Calculation of weak matrix elements in domain-wall QCD with the DBW2 gauge action

We report the details of our ongoing quenched calculations of weak matrix elements using the combination of domain-wall fermions and the DBW2 gauge action on lattices with $a^{-1}\approx 3$ GeV. A strategy to avoid the problem of fixed topological charge is introduced in generating gauge configurations. After studying the basic run parameters and elemental quantities, we present a preliminary result for the kaon B-parameter ($B_K$).Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures, Lattice2002(Weak Matrix Elements). Footnote and reference were correcte

Le 68Ga-4HMSA, un traceur pour l’imagerie de l’inflammation

Plusieurs études réalisées sur l’inflammation démontrent qu’elle serait la cause possible de plusieurs maladies, dont certains types de cancers. Présentement, le 67Ga-citrate est le traceur par excellence utilisé de routine en médecine nucléaire pour l'imagerie de l'inflammation et des infections. Les principaux désavantages associés au 67Ga sont sa demivie très longue et son manque de spécificité. Le 68Ga pourrait remplacer avantageusement le 67Ga pour l’imagerie. En effet, ce radionucléide a démontré beaucoup de potentiel pour l'imagerie TEP (tomographie par émission par positron) en offrant une meilleure résolution spatiale en plus d'avoir une courte demi-vie. Cette étude fait suite au développement d’un outil d’imagerie par l’équipe du Pre Guérin qui est un chélateur sidérophore pour l’imagerie de l’inflammation. Le chélateur bifonctionnel possède 4 bras N-hydroxy-N-méthyl succinamide (4HMSA) qui a prouvé avoir une meilleure cinétique de marquage et stabilité in vivo comparativement à d’autres chélateurs analogues (DOTA et NOTA). Cette étude compare ce nouveau chélateur avec le 68Ga-citrate qui est utilisé de routine pour l’imagerie de l’inflammation et des infections chez le petit animal. Le 4HMSA et le citrate ont été marqués au 68Ga et les 2 traceurs seront comparés au niveau de leur captation de l'inflammation à la patte grâce aux images TEP ainsi que leur biodistribution. L’hypothèse de recherche est que le 68Ga-4HMSA soit aussi efficace que le 68Ga-citrate en ayant un profil pharmacocinétique plus favorable et une dosimétrie inférieure. Nos objectifs étaient de valider le potentiel du 68Ga-4HMSA en le comparant avec le 68Ga-Citrate, obtenir le profil de biodistribution des deux traceurs et finalement de démontrer que le ratio cible/non-cible à l’inflammation est meilleur avec le 68Ga-4HMSA. Les résultats ont permis de conclure que le 68Ga-4HMSA est aussi efficace que le 68Ga-Citrate pour visualiser l’inflammation tout en ayant un meilleur profil de biodistribution et une dosimétrie améliorée

Space transportation nodes assumptions and requirements: Lunar base systems study task 2.1

The Space Transportation Nodes Assumptions and Requirements task was performed as part of the Advanced Space Transportation Support Contract, a NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) study intended to provide planning for a Lunar Base near the year 2000. The original task statement has been revised to satisfy the following queries: (1) What vehicles are to be processed at the transportation node; (2) What is the flow of activities involved in a vehicle passing through the node; and (3) What node support resources are necessary to support a lunar scenario traffic model composed of a mix of vehicles in an active flight schedule. The Lunar Base Systems Study is concentrating on the initial years of the Phase 2 Lunar Base Scenario. The study will develop the first five years of that phase in order to define the transportation and surface systems (including mass, volumes, power requirements, and designs)

The British Art of Colonialism in India: Subjugation and Division

This article utilizes a three-pronged analytical model to examine the mechanics of British colonialism and its socioeconomic and political consequences in India. Those three elements are divide and rule, colonial education, and British laws. The British took some reformative initiatives that ostensibly deserve appreciation such as the development of a predictable legal system, investment in infrastructure development, and education in the late nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries. However, most colonial policies and reforms were against the will and welfare of the people of India. The British took away India’s resources and introduced the English educational system to create an educated and elite buffer class for its own interests. It also introduced positivistic and predictable laws and repressive and discriminatory measures, including force, to control the natives and prevent anti-British agitation, protests, and armed uprisings in India. Although the consequences of British colonialism in India has been explored from various disciplines, the legacy of British colonialism to present day Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan has not been examined from the Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) lens. Johan Galtung’s (1990) violence triangle framework helps us to understand the different forms of colonial violence, and the need for positive peacebuilding in the post-colonial context. This paper argues that the current educational policy, the legal framework, and the ethno-religious-cultural diversity of today, exhibiting the structural, cultural, and direct violence, are a continuation of the legacy of the British Raj

Diversity of News Sources in Climate Change Reporting in Pakistani Press

This study examines the diversity of news sources in climate change reporting in the Pakistani press. A longitudinal quantitative content analysis of climate change reporting of five significant climate change-related events such as Earth Summit ((1992), Rio de Janeiro, Kyoto Protocol (1997), Ratification of Kyoto Protocol Globally (2005), COP15 (2009) Copenhagen and COP21 (2015) Paris is conducted. The samples were selected through systematic random sampling technique by choosing every alternate day of newspapers’ publications. A total of 1498 diverse news sources were found in 324 climate change-related stories during the five events mentioned above. The findings of this study revealed that elite sources dominated the marginalized sources collectively in coverage of the three newspapers during the five events. However, the climate change-related event/ incidents represented highly in the reporting of Pakistani press. Further, a thin proportion of mentions of media-related sources such as News agencies and Journalists also found. Thus, this study recommends that similar studies should be conducted on news content of other soft and hard issues in Pakistani press to examine the diversity of sources

Ammonia coordination introducing a magnetic moment in an on-surface low-spin porphyrin

Amazing ammonia: The molecular spin state of Ni(II) porphyrin, supported on a ferromagnetic Co surface, can be reversibly switched between spin-off (S = 0) and spin-on (S = 1) states upon coordination and decoordination of the gaseous ligand NH3, respectively (see picture). This finding clearly indicates the possible use of the system as a single-molecule-based magnetochemical sensor and in spintronics

Batteryless PV desalination system for rural areas: A case study

The use of photovoltaics (PVs) to power reverse osmosis (RO) desalination can potentially break the dependence of this desalination process on conventional energy sources (oil, coal, electricity from national grid), reduce operational costs, and improve environmental sustainability. In this paper, a methodology for the optimal sizing and performance evaluation of a stand-alone PV system to power an RO desalination unit is presented. This unit covers the water needs of inhabitants of a small isolated village called Mrair-Gabis, near the Ajdabiya city in north-eastern Libya. A photovoltaic-reverse osmosis (PV-RO) system offers good possibilities for satisfying this need. Due to the many technical problems with batteries, as well as their high cost, the system studied in this paper will not consider the use of batteries; the viability of a batterryless system is facilitated by the high solar radiation at the selected site, and long daily average insolation duration. From the water consumption records it was noticed that during some days in summer the water produced by the RO unit does not meet the water demand; on the other hand, during some days of the month there will be an excess of water production. The above considerations led to the design of a freshwater tank, to cover the potable water needs for people in cases of the desalination unit breaking down, either due to technical problems or on the cloudy days. The purpose of the water tank is therefore to store excess water when production exceeds supply. Simulations were carried out using MATLAB Software to size and assess the performance of a stand-alone PV system. The computer program can be applied to any site with different weather conditions

Batteryless PV desalination system for rural areas: A case study

The use of photovoltaics (PVs) to power reverse osmosis (RO) desalination can potentially break the dependence of this desalination process on conventional energy sources (oil, coal, electricity from national grid), reduce operational costs, and improve environmental sustainability. In this paper, a methodology for the optimal sizing and performance evaluation of a stand-alone PV system to power an RO desalination unit is presented. This unit covers the water needs of inhabitants of a small isolated village called Mrair-Gabis, near the Ajdabiya city in north-eastern Libya. A photovoltaic-reverse osmosis (PV-RO) system offers good possibilities for satisfying this need. Due to the many technical problems with batteries, as well as their high cost, the system studied in this paper will not consider the use of batteries; the viability of a batterryless system is facilitated by the high solar radiation at the selected site, and long daily average insolation duration. From the water consumption records it was noticed that during some days in summer the water produced by the RO unit does not meet the water demand; on the other hand, during some days of the month there will be an excess of water production. The above considerations led to the design of a freshwater tank, to cover the potable water needs for people in cases of the desalination unit breaking down, either due to technical problems or on the cloudy days. The purpose of the water tank is therefore to store excess water when production exceeds supply. Simulations were carried out using MATLAB Software to size and assess the performance of a stand-alone PV system. The computer program can be applied to any site with different weather conditions

The Positive Role of Curcumin-Loaded Salmon Nanoliposomes on the Culture of Primary Cortical Neurons

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a natural bioactive compound with many health-promoting benefits. However, its poor water solubility and bioavailability has limited curcumin’s biomedical application. In the present study, we encapsulated curcumin into liposomes, formed from natural sources (salmon lecithin), and characterized its encapsulation efficiency and release profile. The proposed natural carriers increased the solubility and the bioavailability of curcumin. In addition, various physico-chemical properties of the developed soft nanocarriers with and without curcumin were studied. Nanoliposome-encapsulated curcumin increased the viability and network formation in the culture of primary cortical neurons and decreased the rate of apoptosis