Effect of batch-to-batch variation of spray dried lactose on the performance of feeders

With the emergence of quality by design (QbD), it becomes imperative to gain understanding of the impact of batch-to-batch variability of raw materials on the performance of processes. Feeding is the first unit of operation in a continuous manufacturing line and is critical for the final product quality. The performance of feeders defines the content of components that are fed into the system and therefore the composition that ends up in the formulation. In this paper, it is investigated how and to what extent variability of lactose can impact the feeding performance in different feeder set-ups. Spray dried lactose SuperTab 11SD was selected as a material, as it is one of the most widely used filler-binders for direct compression of tablets and can make up to 70% of the tablet content. For the first time, over 200 batches were evaluated regarding the impact of batch-to-batch variability upon feeding performance in volumetric mode. Results show that for an optimized feeder set-up with 22 mm double concave screws rotating at 342 rpm, the batch-to-batch variation was negligible compared to the natural feeding variability. However, for a stretched feeder set-up with 11 mm double concave screws rotating at 514 rpm, variability in material properties introduces additional variation in the obtained feed factor. Excipient variability and feeding set-up are therefore two factors to be considered when optimizing feeding consistency

Brave Dreams: An overestimated study, crippled by recruitment failure and misleading conclusions

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Topological Defects in the Random-Field XY Model and the Pinned Vortex Lattice to Vortex Glass Transition in Type-II Superconductors

As a simplified model of randomly pinned vortex lattices or charge-density waves, we study the random-field XY model on square ($d=2$) and simple cubic ($d=3$) lattices. We verify in Monte Carlo simulations, that the average spacing between topological defects (vortices) diverges more strongly than the Imry-Ma pinning length as the random field strength, $H$, is reduced. We suggest that for $d=3$ the simulation data are consistent with a topological phase transition at a nonzero critical field, $H_c$, to a pinned phase that is defect-free at large length-scales. We also discuss the connection between the possible existence of this phase transition in the random-field XY model and the magnetic field driven transition from pinned vortex lattice to vortex glass in weakly disordered type-II superconductors.Comment: LATEX file; 5 Postscript figures are available from [email protected]

Positive effects of tree diversity on tropical forest restoration in a field-scale experiment

Acknowledgments We thank all SEARPP research assistants and other collaborators for the help in establishing and maintaining the Sabah Biodiversity Experiment. We acknowledge assistance and support from SEARRP, Sabah Forestry Department, and the Leverhulme Trust—the Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery (A.H). Sabah Biodiversity Experiment data collection and maintenance was supported by Agencia Estatal de Investigación de España. This is Sabah Biodiversity Experiment publication 25. Funding: This work was supported by Natural Environment Research Council grants NE/S007474/1 (R.V.), NE/K016253/1 (A.H., S.B., D.F.R.P.B., and G.R.), and NE/X000281/1 (A.H. and D.F.R.P.B.); Comunidad de Madrid Atracción de Talento Modalidad I Fellowship 2018-T1/AMB-11095 (MJO); Agencia Estatal de Investigación de España (Ramon y Cajal, RYC2021-032049-I) (MJO); University of Zurich Research Priority Program on Global Change and Biodiversity (B.S.); and National Natural Science Foundation of China grant 42101407 (J.W.).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Quantum magnetism in two dimensions: From semi-classical N\'eel order to magnetic disorder

This is a review of ground-state features of the s=1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet on two-dimensional lattices. A central issue is the interplay of lattice topology (e.g. coordination number, non-equivalent nearest-neighbor bonds, geometric frustration) and quantum fluctuations and their impact on possible long-range order. This article presents a unified summary of all 11 two-dimensional uniform Archimedean lattices which include e.g. the square, triangular and kagome lattice. We find that the ground state of the spin-1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet is likely to be semi-classically ordered in most cases. However, the interplay of geometric frustration and quantum fluctuations gives rise to a quantum paramagnetic ground state without semi-classical long-range order on two lattices which are precisely those among the 11 uniform Archimedean lattices with a highly degenerate ground state in the classical limit. The first one is the famous kagome lattice where many low-lying singlet excitations are known to arise in the spin gap. The second lattice is called star lattice and has a clear gap to all excitations. Modification of certain bonds leads to quantum phase transitions which are also discussed briefly. Furthermore, we discuss the magnetization process of the Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the 11 Archimedean lattices, focusing on anomalies like plateaus and a magnetization jump just below the saturation field. As an illustration we discuss the two-dimensional Shastry-Sutherland model which is used to describe SrCu2(BO3)2.Comment: This is now the complete 72-page preprint version of the 2004 review article. This version corrects two further typographic errors (three total with respect to the published version), see page 2 for detail

Search for Higgs bosons decaying to tautau pairs in ppbar collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV

We present a search for the production of neutral Higgs bosons decaying into tautau pairs in ppbar collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb-1, were collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We set upper limits at the 95% C.L. on the product of production cross section and branching ratio for a scalar resonance decaying into tautau pairs, and we then interpret these limits as limits on the production of Higgs bosons in the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) and as constraints in the MSSM parameter space.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PL

Measurement of the photon+b+b-jet production differential cross section in ppˉp\bar{p} collisions at \sqrt{s}=1.96~\TeV

We present measurements of the differential cross section dsigma/dpT_gamma for the inclusive production of a photon in association with a b-quark jet for photons with rapidities |y_gamma|< 1.0 and 30<pT_gamma <300 GeV, as well as for photons with 1.5<|y_gamma|< 2.5 and 30< pT_gamma <200 GeV, where pT_gamma is the photon transverse momentum. The b-quark jets are required to have pT>15 GeV and rapidity |y_jet| < 1.5. The results are based on data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 8.7 fb^-1, recorded with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron $p\bar{p}$ Collider at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV. The measured cross sections are compared with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations using different sets of parton distribution functions as well as to predictions based on the kT-factorization QCD approach, and those from the Sherpa and Pythia Monte Carlo event generators.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, submitted to Phys. Lett.

Limits on anomalous trilinear gauge boson couplings from WW, WZ and Wgamma production in pp-bar collisions at sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV

We present final searches of the anomalous gammaWW and ZWW trilinear gauge boson couplings from WW and WZ production using lepton plus dijet final states and a combination with results from Wgamma, WW, and WZ production with leptonic final states. The analyzed data correspond to up to 8.6/fb of integrated luminosity collected by the D0 detector in pp-bar collisions at sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV. We set the most stringent limits at a hadron collider to date assuming two different relations between the anomalous coupling parameters Delta\kappa_\gamma, lambda, and Delta g_1^Z for a cutoff energy scale Lambda=2 TeV. The combined 68% C.L. limits are -0.057<Delta\kappa_\gamma<0.154, -0.015<lambda<0.028, and -0.008<Delta g_1^Z<0.054 for the LEP parameterization, and -0.007<Delta\kappa<0.081 and -0.017<lambda<0.028 for the equal couplings parameterization. We also present the most stringent limits of the W boson magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moments.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PL

Measurement of three-jet differential cross sections d sigma-3jet / d M-3jet in p anti-p collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV

We present the first measurement of the inclusive three-jet differential cross section as a function of the invariant mass of the three jets with the largest transverse momenta in an event in p anti-p collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV. The measurement is made in different rapidity regions and for different jet transverse momentum requirements and is based on a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.7 fb^{-1} collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The results are used to test the three-jet matrix elements in perturbative QCD calculations at next-to-leading order in the strong coupling constant. The data allow discrimination between parametrizations of the parton distribution functions of the proton.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables, submitted to Phys. Lett. B, corrected chi2 values for NNPD

Search for pair production of the scalar top quark in muon+tau final states

We present a search for the pair production of scalar top quarks ($\tilde{t}_{1}$), the lightest supersymmetric partners of the top quarks, in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV, using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of {7.3 $fb^{-1}$} collected with the \dzero experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. Each scalar top quark is assumed to decay into a $b$ quark, a charged lepton, and a scalar neutrino ($\tilde{\nu}$). We investigate final states arising from $\tilde{t}_{1} \bar{\tilde{t}_{1}} \rightarrow b\bar{b}\mu\tau \tilde{\nu} \tilde{\nu}$ and $\tilde{t}_{1} \bar{\tilde{t}_{1}} \rightarrow b\bar{b}\tau\tau \tilde{\nu} \tilde{\nu}$. With no significant excess of events observed above the background expected from the standard model, we set exclusion limits on this production process in the ($m_{\tilde{t}_{1}}$,$m_{\tilde{\nu}}$) plane.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Lett.