Measurements of Quarkonium Production and Polarization at CMS

The polarizations of Y(nS) (n=1,2,3) and prompt J/\psi and \psi(2S), as well as the differential cross section of the Y(nS), are measured in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, using a dimuon data sample collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 fb-1. The differential cross section is measured as a function of transverse momentum of Y(nS). The data show a transition from exponential to power-law behavior in the neighborhood of 20 GeV, and the power-law exponents for all three states are consistent. The polarization parameters \lambda\theta, \lambda\phi, and \lambda\theta\phi, as well as the frame-invariant quantity \lambda, are measured from the dimuon decay angular distributions in three different polarization frames. No evidence of large polarizations is seen in these kinematic regions, which extend much beyond those previously explored.Comment: to appear in the proceedings of The 6th International Workshop on Charm Physics (CHARM 2013

Solubilization of M2 Transmembrane Peptide of Influenza A in Pure Water: Implications for Emergence of Proteins and Protein-embedded Primeval Membranes in Unsalted Oceans

We demonstrated that M2 transmembrane peptide, one of the most hydrophobic sequences in nature, can be solublized to at least ~100 µM in unsalted water without any lipid molecules. Strikingly, the M2 peptide also forms a highly-helical conformation in water which remains almost unchanged even at 95 ºC, as characterized by CD spectroscopy. Our result has critical implications in understanding emergence of proteins and protein-embedded primeval membranes in unsalted oceans

Consistent forcing scheme in the cascaded lattice Boltzmann method

In this paper, we give a more pellucid derivation for the cascaded lattice Boltzmann method (CLBM) based on a general multiple-relaxation-time (MRT) frame through defining a shift matrix. When the shift matrix is a unit matrix, the CLBM degrades into an MRT LBM. Based on this, a consistent forcing scheme is developed for the CLBM. The applicability of the non-slip rule, the second-order convergence rate in space and the property of isotropy for the consistent forcing scheme is demonstrated through the simulation of several canonical problems. Several other existing force schemes previously used in the CLBM are also examined. The study clarifies the relation between MRT LBM and CLBM under a general framework

Development of Intelligent Prefabs Using IoT Technology to Improve the Performance of Prefabricated Construction Projects

Prefabrication (PC) projects have many advantages, such as cost and energy savings and waste reduction. However, some problems still exist that hamper the development of prefabrication projects. To improve PC project performance and advance innovation in construction, this study introduces an innovative method that incorporates Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Long Range (LoRa) technologies, sensor networks, the BIM model and cloud computing to automatically collect, analyze and display real-time information about PC components. It can locate PC components on a construction site and monitor their structural performance during the installation process. RFID technology and strain sensors were used to collect the required data on a construction site. All the data was transmitted to a server using LoRa technology. Then, the cloud-based Building Information Modelling (BIM) model of the project was developed to store and vividly present project information and real-time onsite data. Moreover, the cloud-based BIM model enables project team members to access the project information from anywhere by using mobile devices. The proposed system was tested on a real PC project to validate its effectiveness. The results indicate that the sensor network can provide reliable data via LoRa technology, and a PC component can be accurately located on site. Also, the monitoring data of structural performance for the PC component during the installation process is acceptable. The proposed method using innovative technologies can improve PC project performance and help industry professionals by providing sufficient required information