Searches in Photon and Jet States

We present recent results from the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) and D0 experiments using data from proton-antiproton collisions with sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV at Run II of the Fermilab Tevatron. New physics may appear in events with high transverse momentum objects, including photons and quark or gluon jets. The results described here are of signature-based searches and model-based searches probing supersymmetry, leptoquarks, 4th generation quarks, and large extra dimensions.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Proc. 42nd Rencontres de Moriond on Electroweak Interactions and Unified Theories, La Thuile, Italy, March 10-17, 200

Processing of multispectral thermal IR data for geologic applications

Multispectral thermal IR data were acquired with a 24-channel scanner flown in an aircraft over the E. Tintic Utah mining district. These digital image data required extensive computer processing in order to put the information into a format useful for a geologic photointerpreter. Simple enhancement procedures were not sufficient to reveal the total information content because the data were highly correlated in all channels. The data were shown to be dominated by temperature variations across the scene, while the much more subtle spectral variations between the different rock types were of interest. The image processing techniques employed to analyze these data are described

Search for Leptoquarks and 4th generation Quarks at CDF

At Run II of the Fermilab Tevatron, the CDF experiment provides good sensitivity for either discovery or setting limits on 1st and 2nd generation scalar, or 3rd generation vector, leptoquark pair-production, where each leptoquark decays to a charged lepton and a quark with variable branching ratio {beta}, or decays to a neutrino and quark with branching ratio (1 - {beta}). By comparison with the theoretical expectations, we set mass limits, in some cases as a function of {beta}. New quark generations are predicted in various scenarios for physics beyond the Standard Model. Here we include results from searches for t' and for b' production. The t' is searched for in decays to W{sub q} and the b' in decays to Z{sup 0}b. All of these measurements are based on an integrated luminosity of 200-350 pb{sup -1}, taken at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV

Evaluation of LANDSAT MSS vs TM simulated data for distinguishing hydrothermal alteration

The LANDSAT Follow-On (LFO) data was simulated to demonstrate the mineral exploration capability of this system for segregating different types of hydrothermal alteration and to compare this capability with that of the existing LANDSAT system. Multispectral data were acquired for several test sites with the Bendix 24-channel MSDS scanner. Contrast enhancements, band ratioing, and principal component transformations were used to process the simulated LFO data for analysis. For Red Mountain, Arizona, the LFO data allowed identification of silicified areas, not identifiable with LANDSAT 1 and 2 data. The improved LFO resolution allowed detection of small silicic outcrops and of a narrow silicified dike. For Cuprite - Ralston, Nevada, the LFO spectral bands allowed discrimination of argillic and opalized altered areas; these could not be spectrally discriminated using LANDSAT 1 and 2 data. Addition of data from the 1.3- and 2.2- micrometer regions allowed better discriminations of hydrothermal alteration types

The Effects of Using Interactive Task-based Activities in Online Eng-lish Writing Classes

This quantitative and qualitative study aims to scrutinize the effectiveness of utilizing interactive task-based activities to teach English writing in Bethlehem Secondary School for Girls. The experiment was conducted at the second semester of the academic year 2016/2017. Two scientific sections from the 11th grade participated in the study; section B was the control group and section C was the experimental one. The former group practiced writing traditionally. The students in the latter group were enrolled in two online platforms, “Facebook” and “PBworks”, to practice the target skill electronically. A questionnaire, pre/posttests, online platforms, a text content analyzer tool and self-reports were administered to investigate the participants’ achievement and attitudes. With regard to the writing skill, the results indicated that the experimental group outperformed the control one. Also, the former manifested more positive attitudes towards e-learning than the other one

Influence of Aqueous Extract of Red Chillis Pepper as Curative for Gastric Ulcer in Albino Rats

The present study was carried out elucidate the effect of aqueous extracts of red chillis pepper (Capsicum frutescence) at three doses on the length of gastric ulcer induced by aspirin in rats. Thirty adult male albino rats (Sprague Dawley Strain) weight 175±5g were used and divided into 5 groups, each of 6 rats. The first group was used as a control negative (-ve) and fed on the basal ration only, other groups had given aspirin orally (200 mg/kg B.Wt.), one of these groups left as control +ve (ulcerated rats) and other groups administrated with aqueous extract of red chillis pepper (RCP) at doses of 250, 500 and 750 mg/kg B.Wt. for seven days. The length of gastric ulcer, volume of gastric juice, pH value and histopathological changes of gastric were examined. The results revealed that oral administration of RCP extract at 250, 500 and 750mg/kg B.Wt. reduced the length of gastric ulcer. On the other hand, all extracts increased pH value of gastric juice compared to control (-ve) group, meanwhile the volume of gastric juice decreased by plant extracts specially for rats feed on RCP at dose 750 mg\Kg B.Wt. Oral administration of water plant extracts decreased histopathological changes in the stomach layers and mucosa. The present study suggests that, Capsicum frutescence could be used for healing acute gastric ulcer disease and implemented for gastric ulcer patients. Key words: aqueous extracts, Capsicum frutecens, aspirin ulcer, stomach, histopathological changes, pH value and gastric juice

ASAP-SML: An Antibody Sequence Analysis Pipeline Using Statistical Testing and Machine Learning

Antibodies are capable of potently and specifically binding individual antigens and, in some cases, disrupting their functions. The key challenge in generating antibody-based inhibitors is the lack of fundamental information relating sequences of antibodies to their unique properties as inhibitors. We develop a pipeline, Antibody Sequence Analysis Pipeline using Statistical testing and Machine Learning (ASAP-SML), to identify features that distinguish one set of antibody sequences from antibody sequences in a reference set. The pipeline extracts feature fingerprints from sequences. The fingerprints represent germline, CDR canonical structure, isoelectric point and frequent positional motifs. Machine learning and statistical significance testing techniques are applied to antibody sequences and extracted feature fingerprints to identify distinguishing feature values and combinations thereof. To demonstrate how it works, we applied the pipeline on sets of antibody sequences known to bind or inhibit the activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a family of zinc-dependent enzymes that promote cancer progression and undesired inflammation under pathological conditions, against reference datasets that do not bind or inhibit MMPs. ASAP-SML identifies features and combinations of feature values found in the MMP-targeting sets that are distinct from those in the reference sets

Morphological and Biochemical Adaptive Changes Associated With A Short-period Starvation of Adult Male Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica)

Objective: The morphological and biochemical impact of a short-period of starvation on Japanese quail was investigated. Materials and Methods: Ten adult male Japanese quail were divided into two groups; control fed and starved. The control-fed group was offered food and water ad libitum and the starved group was subjected to a short-period of food deprivation. After 2.5 days, the serum was obtained and different parameters including the total protein, AST, ALT, triglyceride, HDL, LDL, creatinine and urea were assessed. Gastrointestinal tract, stomach and liver were excised and their masses were estimated. Paraffin and resin embedded sections from the proventriculus, gizzard, liver, duodenum, kidney and pancreas were examined with a light microscopy. Results: Significant decreases in the masses of body, gastrointestinal tract, stomach and liver of the starved group were recorded. The liver and duodenum were the most affected organs. The liver showed depletion of glycogen, vacuolation, hyperemia and cellular infiltrations. Duodenal villi showed degenerative changes in lamina epithelialis and cellular infiltrations in the lamina propria. Biochemical analysis revealed a decreased level of total protein, AST and ALT, increased cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL and unchanged HDL, urea and creatinine by starvation. Conclusion: The current study described in details the effect of short time starvation on quail organs. Time-point adaptive responses of male quail to starvation and refeeding will be investigated in future studies

Serum Vitamin D Level in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients from Gaza Strip

Background: chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the leading cause of death among the Palestinians. Although vitamin D deficiency has been recently linked to CKD, biochemical tests in Gaza hospitals and clinics are restricted to monitoring kidney function by routine tests. Therefore, introducing vitamin D test for CKD patients may be helpful in understanding patient’s condition and help in disease management. Objective: To assess serum vitamin D level in CKD patients from Gaza Strip. Material and methods: This case-control study comprised 42 CKD patients and 42 healthy controls. Patients were taken from Kidney unit in Al-Shifa hospital and Nasser Medical Complex in Gaza Strip. Controls were selected from the general population. Questionnaire interview was applied. Serum vitamin D, urea, creatinine, uric acid, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), total protein, albumin, globulin, calcium and phosphorus were determined. Data were analysed using SPSS version 18.0. Results: The mean ages of cases and controls were 55.3±8.6 and 54.9±8.2 years, respectively. CKD was more frequent among unemployed individuals, families with low income as well as among families with history of CKD (P<0.05). The mean levels of vitamin D were significantly lower in cases compared to controls (29.7±12.9 versus 35.2±9.9 ng/dl, P=0.033). Serum urea, creatinine and uric acid were found to be significantly higher in cases (84.6±47.4 and 1.90±1.20 and 7.92±2.29 mg/dl, respectively) compared to controls (35.7± 13.5 and 0.81±0.27 and 5.18±2.31 mg/dl) with P=0.000. In contrast, The mean value of GFR was significantly declined in cases compared to controls (62.4±32.5 versus 124.6±45.4, P=0.000). There was a significant decrease in serum total protein and albumin in cases compared to controls (7.0±0.5 and 5.2±0.40 versus 7.3±0.6 and 5.4±0.59, P=0.005 and P=0.023, respectively). Serum calcium was significantly declined in cases compared to controls, whereas serum phosphorus showed none significant increase in cases (8.61±0.77 versus 9.12±0.69, P=0.003 and 4.72±0.94 versus 4.49±0.85, P=0.239, respectively). Vitamin D level was found to be significantly lower in individuals with family history of CKD (P=0.038). Vitamin D levels were positively correlated with GFR (r=0.258, P=0.020), total protein (r=0.283, P=0.011), albumin (r=0.278, P=0.012), globulin (r=0.159, P=0.156) and calcium (r=0.562, P=0.001) and negatively correlated with urea (r=-0.302, P=0.005), creatinine (r=-0.343, P=0.001), uric acid (r=-0.249, P=0.022) and phosphorus (r=-0.168, P=0.125). Conclusions: Serum vitamin D levels were significantly lower in CKD patients compared to controls. Vitamin D levels were lower in individuals with family history of CKD. Vitamin D levels were positively correlated with GFR, total protein, albumin, globulin and calcium, and negatively correlated with urea, creatinine, uric acid and phosphorous