Optical tweezer for probing erythrocyte membrane deformability

We report that the average rotation speed of optically trapped crenated erythrocytes is direct signature of their membrane deformability. When placed in hypertonic buffer, discocytic erythrocytes are subjected to crenation. The deformation of cells brings in chirality and asymmetry in shape that make them rotate under the scattering force of a linearly polarized optical trap. A change in the deformability of the erythrocytes, due to any internal or environmental factor, affects the rotation speed of the trapped crenated cells. Here we show how the increment in erythrocyte membrane rigidity with adsorption of $Ca^{++}$ ions can be exhibited through this approach.Comment: Published in Appl. Phys. Lett. 95, 233703 (2009); Two supplementary multimedia files are available at the journal page: http://link.aip.org/mm/APPLAB/1.3272269/083949aplv1.mov and http://link.aip.org/mm/APPLAB/1.3272269/083949aplv2.mo

Calculation of the neutron electric dipole moment with two dynamical flavors of domain wall fermions

We present a study of the neutron electric dipole moment ($\vec d_N$) within the framework of lattice QCD with two flavors of dynamical lig ht quarks. The dipole moment is sensitive to the topological structure of the gaug e fields, and accuracy can only be achieved by using dynamical, or sea quark, calc ulations. However, the topological charge evolves slowly in these calculations, le ading to a relatively large uncertainty in $\vec d_N$. It is shown, using quenched configurations, that a better sampling of the charge d istribution reduces this problem, but because the CP even part of the fermion determinant is absent, both the topological charge dis tribution and $\vec d_N$ are pathological in the chiral limit. We discuss the statistical and systematic uncertainties arising from the topological charge distr ibution and unphysical size of the quark mass in our calculations and prospects fo r eliminating them. Our calculations employ the RBC collaboration two flavor domain wall fermion and DBW2 gauge action lattices with inverse lattice spacing $a^{-1}\approx$ 1.7 GeV, physical volume $V\approx (2$ fm)$^3$, and light quark mass roughly equal to the strange quark mass ($m_{sea}=0.03$ and 0.04). We determine a value of the electric dipole moment that is zero withi n (statistical) errors, $|\vec d_N| = -0.04(20)$ e-$\theta$-fm at the smaller sea quark mass. Satisfactory results for the magnetic and electric form factors of the proton and neutron are also obtained and presented.Comment: 46 pages. Changed one author addres

Trapping and sorting active particles: motility-induced condensation & smectic defects

We present an experimental realization of the collective trapping phase transition [Kaiser et al., PRL 108, 268307 (2012)], using motile polar granular rods in the presence of a V-shaped obstacle. We offer a theory of this transition based on the interplay of motility-induced condensation and liquid-crystalline ordering and show that trapping occurs when persistent influx overcomes the collective expulsion of smectic defect structures. In agreement with the theory, our experiments find that a trap fills to the brim when the trap angle $\theta$ is below a threshold $\theta_c$, while all particles escape for $\theta > \theta_c$. Our simulations support a further prediction, that $\theta_c$ goes down with increasing rotational noise. We exploit the sensitivity of trapping to the persistence of directed motion to sort particles based on the statistical properties of their activityComment: 6 pages, 5 figures, for supplementary mpg files, see "https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3cmswfoysdn0sb6/AACpEp-G3768B6Y62nDFj_Hea?dl=0". This paper supersedes our earlier version arXiv:1603.08535 and contains substantial new results including revised theoretical treatmen

Scalar meson in dynamical and partially quenched two-flavor QCD: lattice results and chiral loops

This is an exploratory study of the lightest non-singlet scalar $q\bar q$ state on the lattice with two dynamical quarks. Domain Wall fermions are used for both sea and valence quarks on a 16^3*32 lattice with an inverse lattice spacing of 1.7 GeV. We extract the scalar meson mass 1.58(34) GeV from the exponential time-dependence of the dynamical correlators with $m_{val}=m_{sea}$ and N_f=2. Since this statistical error-bar from dynamical correlators is rather large, we analyze also the partially quenched lattice correlators with $m_{val}$ not equal $m_{sea}$. They are positive for $m_{val}>=m_{sea}$ and negative for $m_{val}<m_{sea}$. In order to understand this striking effect of partial quenching, we derive the scalar correlator within the Partially Quenched ChPT and find it describes lattice correlators well. The leading unphysical contribution in Partially Quenched ChPT comes from the exchange of the two pseudoscalar fields and is also positive for $m_{val}>=m_{sea}$ and negative for $m_{val}<m_{sea}$ at large t. After the subtraction of this unphysical contribution from the partially quenched lattice correlators, the correlators are positive and exponentially falling. The resulting scalar meson mass 1.51(19) GeV from the partially quenched correlators is consistent with the dynamical result and has appreciably smaller error-bar.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figure

The contribution of transcriptomic and proteomic analysis in elucidating stress adaptation responses of Listeria monocytogenes

The foodborne transmission of Listeria monocytogenes requires physiological adaptation to various conditions, including the cold, osmotic, heat, acid, alkaline, and oxidative stresses, associated with food hygiene, processing, and preservation measures. We review the current knowledge on the molecular stress adaptation responses in L. monocytogenes cells as revealed through transcriptome, proteome, genetic, and physiological analysis. The adaptation of L. monocytogenes to stress exposure is achieved through global expression changes in a large number of cellular components. In addition, the cross-protection of L. monocytogenes exposed to different stress environments might be conferred through various cellular machineries that seem to be commonly activated by the different stresses. To assist in designing L. monocytogenes mitigation strategies for ready-to-eat food products, further experiments are warranted to specifically evaluate the effects of food composition, additives, preservatives, and processing technologies on the modulation of L. monocytogenes cellular components in response to specific stresses

Effective and Efficient Algorithms for Concise Range Queries

With the advance of wireless communication technology, it is quite common for people to view maps or get related services from the handheld devices, such as mobile phones and PDAs. Range queries, as one of the most commonly used tools, are often posed by the users to retrieve needful information from a spatial database. However, due to the limits of communication bandwidth and hardware power of handheld devices, displaying all the results of a range query on a handheld device is neither communication efficient nor informative to the users. This is simply because that there are often too many results returned from a range query. In view of this problem, we present a novel idea that a concise representation of a specified size for the range query results, while incurring minimal information loss, shall be computed and returned to the user. Such a concise range query not only reduces communication costs, but also offers better usability to the users, providing an opportunity for interactive exploration. The usefulness of the concise range queries is confirmed by comparing it with other possible alternatives, such as sampling and clustering. Unfortunately, we prove that finding the optimal representation with minimum information loss is an NP-hard problem. Therefore, we propose several effective and nontrivial algorithms to find a good approximate result. Extensive experiments on real-world data have demonstrated the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed techniques

Direct CP violation in neutral kaon decays

The final result is presented of the NA48 Experiment performed at CERN SPS neutral kaon beams on the direct CP violation parameter Re(epsilon'/epsilon), as maesured from the decay rates of neutral kaons into two pions. The data collected in years 1997-2001 yield the evidence for direct CP violation with Re(epsilon'/epsilon)=(14.7+-2.2)10^-4. Description of expermental method and systematics, comparison with world data and some discussion of implications for theory are given.Comment: 5 pp., 3 figs, presented on behalf of NA48 Collaboration at PASCOS 2003 Conference, Mumbai, India, 2-8 Jan 2003, to appear in Praman

Naphtha Reduction of Iron Ores to Sponge Iron in Continuous Vertical Reactor

The development of a process of sponge iron production by naphtha, a petroleum by-product, in a continuous 90mm I.D. vertical reactor is discussed. The process, the equipment and the operational parameters, the results of the campaigns with various iron ores pellets are described. Sized iron ore fines from two deposits were directly reduced by petroleum naphtha to sponge iron at a temperature of about 1000 deg. C. maintaining naphtha injection at different controlled flow rates. The movement of solids in the reactor column was also controlled to obtain predetermined residence times.producing 70-100 kgs of sponge iron per day. Under optium conditions 98 percent metallization was obtained. The results are discussed in the light of efficiency of the reductant and the economics of the process

SYNTHETIC AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF 4 THIAZOLIDINONES

Objective: Thiazolidinone, a saturated form of thiazole with carbonyl group on the fourth carbon, has been considered as magic moieties (Wonder nucleus) which possess almost all types of biological activities. This diversity in the biological response profile has attracted the attention of many researchers to explore this skeleton to its multiple potential against several activities Methods: Looking to the importance of N and S hetero cycles in the medical field, 4-thiazolidinone derivatives (3b,4b) have been synthesized by cyclization of substituted imines(1a,2a) with mercaptoacetic acid in presence of anhydrous ZnCl2 as a catalyst in DMF. The 4-thiazolidinone derivatives have also been tested against two bacterial strains viz. S. aureus and E. coli and two fungal pathogens viz. A. niger and C. albicans using Kirby-Bauer method. Result: New series of azomethines and 4 thiazolidinones compounds have been prepared. The synthesized compounds were characterized on the basis of IR, 1H-NMR, and elemental analysis. The purity of the compounds was checked using pre coated TLC plates (MERCK) using n-hexane: ethyl acetate (8:2) solvent system. The synthesized compounds show good antimicrobial acivity. Conclusion: The zone of inhibition is directly proportional to the degree of sensitivity of the bacterial, fungal strain and concentration of compound under test. A systematic perusal data of antimicrobial activity reveals that, with the increase in concentration of drug, increase in zone of inhibition occur in petridish. Better antimicrobial activity have been pointed out in synthesized compounds