Performance of the CLEO III LiF-TEA Ring Imaging Cherenkov Detector in a High Energy Muon Beam

The CLEO III Ring Imaging Cherenkov detector uses LiF radiators to generate Cherenkov photons which are then detected by proportional wire chambers using a mixture of CH$_4$ and TEA gases. The first two photon detector modules which were constructed, were taken to Fermilab and tested in a beam dump that provided high momentum muons. We report on results using both plane and sawtooth shaped radiators. Specifically, we discuss the number of photoelectrons observed per ring and the angular resolution. The particle separation ability is shown to be sufficient for the physics of CLEO III

Pedal towards Safety: The Development and Evaluation of a Risk Index for Cyclists †

Cyclists are at a higher risk of being involved in accidents. To this end, a safer environment for cyclists should be pursued so that they can feel safe while riding their bicycles. Focusing on safety risks that cyclists may face is the main key to preserving safe mobility, reducing accidents, and improving their level of safety during their travel. Identifying and assessing risk factors, as well as informing cyclists about them may lead to an efficient and integrated transportation system. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to introduce a risk index that can be adapted to different road areas in order to measure the degree of how risky these areas are for biking. Cyclists’ behavior and demographics were integrated into the risk index calculation. The methodology followed to obtain the risk index composed of four phases: risk factor identification, risk factor weighting, risk index formulation, and risk index validation. Nineteen risk factors are categorized into four major groups: facility features, infrastructure features, cyclist behavior, and weather and traffic conditions

Design, Synthesis and Acute Anti-Inflammatory Evaluation of New Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Agents Having 4-Thiazolidinone Pharmacophore

Naproxen suffers from general side effects of NSAIDs, owing to the presence of free carboxylic group. The study was aimed to retard the adverse effects of gastrointestinal origin. New series of 4-thiozolidinones derivatives of naproxen were synthesized Va-f. The structures of synthesized compounds have been established on the basis of their spectral FT-IR and 1H NMR data. In vivo acute anti-inflammatory effects of the synthesized compounds were evaluated in rats using egg-white induced edema model of inflammation. The tested compounds and the reference drug produced significant reduction of paw edema with respect to the effect of propylene glycol 50%v/v (control group). Compounds Va-e exhibited potent anti-inflammatory effect than naproxen (50mg/kg, i.p.) at 180-240 min., while compound Vf exhibited lower anti-inflammatory effect. Keywords: Naproxen, 4-Thiazolidinone, Anti-inflammatory activity

A comparison of fracture strength among different brands of translucent zirconia crown restorations

Objectives: As the development of translucent zirconia crown using CAD/CAM technology, the usage of full zirconia crown is gradually increased. The purpose of this study was to investigate the highest fracture strength of translucent zirconia full zirconia crowns among different brands of translucent zirconia. Methods: Maxillary 1stpremolar resin teeth were prepared the total circumferential axial reduction was about (1 mm), and axial taper of 6°. Three brands of translucent zirconia (Whitepeaks, Imes-icor and Dentaldirect) that was used in three groups, every group contain five full zirconia crowns using CAD/CAM system (CAD/CAM system 250i, Imes-icor, Germany). The samples seated on the resin die using. All specimens were tested with a universal testing machine. Single load-to-fracture was applied on the lingual aspect of the facial cusp at a rate of 1mm/min. The specimens were thoroughly evaluated for bulk fracture with fractography. Results: Statistically high significant difference (p < 0.00) was found between the groups. The fracture strength of the groups varied Whitepeaks crowns was (2737.5 ± 106) N, which was significantly higher than the two overall mean fracture strength measured for the Imes-icor crowns (3620 ± 40) N and Dental direct crowns (3830 ± 130) N, the Dental direct highest fracture strength than other groups. Conclusions. The fracture strength of Dental direct crowns is considerably higher than that of Whitepeaks crown, The fracture strength of all the groups made of monolithic high translucent Y-TZP is exceeded human maximum bite force, sufficient for clinical use for the majority of patients.

Drought trend analysis in a semi-arid area of Iraq based on Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Water Index and Standardized Precipitation Index

Drought was a severe recurring phenomenon in Iraq over the past two decades due to climate change despite the fact that Iraq has been one of the most water-rich countries in the Middle East in the past. The Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR) is located in the north of Iraq, which has also suffered from extreme drought. In this study, the drought severity status in Sulaimaniyah Province, one of four provinces of the IKR, was investigated for the years from 1998 to 2017. Thus, Landsat time series dataset, including 40 images, were downloaded and used in this study. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) were utilized as spectral-based drought indices and the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) was employed as a meteorological-based drought index, to assess the drought severity and analyse the changes of vegetative cover and water bodies. The study area experienced precipitation deficiency and severe drought in 1999, 2000, 2008, 2009, and 2012. Study findings also revealed a drop in the vegetative cover by 33.3% in the year 2000. Furthermore, the most significant shrinkage in water bodies was observed in the Lake Darbandikhan (LDK), which lost 40.5% of its total surface area in 2009. The statistical analyses revealed that precipitation was significantly positively correlated with the SPI and the surface area of the LDK (correlation coefficients of 0.92 and 0.72, respectively). The relationship between SPI and NDVI-based vegetation cover was positive but not significant. Low precipitation did not always correspond to vegetative drought; the delay of the effect of precipitation on NDVI was one year

Carbon dioxide adsorption and interaction with formation fluids of Jordanian unconventional reservoirs

Shales are mostly unexploited energy resources. However, the extraction and production of their hydrocarbons require innovative methods. Applications involving carbon dioxide in shales could combine its potential use in oil recovery with its storage in view of its impact on global climate. The success of these approaches highly depends on various mechanisms taking place in the rock pores simultaneously. In this work, properties governing these mechanisms are presented at technically relevant conditions. The pendant and sessile drop methods are utilized to measure interfacial tension and wettability, respectively. The gravimetric method is used to quantify CO2 adsorption capacity of shale and gas adsorption kinetics is evaluated to determine diffusion coefficients. It is found that interfacial properties are strongly affected by the operating pressure. The oil-CO2 interfacial tension shows a decrease from approx. 21 mN/m at 0.1 MPa to around 3 mN/m at 20 MPa. A similar trend is observed in brine-CO2 systems. The diffusion coefficient is observed to slightly increase with pressure at supercritical conditions. Finally, the contact angle is found to be directly related to the gas adsorption at the rock surface: Up to 3.8 wt% of CO2 is adsorbed on the shale surface at 20 MPa and 60 °C where a maximum in contact angle is also found. To the best of the author’s knowledge, the affinity of calcite-rich surfaces toward CO2 adsorption is linked experimentally to the wetting behavior for the first time. The results are discussed in terms of CO2 storage scenarios occurring optimally at 20 MPa

Sonochemical/hydration-dehydration synthesis of Pt-TiO2 NPs/decorated carbon nanotubes with enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production activity

Modified Pt-TiO2 NPs/decorated carbon nanotubes were synthesized utilizing sonochemical/hydration-dehydration techniques. Pt was loaded on TiO2 by a photodeposition method keeping in mind the end goal to achieve electron-hole pair separation and promote the surface reaction. The morphological and basic properties of Pt-TiO2/fCNTs were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectroscopy. The selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns of Pt-TiO2/fCNTs were obtained utilizing TEM-based energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) analysis. It was found that the TiO2 nanoparticles were uniformly distributed on the fCNTs, and the Pt particles were decorated on the surface of TiO2/fCNTs. The photocatalytic hydrogen production activity of the Pt(0.5%)-TiO2/fCNTs(0.5%) nanoparticle composites was investigated using a sacrificial agent methanol solution. Pt-loaded TiO2 demonstrated a hydrogen evolution rate around 20 times that of TiO2/fCNTs(0.5%) (fSWCNTs, fMWCNTs). When compared with platinized TiO2 in methanol, which was utilized as a control material, Pt-TiO2/fCNTs demonstrated an almost 2-fold increment in hydrogen generation

Yeast: a potential biomass substrate for the production of cleaner energy (Biogas)

Yeast cell wall and its entire contents disruption treatments are required in the enhancement of protein and the overall biodegradability of the cell wall materials during homogenization process. Yeast as a cheap, good resource and easily available source of energy from biomass into biogas, it was used as a substrate for the cleaner energy production due to its richly and high level content of protein contained in it. An initial study on the effects of high-pressure homogenizer mechanical pretreatment has been conducted in sequence as generated by the design matrix of the design of experiment (DOE) focusing on protein yields from bakers’ yeast also known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in order to achieve the maximum yield of protein which in other words aid biogas production, the following optimum process parameters were set in. The yeast block was refrigerated at between 0 – 4 °C with fermentation at (0 – 24 h), a pH value of (5.3) maximum was used in the preparation of the buffer solution C. This was obtained through diluting solution B into A until the pH was attained (details as shown in the materials and methods section). Number of cycles (passes) of the soluble yeast were undergone to enable the yeast cell walls be broken down for the release of more protein and at temperature range (15 – 25 °C). The pressure for the compressed state during homogenization was set between (30 – 90 MPa). The results presented therefore showed the rates of protein released from the disruption through using the Design Expert Software V.8 in identifying the ideal conditions as set in the parameters

LOS INTERESES DE SARKOZY Y LAS TRIBULACIONES DE LA POLÍTICA FRANCESA HACIA LIBIA

The French foreign policy process that accompanied the birth of the Fifth Republic and the collapse of the colonial system was inspired by the idea of greatness (grandeur de La France). National pride in the exercise of foreign policy, operated for many years as a counterweight to the decline of its international position as a power. However, from De Gaulle to Chirac, French policy was able to get some achievements based on a design that combined the national interest with the idea of grandeur. Although some scholars argue that “the foreign policy of no other Western state is driven by such narcissism” (Muravchick, 2007), other studies focus on the particularities of the French political system and the concept of monochromatic presidential government (Elgie & Griggs, 2000), a system of government in which the president decides the contents of the policy and is responsible for their successes and failures. For the Mediterranean region, the policy of the governments of the Fifth Republic acted on broadly similar principles until Nicolas Sarkozy came to power. Therefore, this paper focuses on the changes that occurred in the French position towards the Mediterranean region during the presidential term of Sarkozy and stresses the president’s unequivocal responsibility. Furthermore, the article emphasizes the direct engagement of France during the events in Libya in 2011 as the result of a personal interest rather than a foreign policy design