtained by fermentation with 10% yeast level, 8.18% TSS (Treatment T2) was considered to be the best acceptable when compared with others (T1, T3 and T4 Treatments). This wine was found to be the best by the panel members with respect to colour, taste, astringency and flavour. The wine that had 6.62% alcohol obtained by fermentation with 5% yeast level, 7.88% TSS was considered to be the least preferred and less acceptable when compared with others. No significant changes were observed in colour and clarity of wine obtained with 5% addition of yeast. However, with 5% addition of yeast, the taste, flavor and astringency attributes of wine were the least preferred when compared with others. The highest test score for taste, flavour and astringency properties was obtained for Treatment (T2). The time required for fermentation was 7 days at 28 ± 20C. The wine obtained with 15% (9.16% alcohol content) and 20% (10.25% alcohol content) yeast levels were found to have moderately acceptable scores
Direct numerical simulations of statistically steady, homogeneous, isotropic fluid turbulence with polymer additives
We carry out a direct numerical simulation (DNS) study that reveals the
effects of polymers on statistically steady, forced, homogeneous, isotropic
fluid turbulence. We find clear manifestations of dissipation-reduction
phenomena: On the addition of polymers to the turbulent fluid, we obtain a
reduction in the energy dissipation rate, a significant modification of the
fluid energy spectrum, especially in the deep-dissipation range, a suppression
of small-scale intermittency, and a decrease in small-scale vorticity
filaments. We also compare our results with recent experiments and earlier DNS
studies of decaying fluid turbulence with polymer additives.Comment: consistent with the published versio
Turbulence-induced melting of a nonequilibrium vortex crystal in a forced thin fluid film
To develop an understanding of recent experiments on the turbulence-induced
melting of a periodic array of vortices in a thin fluid film, we perform a
direct numerical simulation of the two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations
forced such that, at low Reynolds numbers, the steady state of the film is a
square lattice of vortices. We find that, as we increase the Reynolds number,
this lattice undergoes a series of nonequilibrium phase transitions, first to a
crystal with a different reciprocal lattice and then to a sequence of crystals
that oscillate in time. Initially the temporal oscillations are periodic; this
periodic behaviour becomes more and more complicated, with increasing Reynolds
number, until the film enters a spatially disordered nonequilibrium statistical
steady that is turbulent. We study this sequence of transitions by using
fluid-dynamics measures, such as the Okubo-Weiss parameter that distinguishes
between vortical and extensional regions in the flow, ideas from nonlinear
dynamics, e.g., \Poincare maps, and theoretical methods that have been
developed to study the melting of an equilibrium crystal or the freezing of a
liquid and which lead to a natural set of order parameters for the crystalline
phases and spatial autocorrelation functions that characterise short- and
long-range order in the turbulent and crystalline phases, respectively.Comment: 31 pages, 56 figures, movie files not include
Laser-Induced Above-Bandgap Transparency in GaAs
We report the observation of large () laser-induced above-bandgap
transparency in GaAs at room temperature. The induced transparency is present
only during the pulse width of the driving midinfrard laser pulses and its
spectral shape is consistent with a laser-induced blue shift of the band edge.
Our simulations based on the dynamic Franz-Keldysh effect reproduce the salient
features of the experimental results, demonstrating in particular that the
amount of the band edge shift is approximately given by the ponderomtive
potential.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Study of effects of donepezil and aspirin on working memory in rats using electroconvulsive shock model
Background: Memory is the most common cognitive ability lost with dementia commonly seen in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Donepezil was the first cholinesterase inhibitor to be licensed in UK for AD. There is preliminary evidence that aspirin decreases the risk and delays the onset of AD. Low dose aspirin users had numerically lower prevalence of Alzheimer’s dementia and had better cognitive function than non-users.Methods: Retention of conditioned avoidance response (CAR) was assessed by using repeated electroconvulsive shocks (ECS) in rats. Rats were divided into five groups: control (pretreated with distilled water), ECS (150 V, 50 Hz, with intensity of 210 mA for 0.5 sec) pretreated, combined aspirin (6.75 mg/kg) and pretreated ECS, combined donepezil (0.32 mg/kg) and pretreated ECS, combined aspirin, donepezil and pretreated ECS groups. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test and ANOVA.Results: Findings show that administration of ECS daily for 8 days results in transient amnesia and disruption of retention of CAR. Aspirin and donepezil administration significantly increased the retention of CAR in comparison to ECS. However, aspirin failed to show an increase in the retention of CAR as compared to donepezil. The combination of the two drugs showed statistically significant increase in the retention of CAR than either of these drugs given alone.Conclusion: Neuroinflammation plays an important role in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorder like AD. Combination of aspirin with donepezil increased the nootropic and neuroprotective effect of aspirin and thus may hold great clinical significance in such disorders
- …