Specific heat of robust Nb2PdS5 superconductor

We report specific heat under different magnetic fields for recently discovered quasi-one dimensional Nb2PdS5 superconductor. The studied compound is superconducting below 6 K. Nb2PdS5 is quite robust against magnetic field with dHc/dT of -42 kOe/K. The estimated upper critical field [Hc2(0)] is 190 kOe, clearly surpassing the Pauli-paramagnetic limit of 1.84Tc. Low temperature heat capacity in superconducting state of Nb2PdS5 under different magnetic fields showed s-wave superconductivity with two different gaps. Two quasi-linear slopes in Somerfield-coefficient as a function of applied magnetic field and two band behavior of the electronic heat capacity demonstrate that Nb2PdS5 is a multiband su-perconductor in weak coupling limit with deltagamma/deltaTc=0.9.Comment: 4 pages text Figs. Short Letter MS. Letter-J. Sup. & Novel Ma

A reclaimer scheduling problem arising in coal stockyard management

We study a number of variants of an abstract scheduling problem inspired by the scheduling of reclaimers in the stockyard of a coal export terminal. We analyze the complexity of each of the variants, providing complexity proofs for some and polynomial algorithms for others. For one, especially interesting variant, we also develop a constant factor approximation algorithm.Comment: 26 page

PdTe a 4.5K Type II BCS Superconductor

We report on the structure and physical properties of bulk Palladium Tellurium superconductor, which is synthesized via quartz vacuum encapsulation technique at 750 C. The as synthesized compound is crystallized in hexagonal crystal structure. Magnetization and Magneto-transport measurements provided the values of lower and upper critical field to be 250 and 1200 Gauss respectively at 2 Kelvin. The Coherence length and GL parameter are estimated from the experimentally determined upper and lower critical fields, which are 45 nm and 1.48 respectively. The jump in Cp(T) at Tc is found to be 1.33 and the Debye temperature and electronic specific heat constant are 203 Kelvin and 6.01mJ/mole-K2 respectively.Comment: 13 pages Text + Figs: Accepted in Sup. Sci. and Tec

Assessment of Immunotoxic Response in Albino Rats Following Nickel Nitrate Treatment

Nickel nitrate affects body physiology and immunology following its absorption through food, water, air. Predetermined doses of nickel nitrate (Ni(NO3)2] in acute (1 d) and subacute (7, 14, 21 ds) treatments revealed a significant increase in IgG concentration and lymphocyte number, whereas, neutrophils and eosinophils registered significant fall. These alterations indicated heavy metal stress in Immunological parameters that become targets

Weak ferromagnetism in non-centrosymmetric BiPd 4K superconductor

We report synthesis of non-centrosymmetric BiPd single crystal by self flux method. The BiPd single crystal is crystallized in monoclinic structure with the P21 space group. Detailed SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) results show that the crystals are formed in slab like morphology with homogenous distribution of Bi and Pd. The magnetic susceptibility measurement confirmed that the BiPd compound is superconducting below 4K. Further, BiPd exhibits weak ferromagnetism near the superconducting transition temperature in isothermal magnetization (MH) measurements. The temperature dependent electrical resistivity also confirmed that the BiPd single crystal is superconducting at Tc=4K. Magneto transport measurements showed that the estimated Hc2(0) value is around 7.0kOe. We also obtained a sharp peak in heat capacity Cp(T) measurements at below 4K due to superconducting ordering. The normalized specific-heat jump, DC/{\gamma}Tc, is 1.52, suggesting the BiPd to be an intermediate BCS coupled superconductor. The pressure dependent electrical resistivity shows the Tc decreases with increasing applied pressure and the obtained dTc/dP is -0.62K/Gpa.Comment: 11 pages Text+Fig

Health Care Providers\u27 Training Needs Related to Human Trafficking: Maximizing the Opportunity to Effectively Screen and Intervene

Human trafficking is a complex and multifaceted problem that takes the form of economic, physical and sexual exploitation of people, both adults and children, who are reduced to simple products for commerce. Human trafficking in the United States also has both a domestic and an international aspect. Health care providers are in a unique position to screen for victims of trafficking and may provide important medical and psychological care for victims while in captivity and thereafter. Trafficked persons are likely to suffer a wide spectrum of health risks that reflect the unique circumstances and experiences in a trafficked victim’s life. Although trafficked victims typically have experienced inadequate medical care, once contact is made by the victim with the health care professionals, the opportunity then exists to identify, treat, and assist such victims. The range of services and supports required to appropriately respond to human trafficking victims once identified is broad and typically goes beyond just what is immediately provided by the health care professional and includes safe housing, legal advice, income support, and, for international victims, immigration status related issues. An informed and responsive community is necessary to serve both the international and domestic victims of human trafficking, and needs assessments demonstrated a number of barriers that hindered the delivery of effective services to human trafficking victims. One of the consistent needs identified to combat these barriers was enhanced training among all professionals who might come in contact with human trafficking victims. We highlight the efforts of the Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition (HRRC), a local grassroots non-profit organization whose mission focuses on raising awareness of human trafficking in the Greater Houston Metropolitan area. HRRC responded to the consistent recommendation from various community needs assessments for additional training of front line professionals who would have the opportunity to identify human trafficking victims and supported the design and pilot testing of a health professions training program around human trafficking. Dissemination of this type of training along with careful evaluation and continued refinement will be one way for health care professionals to engage in a positive manner with human trafficking victims

Hardware Implementation of a 16-QAM Modem Using Waveform Switching Technique

A new modem circuit technique is proposed for multilevel signal transmission to utilisethe transmission bandwidth efficiently in bandwidth-constrained voice-band channels. Usingthis technique, a 16-level quadrature amplitude modulated (16-QAM ) signal is generated as acascaded configuration of an 8-level phase-shift keying (8-PSK) and a 4-level amplitude-shiftkeying ( 4-ASK) using waveform mapping rules. The data detection procedure, which is basedon the determination of each symbol one-by-one by inspection of their amplitude level andabsolute phase information, is described

25-Hydroxy vitamin-D, obesity, and associated variables as predictors of breast cancer risk and tamoxifen benefit in NSABP-P1.

Observational studies suggest that host factors are associated with breast cancer risk. The influence of obesity, vitamin-D status, insulin resistance, inflammation, and elevated adipocytokines in women at high risk of breast cancer is unknown. The NSABP-P1 trial population was used for a nested case-control study. Cases were drawn from those who developed invasive breast cancer and controls selected from unaffected participants (≤4 per case) matched for age, race, 5 year Gail score, and geographic location of clinical center as a surrogate for latitude. Fasting serum banked at trial enrolment was assayed for 25-hydroxy vitamin-D (25OHD), insulin, leptin (adipocytokine), and C-reactive protein (CRP, marker of inflammation). Logistic regression was used to test for associations between study variables and the risk of invasive breast cancer. Two hundred and thirty-one cases were matched with 856 controls. Mean age was 54, and 49% were premenopausal. There were negative correlations for 25OHD with body mass index (BMI), insulin, CRP, and leptin. BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2) was associated with higher breast cancer risk (odds ratio [OR] 1.45, p = 0.02) and tamoxifen treatment was associated with lower risk (OR = 0.44, p < 0.001). Suboptimal 25OHD (<72 nmol/l) did not influence breast cancer risk (OR = 1.06, p = 0.76). When evaluated as continuous variables, 25OHD, insulin, CRP, and leptin levels were not associated with breast cancer risk (all p > 0.34). In this high risk population, higher BMI was associated with a greater breast cancer risk. Serum levels of 25OHD, insulin, CRP, and leptin were not independent predictors of either breast cancer risk or tamoxifen benefit

Toxicological Profile of Aluminium Sulphate and Effect on Protein Profile in Albino Rat

World is full of xenobiotic substances such as heavy metal, pesticide and other pollutic agents. Heavy metal is a metallic element of relatively high density greater than 4gm/cm3 or 5 times more greater than water and is toxic even at low concentration. Heavy metals occur as a natural constituent of earth crust, can be emitted into environment by both natural and anthropogenic causes. Major cause of emission is the mining operations. Predetermined doses of aluminium sulphate in acute (1d) and subacute (7, 14, 21, 28ds) treatments revealed significant increase in albumin and globulin. The results are encouraging and highlight the toxic profile of aluminum sulphate and its effect on protein profile in albino rat

Toxicity Assessment of Nickel Nitrate and Effect on Total Leucocyte Count in Albino Rat

Heavy metals contribute a variety of adverse health effects. There are over 20 different heavy metal toxins that can impact health effects and each toxin produces different behavioural and physiological misconduct in an exposed individual. Heavy metals have bioimportance as trace element but the biotoxic effects of many of them in human biochemistry are of great concern. Hence, there is a need for understanding of the conditions such as concentration and oxidation states which make them harmful and how biotoxicity occurs. Nickel nitrate affects body physiology following its absorption through food, water and air. Predetermined doses of nickel nitrate (Ni(NO3)2] in acute (1d) and subacute (7, 14, 21, 28ds) treatments revealed significant increase in total leucocyte count (TLC). The results indicate extent of toxicity and enhancement in total leucocyte count under toxic stress of nickel nitrate in albino rat