Two-step melting of the vortex solid in layered superconductors with random columnar pins

We consider the melting of the vortex solid in highly anisotropic layered superconductors with a small concentration of random columnar pinning centers. Using large-scale numerical minimization of a free-energy functional, we find that melting of the low-temperature, nearly crystalline vortex solid (Bragg glass) into a vortex liquid occurs in two steps as the temperature increases: the Bragg glass and liquid phases are separated by an intermediate Bose glass phase. A suitably defined local melting temperature exhibits spatial variation similar to that observed in experiments.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Potential uses of Parthenium hysterophorous, the obnoxious weed

Parthenium hysterophorous is an obnoxious weed and is largely spread all over the world. It widely affects the loss of natural vegetation in the areas of its growth. It has detrimental effects on human health and livestock and also reduces the agricultural produce. Because of its enormous availability, studies have been conducted to validate its employability. Researchers have shown that it can be used efficiently to a considerable level in various fields such as bio manure production &   vermi- composting, bioremediation, as a substrate for the synthesis of biomolecules etc. Though the uses of it are explored very little, it has the potential that could be tapped for a few sustainable approaches

Phase diagram of vortex matter in layered superconductors with random point pinning

We study the phase diagram of the superconducting vortex system in layered high-temperature superconductors in the presence of a magnetic field perpendicular to the layers and of random atomic scale point pinning centers. We consider the highly anisotropic limit where the pancake vortices on different layer are coupled only by their electromagnetic interaction. The free energy of the vortex system is then represented as a Ramakrishnan-Yussouff free energy functional of the time averaged vortex density. We numerically minimize this functional and examine the properties of the resulting phases. We find that, in the temperature ($T$) -- pinning strength ($s$) plane at constant magnetic induction, the equilibrium phase at low $T$ and $s$ is a Bragg glass. As one increases $s$ or $T$ a first order phase transition occurs to another phase that we characterize as a pinned vortex liquid. The weakly pinned vortex liquid obtained for high $T$ and small $s$ smoothly crosses over to the strongly pinned vortex liquid as $T$ is decreased or $s$ increased -- we do not find evidence for the existence, in thermodynamic equilibrium, of a distinct vortex glass phase in the range of pinning parameters considered here. %cdr We present results for the density correlation functions, the density and defect distributions, and the local field distribution accessible via $\mu$SR experiments. These results are compared with those of existing theoretical, numerical and experimental studies.Comment: 15 pages, including figures. Higher resolution files for Figs 3a and 11 available from author

Is Low Alveolar Type II Cell SOD3 in the Lungs of Elderly Linked to the Observed Severity of COVID-19?

Human lungs single cell RNA sequencing data from healthy donors (elderly and young; GEO accession number GSE122960) were analyzed to isolate and specifically study gene expression in alveolar type II cells. Co-localization of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 enables SARS-CoV 2 to enter the cells. Expression of these genes in the alveolar type II cells of elderly and young patients were comparable and therefore do not seem to be responsible for worse outcomes observed in COVID-19 affected elderly. In cells from the elderly, 263 genes were downregulated and 95 upregulated. SOD3 was identified as the top-ranked gene that was most down-regulated in the elderly. Other redox-active genes that were also downregulated in cells from the elderly included ATF4 and M2TA. ATF4, an ER stress sensor that defends lungs via induction of heme oxygenase 1. The study of downstream factors known to be induced by ATF4, according to Ingenuity Pathway AnalysisTM, identified 24 candidates. Twenty-one of these were significantly downregulated in the cells from the elderly. These downregulated candidates were subjected to enrichment using the Reactome Database identifying that in the elderly, the ability to respond to heme deficiency and the ATF4-dependent ability to respond to endoplasmic reticulum stress is significantly compromised. SOD3-based therapeutic strategies have provided beneficial results in treating lung disorders including fibrosis. The findings of this work propose the hypotheses that lung-specific delivery of SOD3/ATF4 related antioxidants may work in synergy with promising anti-viral drugs such as remdesivir to further improve COVID-19 outcomes in the elderly

Heterosis and inbreeding depression to identify superior F1 hybrids in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) for the yield and its contributing traits

Eight parental lines of diverse origin of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) were crossed in 8 × 8 diallel mating design excluding reciprocals. The 28 F1 hybrids along with their parents and one standard check (H-86) were evaluated in a randomized block design with three replications during seasons of rabi 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14. In the present study, revealed that heterosis over better parent, mid parent, standard check and inbreeding depression was observed for all the traits under studies. Highly significant heterosis was observed for days to first flowering (-13.49, -13.52 and -12.28%), number of flowers per cluster (17.90, 22.11 and 24.27%), days to first harvest (-8.01, -11.04 and -9.76%), number of fruit per cluster (39.17, 42.71 and 20.71%), fruit diameter (19.93, 31.43 and 13.27%), fruit length (19.29, 22.34 and 13.35%), Average fruit weight (18.88, 19.41 and 7.80%), number of fruits per plant (25.86, 46.69 and 41.87%) and yield per plant (58.61, 75.61 and 56.33%) over the better, mid and standard parents, respectively along with considerable inbreeding depression. Most promising cross Pant T-3 × H-24 showed highly significant positive heterosis over better parent for yield per plant

Estimation of combining ability analysis in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) for yield, nutritional and processing quality improvement

Combining ability for yield and nutritional quality traits in tomato were studied by involving 28 cross combi-nations obtained from crossing 8 diverse lines in diallel mating fashion. Based on GCA effects of parents, the varie-ties Pant T-3, Arka Alok and Sel-7 were good general combiners for most of the traits under study. The crosses viz., Pant T-3 x H-24 (1.052%), Arka Meghali x Punjab Chhuhara (0.768%) and H-88-78-1 x Azad T-5 (0.768%) were found to be high positive specific combining ability effect for yield per plant. For quality traits, the crosses Arka Me-ghali x Punjab Chhuhara and H-24 x Sel-7 were also superior specific combiner for number of seeds per fruit and ascorbic acid, while cross Punjab Chhuhara x H-88-78-1 was superior specific combiner for number of seeds per fruit (24.165%), yield per plant (0.677%) and titrable acidity (0.183%). These elite hybrids may be tested for yield and other quality traits under different agro-climatic conditions for commercial exploitation of hybrid vigour

Effect of a Computer-Based Decision Support Intervention on Autism Spectrum Disorder Screening in Pediatric Primary Care Clinics: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance: Universal early screening for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is recommended but not routinely performed. Objective: To determine whether computer-automated screening and clinical decision support can improve ASD screening rates in pediatric primary care practices. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cluster randomized clinical trial, conducted between November 16, 2010, and November 21, 2012, compared ASD screening rates among a random sample of 274 children aged 18 to 24 months in urban pediatric clinics of an inner-city county hospital system with or without an ASD screening module built into an existing decision support software system. Statistical analyses were conducted from February 6, 2017, to June 1, 2018. Interventions: Four clinics were matched in pairs based on patient volume and race/ethnicity, then randomized within pairs. Decision support with the Child Health Improvement Through Computer Automation system (CHICA) was integrated with workflow and with the electronic health record in intervention clinics. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was screening rates among children aged 18 to 24 months. Because the intervention was discontinued among children aged 18 months at the request of the participating clinics, only results for those aged 24 months were collected and analyzed. Rates of positive screening results, clinicians' response rates to screening results in the computer system, and new cases of ASD identified were also measured. Main results were controlled for race/ethnicity and intracluster correlation. Results: Two clinics were randomized to receive the intervention, and 2 served as controls. Records from 274 children (101 girls, 162 boys, and 11 missing information on sex; age range, 23-30 months) were reviewed (138 in the intervention clinics and 136 in the control clinics). Of 263 children, 242 (92.0%) were enrolled in Medicaid, 138 (52.5%) were African American, and 96 (36.5%) were Hispanic. Screening rates in the intervention clinics increased from 0% (95% CI, 0%-5.5%) at baseline to 68.4% (13 of 19) (95% CI, 43.4%-87.4%) in 6 months and to 100% (18 of 18) (95% CI, 81.5%-100%) in 24 months. Control clinics had no significant increase in screening rates (baseline, 7 of 64 children [10.9%]; 6-24 months after the intervention, 11 of 72 children [15.3%]; P = .46). Screening results were positive for 265 of 980 children (27.0%) screened by CHICA during the study period. Among the 265 patients with positive screening results, physicians indicated any response in CHICA in 151 (57.0%). Two children in the intervention group received a new diagnosis of ASD within the time frame of the study. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings suggest that computer automation, when integrated with clinical workflow and the electronic health record, increases screening of children for ASD, but follow-up by physicians is still flawed. Automation of the subsequent workup is still needed

Enhancement of Writeback Caching by changes in flush and its parameters

Achievement of high performance in computing or accessing of data is the aim of any system. Reduction of access time to a particular data which is present in the device is very important for the enhancement in the performance. Caching is implemented to do the same. The group of cache device and the virtual device is made as a cache group to enhance the performance of the system. The system may not be on the same condition different instances of time. There will always be a variation in io rates of the application, which is not utilized for the full extent. These differences in the io rates can be utilized effectively for the enhancement of the performance of the system. When the system is idle of with less io then the system will force the flush so that the inconsistency of data is reduced. When the system is being bombarded with io then less threads are given for the flush io. These variations in the threads assigned for the implementation of flush io will enhance the overall performance of the system