Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

A phenomenological approach to the prediction of material behaviours during co-sintering

This work deals with the sintering of multi-material composites. It aims at the establishment of an alternative to the existing complex models for sintering. The development of the associated experimental procedure is also included in this work. The developed material model must be able to predict (i) the sintering kinetics and (ii) the viscous moduli of a material. An experimental approach with free sintering and hot-forging measurements is favoured in this work. The prediction of the sintering kinetics is addressed with the construction of a map of sintering kinetics data: the Master Sintering Diagram (MSD). The MSD is based on a generalized equation for solid-state diffusion, thus is suitable for any thermal activated diffusion. The MSD allows the prediction of sintering kinetics for a large range of temperatures and external loads. A novel approach to the determination of the viscous moduli is developed in this work: the cyclic unloading method. It is a hot-forging measurement (sintering under uniaxial compression) where the applied load is released for short periods. The measurements are carried out with continuous heating, so that the viscous moduli are determined over large ranges of temperatures and densities. The advantage of this method is the measurement of the viscous moduli in anisotropic microstructures. The material model is validated in two steps. Firstly, the predictions of sintering kinetics with the MSD are compared with experimental results: changes of thermal profile and changes of load are predicted with a maximum deviation of 10%. Secondly, the experimentally determined viscous moduli are used for the prediction of a bi-layer curvature using models for warpage from literature. The prediction is qualitatively good for a maximum deviation of 27%. The study of a sintering glass-ceramic tape on a rigid substrate is presented. It shows that this co-sintering problem can be qualitatively investigated with requirement of the material model. The formation of anisotropy intrinsic to the hot-forging experiments is also reported in this work. It appears to be a important point to address in the future for a better understanding of the cosintering.Die vorliegende Arbeit behandelt das Thema Kosintern. Ziel ist, die bisher verwendeten komplexen Sintermodelle durch ein einfacheres Verfahren zu ersetzen. Zusätzlich wird ein Messverfahren entwickelt, um die zur Beschreibung des Kosinterns erforderlichen Messdaten zu erhalten. Der experimentelle Ansatz beinhaltet Sinterungen ohne Last sowie mit einachsiger Belastung. Das Verfahren ermöglicht die Vorhersage (i) der Sinterkinetik und (ii) der viskosen Moduli. Um den Sinterpfad von Grünkörpern vorhersagen zu können, wird ein Kennfeld verwendet: das Master Sintering Diagram (MSD). Das MSD wird durch eine allgemeine Gleichung für das Festphasensintern definiert und lässt sich damit für alle thermisch aktivierten Diffusionsmechanismen anwenden. Die Vorhersage gilt für breite Bereiche von Temperaturen und äußeren Lasten. Eine neuartige Messmethode für die Erfassung der viskosen Moduli wird in der Arbeit entwickelt: das cyclic unloading dilatometry. Sie besteht in Hot-forging Versuchen mit konstanter Last, bei denen die sinterenden Proben regelmäßig für kurz Zeit entlastet werden. Die Versuche werden mit konstanter Aufheizrampe durchgeführt, so dass die viskose Moduli für breite Bereiche von Temperaturen und Dichten erfasst werden. Ein Vorteil dieser Messmethode ist es, die viskosen Eigenschaften von anisotropen Materialien messen zu können. Das Vorhersageverfahren wird in zwei Schritten geprüft. Erstens werden Vorhersagen vom MSD mit experimentellen Daten verglichen: die maximale Abweichung bei Änderung der Temperaturrampe und der ¨außeren Last liegt bei 10%. Zweitens werden die viskose Moduli aus dem MSD zur Vorhersage der Krümmung eines Zweischicht-Systems verwendet. Dazu wird ein in der Literatur beschriebenes Modell verwendet. Die qualitative Vorhersage ist gut: die maximale Abweichung zur experimentellen Krümmung liegt bei 27%. Zusätzlich wird eine Studie über ein Zweischicht-System aus Glas und Keramik vorgestellt, bei dem die Keramik nicht sintert. Es wird gezeigt, dass dieser Fall ohne Hilfe des Sintermodells qualitativ verstanden werden kann. Die Entwicklung der Anisotropie in der Mikrostruktur der keramischen Grünkörper durch die anisotrope Last beim Sintern wird diskutiert. Das volle Verständnis der anisotropen Mikrostrukturentwicklung beim Sintern unter anisotropen Randbedingungen erfordert weitere Arbeiten

Comptes nationaux et comptabilité publique

I. Introduction Les chiffres portant sur le déficit budgétaire réalisé ou sur la situation de la dette publique, cités par la presse, ne proviennent généralement pas des administrations publiques elles-mêmes, mais bien de l’Institut des comptes nationaux (ICN). Cet institut, relativement peu connu du grand public, a pour mission d’établir une série de statistiques, d’analyses et de prévisions très variées pour la Belgique, parmi lesquelles différentes statistiques et des informations compléme..

Etude de la participation et de la communication verbale dans des classes d’enfants handicapés de l’ouïe et de la vue

L'enseignement à l'enfant exceptionnel, souffrant de handicaps divers constitue un domaine de l'éducation où la relation pédagogique prend une dimension particulièreement importante. Il est généralement admis que la relation éducative vécue au sein de classes de handicapés présente des caractéristiques qui la différencient des situations habituelles. ..

Drug utilization review of oral forms of benzodiazepines in a Belgian 635-bed teaching hospital

A retrospective study based on 4,307 drug patient records was designed to establish a chart of the consumption of benzodiazepines administered orally in a 635-bed teaching hospital, and to determine the influence of patient-related parameters (age, sex) and hospital-related parameters (type of services, prescription habits, etc.) on benzodiazepine Utilization. Another objective was to evaluate to which extent benzodiazepine consumption can be induced by hospitalization. A minor but statistically significant difference (p <0.05) was observed between the proportion of male (42.7%) and female (46.5%) users. Besides, when evaluating the consumption in number of defined daily doses per 100 beddays, there was little difference between the consumption of male (51.2 defined daily doses per 100 beddays) and female (52.8 defined daily doses per 100 beddays) patients. A significant influence of age was also observed with an increase of benzodiazepine use for patients aged from 15-20 to 40-45, followed by a progressive decrease for higher ages. With hypnotics, no peak of consumption related to age was observed but an increase of consumption from age 15-20 to 30-35. For higher ages the consumption of hypnotics was nearly stable or rising slowly. High variations in benzodiazepine utilization were recorded between hospital wards (median: 50.77 defined daily doses per 100 beddays, range 0.23-263.9). Finally, it was found that 6.8% of patients with a benzodiazepine treatment initiated during hospitalization may be considered as potential benzodiazepine consumers after discharge. © 1994 Royal Dutch Association for Advancement of Pharmacy

Change in ATP-binding cassette B1/19, glutamine synthetase and alcohol dehydrogenase gene expression during root elongation in Betula pendula Roth and Alnus glutinosa L. Gaertn in response to leachate and leonardite humic substances

peer reviewedHumic substances (HS) are complex and heterogeneous compounds of humified organic matter resulting from the chemical and microbiological decomposition of organic residues. HS have a positive effect on plant growth and development by improving soil structure and fertility. They have long been recognized as plant growth-promoting substances, particularly with regard to influencing nutrient uptake, root growth and architecture. The biochemical and molecular mechanisms through which HS influence plant physiology are not well understood. This study evaluated the bioactivity of landfill leachate and leonardite HS on alder (Alnus glutinosa L. Gaertn) and birch (Betula pendula Roth) during root elongation in vitro. Changes in root development were studied in relation to auxin, carbon and nitrogen metabolisms, as well as to the stress adaptive response. The cDNA fragments of putative genes encoding two ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters (ABCB1 and ABCB19) belonging to the B subfamily of plant ABC auxin transporters were cloned and sequenced. Molecular data indicate that HS and their humic acid (HA) fractions induce root growth by influencing polar auxin transport (PAT), as illustrated by the modulation of the ABCB transporter transcript levels (ABCB1 and ABCB19). There were also changes in alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and glutamine synthetase (GS) gene transcript levels in response to HS exposure. These findings confirmed that humic matter affects plant growth and development through various metabolic pathways, including hormonal, carbon and nitrogen metabolisms and stress response or signalization

M2 Monocyte Polarization in Dialyzed Patients Is Associated with Increased Levels of M-CSF and Myeloperoxidase-Associated Oxidative Stress: Preliminary Results.

Cardiovascular diseases represent a major issue in terms of morbidity and mortality for dialysis patients. This morbidity is due to the accelerated atherosclerosis observed in these patients. Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by key players such as monocytes, macrophages, or oxidized LDLs. Monocytes-macrophages are classified into subsets of polarized cells, with M1 and M2 macrophages considered, respectively, as pro- and anti-inflammatory. (1) Methods: The monocyte subsets and phenotypes were analyzed by flow cytometry. These data were completed by the quantification of plasma M-CSF, IL-8, CRP, Mox-LDLs, Apo-B, Apo-AI, chloro-tyrosine, and homocitrulline concentrations. The statistical differences and associations between two continuous variables were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman's correlation coefficient, respectively. (2) Results: Hemodialyzed patients showed a significant increase in their concentrations of CRP, M-CSF, and IL-8 (inflammation biomarkers), as well as chloro-tyrosine and homocitrulline (myeloperoxidase-associated oxidative stress biomarkers). Moreover, we observed a higher percentage of M2 monocytes in the plasma of hemodialysis patients as compared to the controls. (3) Conclusions: Our data suggest that oxidative stress and an inflammatory environment, which is amplified in hemodialysis patients, seems to favor an increase in the concentration of circulating M-CSF, therefore leading to an increase in M2 polarization among circulating monocytes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe