Fermion Masses and Mixings in a Minimal SO(10)X A_4 SUSY GUT

A SUSY SO(10) $\times A_4$ GUT model is constructed for fermion masses and mixing by introducing a minimal set of low dimensional Higgs representations needed to break the guage symmetry down to $SU(3)_c \times U(1)_{em}$. The hierarchy of fermion masses can be understood in the framework of $A_4$ symmetry. From the $A_4$-invariant superpotential, the "double lopsided" mass matrices for the charged leptons and the down quarks are obtained. It is shown that this structure leads to bi-large neutrino mixings simultaneously with small CKM mixing angles. An excellent fit to the masses and mixings of the quarks and leptons as well as to CP violation parameter is obtained. Moreover, the model predicts the neutrino mixing angle $\sin\theta_{13}\approx 0.15$.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figure

Finite element analysis of steel beams with web apertures under fire condiction

This work is intended to analyse the behaviour steel beams with apertures under high temperatures rise due to fire using finite elements simulations with ANSYS software. It includes a structural fire analysis and a comparative study of cellular and castellated steel beams which takes into account transient temperature effect, material and geometric non-linear behaviour. FE models which estimate limiting time, mid-span deflection and failure temperature are presented for hexagonal and circular types of web opening shapes under several uniform load levels. The study shows that for any beam with closely spaced openings failure in fire will in most cases be caused by failure of the steel web. The numbers of web-openings and cells as well as their shapes are critical for the behaviour of castellated sections and cellular beams under fire condition.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Clonal Composition of Human Adrenocortical Neoplasms

The mechanisms of tumorigenesis of adrenocortical neoplasms are still not understood. Tumor formation may be the result of spontaneous transformation of adrenocortical cells by somatic mutations. Another factor stimulating adrenocortical cell growth and potentially associated with formation of adrenal adenomas and, less frequently, carcinomas is the chronic elevation of proopiomelanocortin-derived peptides in diseases like ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. To further investigate the pathogenesis of adrenocortical neoplasms, we studied the clonal composition of such tumors using X-chromosome inactivation analysis of the highly polymorphic region Xcen-Xp11.4 with the hybridization probe M27ß, which maps to a variable number of tandem repeats on the X-chromsome. In addition, polymerase chain reaction amplification of a phosphoglycerokinase gene polymorphism was performed. After DNA extraction from tumorous adrenal tissue and normal leukocytes in parallel, the active X-chromosome of each sample was digested with the methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme HpaII. A second digestion with an appropriate restriction enzyme revealed the polymorphism of the region Xcen-Xp11.4 and the phosphoglycerokinase locus. Whereas in normal polyclonal tissue both the paternal and maternal alleles are detected, a monoclonal tumor shows only one of the parental alleles. A total of 21 female patients with adrenal lesions were analyzed; 17 turned out to be heterozygous for at least one of the loci. Our results were as follows: diffuse (n = 4) and nodular (n = 1) adrenal hyperplasia in patients with ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome, polyclonal pattern; adrenocortical adenomas (n = 8), monoclonal (n = 7), as well as polyclonal (n = 1); adrenal carcinomas (n = 3), monoclonal pattern. One metastasis of an adrenocortical carcinoma showed a pattern most likely due to tumor-associated loss of methylation. In the special case of a patient with bilateral ACTH-independent macronodular hyperplasia, diffuse hyperplastic areas and a small nodule showed a polyclonal pattern, whereas a large nodule was monoclonal. We conclude that most adrenal adenomas and carcinomas are monoclonal, whereas diffuse and nodular adrenal hyperplasias are polyclonal. The clonal composition of ACTH-independent massive macronodular hyperplasia seems to be heterogeneous, consisting of polyclonal and monoclonal areas

Finite element analysis of steel beams with web apertures under fire condiction

This work is intended to analyse the behaviour steel beams with apertures under high temperatures rise due to fire using finite elements simulations with ANSYS software. It includes a structural fire analysis and a comparative study of cellular and castellated steel beams which takes into account transient temperature effect, material and geometric non-linear behaviour. FE models which estimate limiting time, mid-span deflection and failure temperature are presented for hexagonal and circular types of web opening shapes under several uniform load levels. The study shows that for any beam with closely spaced openings failure in fire will in most cases be caused by failure of the steel web. The numbers of web-openings and cells as well as their shapes are critical for the behaviour of castellated sections and cellular beams under fire condition.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effect of different saline Levels and Irrigation Regimes on agronomic parameters of potatoes crop under the semi-arid environment of Tunisia

In Tunisia, the scarcity of water for irrigation allows the use of low water quality. Deficit irrigation has shown successful results with a large number of crops in various countries. Field experiments, were carried out in Central TunIsia (10.5632°W; 35.9191°N; 19 m a.s.l) on a potatoes crop planted in a sandy loam soil, during the growing season 2015, from January 21 (plantation of tubers) to May 21 (harvesting). Objective of the work, was to assess four different irrigation management on the agronomic parameters of potatoes crop and Water use efficient. The experimental field were laid out in a randomized complete block design consisting of two different irrigation levels and two water qualities. Each plot received the same plant management and was irrigated by a subsurface drip irrigation system (SDI). The first plot irrigated with water characterized by electrical conductivity of 1.0 dS/ m T1 with 100% ET0, T2 with 50% ET0, the second plot was irrigated with water with a water of 4dS/m and was compound by T3 with 100% ET0 and T4 with 50% ET0. This study was aimed to investigate on the effect of salt stress or water stress and the combination salt water stress on some agronomics parameters of potatoes. Statistical analysis evidenced that the degree of salinity has a highly significant positive effect on the plant’s growth, leaf area, tuber yield and volume efficiency, and water use efficiency

Artificial Intelligence and Health in Nepal

The growth in information technology and computer capacity has opened up opportunities to deal with much and much larger data sets than even a decade ago. There has been a technological revolution of big data and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Perhaps many readers would immediately think about robotic surgery or self-driving cars, but there is much more to AI. This Short Communication starts with an overview of the key terms, including AI, machine learning, deep learning and Big Data. This Short Communication highlights so developments of AI in health that could benefit a low-income country like Nepal and stresses the need for Nepal’s health and education systems to track such developments and apply them locally. Moreover, Nepal needs to start growing its own AI expertise to help develop national or South Asian solutions. This would require investing in local resources such as access to computer power/ capacity as well as training young Nepali to work in AI

One-sided Cauchy-Stieltjes Kernel Families

This paper continues the study of a kernel family which uses the Cauchy-Stieltjes kernel in place of the celebrated exponential kernel of the exponential families theory. We extend the theory to cover generating measures with support that is unbounded on one side. We illustrate the need for such an extension by showing that cubic pseudo-variance functions correspond to free-infinitely divisible laws without the first moment. We also determine the domain of means, advancing the understanding of Cauchy-Stieltjes kernel families also for compactly supported generating measures

An Adaptive Protection Scheme Based on a Modified Heap-Based Optimizer for Distance and Directional Overcurrent Relays Coordination in Distribution Systems

This paper proposes an adaptive protection scheme (APS) based on the original heap-based optimization (HBO) and a modified HBO (MHBO). APS is used to solve protection relays coordination problems that include directional overcurrent relays (DOCRs) as well as the distance relay’s second zone times. The complexity of the coordination problem increases with the impact of distributed generators (DGs) switching (ON/OFF). Topological changes in grid configuration frequently occur in distributing networks, equipped with DGs, causing changes in the values and direction of short circuit currents. This issue becomes a challenge for protection systems to avoid relays miscoordination and save a network’s reliability. In the proposed MHBO, the Original HBO is modified by three points, population are divided into subgroups, then they are unified into one group gradually, those subgroups are exchanging some search agents between themselves, these search agents are called travelling agents, and the last one is about, upgrading an internal equation in the original algorithm. For validating the proposed relays coordination, the IEEE 8-bus test system, and the IEEE 14-bus distribution network are selected as case studies. The obtained simulated results of the proposed algorithm show better performance compared with those obtained by the previous algorithms. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Funding: This work was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Jouf University under grant No (DSR-2021-02-0306)

EFFECT OF PRUNNING PATTERN AND SOIL MULCHING ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF KEITT MANGO IN NEW RECLAIMED LANDS

The present study was carried out during 2014 and 2015 seasons on adult Kitt Mango Trees to evaluate 4 levels of pruning  pattern (removing one-third, one-half, all branch or without pruning) and 4 types of soil mulching (white plastic, black plastic, rice straw or without soil mulching) on vegetative growth, leaf mineral content ,flowering and yield.   Average shoot length, shoot thickness and average number of shoot / tree of Kitt mangos greatly affected with both pruning pattern and soil mulching, especially with removing of one-third of branch and covering soil with white plastic sheet. However leaf N, P and K contents were improved with both one-third and one-half pruning of branches of Kitt mango trees where both white and black plastic of mulch soil were similar in their effect on leaf NPK content. There were an evident increase in fruit set %, total yield (kg/tree) and marketable yield % with one-third and one-half pruning of branch and also with white and black plastic of soil mulching. The increase of marketable yield% due to these treatments could be attributed to the increase of vegetative canopy of leaves which led to prevent sun burn of fruits and to minimize heat solar effect from the soil and protect the fruits in lower parts of the trees. Fruit chemical constituents including TSS%, acidity and L-ascorbic acid slightly affected with different treatments but one-third and one-half prunning of branch as well as with white and black plastic of soil mulch could be recommended as a good horticulture treatments in Kitt mango orchard