Pauli paramagnetic effects on vortices in superconducting TmNi2B2C

The magnetic field distribution around the vortices in TmNi2B2C in the paramagnetic phase was studied experimentally as well as theoretically. The vortex form factor, measured by small-angle neutron scattering, is found to be field independent up to 0.6Hc2 followed by a sharp decrease at higher fields. The data are fitted well by solutions to the Eilenberger equations when paramagnetic effects due to the exchange interaction with the localized 4f Tm moments are included. The induced paramagnetic moments around the vortex cores act to maintain the field contrast probed by the form factor.     

Diameter Two Properties,Convexity and Smoothness

We study smoothness and strict convexity of (the bidual) of Banach spaces in the presence of diameter 2 properties.We prove that the strong diameter 2 property prevents the bidual from being strictly convex and being smooth, and we initiate the investigation whether the same is true for the (local) diameter 2 property. We also give characterizations of the following property for a Banach space \({X}\): “For every slice \({S}\) of \({B_X}\) and every norm-one element \({x}\) in \({S}\), there is a point \({y \in S}\) in distance as close to 2 as we want.” Spaces with this property are shown to have non-smooth bidual.     

BRAF mutation detection and identification by cycling temperature capillary electrophoresis

BRAF mutations are found in many human tumors, namely melanomas ( approximately 70%) and colon carcinomas ( approximately 15%). This paper presents a method for identification of exon 15 BRAF mutations by denaturant capillary electrophoresis (CE), an analysis method that is sensitive, cost-effective (involving only polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and electrophoresis) and capable of high-throughput screening. In total, we found 21 (70%) out of 30 melanoma cell lines with BRAF mutations in exon 15: two of which were the p.Val600Asp (c.1799-800TG>AT) mutation, one cell line contained the p.Val600Arg (c.1798-99GT>AG) mutation, and 18 cell lines contained the p.Val600Glu (c.1799T>A) mutation. Of the nine cell lines that did not contain a BRAF mutation, five contained an NRAS mutation at exon 2, and no mutations were detected in NRAS exon 1. There was no overlap of NRAS and BRAF mutations in the same cell line. In addition, we looked at 221 colon biopsy samples and identified one further BRAF mutation, the p.Asp594Gly (c.1781A>G) mutation, in seven samples. The p.Val600Glu mutation was identified in 11 of the colon biopsy samples. Using the four mutations of BRAF exon 15, we then constructed a denaturing CE standard capable of distinguishing between each of the mutations; therefore, sequencing does not need to be performed to confirm the mutation. In conclusion, this sensitive, cost-effective mutation assay for BRAF (and RAS) will provide the opportunity to detect and determine mutations without the need to purify samples for sequencing. Future large-scale studies will provide the clinical usefulness of such mutations.     

Flux line lattice reorientation in the borocarbide superconductors with H parallel a

Small angle neutron scattering studies of the flux line lattice in LuNi2B2C and ErNi2B2C induced by a field parallel to the a axis reveal a first order flux line lattice reorientation transition. Below the transition the flux line lattice nearest neighbor direction is parallel to the b axis, and above the transition it is parallel to the c axis. This transition cannot be explained using nonlocal corrections to the London model. In addition, the anisotropy of the penetration depth lambda and the coherence length xi change at the transition.     

Uncovering flux line correlations in superconductors by reverse monte carlo refinement of neutron scattering data

We describe the use of reverse Monte Carlo refinement to extract structural information from angle-resolved data of a Bragg peak. Starting with small-angle neutron scattering data, the positional order of an ensemble of flux lines in superconducting Nb is revealed. We discuss the uncovered correlation functions in the light of topical theories, in particular, the "Bragg glass" paradigm.     

Radiological dose assessment of naturally occurring radioactive materials in concrete building materials

Previous studies have shown that the natural radioactivity contained in building materials have significantly influenced the dose rates in dwelling. Exposure to natural radiation in building has been of concerned since almost 80 % of our daily live are spend indoor. Thus, the aim of the study is to assess the radiological risk associated by natural radioactivity in soil based building materials to dwellers. A total of 13 Portland cement, 46 sand and 43 gravel samples obtained from manufacturers or bought directly from local hardware stores in Peninsular of Malaysia were analysed for their radioactivity concentrations. The activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in the studied building materials samples were found to be in the range of 3.7–359.3, 2.0–370.8 and 10.3–1,949.5 Bq kg^?1 respectively. The annual radiation dose rates (μSv year^?1) received by dwellers were evaluated for 1 to 50 years of exposure using Resrad-Build Computer Code based on the activity concentration of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K found in the studied building material samples. The rooms modelling were based on the changing parameters of concrete wall thickness and the room dimensions. The annual radiation dose rates to dwellers were found to increase annually over a period of 50 years. The concrete thicknesses were found to have significantly influenced the dose rates in building. The self-absorption occurred when the concrete thickness was thicker than 0.4 m. Results of this study shows that the dose rates received by the dwellers of the building are proportional to the size of the room. In general the study concludes that concrete building materials; Portland cements, sands, and gravels in Peninsular of Malaysia does not pose radiological hazard to the building dwellers.     

Zeaxanthin Production by Novel Marine Isolates from Coastal sand of India and its Antioxidant Properties

Zeaxanthin carotenoids are class of commercially important natural products and diverse biomolecules produced by plants and many microorganisms. Bacteria often produce a cocktail of polar and nonpolar carotenoids limiting their industrial applications. Marine members of the family Flavobacteriaceae are known to produce potential carotenoids such as astaxanthin and zeaxanthin. A few bacterial species have been reported for the predominant production zeaxanthin. Here, we report the molecular identification of the zeaxanthin as a major carotenoid produced by two novel bacteria (YUAB-SO-11 and YUAB-SO-45) isolated from sandy beaches of South West Coast of India and the effect of carbon sources on the production of zeaxanthin. The strains were identified based on the 16S rRNA gene sequencing as a member of genus Muricauda. The closest relatives of YUAB-SO-11 and YUAB-SO-45 were Muricauda aquimarina (JCM 11811^T) (98.9 %) and Muricauda olearia (JCM 15563^T) (99.2 %), respectively, indicating that both of these strains might represent a novel species. The highest level of zeaxanthin production was achieved (YUAB-SO-11, 1.20?±?0.11 mg g^?1) and (YUAB-SO-45, 1.02?±?0.13 mg g^?1) when cultivated in marine broth supplemented with 2 % NaCl (pH 7) and incubated at 30 °C. Addition of 0.1 M glutamic acid, an intermediate of citric acid cycle, enhanced the zeaxanthin production as 18 and 14 % by the strains YUAB-SO-11 and YUAB-SO-45 respectively. The zeaxanthin showed in vitro nitric oxide scavenging, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl scavenging activities higher than the commercial zeaxanthin. The results of this study suggest that two novel strains YUAB-SO-11 and YUAB-SO-45 belonging to genus Muricauda produce zeaxanthin as a predominant carotenoid, and higher production of zeaxanthin was achieved on glutamic acid supplementation. The pigment showed good in vitro antioxidant activity, which can be exploited further for commercial applications.     

Temperature dependence of the flux line lattice transition into square symmetry in superconducting LuNi2B2C

We have investigated the temperature dependence of the H parallel to c flux line lattice structural phase transition from square to hexagonal symmetry, in the tetragonal superconductor LuNi2B2C ( T(c) = 16.6 K). At temperatures below 10 K the transition onset field, H2(T), is only weakly temperature dependent. Above 10 K, H2(T) rises sharply, bending away from the upper critical field. This contradicts theoretical predictions of H2(T) merging with the upper critical field and suggests that just below the H(c2)(T) curve the flux line lattice might be hexagonal.     

Unconditional ideals of finite rank operators

Let X be a Banach space. We give characterizations of when is a u-ideal in for every Banach space Y in terms of nets of finite rank operators approximating weakly compact operators. Similar characterizations are given for the cases when is a u-ideal in for every Banach space Y, when is a u-ideal in for every Banach space Y, and when is a u-ideal in for every Banach space Y.