Branching ratios of Bc Meson Decaying to Pseudoscalar and Axial-Vector Mesons

We study Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) favored weak decays of Bc mesons in the Isgur-Scora-Grinstein-Wise (ISGW) quark model. We present a detailed analysis of the Bc meson decaying to a pseudoscalar meson (P) and an axial-vector meson (A). We also give the form factors involving transition in the ISGW II framework and consequently, predict the branching ratios of decays.Comment: 19 pages,7 table

Stochastic free vibration analysis of RC buildings

Background/Objectives: Free vibration response of RC structures is random in nature due to the uncertainties exist in geometry, material properties and loading. Stochastic analysis methods can represent this randomness in responses. Methods: The Monte Carlo Simulation is a widely accepted method for stochastic structural analysis but the computational effort and cost associated with it is a limitation and hence in the present study, it is used as a method for the comparison and verification of the results obtained by other metamodel based approaches such as the response surface method. The number of analysis samples required depends on the type of approach adopted. Findings: Three different design of experiments approaches, Central Composite Design, Box Behnken Design and Full Factorial Design, where used in response surface modelling. The present study is an evaluation of these metamodel based approaches. The natural frequencies obtained by these methods of analysis were comparable with the results from Monte Carlo Simulation. However, the latter required one million analyses, making it computationally cumbersome. The Central Composite Design proved to be the most efficient method as it yielded the most accurate results even though the number of runs were marginally more than the 62 required for Box Behnken Design. Improvements: These response surface based metamodel approaches can be further applied to nonlinear stochastic analysis of structures where the cost and effort of analysis is significantly highe

Calcretes in the Thar desert: genesis, chronology and palaeoenvironment

The calcretes in the Thar desert occur in a variety of settings, including the piedmonts, sheetwash aggraded plains; and this study adds calcretes in regolith and colluvio-alluvial plains to the group of settings in which calcretes occur in the region. Field logs, morphological details and analytical data such as petrographic, cathodoluminescence and geochemical characteristics are described along with a discussion on their implications. Sand dunes and sandy plains dating to <20 ka have weakly developed calcretes. The better-developed calcrete horizons occur in piedmonts, interdunes or in areas that have sufficient groundwater. Deep sections in the region show phases of calcrete development in aeolian sand aggradation at ~150, ~100, ~60 and 27-14 ka. The extensive sheetwash plains have mature calcretes and date to mid-Pleistocene. Our studies indicate that these calcretes represent a hybrid process, where carbonate enrichment of the originally calcareous host occurred due to periodically raised groundwaters, and its differentiation into nodules occurred under subaerial environment i.e., after recession of groundwater. Deep sections also show a stack of discrete calcretes that developed in individual aggradation episodes with hiatuses as indicated by ESR dating results. Nodules display a multiplicity of carbonate precipi tation events and internal reorganization of calcitic groundmass. The process is accompanied by degradation and transformation of unstable minerals, particularly clays and with a neosynthesis of palygorskite. The ancient calcretes are dated from the beginning of the Quaternary to ~600 ka and show more evolved morphologies marked by brecciation, dissolution, laminar growth on brecciated surfaces, pisolites and several generations of re-cementation. Mica/chlorite schists and such other rocks are particularly vulnerable to replacement by carbonate. In an extreme case, replacement of quartzose sandstone was observed also. The presence of stretches of alluvio-colluvial plains in an area presently devoid of drainage bespeaks of occasional high-energy fluvial regime, under a semi-arid climate. The mid-Pleistocene period saw a shift towards more arid climate and this facilitated sheetwash aggradation. Finally, during the late Pleistocene, aggradation of aeolian sands indicated a progressively drier climate. However, this does not find its reflection in stable isotope data. The amount of carbonate in the form of calcretes is substantial. The present studies indicate that aeolian dust or rainwater are minor contributors to the carbonate budget. A more important source was provided by the pre-existing calcretes in the sheetwash aggraded plains and detrital carbonate in the aeolian sediments. The original source of carbonate in the region, however, remains unresolved and will need further investigations. Electron spin resonance protocols for the dating of calcretes were developed as a part of this study and the results accorded well with geological reasoning

NLO QCD Corrections to BcB_c-to-Charmonium Form Factors

The $B_c(^1S_0)$ meson to S-wave Charmonia transition form factors are calculated in next-to-leading order(NLO) accuracy of Quantum Chromodynamics(QCD). Our results indicate that the higher order corrections to these form factors are remarkable, and hence are important to the phenomenological study of the corresponding processes. For the convenience of comparison and use, the relevant expressions in asymptotic form at the limit of $m_c\rightarrow0$ for the radiative corrections are presented

Exclusive Semileptonic Decays of Bc Meson

We present a detailed analysis of exclusive semileptonic decays of Bc meson involving pseudoscalar and vector mesons in the BSW framework, by investigating the effects of the flavor dependence on the average transverse quark momentum inside a meson. Branching ratios of exclusive semileptonic decays of Bc meson are predicted.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figure

Homogeneous Bubble Nucleation driven by local hot spots: a Molecular Dynamics Study

We report a Molecular Dynamics study of homogenous bubble nucleation in a Lennard-Jones fluid. The rate of bubble nucleation is estimated using forward-flux sampling (FFS). We find that cavitation starts with compact bubbles rather than with ramified structures as had been suggested by Shen and Debenedetti (J. Chem. Phys. 111:3581, 1999). Our estimate of the bubble-nucleation rate is higher than predicted on the basis of Classical Nucleation Theory (CNT). Our simulations show that local temperature fluctuations correlate strongly with subsequent bubble formation - this mechanism is not taken into account in CNT

Consultancy-Based Projects

This chapter will:; ; ; Show how consultancy work can inform business discourse teaching;; ; ; Discuss how needs analysis and communication audits can be used to generate recommendations for teaching and training;; ; ; Profile a number of consultancy-based business discourse projects and show how they have informed training and course development;; ; ; Provide a case study, together with a set of tasks appropriate for the business discourse classroom, and a set of further readings

An informatics supported web-based data annotation and query tool to expedite translational research for head and neck malignancies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Head and Neck Cancer neoplasm virtual biorepository is a bioinformatics-supported system to incorporate data from various clinical, pathological, and molecular systems into a single architecture based on a set of common data elements (CDEs) that provides semantic and syntactic interoperability of data sets.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The various components of this annotation tool include the Development of Common Data Elements (CDEs) that are derived from College of American Pathologists (CAP) Checklist and North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACR) standards. The Data Entry Tool is a portable and flexible Oracle-based data entry device, which is an easily mastered web-based tool. The Data Query Tool helps investigators and researchers to search de-identified information within the warehouse/resource through a "point and click" interface, thus enabling only the selected data elements to be essentially copied into a data mart using a multi dimensional model from the warehouse's relational structure.</p> <p>The SPORE Head and Neck Neoplasm Database contains multimodal datasets that are accessible to investigators via an easy to use query tool. The database currently holds 6553 cases and 10607 tumor accessions. Among these, there are 965 metastatic, 4227 primary, 1369 recurrent, and 483 new primary cases. The data disclosure is strictly regulated by user's authorization.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The SPORE Head and Neck Neoplasm Virtual Biorepository is a robust translational biomedical informatics tool that can facilitate basic science, clinical, and translational research. The Data Query Tool acts as a central source providing a mechanism for researchers to efficiently find clinically annotated datasets and biospecimens that are relevant to their research areas. The tool protects patient privacy by revealing only de-identified data in accordance with regulations and approvals of the IRB and scientific review committee.</p

SCDAP/RELAP5 independent peer review

The SCDAP/RELAP5 code has been developed for best-estimate transient simulation of light-water-reactor coolant systems during severe accidents. The newest version of the code is SCDAP/RELAP5/MOD3. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) decided that there was a need for a broad technical review of the code by recognized experts to determine overall technical adequacy, even though the code is still under development. For this purpose, an eight-member SCDAP/RELAP5 Peer Review Committee was organized, and the outcome of the review should help the NRC prioritize future code-development activity. Because the code is designed to be mechanistic, the Committee used a higher standard for technical adequacy than was employed in the peer review of the parametric MELCOR code. The Committee completed its review of the SCDAP/RELAP5 code, and the findings are documented in this report. Based on these findings, recommendations in five areas are provided: (1) phenomenological models, (2) code-design objectives, (3) code-targeted applications, (4) other findings, and (5) additional recommendations

Properties of Light Flavour Baryons in Hypercentral quark model

The light flavour baryons are studied within the quark model using the hyper central description of the three-body system. The confinement potential is assumed as hypercentral coulomb plus power potential ($hCPP_\nu$) with power index $\nu$. The masses and magnetic moments of light flavour baryons are computed for different power index, $\nu$ starting from 0.5 to 1.5. The predicted masses and magnetic moments are found to attain a saturated value with respect to variation in $\nu$ beyond the power index $\nu>$ 1.0. Further we computed transition magnetic moments and radiative decay width of light flavour baryons. The results are in good agreement with known experimental as well as other theoretical models.Comment: Accepted in Pramana J. of Physic