Structural origins of electronic conduction in amorphous copper-doped alumina

We perform an {\it ab initio} modeling of amorphous copper-doped alumina (a-Al$_2$O$_3$:Cu), a prospective memory material based on resistance switching, and study the structural origin of electronic conduction in this material. We generate molecular dynamics based models of a-Al$_2$O$_3$:Cu at various Cu-concentrations and study the structural, electronic and vibrational properties as a function of Cu-concentration. Cu atoms show a strong tendency to cluster in the alumina host, and metallize the system by filling the band gap uniformly for higher Cu-concentrations. We also study thermal fluctuations of the HOMO-LUMO energy splitting and observe the time evolution of the size of the band gap, which can be expected to have an important impact on the conductivity. We perform a numerical computation of conduction pathways, and show its explicit dependence on Cu connectivity in the host. We present an analysis of ion dynamics and structural aspects of localization of classical normal modes in our models

Integrating immunology and microfluidics for single immune cell analysis

The field of immunoengineering aims to develop novel therapies and modern vaccines to manipulate and modulate the immune system and applies innovative technologies toward improved understanding of the immune system in health and disease. Microfluidics has proven to be an excellent technology for analytics in biology and chemistry. From simple microsystem chips to complex microfluidic designs, these platforms have witnessed an immense growth over the last decades with frequent emergence of new designs. Microfluidics provides a highly robust and precise tool which led to its widespread application in single-cell analysis of immune cells. Single-cell analysis allows scientists to account for the heterogeneous behavior of immune cells which often gets overshadowed when conventional bulk study methods are used. Application of single-cell analysis using microfluidics has facilitated the identification of several novel functional immune cell subsets, quantification of signaling molecules, and understanding of cellular communication and signaling pathways. Single-cell analysis research in combination with microfluidics has paved the way for the development of novel therapies, point-of-care diagnostics, and even more complex microfluidic platforms that aid in creating in vitro cellular microenvironments for applications in drug and toxicity screening. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview on the integration of microsystems and microfluidics with immunology and focus on different designs developed to decode single immune cell behavior and cellular communication. We have categorized the microfluidic designs in three specific categories: microfluidic chips with cell traps, valve-based microfluidics, and droplet microfluidics that have facilitated the ongoing research in the field of immunology at single-cell level

The Impact of National Differences on Government Response to COVID-19 and Hotel RevPAR

The COVID-19 pandemic has a deleterious effect on every aspect of human life. Because of the government restrictions that followed, hotels were overwhelmed by the mass booking cancellations. Even though the impact of crisis has been extensively studied in hospitality literature, the role of national differences, such as political, economic and culture differences, in the recovery process remains under-researched and little is known about the tourist behavior during a pandemic. The findings of the study indicates that COVID-19 cases, economic, political, and cultural environment has a significant impact on the government response to the pandemic. Similarly, the government response, COVID-19 cases, and national culture has a significant impact on hotel RevPAR. The results support previous findings that risk perception is influenced by cultural differences and origin region of the visitors matters. Therefore, national differences should be taken into consideration while formulating recovery strategies across destinations

Static Deflection Compensation of Multi-Link Flexible Manipulators Under Gravity

The static deflection compensation method of a planar multi-link flexible manipulator is proposed using the feedback from inertial sensors mounted at the tip of each link. The proposed compensation technique is validated experimentally using a high-precision laser tracker. The proposed strategy is experimentally verified using a three-link flexible manipulator. A strategy to compensate for the centripetal and tangential acceleration induced on the accelerometer mounted on the rotating link is proposed for correct inclination estimation. The improvement in the inclination estimation using the proposed compensation technique is verified both in simulation and experimental studies.publishedVersio

The F waves study in young healthy individuals

Background: The F wave is a CMAP (compound muscle action potential) evoked by a supramaximal stimulation of a motor nerve. F waves are particularly useful for the diagnoses of polyneuropathies at an early stage and proximal nerve lesions.Methods: Healthy males (n=64) and females (n=26) medical students of BPKIHS with age 20 to 24 years were enrolled. Anthropometric parameters; F wave latencies, persistence and chronodispersion of bilateral median, ulnar and tibial nerves were recorded in Neurophysiology Lab II of BPKIHS. Descriptive analysis was done.Results: Mean age, height and weight of the subjects were 21.64±1.19 years, 165.61±5.4cms and 64.07±5.5kg. Mean minimum F wave latencies (ms) of right median, ulnar and tibial nerves were 24.09±1.95, 24.02±1.76, 44.34±3.02 while on the left side were 23.92±1.96, 24.11±1.92, 44.07±2.83 respectively. F persistence was above 80%. F chronodispersion (ms) for right and left median, ulnar and tibial nerves were 2.77±0.70, 2.79±0.65, 2.71±0.67, 2.80±0.56, 3.48±0.73 and 3.45±0.64 respectively.Conclusions: Maximum and minimum F wave latencies, F chronodispersion and F persistence were derived for both sexes in an age group of 20-24 years

Neuroendocrine tumours of the head and neck: anatomical, functional and molecular imaging and contemporary management

Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) of the head and neck are rare neoplasms and can be of epithelial or non-epithelial differentiation. Although the natural history of NETs is variable, it is crucial to establish an early diagnosis of these tumours as they can be potentially curable. Conventional anatomical imaging and functional imaging using radionuclide scintigraphy and positron emission tomography/computed tomography can be complementary for the diagnosis, staging and monitoring of treatment response. This article describes and illustrates the imaging features of head and neck NETs, discusses the potential future role of novel positron-emitting tracers that are emerging into clinical practice and reviews contemporary management of these tumours. Familiarity with the choice of imaging techniques and the variety of imaging patterns and treatment options should help guide radiologists in the management of this rare but important subgroup of head and neck neoplasms