Structure Functions of the Nucleon in a Soliton Model

We study nucleon structure functions in the soliton picture of the bosonized Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model. We focus on their vacuum contributions and examine whether they are outweighed by their valence quark counterparts.Comment: 4 pages, contribution to the proc. of int. conf. QNP18, Tsukuba (Japan), Nov. 201

Nucleon Structure Functions from the NJL-Model Chiral Soliton

We present numerical simulations for unpolarized and polarized structure functions in a chiral soliton model. The soliton is constructed self-consistently from quark fields from which the structure functions are extracted. Central to the project is the implementation of regularizing the Dirac sea (or vacuum) contribution to structure functions from first principles. We discuss in detail how sum rules are realized at the level of the quark wave-functions in momentum space. The comparison with experimental data is convincing for the polarized structure functions but exhibits some discrepancies in the unpolarized case. The vacuum contribution to the polarized structure functions is particularly small.Comment: 23 pages, 11 figure

Preliminary studies on the effects of bulb size at planting and NPK fertilizer application on growth and yield of shallot (Allium cepa var. aggregatum L.)

ABSTRACTStudies were carried out at the University for Development Studies, Nyankpala, Ghana from July to September 2012 to determine the effects of bulb size at planting, and NPK fertilizer application on growth and yield of shallot. Small, medium and big bulbs of diameter 0.8 – 1.2 cm, 1.3 – 1.5 cm and 1.6 – 2 cm, respectively, were planted on the field. Two weeks after planting, NPK (15-15-15) fertilizer was applied at 0, 85, 170 or 255 kg ha-1. Treatment combinations were replicated three times in a randomized complete block design. Results of the study showed that planting large bulbs and applying no NPK fertilizer produced the highest leaf number, whilst the use of small bulb followed by an application of 85 or 170 kg ha-1 of NPK produced the least leaf number of leaves. The use of big bulbs at planting together with the application of 85 kg ha-1 of NPK gave the highest number of bulbs, whilst medium bulbs which received 255 kg ha-1 of NPK gave the least number of bulbs at harvest. Similarly, the application of 85 kg ha-1 of NPK to big bulbs gave the highest bulb fresh weight, whilst small bulbs which received no NPK application recorded the least bulb weight at harvest. In terms of bulb yield at harvest, the medium bulb also responded well to the application of 85 kg ha-1 of NPK fertilizer. In shallot production, especially in the study area, farmers should use big bulbs during planting and 85 kg ha-1 of NPK fertilizer should be applied for optimum bulb yield and vegetative growth. Original scientific paper. Received 03 Apr 14; revised 25 Sep 14

{\phi}^4 Solitary Waves in a Parabolic Potential: Existence, Stability, and Collisional Dynamics

We explore a {\phi}^4 model with an added external parabolic potential term. This term dramatically alters the spectral properties of the system. We identify single and multiple kink solutions and examine their stability features; importantly, all of the stationary structures turn out to be unstable. We complement these with a dynamical study of the evolution of a single kink in the trap, as well as of the scattering of kink and anti-kink solutions of the model. We see that some of the key characteristics of kink-antikink collisions, such as the critical velocity and the multi-bounce windows, are sensitively dependent on the trap strength parameter, as well as the initial displacement of the kink and antikink

Interphase cytogenetics of multicentric renal cell tumours confirm associations of specific aberrations with defined cytomorphologies

To demonstrate associations of certain chromosomal aberrations with defined renal cell tumour (RCT) subtypes, we analysed 239 tumour nephrectomy cases for specimens with multicentric tumours. Chromosomal in situ hybridization was then performed on 15 cases with 34 foci (16 conventional renal cell carcinomas (RCCs), and 18 papillary RCTs (11 carcinomas and seven adenomas) for specific chromosomal aberrations, using α-satellite probes for chromosomes 3, 7 or 17. Particular preference was given to cases which had separate foci with different cytomorphologies. Furthermore, we compared aberrations in relation to tumour size, stage, grade and between different foci in a specimen. Thirty-four cases had multiple tumours. Forty-seven per cent of the multicentric tumours were conventional RCCs and 53% papillary RCTs (against 83% solitary conventional RCCs and 5% solitary papillary RCTs). Three conventional RCCs sized 8 mm (G3), 13 cm (pT2, G2) and 15 cm (pT3b, G3), respectively, revealed monosomy 3, and 13 were disomic. Seventeen papillary RCTs (11 carcinomas and six adenomas) displayed trisomy 17, irrespective of size or grade. Four papillary carcinomas and six papillary adenomas had trisomy 7, and the rest (seven papillary carcinomas and one papillary adenoma) revealed disomy 7. In conclusion, papillary RCTs were tendentially multicentric. Although specific for conventional RCCs heedless of size, monosomy 3 was only observed in high-grade and/or advanced tumours. Trisomy 17 was only detectable in papillary RCTs irrespective of tumour state, showing increased copies with tumour growth. Papillary RCTs also appeared to lose some copies of chromosome 7 with tumour progress, possibly reflecting malignancy. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours treated before and after the advent of c-kit immunostaining

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recently developed immunohistochemical markers have revolutionised the classification of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) whilst tyrosine kinase inhibitors (imatinib) have had a significant impact on the treatment of advanced tumours. We review the clinicopathological features of previously resected mesenchymal tumours of the gastrointestinal tract in our institution to 1) reclassify the histological diagnosis of those stained prior to c-kit availability; 2) perform survival analysis to identify prognostic factors, and 3) to consider the implications for patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Clinicopathological records of patients with a diagnosis of mesenchymal tumours treated between May 1992 and April 2007 were reviewed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>82 patients were reviewed. 26 (32%) were reclassified as GISTs following c-kit immunostaining and a further 14 patients were treated for GIST up to April 2007 (Total: 40 patients; 21 males and 19 females, mean age 67, range 30-92 years). 36 (90%) underwent complete resection. 5-year survival of patients with GIST alone was 80%. Females had a better median survival (M: F 43 months: 73 months).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The availability of c-kit staining allowed 32% of previously diagnosed mesenchymal tumours to be reclassified as GISTs. This may have implications for the follow-up of patients diagnosed prior to the availability of this method.</p

Childbearing and Economic Work: The Health Balance of Women in Accra, Ghana

Objectives: This study aims to investigate (1) whether the health of working women with young children differs from that of working women without young children, and (2) which social factors mediate the relationship between economic and maternal role performance and health among mothers with young children. Methods: The analyses uses panel data from 697 women present in both waves of the Women's Health Study for Accra (WHSA-I and WHSA-II); a community based study of women aged 18 years and older in the Accra Metropolitan Area of Ghana conducted in 2003 and 2008-2009. Change in physical and mental health between the survey waves is compared between women with a biological child alive at WHSA-II and born since WHSA-I and women without a living biological child at WHSA-II born in the interval. To account for attrition between the two survey waves selection models were used with unconditional change score models being used as the outcome model. Results: We found in our sample of working women that those who had a child born between WHSA-I and WHSA-II who was still alive at WHSA-II did not experience a change in mental or physical health different from other women. Among working women with young children, educational status, relationship to the household head and household demography were associated with change in mental health at the 5 % level, whilst migration status and household demography was associated with change in physical health scores. Conclusion: The results suggest there are no health penalties of combining work and childbearing among women with young children in Accra, Ghana

State owned enterprises as bribe payers: the role of institutional environment

Our paper draws attention to a neglected channel of corruption—the bribe payments by state-owned enterprises (SOEs). This is an important phenomenon as bribe payments by SOEs fruitlessly waste national resources, compromising public welfare and national prosperity. Using a large dataset of 30,249 firms from 50 countries, we show that, in general, SOEs are less likely to pay bribes for achieving organizational objectives owing to their political connectivity. However, in deteriorated institutional environments, SOEs may be subjected to potential managerial rent-seeking behaviors, which disproportionately increase SOE bribe propensity relative to privately owned enterprises. Specifically, our findings highlight the importance of fostering democracy and rule of law, reducing prevalence of corruption and shortening power distance in reducing the incidence of SOE bribery

A MULTIDIMENSIONAL METHODOLOGY FOR EVALUATING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

The conceptual and methodological bases of evaluating public transportation services are examined. Multiple measures of transit performance, including efficiency and effectiveness measures, service area characteristics and planning and design criteria, are proposed and tested against data gathered from 56 American transit agencies. The analysis supports a multidimensional conceptualization of performance that looks comprehensively at the entire span of evaluation including the context, process and outcome of the evaluation. The analysis also shows that in addition to achieving efficiency and effectiveness, transit performance could also lead to improvement in data utilization, and agency capabilities and public image