Swift Pointing and Gravitational-Wave Bursts from Gamma-Ray Burst Events

The currently accepted model for gamma-ray burst phenomena involves the violent formation of a rapidly rotating solar-mass black hole. Gravitational waves should be associated with the black-hole formation, and their detection would permit this model to be tested. Even upper limits on the gravitational-wave strength associated with gamma-ray bursts could constrain the gamma-ray burst model. This requires joint observations of gamma-ray burst events with gravitational and gamma-ray detectors. Here we examine how the quality of an upper limit on the gravitational-wave strength associated with gamma-ray bursts depends on the relative orientation of the gamma-ray-burst and gravitational-wave detectors, and apply our results to the particular case of the Swift Burst-Alert Telescope (BAT) and the LIGO gravitational-wave detectors. A result of this investigation is a science-based ``figure of merit'' that can be used, together with other mission constraints, to optimize the pointing of the Swift telescope for the detection of gravitational waves associated with gamma-ray bursts.Comment: iop style, 1 figure, 6 pages, presented at GWDAW 200

Swift Pointing and the Association Between Gamma-Ray Bursts and Gravitational-Wave Bursts

The currently accepted model for gamma-ray burst phenomena involves the violent formation of a rapidly rotating solar mass black hole. Gravitational waves should be associated with the black-hole formation, and their detection would permit this model to be tested, the black hole progenitor (e.g., coalescing binary or collapsing stellar core) identified, and the origin of the gamma rays (within the expanding relativistic fireball or at the point of impact on the interstellar medium) located. Even upper limits on the gravitational-wave strength associated with gamma-ray bursts could constrain the gamma-ray burst model. To do any of these requires joint observations of gamma-ray burst events with gravitational and gamma-ray detectors. Here we examine how the quality of an upper limit on the gravitational-wave strength associated with gamma-ray burst observations depends on the relative orientation of the gamma-ray-burst and gravitational-wave detectors, and apply our results to the particular case of the Swift Burst-Alert Telescope (BAT) and the LIGO gravitational-wave detectors. A result of this investigation is a science-based ``figure of merit'' that can be used, together with other mission constraints, to optimize the pointing of the Swift telescope for the detection of gravitational waves associated with gamma-ray bursts.Comment: aastex, 14 pages, 2 figure

Improved Stack-Slide Searches for Gravitational-Wave Pulsars

We formulate and optimize a computational search strategy for detecting gravitational waves from isolated, previously-unknown neutron stars (that is, neutron stars with unknown sky positions, spin frequencies, and spin-down parameters). It is well known that fully coherent searches over the relevant parameter-space volumes are not computationally feasible, and so more computationally efficient methods are called for. The first step in this direction was taken by Brady & Creighton (2000), who proposed and optimized a two-stage, stack-slide search algorithm. We generalize and otherwise improve upon the Brady-Creighton scheme in several ways. Like Brady & Creighton, we consider a stack-slide scheme, but here with an arbitrary number of semi-coherent stages and with a coherent follow-up stage at the end. We find that searches with three semi-coherent stages are significantly more efficient than two-stage searches (requiring about 2-5 times less computational power for the same sensitivity) and are only slightly less efficient than searches with four or more stages. We calculate the signal-to-noise ratio required for detection, as a function of computing power and neutron star spin-down-age, using our optimized searches.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures, RevTeX

Assessment of the knowledge and attitudes of preliminary school students toward smoking in Baghdad

Background: Early smoking considered as a major challenge for health promoters, as well it is socially not acceptable, thus interventions must tackle childhood starts of smoking. Aim: Assessing the knowledge and attitude of preliminary students towards tobacco use.  Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted among 2195, 5th grade students from 30 preliminary schools in Baghdad (15 from each side Karkh & Rusafa) during November 2014. They were selected by multistage sampling technique. Results:  Participated students age ranged between (10-13) years and (51.9%) of them were girls, (54.3%) of their parents were nonsmoker while the rest reported that both or one of them are smokers, direct and indirect risks of cigarette  smoking were known by (82.4%) and (66.2%) respectively, and (70.8%) of students’ families were found to wear their kids from smoking hazards, while more than (50%) of them have received health education massages from their teachers. Sitting near smoker person was not in favor of (86.2%) of the participants, as (51.4%) considered it religiously inconvenient and (34.6%) considered smoking as a sign of no self-confidence. At last, (73.7%) of the surveyed students agreed with smoking prohibition in public places while (25.8%) opposed that. Conclusion: In spite of the high percentage of students’ parents were smokers; nevertheless, risks of smoking are well known by the surveyed students and they showed positive attitudes toward smoking prohibition in public places. Parental advising for quit smoking and urging teachers to educate their students about smoking hazards are thought to be the right action

Penyelidikan Kekuatan Tekan dan Laju Keausan Komposit dengan Filler Palm Slag sebagai Bahan Penyusun Kanvas Rem Sepeda Motor

Palm slag as waste burning of palm shells and bunches for boiler fuel is available in abundance. Availability of abundant is potential to be developed as a filler of brake composite. The using of palm slag as filler composite non-asbestos brake pads have been studied and potential to be used as a substitute for asbestos brake pads motorcycle. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of variations in the initial compacting pressure and sintering temperature on the compressive strength and the wear rate of the composite. In this study the manufacture of composite brake using materials with a composition of 40% palm slag, 20% steel powder, 20% phenolic resin, 10% alumina, and 10% graphite. Manufacture of composites using powder metallurgy techniques by varying the compaction pressure at 254, 508, and 762 MPa, and sintering temperatures of 150, 160, and 170oC. Increasing compaction pressure and sintering temperature does not always affect the compressive strength and the wear rate of composite brake. Initial compaction pressure affecting the increase in compressive strength is 508 MPa at 150 and 160oC sintering temperature. Initial compaction pressure affecting decrease the wear rate is 254 and 508 MPa at sintering temperatures of 150 and 160oC

A Study of Clothing Industry Competitiveness with Porter’s Five Force Approach in Kabupaten Agam Central Industry (A Preliminary Study of Ampek Angkek, Banuhampu, Sungai Puar)

This study seeks to evaluate the competitiveness of the apparel industry in Agam, in Indonesia. The competitiveness of typical SMEs assessed using various metrics, using Porter's Five Forces approach to evaluate the extent of new competition, government support, supplier strength, buyers and the availability of substitute products. The work is Descriptive Explanatory research. The research was conducted in view surveys and interviews. Despite a well-established apparel industry, some problems still leave the Kabupaten Agam garment industry vulnerable, particularly to the growing appetite for fast fashion in retail clothing shops. Since 2000, Kabupaten Agam's garment industry has been facing increasing domestic and external difficulties, such as lack of labor supply, the financial crisis, the global economic downturn, imported garment and the rising labor costs, raw material prices.     Keywords: Competitiveness, Porter’s Five Force, Clothing Industr

Red cell distribution width in PCOS women

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrinopathy in reproductive-age females, accredited to a chronic low-grade inflammatory reaction. Red distribution width (RDW), a parameter of complete blood count, was tested as an inflammatory marker ; higher RDW was linked to metabolic syndrome. We aimed to examine RDW in distinguishing PCOS-related metabolic and hormonal abnormalities. Methods : A case-control study recruited 128 women, divided into PCOS cases (64 / 128) and controls (64 / 128) according to Rotterdam criteria. Body mass index (BMI), estimated complete blood count parameters, hormonal markers (serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone, and serum testosterone), and metabolic markers (HOMA-IR, serum high and low-density lipoprotein) were measured. Results showed that RDW was significantly higher in PCOS. HOMA-IR, LDL, testosterone, and LH / FSH were higher in PCOS and strongly correlated with RDW with positive correlations. HDL was elevated and correlated negatively with RDW in PCOS. ROC calculated (13.55) as RDW cut-off value for insulin-resistant with an AUC of 0.95, P < 0.001. In conclusion, a strong and remarkable correlation of RDW with metabolic abnormalities in PCOS cases with 100% sensitivity and specificity, in addition to being quick and inexpensive, makes it a reliable marker for screening for insulin resistance

Spin Flips and Precession in Black-Hole-Binary Mergers

We use the `moving puncture' approach to perform fully non-linear evolutions of spinning quasi-circular black-hole binaries with individual spins not aligned with the orbital angular momentum. We evolve configurations with the individual spins (parallel and equal in magnitude) pointing in the orbital plane and 45-degrees above the orbital plane. We introduce a technique to measure the spin direction and track the precession of the spin during the merger, as well as measure the spin flip in the remnant horizon. The former configuration completes 1.75 orbits before merging, with the spin precessing by 98-degrees and the final remnant horizon spin flipped by ~72-degrees with respect to the component spins. The latter configuration completes 2.25 orbits, with the spins precessing by 151-degrees and the final remnant horizon spin flipped ~34-degrees with respect to the component spins. These simulations show for the first time how the spins are reoriented during the final stage of binary black hole mergers verifying the hypothesis of the spin-flip phenomenon. We also compute the track of the holes before merger and observe a precession of the orbital plane with frequency similar to the orbital frequency and amplitude increasing with time.Comment: Revtex4, 17 figures, 14 pages. Accepted for publication in PR