Analyzing the effects of surface distribution of pores in cell electroporation for a cell membrane containing cholesterol

This paper presents a model and numerical analysis (simulations) of transmembrane potential induced in biological cell membrane under the influence of externally applied electric field (i.e., electroporation). This model differs from the established models of electroporation in two distinct ways. Firstly, it incorporates the presence of cholesterol (~20% mole-fraction) in biological membrane. Secondly, it considers the distribution of pores as a function of the variation of transmembrane potential from one region of the cell to another. Formulation is based on the role of membrane tension and electrical forces in the formation of pores in a cell membrane, which is considered as an infinitesimally thin insulator. The model has been used to explore the process of creation and evolution of pores and to determine the number and size of pores as a function of applied electric field (magnitude and duration). Results show that the presence of cholesterol enhances poration by changing the membrane tension. Analyses indicate that the number of pores and average pore radii differ significantly from one part of the cell to the other. While some regions of the cell membrane undergo rapid and dense poration, others remain unaffected. The method can be a useful tool for a more realistic prediction of pore formation in cells subjected to electroporation.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures. v2: added new references, grammatical changes, corrected typo

Incredible parenting with Incredible Years?: A Foucauldian analysis of New Zealand Government Perspectives on Parenting and their Implications for Parents and educators in Early Childhood Education

This paper takes a post-structural approach, examining what and how issues are framed in the parenting policy, Incredible Years, through Foucault’s (1977, 1980, 1991, 2003, 2004) notion of  governmentality  and  discursive normalisation . By unpacking discourses of parenting produced by Incredible Years as an accepted parenting programme, it aims to reveal the  norm  of parenting that is promoted by the current system, and explores how this concept of  truth  in parenting influences the everyday life of families. The critical analysis of Incredible Years shows that the programme (re)produces the economic/neoliberal discourses as the normal/desirable norm of parenting, thus maintaining/reinforcing the existing power relations in society. The author argues that this notion of a curriculum for parents provides only a limited understanding of the issue, and intensifies inequality and injustice in the milieu. This paper aims to provide the insights for reconceptualising our understanding of parenting for future policy decisions and effective pedagogy

Speculation and hedging with virtuals

Virtual bid and Virtual offer are purely financial products offered in certain electricity markets. Theoretically, virtual bids and offers can change the electricity price as the bids and offers are stacked along with the demand and supply, respectively. This dissertation discusses how virtuals can be used to hedge and speculate in the electricity market. A statistical simulation model is developed based on the day-ahead (DA) demand and real time (RT) load data from Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator\u27s (MISO) footprint and DA and RT price observed at Cinergy hub. The simulation models are intended to mimic the load and price processes, taking the cyclical and correlation patterns in the market data into account as well as to provide a mechanism to incorporate stochastic variations that impact the processes. This model can then be utilized to study how the various trading strategies perform under deferent scenarios and thus provide better decision making tools to a trader. The DA Demand and RT Load are simulated using a combination of unobserved component models (UCM) and a set of regression variables. The DA Price and RT Price processes are replicated with GARCH based regression models. The regressor variables include principal components of different weather variables to capture the weather variation across MISO footprint and a set of dummy variables to model key patterns observed in the electricity market. The simulation models are used to generate test data sets which are then used to analyze different strategies involving virtuals. The simulation models also help to understand the relationship between DA and RT clearing prices. This research fins no evidence of DA/RT price convergence purely based on the virtuals trading at MISO. Based on the simulation results, the virtual bids appear to be most profitable during summer and winter and virtual offers appears to be most successful during shoulder months --Abstract, page iii

A New PVSS Scheme with a Simple Encryption Function

A Publicly Verifiable Secret Sharing (PVSS) scheme allows anyone to verify the validity of the shares computed and distributed by a dealer. The idea of PVSS was introduced by Stadler in [18] where he presented a PVSS scheme based on Discrete Logarithm. Later, several PVSS schemes were proposed. In [2], Behnad and Eghlidos present an interesting PVSS scheme with explicit membership and disputation processes. In this paper, we present a new PVSS having the advantage of being simpler while offering the same features.Comment: In Proceedings SCSS 2012, arXiv:1307.8029. This PVSS scheme was proposed to be used to provide a distributed Timestamping schem

Strengthening SMEs to make export competitive

The importance of SMEs in any economy cannot be overlooked as they form a major chunk in the economic activity of nations. India has nearly three million SMEs, which account for almost 50 per cent of industrial output. However, SMEs which form the backbone of industrial development in India are not export competitive and contribute only about 34 percent of exports. It is this feature of the SMEs that make it an ideal target to realize its potential export competitive. Drawing from the experiences of countries that have successfully promoted the export competitiveness of SMEs, this paper has identified ways in which SMEs in India can have an access to external markets through exports, which include simplification of procedures, incentives for higher production, preferential treatments to SMEs in the market development fund, linking up SMEs with Transnational Companies or large domestic exporting firms; and formation of clusters and networks in order to reinforce their external competitiveness.Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), SWOT Analysis, Export, India

PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND IN VITRO ANTI-MICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF STEMS OF THE PLANT TAGETES ERECTA L. (FAMILY-ASTERACEAE)

Objective: To estimate the anti-microbial activity of ethanolic extract of Tagetes erecta L. (family-Asteraceae) in association with phytochemical analysis.Methods: The ethanolic extract of the stems of TageteseErecta L. was prepared and investigate for phytochemical constituents using standard methods. Antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extract of has been carried out against one Gram positive bacteria-Staphylococcus aureus and one Gram negative bacteria-Escherichia coli, and the antifungal activity of the plant extract was evaluated on Candida albicans species. The testing was done by the disc diffusion method to visualize the zone of inhibition of ethanolic extract was compared with that of standard drug i.e., Ciprofloxacin for anti-bacterial activity and Terbinafine for anti-fungal activity. The MIC was determined by the microdilution method (Cup-plate method).Results: The present investigation shows the phytochemical analysis, antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic extract of the stems of Tagetes erecta L. Various phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of alkaloids, saponin glycosides, flavonoids, phenol, proteins and amino acids, cardiac glycosides, steroids, tanin and phenolic compounds. The anti-microbial activity of the ethanolic extract of the plant showed significant results against all three of the test organisms in compare to the standard drugs.Conclusion: The present study concluded that ethanolic extract of-of the stems of Tagetes erecta L. Proved the existence of phytochemical constituents. The ethanolic extract of the plant was found to possess promising antimicrobial activity when compared with the standards and it can be useful for the development of the antibiotics

Ethnomedicinal Importance of Pteridophytes Used by Reang tribe of Tripura, North East India

The present study mainly focuses on the ethnomedicinal importance of Pteridophytic floras used by the Reang tribes of Tripura state, India. As many as 16 pteridophytic plants species belonging to 14 genera and 10 families are presented in this research article. The botanical name, family name, vernacular name, habit, and their ethnomedicinal uses are provided

Hexavalent Chromium Induced Alteration of Carbohydrate Bioenergetics: A Dose-dependent Study

Objective: This study was conducted to observe the dose-dependent effect of Cr (VI) on certain aspects of carbohydrate metabolism in mice with four different doses, viz., 5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, 15 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg b.w., respectively, for 30 days of exposure.Methods: Blood glucose, glycogen content, and pyruvic acid of liver tissue were determined to evaluate the glycolytic activity. Enzymes such as isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), succinate dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase (MDH) activities were measured to determine the tricarboxylic acid cycle function. In addition, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) ubiquinone C oxidoreductase activity was estimated to evaluate the alteration in oxidative phosphorylation pathway with dose-dependent chromium exposure. Total protein, free amino acid nitrogen, and transaminase enzyme activity were also measured.Results: Chromium exposure caused marked depletion of blood glucose and liver glycogen contents in a dose-dependent manner. The activities of IDH, succinate dehydrogenase, and MDH were significantly altered in a dose-specific manner by chromium exposure. Relevant exhaustion of glycolytic substrates was noted in the form of reduced pyruvate content in hepatocytes following chromium exposure. In addition, the treatment caused elevation of free amino nitrogen associated with depletion of total protein content and elevated transaminase enzyme activities in hepatocytes. Significant alteration of mitochondrial NADH-ubiquinone C oxidoreductase activity was also noted.Conclusion: By analyzing the observed results, it can be suggested that Cr (VI) exerts hypoglycemic and glycogenolytic effects associated with alteration of citric acid cycle and electron transport pathways in hepatocytes in a dose-specific manner thus resulting in serious alteration in the carbohydrate bioenergetics and mitochondrial energy generation in hepatic cells.Keywords: Hexavalent chromium, Hypoglycemia, Glycogenolysis, Citric acid cycle, Electron transport chain.Â