The Eta-prime and Cooling with Staggered Fermions

We present a calculation of the mass of the eta-prime meson using quenched and dynamical staggered fermions. We also discuss the effects of "cooling" and suggest its use as a quantitative tool.Comment: 4 pages, LaTeX with 7 EPS figs, contribution to Lattice 9

Iced and frozen storage of squid (Loligo sp)

The iced and frozen storage characteristics of squid (Loligo sp.) are discussed. Squid can be kept in ice in an acceptable condition for a maximum period of 2 days. Frozen squid can be stored for a maximum period of 15 weeks at -l8°C, which can be extended up to 19 weeks by suitable treatment

Effect of well-width on the electro-optical properties of a quantum well

We record photoreflectance from Ge/GeSi modulation doped quantum wells possessing $10^4$ V/cm perpendicular electric fields. Qualitatively very different spectra are obtained from samples of well-width 100 \AA and 250 \AA. Comparing the wavefunctions calculated from an $8 \times 8$ \textbf{k.p} theory, we find that while they remain confined in the narrower 100 \AA QW, the electric field causes them to tunnel into the forbidden gap in the 250 \AA\ well. This implies that the samples should show a transition from the quantum confined Franz-Keldysh effect to the bulk-like Franz-Keldysh effect. Close to the band-edge where Franz-Keldysh effects are important, simulated photoreflectance spectra reproduce the essential features of the experiment, without any adjustable parameters.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Glucose versus Amylase Resistant Starch Hypo-Osmolar Oral Rehydration Solution for Adult Acute Dehydrating Diarrhea

Background: Reduction of gross diarrhea rate in excess of that seen over time with intravenous therapy and appropriate antibiotics is not usually achieved by oral glucose-electrolyte rehydration therapy for cholera and cholera-like diarrheas. Methodology and Principal Findings: This prospective randomized clinical trial at a tertiary referral hospital in southern India was undertaken to determine whether amylase resistant starch, substituting for glucose in hypo-osmolar oral rehydration solution, would reduce diarrhea duration and weight in adults with acute severe dehydrating diarrhea. 50 adult males with severe watery diarrhea of less than three days' duration and moderate to severe dehydration were randomized to receive hypo-osmolar ORS (HO-ORS) or HO-ORS in which amylase resistant high amylose maize starch 50g/L substituted for glucose (HAMS-ORS). All remaining therapy followed standard protocol. Duration of diarrhea (ORS commencement to first formed stool) in hours was significantly shorter with HAMS-ORS (median 19, IQR 10-28) compared to HO-ORS (median 42, IQR 24-50) (Bonferroni adjusted P, P-adj < 0.001). Survival analysis (Kaplan-Meier) showed faster recovery from diarrhea in the HAMS-ORS group (P < 0.001, log rank test). Total diarrhea fecal weight in grams (median, IQR) was not significantly lower in the HAMS-ORS group (2190, 1160-5635) compared to HO-ORS (5210, 2095-12190) (P-adj = 0.08). However, stool weight at 13-24 hours (280, 0-965 vs. 1360, 405-2985) and 25-48 hours (0, 0-360 vs. 1080, 55-3485) were significantly lower in HAMS-ORS compared to HO-ORS group (Padj = 0.048 and P = 0.012, respectively). ORS intake after first 24 hours was lower in the HAMS-ORS group. Subgroup analysis of patients with culture isolates of Vibrio cholerae indicated similar significant differences between the treatment groups. Conclusions: Compared to HO-ORS, HAMS-ORS reduced diarrhea duration by 55% and significantly reduced fecal weight after the first 12 hours of ORS therapy in adults with cholera-like diarrhea

Amine-Gold Linked Single-Molecule Junctions: Experiment and Theory

The measured conductance distribution for single molecule benzenediamine-gold junctions, based on 59,000 individual conductance traces recorded while breaking a gold point contact in solution, has a clear peak at 0.0064 G$_{0}$ with a width of $\pm$ 40%. Conductance calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) for 15 distinct junction geometries show a similar spread. Differences in local structure have a limited influence on conductance because the amine-Au bonding motif is well-defined and flexible. The average calculated conductance (0.046 G$_{0}$) is seven times larger than experiment, suggesting the importance of many-electron corrections beyond DFT