Associated production of a Z boson and a b-jet in ATLAS

The current uncertainty on the parametrization of the partonic content of the proton (PDF's) affects the potential for the discovery of new physics at LHC. The study of Z boson production in association with a b-jet can considerably reduce such uncertainty. In addition, this process represents a background both to the search for the Higgs boson and for SUSY particles. We present an update, based on the full simulation data sample produced for the Rome Physics Workshop, of a preliminary study in the case where the Z boson decays in mu+ mu-.Comment: 16 page

Theoretical aspects of the H → WW → lνlν analysis at the LHC

Associated uncertainties on the Higgs boson production cross section and decays rates in twoW’s with dilepton final state and their effects on the discovery potential of the Higgs boson will be discussed

Spatial organization of public services: models and applications

Location decisions are crucial in the spatial organization in both public and private sectors as they can have a long term impact on operational performances and on service levels. Social cost minimization, universality of services and equity, expressed in terms of users' accessibility, are the main objectives in public services contexts. Nevertheless, the enduring trend of public expenditures revision poses, also in the public sectors, the need to pursue objectives of economic efficiency. In the literature, two families of optimization problems are typically used to address these problems, namely Facility Location Problems (FLPs) and Districting Problems (DPs). The aim of this thesis is to show how FLPs and DPs can be used to underpin spatial organization processes of public services, providing analytical models able to assist the decision making. To this end, novel mathematical models are developed with application to the healthcare and postal service sectors. In particular, a hierarchical facility location model is formulated to reorganize an existing regional Blood Management System (BMS) while an integrated location-districting model is proposed for the organization of postal collection operations in urban areas. A constructive heuristic procedure is also devised to solve the latter problem. Extensive computational experiments are realized to validate the proposed models and to show their capability to provide insightful managerial implications. Finally, the thesis aims at filling another existing gap in the literature due to the absence of stochastic models for DPs. Hence, a two-stage stochastic program for districting is introduced and tested on real georgaphic data. Several extensions of the proposed modeling framework are also discussed

Over the Line: Ethical Issues in the Media Coverage of the Bernie Fine Scandal

On Nov. 17, 2011, sports media conglomerate ESPN aired a story in which Bobby Davis and Mike Lang, stepbrothers and former ball boys for the Syracuse University men’s basketball program, accused Bernie Fine, then an assistant coach for the Syracuse men’s basketball team, of sexually abusing them as children. As the story developed, the reporting methods used by ESPN and The Post-Standard, the daily newspaper in Syracuse, were put into question. This report looks at what these news organizations did in their investigative reporting of the allegations against Fine and analyzes whether or not it was morally acceptable. To do this, the report considers the accepted ethics of journalism to use as a lens through which these events can be examined, as well as articles and interviews, including those about the investigation and those looking at the reporting that went behind it. It concludes that while both ESPN and The Post-Standard were correct in not publishing the allegations when they were first received in the early 2000s, these media outlets did not act as ethically as expected at various points throughout their investigations

An Assessment of New Jersey Trout Production Systems : a Movement Towards Sustainability

New Jersey supports reproducing populations of three lotic salmonids. Only Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are native and until approximately 100 years ago, were found in abundance throughout the northern part of the state. Presently, native populations have been documented in 115 streams or stream sections and declines are thought to be in response to anthropogenically originated environmental stressors. To evaluate the deterioration extent and assess numbers of breeding non-native Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) and Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), comparisons are made between sets of historical (1968-1977) and modern (2001-2010) young-of-the-year presence/absence and abundance data and several geologic and land use/land cover characteristics hypothesized to influence species’ occurrence. The range of reproducing Brown Trout populations have expanded, while groups of Rainbow and Brook Trout, as well as the overall amount of non-trout water have all decreased slightly. Results show that land use and land cover catchment value thresholds exist at \u3c 12% agriculture, \u3c 22% barren and urban, \u3e 64% wetland and forest, and \u3c 4-6% impervious cover to allow for natural Brook Trout reproduction. Values for Brown Trout reproduction include \u3c 14% agriculture, \u3c 27% barren and urban, \u3e 58% wetland and forest, and \u3c 5-7% impervious cover. Additionally, a previously undocumented Brook Trout metapopulation has been discovered with abundance estimates suggesting that a flourishing, reproductive and viable population is being maintained. Also, observed movement between connected waters allows for gene flow and overall isolation may permit the existence of one of New Jersey’s remaining relict Brook Trout groups. Conservation of the once endemic native species has become a regional priority and a review of current lotic salmonid management strategies has identified some practices that may undermine protection efforts. Suggestions to reverse declines and bolster unique populations include: 1) establishing a ‘Wild Native’ angling regulation, 2) creating stricter land use directives to support more natural flows, 3) curtailing or cessation of domestic salmonid stocking at larger catchment levels, 4) developing hatchery operation expansion to include indigenous origin fish, 5) removal of non-native fish from favorable standing within the State’s Wildlife Action Plan, and 6) obtaining new or reallocating current funds to support more research

Numerical simulation of hydrogen production by chemical looping reforming in a dual interconnected fluidized bed reactor

Although exploitation of dual interconnected fluidized bed systems (DIFB) is currently being explored in various fields (1,2), DIFBs present some criticalities, mainly related to effective control of solids recirculation and to avoidance of gas leakage between the beds, extremely critical in chemical looping reforming (CLR) for hydrogen production. For the latter, the choice of the degree of oxygen carrier oxidation/reduction, operation temperature and loop design makes the design even more challenging. This paper aims at quantitative assessment of the influence of design variables by means of the numerical simulation of a DIFB-CLR process operated at steady state. The model couples a simple hydrodynamic simulation of a DIFB system equipped with non-mechanical valves for bed solids circulation with a 1D, dynamic and non-isothermal CLR model developed to determine temperature and oxidation degree of solids and gaseous species concentrations at the exit of both air and fuel reactors. The DIFB (Fig. 1), consisting of a riser and of a bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) as air and fuel reactors respectively, was modelled as a combination of interconnected blocks (riser, cyclone, downcomers, L-valve, BFB, loop-seal) after selection of constitutive equations. Methane and Nickel(II) oxide were selected as fuel and oxygen carrier. Results corresponding to steady operation are presented and the effects on the expected process performance of operating conditions are assessed. It is concluded that an appropriate choice of both operating temperature and oxidation/reduction degree of oxygen carrier is an essential prerequisite in order to achieve auto-thermal regimes while assuring process feasibility and good performances in terms of CH4 conversion and H2 selectivity. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Play in Juvenile African Naked Mole-Rats (Hereocephalus Glauber)

Naked Mole Rats (NMR) and their close relative the Damaraland Mole Rat are the only eusocial mammals. This study investigated whether NMR juveniles engage in play-like behavior within a crèche chamber in a laboratory colony and whether the frequent interruption of juvenile social interactions by adults suppress social play. One colony at the College of Staten Island, CUNY, was observed over the course of six months. An ethogram based on the NMR literature was used to code juvenile behavior in the crèche chamber one to two times a week for a total of thirty video sessions ~ 25-40 minutes in duration. The observations were separated into ten sessions divided into early, middle and late periods for the analysis of change over time. Juveniles exhibited bunching, standing in the same area as another juvenile, with and without play which tended to increase across the three periods when adults were absent, and both bunching and play decreased when adults were present. The results did not support the hypothesis that adult interruptions intentionally targeted or suppressed play. Instead, juveniles became increasingly less active in the presence of adults. Play in a mammal that lacks the functional repertories that usually benefit from play, (strengthening social bonds between mother-infant and age-mates and practice for subsequent mating) —support the claim that play in this group appeared to be motivated by basic drives to self-stimulate and satisfy fundamental appetites

Modelling of sorption-enhanced steam methane reforming in a fixed bed reactor network integrated with fuel cell

In this study sorption-enhanced steam methane reforming (SE-SMR) in fixed beds is investigated by means of 1D numerical modelling, and the model is validated with the data reported in the literature. Isothermal conditions (973 K) are considered, and the equilibrium between the carbonation and calcination stages is shifted by a pressure swing: 3.5 · 106 Pa and 1013 Pa, respectively. The results showed that under these operating conditions at least 8 reactors in parallel are required to continuously produce a high-purity stream of H2, and a separated stream of concentrated CO2. The average H2 purity is 0.92, whilst the average H2 yield and selectivity are 2.9 molH2 molCH4−1 and 90%, respectively. A thermodynamic analysis was performed, which highlighted that, by using a portion of the produced H2 (about 0.4 molH2 molCH4−1), it is possible to fully cover heat and power demands of the process, making it completely energy self-sufficient. In the case when the proposed SE-SMR is integrated with a solid oxide fuel cell, net power generation at the scale of ∼950 kWel can be achieved with a net efficiency of the entire system of 51%, with the important feature that CO2 is concentrated