On positivity and roots in operator algebras

In earlier papers the second author and Charles Read have introduced and studied a new notion of positivity for operator algebras, with an eye to extending certain C*-algebraic results and theories to more general algebras. The present paper consists of complements to some facts in the just mentioned papers, concerning this notion of positivity. For example we prove a result on the numerical range of products of the roots of commuting operators with numerical range in a sector.Comment: 11 pages, to appear Integral Equations Operator Theor

The functionalization of carbon nanotubes using a batch oscillatory flow reactor

This paper describes an efficient method for the functionalizing of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) using oscillatory flow mixing (OFM). A 3. l batch oscillatory flow reactor (OFR) was designed and constructed for pilot scale functionalization of MWCNT in order to potentially improve their compatibility within a thermoplastic polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) matrix. The OFM batch reactor consisted of a jacketed cylindrical vessel with a vertical axial oscillator that contained a series of baffled mixing plates. MWCNTs dispersed in dimethylformamide (DMF) were introduced into the reactor and a two stage reaction for functionalizing MWCNTs with PPS compatible groups was carried out under oscillation of baffles at elevated temperatures. Fluid mixing observations in the reactor showed that MWCNTs formed a uniform dispersion of aggregated flocs before and during the functionalization reaction. On completion of the reaction and cessation of the oscillation, the aggregated flocs of MWCNT rapidly sedimented at the bottom of the reactor; hence could be collected as a concentrated mass thereby facilitating the separation of functionalized MWCNTs from the solvent. The functionalized MWCNTs were dried and then characterized by transmission electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy as well as thermal gravimetric analysis in order to investigate the extent of MWCNT functionalization. The characterization results confirmed the effective and relatively uniform functionalization of the MWCNTs despite formation of aggregates, indicating that OFM provides a viable approach for functionalizing MWCNTs

Protein Body Formation in Stable Transgenic Plants of Nicotiana Tabacum Expressing Elastin-Like Polypeptide and Hydrophobin Fusion Proteins

Plants are recognized as an efficient and inexpensive system to produce valuable recombinant proteins. However, the use of plants still faces two main limitations: the low accumulation levels of some recombinant proteins and the lack of efficient protein purification methods. Two fusion partners, elastin-like polypeptides (ELP) and hydrophobin I (HFBI) were found to increase the accumulation of recombinant proteins and induce the formation of protein bodies (PBs) when targeted to the ER in transient expression assays. In this study I examined the effect of these tags in stable transgenic plants of two Nicotiana tabacum cultivars when fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) and targeted to the ER. The ELP and HFBI fusions increased the recombinant protein accumulation and induced the formation of PBs. Furthermore, my findings suggest that these tags induce the formation of PBs in a concentration-dependent manner, where a specific level of accumulation of recombinant protein has to be reached

An Assessment of Knowledge Level on Insulin Therapy Among Nurses Before and After Educational Workshop

Objective: This study was conducted to compare the difference between the pre-test and post-test knowledge level1 on insulin therapy among nurses. Methods: The study included 100 participants (newly joined nurses), at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The knowledge scores of the participants were assessed before and after the workshop. Results: The mean knowledge score for all the participants improved significantly after attending the workshop, irrespective of age. More than 90% participants reported having knowledge on insulin therapy in post-test compared to about 58% in the pre-test. About 85% participants showed having adequate knowledge, and about 10% of the participants had moderately adequate knowledge. The remaining 5% of the nurses possessed inadequate knowledge in post-test. Conclusion: The current study demonstrated that mean knowledge score improved significantly for all the participants after attending the workshop. To provide quality diabetes care and education, the nurses shouldobtain continuing professional education

The retention of international students to their place of study upon permanent resident status

International students have become an increasingly important source of permanent migration in meeting regionalization policy goals. However, little is known about their retention to their place of study after they transition to permanent resident status. Using data from the Longitudinal Immigrant Database (IMDB), this study examines how elements of international students’ pre-landed experience in Canada are related to their retention when they later become permanent residents in Canada. Results show that length of study and region of study are positively associated with the likelihood of international students landing in their place of study. Conversely, higher Canadian educational attainment and Canadian work experience prior to landing increase chances of international students landing somewhere outside their place of study in Canada. Policies designed to evenly distribute landed international students could focus more on time spent during their studies and those with trade certificates as criteria that would encourage their retention at landing

FUNGAL POPULATION, AFLATOXIN AND FREE FATTY ACID CONTENTS OF PEANUTS PACKED IN DIFFERENT BAG TYPES

Shelled peanuts of Gajah var. with initial moisture content of 7% were stored at 11 kg/bag in four bag types namely: jute bag, polypropylene bag, jute bag doubled with thin polyethylene (PE), and jute bag doubled with thick PE. Storage was done for six months under warehouse conditions with monitoring of relative humidity and temperature. Samples taken at the beginning of storage and every month thereafter were analyzed for moisture content, fungal population, aflatoxin and free fatty acid contents. Statistical analyses showed that moisture content, fungal population, and free fatty acid contents were significantly higher in jute and polypropylene bags than in PE-dou,bled jute bags. No significant differences were obtained in aflatoxin contents among bag types but at the end of six months storage, toxin level in jute bag exceeded the 30 ppb limit. Polypropylene had second highest toxin level at 23 ppb. The PE-doubled bags had 17 and 19 ppb total aflatoxins for thin and thick films, respectively. The results indicated that the immediate packaging of dried shelled peanuts at safe moisture level in plastic films with water vapor transmission rated of 1 g/m2/24 hr or lower is recommended. This packaging will delay critical increases in moisture content, fungal population, aflatoxin and free fatty acid contents of peanut kernels at ambient storage conditions. Keywords: Peanuts / bag types / fungal population / aflatoxin content / free fatty acid content

Further evidence for early lunar magnetism from troctolite 76535

The earliest history of the lunar dynamo is largely unknown and has important implications for the thermal state of the Moon and the physics of dynamo generation. The lunar sample with the oldest known paleomagnetic record is the 4.25 billion year old (Ga) troctolite 76535. Previous studies of unoriented subsamples of 76535 found evidence for a dynamo field with a paleointensity of several tens of microteslas. However, the lack of mutual subsample orientation prevented a demonstration that the magnetization was unidirectional, a key property of thermoremanent magnetization. Here we report further alternating field demagnetization on three mutually oriented subsamples of 76535, as well as new pressure remanent magnetization experiments to help rule out shock magnetization. We also describe new 40Ar/39Ar thermochronometry and cosmogenic neon measurements that better constrain the rock's thermal history. Although the rock is unbrecciated, unshocked, and slowly cooled, its demagnetization behavior is not ideal due to spurious remanence acquisition. Despite this limitation, all three subsamples record a high coercivity magnetization oriented in nearly the same direction, implying that they were magnetized by a unidirectional field on the Moon. We find no evidence for shock remanence, and our thermochronometry calculations show no significant reheating events since 4249 ± 12 million years ago (Ma). We infer a field paleointensity of approximately 20–40 μT, supporting the previous conclusion that a lunar dynamo existed at 4.25 Ga. The timing of this field supports an early dynamo powered by thermal or thermochemical core convection and/or a mechanical dynamo but marginally excludes a dynamo delayed by thermal blanketing from radiogenic element-rich magma ocean cumulates