Aggregation of SiC-X Grains in Supernova Ejecta

We present a model for the formation of silicon carbide aggregates within the expanding and cooling supernova remnant. Many SiC-X grains have been found to be aggregates of smaller crystals which are isotopically homogenous. The initial condensation of SiC in the ejecta occurs within a interior dense shell of material which is created by a reverse shock which rebounds from the core-envelope interface. A subsequent reverse shock accelerates the grains forward, but the gas drag from the ejecta on the rapidly moving particles limits their travel distance. By observing the effects of gas drag on the travel distance of grains, we propose that supernova grain aggregates form from material that condensed in a highly localized region, which satisfies the observational evidence of isotopic homogeneity in SiC-X grains.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, To be published in the Astrophysical Journa

Is Glyceryl Trinitrate an Effective Treatment for Reducing Visibility of Anal Fissures in Patients Without Heart Disease Compared to Placebo?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic review is to determine whether or not topical glyceryl trinitrate is an effective treatment for reducing visibility of anal fissures in patients without heart disease compared to placebo. STUDY DESIGN: Evidence based review of three randomized controlled trials published in 1999, 2001, and 2007. DATA SOURCES: Three randomized controlled trials each evaluating the effectiveness of topical glyceryl trinitrate in the treatment of anal fissure, published in the English language, and containing exclusion criteria disqualifying participants with a history of heart disease. OUTCOMES MEASURED: Healing was measured via visibility of fissure through examination and structured patient interview. The outcomes were measured by medical professionals, blinded consultants, or medical investigative interviewers. RESULTS: Average healing rate is 71% for the GTN group and 43% for placebo/lignocaine group. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the combined evidence this systematic review finds that topical glyceryl trinitrate is an effective treatment for reducing visibility of anal fissures in patients without heart disease compared to placebo

A Search For Warm-Hot Intergalactic Matter in the Local Sheet of Galaxies

30-40% of all baryons in the Universe are thought to reside in the warm-hot intergalactic medium (WHIM) at temperatures in the range of 10^5-10^7 K. If the oxygen abundance is comparable to expectations, then OVI absorption from the WHIM associated with the Local Sheet of galaxies should have been detected in background sources observed by the Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE). FUSE spectra of targets spanning the entire sky have been examined to distinguish the WHIM in the Sheet from other sources. These observations suggest that the Sun is offset from the plane of the Local Sheet WHIM, defining a theoretical framework against which the data was compared. By looking for a correlation of the OVI absorption equivalent widths with latitude and comparing the results to hydrodynamical simulations, strong constraints have been placed on the properties of the WHIM. With a hydrogen number density equal to that predicted by the simulations, the upper limit to the oxygen abundance for the WHIM in the Local Sheet must be 0.05 ± 0.01 Z⊙. If instead a metallicity of 0.1 Z⊙ is adopted for the WHIM, the upper limit to the hydrogen number density must be 0.64 ± 0.02 times that predicted by the simulations

Le concept réfracté de la souveraineté et les États offshore

Si on reconnaît le souverain par sa faculté à trancher de façon décisive dans les situations historiques exceptionnelles, force est d’admettre aujourd’hui que ce souverain ne procède pas toujours selon les dispositions des États de droit. Sont également souverains, et rivalisent avec les « démocraties », quand ils n’en sont pas ses complices, les tenants d’une souveraineté offshore. La moitié du stock mondial d’argent transite par les paradis judiciaires et fiscaux, ports francs ou zones franches où financiers, avocats, gestionnaires brassent des sommes d’argent inouïes au carrefour de la gestion d’activités industrielles, financières, mafieuses et criminogènes. Là, la finance la moins imputable est en effet souveraine. Avec ses propres entités « offshore », dont certaines font partie de l’Union des 25 (le Luxembourg, Chypre et Malte), l’Europe incarne par moment ce problème majeur. Entre les États, les tricheurs, les criminels et le peuple, le concept de « souveraineté » se trouve hors foyer.If we recognize the sovereign by its ability to emphatically decide in historically exceptional circumstances, then we must today admit that the sovereign doesn’t always take his decisions in accordance with the rule of law. The holders of offshore sovereignty are also sovereign and rival “democracies”, when they are not their accomplices. One half of global financial resources transit through fiscal or legal paradises, free ports or free zones where financiers, lawyers and managers move unheard of sums of money at the intersection of the management of industrial, financial, mafia and criminal activities. There, the least identifiable finance is in effect sovereign. With its own “offshore” entities, of which certain are a part of the Union of 25 (Luxemburg, Cyprus, and Malta), Europe incarnates this major problem. Between states, cheaters, criminals and the people, the concept of “sovereignty” finds itself displaced.Wenn der Souverän an seiner Fähigkeit zu erkennen ist, in historischen Ausnahmesituationen über zentrale Fragen zu entscheiden, dann muss heute eingeräumt werden, dass dieser Souverän nicht immer gemäß rechtsstaatlichen Prinzipien verfährt. Die Statthalter einer „Offshore“-Souveränität sind gleichfalls souverän und rivalisieren mit den „Demokratien“, wenn die einen nicht sowieso Komplizen der anderen sind. Die Hälfte der globalen Geldströme wird über „Steuerparadiese“, Freihandelszonen und Freihäfen bewegt, wo Finanzjongleure, Rechtsanwälte und Vermögensverwalter am Kreuzungspunkt von industriellen und Finanzmarktaktivitäten einerseits sowie mafiösen und kriminellen Machenschaften andererseits unerhörte Geldmengen umwälzen. An diesen Plätzen ist dasjenige Kapital souverän, das sich der Besteuerung am effektivsten entziehen kann. Durch die Existenz von „Offshore“-Zonen, von denen einige sogar zur Europäischen Union gehören (Luxembourg, Zypern und Malta), innerhalb seiner eigenen Grenzen verkörpert Europa in gewisser Weise dieses gravierende Problem. Zwischen Staaten, Betrügern, Kriminellen und der Bevölkerung findet sich der Begriff der „Souveränität“ gleichsam ausgeschlossen

Aerosol-Jet-Assisted Thin-Film Growth of CH3NH3PbI3 Perovskites—A Means to Achieve High Quality, Defect-Free Films for Efficient Solar Cells

AbstractA high level of automation is desirable to facilitate the lab‐to‐fab process transfer of the emerging perovskite‐based solar technology. Here, an automated aerosol‐jet printing technique is introduced for precisely controlling the thin‐film perovskite growth in a planar heterojunction p–i–n solar cell device structure. The roles of some of the user defined parameters from a computer‐aided design file are studied for the reproducible fabrication of pure CH3NH3PbI3 thin films under near ambient conditions. Preliminary power conversion efficiencies up to 15.4% are achieved when such films are incorporated in a poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate‐perovskite‐phenyl‐C71‐butyric acid methyl ester type device format. It is further shown that the deposition of atomized materials in the form of a gaseous mist helps to form a highly uniform and PbI2 residue‐free CH3NH3PbI3 film and offers advantages over the conventional two‐step solution approach by avoiding the detrimental solid–liquid interface induced perovskite crystallization. Ultimately, by integrating full 3D motion control, the fabrication of perovskite layers directly on a 3D curved surface becomes possible. This work suggests that 3D automation with aerosol‐jet printing, once fully optimized, could form a universal platform for the lab‐to‐fab process transfer of solution‐based perovskite photovoltaics and steer development of new design strategies for numerous embedded structural power applications

The Future Impacts of Autonomous Aid on Disaster Relief Efforts

Natural disasters and other catastrophes have significantly increased in recent years (Oishi & Komiya, 2017). Currently, resources available to succor in response to cataclysms are limited. Humans save lives, while ultimately risking their own. In order to bypass this risk, autonomous robot programming is essential. Research and advocacy regarding autonomous aid in the scientific community has yet to be fully addressed (Oishi & Komiya, 2017). Because of this, first responders, firefighters, and policemen are perpetually endangered. Furthermore, technological contributions would also eliminate human error, promote productivity, and stimulate collaboration on matters unable to be solved autonomously. A robot prototype, designed to retrieve 6x6х6 inch cubes, was programmed to a controller, but also operated autonomously. Despite the controller being beneficial for specific functions, autonomous programming proved to be advantageous when used applicably. While the initial task was direct, the knowledge acquired from the project possesses the potential to enhance future ventures seeking to aid disaster relief

Les fonctions des comportements autodestructeurs et l'organisation de la personnalité

Les comportements autodestructeurs (CAD) représentent une des problématiques psychologiques les plus difficiles et longues à traiter (Perry et al., 2009; Rayner & Warner, 2003), en plus de comporter un risque important de tentatives de suicide pour les individus concernés (Douglas et al., 2004; Joiner, Ribeiro, & Silva, 2012). Alors que de nombreuses études ont établi des liens entre le trouble de personnalité limite et ces comportements (p. ex., Cerutti, Manca, Presaghi, & Gratz, 2011), peu ont porté sur les implications de l’organisation de la personnalité selon un modèle psychodynamique sur les CAD, notamment celui de Kernberg (1984). Aussi, au-delà des prévalences de ces comportements et des facteurs de risque y étant associés, il apparaît pertinent de se pencher sur les fonctions des CAD afin de développer une meilleure compréhension du processus menant un individu à commettre ce genre d’acte (Nock & Prinstein, 2004). L’objectif de la présente étude est de mieux comprendre les liens entre les CAD, la personnalité selon le modèle de Kernberg et les fonctions de différents types de CAD. Environ 300 participants ont complété des questionnaires couvrant les thèmes à l’étude. Des analyses factorielles et des analyses en composantes principales ont été effectuées pour valider la structure de certains questionnaires. Des analyses de régression multiple permettent d’explorer quels éléments sont liés aux différents types de CAD à partir du niveau d’organisation de la personnalité et des fonctions de ces CAD. Les résultats suggèrent que les CAD ayant un niveau de gravité plus faible sont davantage expliqués par des fonctions intrapersonnelles et par des enjeux au niveau des mécanismes de défense, ce qu’il est possible d’associer à une personnalité névrotique. En contrepartie, les CAD de gravité plus élevée semblent liés à des fonctions de nature interpersonnelles ainsi qu’à des enjeux au niveau de l’intégration de l’identité et de l’épreuve de la réalité, ce qui peut suggérer des organisations limites et psychotiques. Les implications théoriques et cliniques de ces résultats sont discutées

Régulation du gène "steroidogenic acute regulatory protein" par le cholestérol dans l'ovaire porcin

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal