Charm-strange baryon strong decays in a chiral quark model

The strong decays of charm-strange baryons up to N=2 shell are studied in a chiral quark model. The theoretical predictions for the well determined charm-strange baryons, $\Xi_c^*(2645)$, $\Xi_c(2790)$ and $\Xi_c(2815)$, are in good agreement with the experimental data. This model is also extended to analyze the strong decays of the other newly observed charm-strange baryons $\Xi_c(2930)$, $\Xi_c(2980)$, $\Xi_c(3055)$, $\Xi_c(3080)$ and $\Xi_c(3123)$. Our predictions are given as follows. (i) $\Xi_c(2930)$ might be the first $P$-wave excitation of $\Xi_c'$ with $J^P=1/2^-$, favors the $|\Xi_c'\ ^2P_\lambda 1/2^->$or$|\Xi_c'\ ^4P_\lambda 1/2^->$state. (ii)$\Xi_c(2980)$might correspond to two overlapping$P$-wave states$|\Xi_c'\ ^2P_\rho 1/2^->$and$|\Xi_c'\ ^2P_\rho 3/2^->$, respectively. The$\Xi_c(2980)$observed in the$\Lambda_c^+\bar{K}\pi$final state is most likely to be the$|\Xi_c'\ ^2P_\rho 1/2^->$state, while the narrower resonance with a mass$m\simeq 2.97$GeV observed in the$\Xi_c^*(2645)\pi$channel favors to be assigned to the$|\Xi_c'\ ^2P_\rho 3/2^->$state. (iii)$\Xi_c(3080)$favors to be classified as the$|\Xi_c\ S_{\rho\rho} 1/2^+>$state, i.e., the first radial excitation (2S) of$\Xi_c$. (iv)$\Xi_c(3055)$is most likely to be the first$D$-wave excitation of$\Xi_c$with$J^P=3/2^+$, favors the$|\Xi_c\ ^2D_{\lambda\lambda} 3/2^+>$state. (v)$\Xi_c(3123)$might be assigned to the$|\Xi_c'\ ^4D_{\lambda\lambda} 3/2^+>$,$|\Xi_c'\ ^4D_{\lambda\lambda} 5/2^+>$, or$|\Xi_c\ ^2D_{\rho\rho} 5/2^+>$state. As a by-product, we calculate the strong decays of the bottom baryons$\Sigma_b^{\pm}$,$\Sigma_b^{*\pm}$and$\Xi_b^*$, which are in good agreement with the recent observations as well.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figure

Predicting the epidemic threshold of the susceptible-infected-recovered model

Researchers have developed several theoretical methods for predicting epidemic thresholds, including the mean-field like (MFL) method, the quenched mean-field (QMF) method, and the dynamical message passing (DMP) method. When these methods are applied to predict epidemic threshold they often produce differing results and their relative levels of accuracy are still unknown. We systematically analyze these two issues---relationships among differing results and levels of accuracy---by studying the susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) model on uncorrelated configuration networks and a group of 56 real-world networks. In uncorrelated configuration networks the MFL and DMP methods yield identical predictions that are larger and more accurate than the prediction generated by the QMF method. When compared to the 56 real-world networks, the epidemic threshold obtained by the DMP method is closer to the actual epidemic threshold because it incorporates full network topology information and some dynamical correlations. We find that in some scenarios---such as networks with positive degree-degree correlations, with an eigenvector localized on the high $k$-core nodes, or with a high level of clustering---the epidemic threshold predicted by the MFL method, which uses the degree distribution as the only input parameter, performs better than the other two methods. We also find that the performances of the three predictions are irregular versus modularity

Pulping and Papermaking of Non-Wood Fibers

In general, the main raw materials of pulp and papermaking industry can be classified into three categories: wood, non-wood, and non-plant (mainly wastepaper), of which non-wood fiber material is an important fiber source in the areas where forest resources are scarce. Nowadays, in the total pulp consumption of the world, the proportions of wood pulp, wastepaper pulp, and non-wood pulp are 63, 34, and 3%, respectively. The effective use of non-wood fiber resources, especially grasses, cereal straws, corn stalks, bamboo, and bagasse, would play a major role in optimizing papermaking raw materials. On the other hand, there are non-wood fibers such as flax, hemp, jute, kenaf, cotton, sisal, and abaca with properties as good as or much better than softwood materials