Exploring isospin, strangeness and charm distillation in heavy ion collisions

The isospin and strangeness dimensions of the Equation of State are explored. RIA and the SIS200 accelerator at GSI will allow to explore these regions in compressed baryonic matter. 132 Sn + 132 Sn and 100 Sn + 100 Sn collisions as well as the excitation functions of K/pi, Lambda/pi and the centrality dependence of charmonium suppression from the UrQMD and HSD transport models are presented and compared to data. Unambiguous proof for the creation of a 'novel phase of matter' from strangeness and charm yields is not in sight

Der Einsatz archivierter Daten in der Lehre der historischen Sozialforschung

In dem Beitrag wird der Einsatz archivierter Daten in Lehrpaketen der empirischen und historischen Sozialforschung als ein Instrument der Lehrmethode betrachtet. Diskutiert werden vor allem die Anforderungen, die die Lehrbedürfnisse der historischen Sozialforschung und die Spezifika historischer Daten an Lehrpakete stellen. Der Einsatz von archivierten Daten des Zentrums für Sozialforschung in den Methodenseminaren des Zentrums werden beschrieben. Aus den so gewonnenen Erfahrungen werden die Anforderungen an Lehrpakete entwickelt: (1) Das Thema des Lehrpakets sollte von einem breiten Interesse sein. (2) Die einbezogene Quelle soll möglichst exemplarisch für die historische Sozialforschung sein. (KW)'Archived machine-readable data are increasingly used for teaching purposes in historical social research. Requirements for using machine-readable historical data are discussed, especially those for using them in historical teaching packages. Existing teaching packages in sociology and political science are reviewed. Differences between the various survey data-based teaching packages (sociology, political science) are outlined and their consequences for the design of teaching packages within historical social research are delineated. Archived machine-readable historical data have already been used in data based introductionary courses into the methods of historical social research. The experiences made by the Center for Historical Social Research in its introductionary courses are reported. Finally, general requirements for the construction of data based historical teaching packages are outlined.' (author's abstract

The Effect of Deltamethrin-Treated Net Fencing Around Cattle Enclosures on Outdoor-biting Mosquitoes in Kumasi, Ghana.

Classic vector control strategies target mosquitoes indoors as the main transmitters of malaria are indoor-biting and -resting mosquitoes. However, the intensive use of insecticide-treated bed-nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying have put selective pressure on mosquitoes to adapt in order to obtain human blood meals. Thus, early-evening and outdoor vector activity is becoming an increasing concern. This study assessed the effect of a deltamethrin-treated net (100 mg/m(2)) attached to a one-meter high fence around outdoor cattle enclosures on the number of mosquitoes landing on humans. Mosquitoes were collected from four cattle enclosures: Pen A - with cattle and no net; B - with cattle and protected by an untreated net; C - with cattle and protected by a deltamethrin-treated net; D - no cattle and no net. A total of 3217 culicines and 1017 anophelines were collected, of which 388 were Anopheles gambiae and 629 An. ziemanni. In the absence of cattle nearly 3 times more An. gambiae (p<0.0001) landed on humans. The deltamethrin-treated net significantly reduced (nearly three-fold, p<0.0001) culicine landings inside enclosures. The sporozoite rate of the zoophilic An. ziemanni, known to be a secondary malaria vector, was as high as that of the most competent vector An. gambiae; raising the potential of zoophilic species as secondary malaria vectors. After deployment of the ITNs a deltamethrin persistence of 9 months was observed despite exposure to African weather conditions. The outdoor use of ITNs resulted in a significant reduction of host-seeking culicines inside enclosures. Further studies investigating the effectiveness and spatial repellence of ITNs around other outdoor sites, such as bars and cooking areas, as well as their direct effect on vector-borne disease transmission are needed to evaluate its potential as an appropriate outdoor vector control tool for rural Africa

Applicability of Different Bio-based Polymers for Wiring Boards

The paper gives a review of experiments for the application of biodegradable, sustainable polymers as a wiring board material. In the paper two different biobased materials and the standard PCB materials FR4 and FR2 were compared. The investigations refer to mechanical, electrical performance, surface quality the flammability and applicability for Polymer Thick Film Technology (PTFT) of the biobased material. The biobased materials are polylactic acid (PLA) mixed with different contents of cellulose acetate (CA) or flame retardant zinc pyrophosphate (ZnPP) and polyurethane (PU) with CA. The results show that the addition of CA to the polymers leads to a change of different properties for PLA and to a significant change in mechanical properties for PU. The use of ZnPP in PLA shows major improvements regarding the flammability of the polymer. The properties of the samples are in the same order of magnitude as the properties of FR2

On the relevance of polyynyl-substituted PAHs to astrophysics

We report on the absorption spectra of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules anthracene, phenanthrene, and pyrene carrying either an ethynyl (-C2H) or a butadiynyl (-C4H) group. Measurements were carried out in the mid infrared at room temperature on grains embedded in CsI pellets and in the near ultraviolet at cryogenic temperature on molecules isolated in Ne matrices. The infrared measurements show that interstellar populations of polyynyl-substituted PAHs would give rise to collective features in the same way non-substituted PAHs give rise to the aromatic infrared bands. The main features characteristic of the substituted molecules correspond to the acetylenic CH stretching mode near 3.05 mum and to the almost isoenergetic acetylenic CCH in- and out-of-plane bending modes near 15.9 mum. Sub-populations defined by the length of the polyynyl side group cause collective features which correspond to the various acetylenic CC stretching modes. The ultraviolet spectra reveal that the addition of an ethynyl group to a non-substituted PAH molecule results in all its electronic transitions being redshifted. Due to fast internal energy conversion, the bands at shorter wavelengths are significantly broadened. Those at longer wavelengths are only barely affected in this respect. As a consequence, their relative peak absorption increases. The substitution with the longer butadiynyl chain causes the same effects with a larger magnitude, resulting in the spectra to show a prominent if not dominating pi-pi* transition at long wavelength. After discussing the relevance of polyynyl-substituted PAHs to astrophysics, we conclude that this class of highly conjugated, unsaturated molecules are valid candidates for the carriers of the diffuse interstellar bands.Comment: 29 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ 2 April 201

Assessment of a newly designed double-barreled bullet-shooting stunner for adequate stunning of water buffaloes

To ensure animal welfare at slaughter, rapid stunning is required to render the animal deeply unconscious. In cattle, captive-bolt stunners are typically used for this purpose. However, with regard to their impact force and maximum length of approximately 120 mm, such captive-bolt stunners are not suitable for stunning water buffaloes due to anatomical characteristics of the skull. In water buffaloes the bone layer is thicker and the distance from the point of attachment of the captive-bolt stunner to the relevant brain region is longer. For this reason, a special bullet-shooting stunner was developed, which is similar in size and handling to a standard captive-bolt stunner, but instead of a bolt, it fires a bullet. Actually, even two bullets can be loaded so that a follow-up shot can be fired immediately if necessary. In this study, the bullet-shooting stunner was tested using two different types of hunting ammunition for stunning water buffaloes during regular slaughter

BigBovid- Evaluation of a Newly Developed 9 mm Bullet-Shooting Stunner for Adequate Stunning of Heavy Cattle

The stunning of heavy cattle and water buffalo is an animal welfare problem, as conventional cartridge fired captive-bolt stunners are not suitable due to the thicker skull bones and the greater depth of penetration required to reach and damage the relevant brain regions for deep unconsciousness. This current animal welfare problem requires a suitable and feasible as well as commercially available and legally approved stunning device to ensure deep unconsciousness of these animals. In this study, the use of a newly developed bullet-shooting stunner, the BigBovid, with two different types of hunting ammunition, namely .38 SPL FMJ-TC and .357 MAG FTX ® bullets, was evaluated on 22 heavy cattle (mean weight: 1062.27 kg, standard deviation: 124.09 kg). In ballistic experiments, the BigBovid reached a mean energy density of 8.18 J/mm2 (mean error: 0.45 J/mm2) for the .38 SPL FMJ-TC and 17.56 J/mm2 (mean error: 2.67 J/mm2) for the .357 MAG FTX ®. In in vivo experiments, the use of the .38 SPL FMJ-TC resulted in overpenetration three times. The .357 MAG FTX ® bullets showed to be more advantageous, because on the one hand no overpenetration occurred and on the other hand the bullets fragmented into small parts after penetration into the skull. The fragments were scattered in the brain tissue, such as the thalamus and the brain stem, and thus there is a high probability to damage the brain regions relevant for deep unconsciousness. Based on the results of this study, the use of the BigBovid in combination with the .357 MAG FTX ® bullet is found to be suitable for stunning heavy cattle. Keywords: animal welfare; concussion; desensitization; heavy bulls; slaughterin

On the Personalization of Personal Networks - Service Provision Based on User Profiles

In this paper, we present a user profile definition scheme featuring context awareness. Though the scheme has been designed to meet the needs of web applications deployed over heterogeneous devices, emphasis is given in the deployment of the profile scheme over Personal Networks (PNs), as the personalization of the deployed applications and services in PN environments is of great importance. The proposed scheme is presented as part of an integrated framework for user profile management that takes into account (and is therefore compliant to) the existing standardization attempts. The overall architecture and description of the profile management framework, taking into account security issues inside Personal Networks, is presented. The paper concludes by showcasing how user profiles have been incorporated in a selected pilot service of the EU IST research project MAGNET Beyond