On Axion's Effect on Propagation of Monochromatic Electromagnetic Wave Through Strong Magnetic Field

A possibility of detecting the effect of photon-axion mixing in a cavity experiment is discussed. There are two photon-axion modes that acquire different indices of refraction and split in an inhomogeneous magnetic field. For a magnetic field inhomogeneous in the direction transverse to the light propagation an analytical solution is obtained both for the index of refraction and the beams' trajectories. In a cavity experiment, the beam splitting creates a bifurcation effect, which results in a decrease of the light intensity in the central region. Modulation of magnetic field can separate this effect from background by providing a narrow frequency range for any observed signal. When one integrates this effect over time and accounts for bandwidth, the overall drop in FWHM intensity is of order 10-2%. This is a very measurable effect.Comment: 5 pages with 2 figure

The olive biophenols oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol selectively reduce proliferation, influence the cell cycle, and induce apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells

Current chemotherapy drugs for pancreatic cancer only offer an increase in survival of up to six months. Additionally, they are highly toxic to normal tissues, drastically affecting the quality of life of patients. Therefore, the search for novel agents, which induce apoptosis in cancer cells while displaying limited toxicity towards normal cells, is paramount. The olive biophenols, oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, have displayed cytotoxicity towards cancer cells without affecting non-tumorigenic cells in cancers of the breast and prostate. However, their activity in pancreatic cancer has not been investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the anti-pancreatic cancer potential of oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol. Pancreatic cancer cells (MIA PaCa-2, BxPC-3, and CFPAC-1) and non-tumorigenic pancreas cells (HPDE) were treated with oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol to determine their effect on cell viability. Oleuropein displayed selective toxicity towards MIA PaCa-2 cells and hydroxytyrosol towards MIA PaCa-2 and HPDE cells. Subsequent analysis of Bcl-2 family proteins and caspase 3/7 activation determined that oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol induced apoptosis in MIA PaCa-2 cells, while oleuropein displayed a protective effect on HPDE cells. Gene expression analysis revealed putative mechanisms of action, which suggested that c-Jun and c-Fos are involved in oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol induced apoptosis of MIA PaCa-2 cells

Examining the Influence of Race, Class and Gender Inequalities on Perceptions of the American Dream Since the 2008 Economic Recession

America has a national ethos embodied in the moniker “land of the free” and defined by a set of ideals in which being free means all men and women have an equal opportunity for prosperity, the pursuit of happiness and success. In essence, simply having access to upward social mobility achieved through one’s own perseverance and hard work, the quintessential American Dream. The first use of the phrase American Dream was by James Truslow Adams to characterize the ideal that every man should live a richer and fuller life than his ancestors based on opportunity according to ability or achievement (1931). The current study examines whether perceptions of being able to achieve the American Dream have changed in light of the economic recession of 2008 using data from the General Social Survey (n=4217). Findings show that perceptions of the American Dream have changed based on an individual’s race and class over time. Those in society who are lower class, female, who do not believe in hard work, having below average income/financial situations stand to have lower odds in the belief in their ability to attain the American Dream. Whites have lower odds of believing in the American Dream when compared to Blacks. Furthermore, respondents in 2006 and 2010 had greater odds of belief in the American Dream compared to those in 2008

A Network of Physiological Interactions Modulating GI Homeostasis: Probiotics, Inflammasome, mTOR

The gastrointestinal surface is in constant interaction with various exogenous molecules. Exogenous components are discriminated in the GI context, as good, in case of nutrients and fibers, and bad, when they negatively affect host integrity. During this tolerogenic process, they also train the host’s immune system. The immune system is a morpho-physiologic unit driven by immune cells with the assistance of commensal organisms. Several species of commensal microorganisms have been used for centuries as probiotics due to their beneficial effects on human health. Lowering local levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines has a systemic effect, which is one of the fundamental characteristics associated with probiotics. Still, the primary mechanisms wiring those regulatory circuits as a unit remain unclear. Modulation of the innate immune system, via regulation of inflammasome assembly is emerging as a critical driver of this interaction. Stimulation of toll like receptors (TLR) and inner cell sensors like NLRP3 connect probiotics with essential host systems. In this context, the mTOR-regulated circuits, an intricate network modulating a cascade of protein phosphorylations, could be an important channel connecting host metabolism and probiotics crosstalk

A furnace and environmental cell for the in situ investigation of molten salt electrolysis using high-energy X-ray diffraction

This paper describes the design, construction and implementation of a relatively large controlled-atmosphere cell and furnace arrangement. The purpose of this equipment is to facilitate the in situ characterization of materials used in molten salt electrowinning cells, using high-energy X-ray scattering techniques such as synchrotron-based energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction. The applicability of this equipment is demonstrated by quantitative measurements of the phase composition of a model inert anode material, which were taken during an in situ study of an operational Fray-Farthing-Chen Cambridge electrowinning cell, featuring molten CaCl(2) as the electrolyte. The feasibility of adapting the cell design to investigate materials in other high-temperature environments is also discussed

Target Personification Influences the Positive Emotional Link Between Generating and Implementing Malevolently Creative Ideas

Research on malevolent creativity has rarely linked the generation of harmful ideas with their implementation (i.e., malevolent innovation). To explain why people might act upon their malevolently creative ideas, we drew on affective events theory. Specifically, given evidence that aggressive and creative thought events can elicit positive emotions, we argued that generating new and harmful ideas can evoke positive emotional states that make malevolent innovation a more desirable course of action. We first tested our mediational pathway in two studies with different malevolent creativity tasks. Finding only partial support for our predictions in Study 1 (N = 126), but full support in Study 2 (N = 296), we reflected on our study tasks and suspected that our mixed results may have occurred because the target of ideas in Study 2 embodied more human qualities than in Study 1. Thus, we integrated theory on target personification to see if assigning personhood to a target moderated the malevolent creativity-innovation pathway. We tested our updated model in Study 3 (N = 214) and found that the indirect effect of malevolent creativity on the desire to implement ideas (through positive emotions) was indeed conditional upon individuals’ personification of a target. Plain Language Summary Little research has examined why and when people might act upon their malevolently creative (i.e., new and harmful) ideas. Given evidence that aggression and creativity can both arouse positive emotional states, it may be possible that forming malevolently creative ideas can make people feel more positively about implementing them later on. However, our research findings paint a more nuanced picture, suggesting that the emotional link between generating and implementing malevolently creative ideas only occurs when people see their targets as more human-like (i.e., they can assign personhood to their targets)

Benchmark Calculations of Electron Impact Electronic Excitation of the Hydrogen Molecule

We present benchmark integrated and differential cross-sections for electron collisions with H$_2$ using two different theoretical approaches, namely, the R-matrix and molecular convergent close-coupling (MCCC). This is similar to comparative studies conducted on electron-atom collisions for H, He and Mg. Electron impact excitation to the $b \ ^3\Sigma_u^+$, $a \ ^3\Sigma_g^+$, $B \ ^1\Sigma_u^+$,$c \ ^3\Pi_u$,$EF \ ^1\Sigma_g^+$,$C \ ^1\Pi_u$,$e \ ^3\Sigma_u^+$,$h \ ^3\Sigma_g^+$,$B' \ ^1\Sigma_u^+$and$d \ ^3\Pi_u$excited electronic states are considered. Calculations are presented in both the fixed nuclei and adiabatic nuclei approximations, where the latter is shown only for the$b \ ^3\Sigma_u^+$ state. Good agreement is found for all transitions presented. Where available, we compare with existing experimental and recommended data.Comment: 21 pages, 25 figure