Heavy quark fragmentation functions at next-to-leading perturbative QCD

It is well-known that the dominant mechanism to produce hadronic bound states with large transverse momentum is fragmentation. This mechanism is described by the fragmentation functions (FFs) which are the universal and process-independent functions. Here, we review the perturbative FFs formalism as an appropriate tool for studying these hadronization processes and detail the extension of this formalism at next-to-leading order (NLO). Using the Suzuki's model, we calculate the perturbative QCD FF for a heavy quark to fragment into a S-wave heavy meson at NLO. As an example, we study the LO and NLO FFs for a charm quark to split into the S-wave $D$-meson and compare our analytic results both with experimental data and well-known phenomenological models

Data-driven Flood Emulation: Speeding up Urban Flood Predictions by Deep Convolutional Neural Networks

Computational complexity has been the bottleneck of applying physically-based simulations on large urban areas with high spatial resolution for efficient and systematic flooding analyses and risk assessments. To address this issue of long computational time, this paper proposes that the prediction of maximum water depth rasters can be considered as an image-to-image translation problem where the results are generated from input elevation rasters using the information learned from data rather than by conducting simulations, which can significantly accelerate the prediction process. The proposed approach was implemented by a deep convolutional neural network trained on flood simulation data of 18 designed hyetographs on three selected catchments. Multiple tests with both designed and real rainfall events were performed and the results show that the flood predictions by neural network uses only 0.5 % of time comparing with physically-based approaches, with promising accuracy and ability of generalizations. The proposed neural network can also potentially be applied to different but relevant problems including flood predictions for urban layout planning

On the feasibility of attribute-based encryption on Internet of Things devices

Attribute-based encryption (ABE) could be an effective cryptographic tool for the secure management of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, but its feasibility in the IoT has been under-investigated thus far. This article explores such feasibility for well-known IoT platforms, namely, Intel Galileo Gen 2, Intel Edison, Raspberry pi 1 model B, and Raspberry pi zero, and concludes that adopting ABE in the IoT is indeed feasible

Thalamic deep brain stimulation may relieve breathlessness in COPD

The cerebral mechanisms of dyspnoea (breathlessness) are not well understood. Neuroimaging studies of experimentally induced dyspnoea in healthy individuals have identified several cortical areas that might form a neural network for perception of dyspnoea [1], much like those identified for pain perception [2]. However, functional imaging studies alone do not reveal neurophysiological pathways and may miss putative targets for dyspnoea relief. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) of four different brain nuclei on the sensation of dyspnoea in an individual with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) using an established multidimensional dyspnoea tool [3]

Modelling the evaporation of nanoparticle suspensions from heterogeneous surfaces

We present a Monte Carlo (MC) grid-based model for the drying of drops of a nanoparticle suspension upon a heterogeneous surface. The model consists of a generalised lattice-gas in which the interaction parameters in the Hamiltonian can be varied to model different properties of the materials involved. We show how to choose correctly the interactions, to minimise the effects of the underlying grid so that hemispherical droplets form. We also include the effects of surface roughness to examine the effects of contact-line pinning on the dynamics. When there is a `lid' above the system, which prevents evaporation, equilibrium drops form on the surface, which we use to determine the contact angle and how it varies as the parameters of the model are changed. This enables us to relate the interaction parameters to the materials used in applications. The model has also been applied to drying on heterogeneous surfaces, in particular to the case where the suspension is deposited on a surface consisting of a pair of hydrophilic conducting metal surfaces that are either side of a band of hydrophobic insulating polymer. This situation occurs when using inkjet printing to manufacture electrical connections between the metallic parts of the surface. The process is not always without problems, since the liquid can dewet from the hydrophobic part of the surface, breaking the bridge before the drying process is complete. The MC model reproduces the observed dewetting, allowing the parameters to be varied so that the conditions for the best connection can be established. We show that if the hydrophobic portion of the surface is located at a step below the height of the neighbouring metal, the chance of dewetting of the liquid during the drying process is significantly reduced.Comment: 14 pages, 14 figure

Protective Effects of Regular Exercise Combined With Curcumin Supplementation Against Lead-Induced Cerebellar Oxidative Damage in an Animal Model

Lifestyle modifications, such as physical exercise and dietary supplements, were recommended as protective measures against some neurological disorders. We examined the effects of regular exercise combined with curcumin supplementation against lead-induced oxidative damage of the cerebellum in male rats. Experimental animals (n = 50) were randomly divided into five groups. Lead acetate (20 mg/kg) was i.p. administered to three groups (except sham and control ones), while the sham group received ethyloleate (30 mg/kg) three times per week. The curcumin and curcumin + exercise groups received curcumin (30 mg/kg) i.p. five times per week for eight weeks. The exercise program consisted of progressive running on a treadmill, speed from 15 to 22 m/min, 25 to 64 min per day, five times per week for eight weeks. Two days after the last application, the rats were euthanized, and their cerebellum was removed and homogenized to measure the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARSs). Chronic administration of lead significantly increased the cerebellar TBARS levels but did not alter considerably the BDNF levels. Curcumin and curcumin + exercise treatments significantly lowered the cerebellar TBARS levels; a significant increase in the BDNF level was observed in the cerebellum of rats treated with combined intervention. Thus, regular exercise combined with curcumin supplementation may exert a significant neuroprotective effect against lead-induced cerebellar injury by attenuating oxidative stress and improving the brain state through an increase in the BDNF amount.Модифікації стилю життя, такі як фізичні тренування та вживання добавок до дієти, рекомендуються як протективні заходи щодо низки неврологічних розладів. Ми дослідили впливи регулярних тренувань, поєднаних з уведенням куркуміну, на індуковане свинцевою інтоксикацією оксидативне ушкодження мозочка у самців щурів. Експериментальні тварини (n = 50) були рандомізовано поділені на п’ять груп. Ацетат свинцю (20 мг/кг) уводився тваринам трьох груп (дві слугували контролем). Одна з контрольних груп отримувала етилолеат (30 мг/кг) тричі на тиждень. У двох інтоксикованих групах тварини отримували 30 мг/кг куркуміну п’ять разів на тиждень протягом восьми тижнів. Програма тренувань включала в себе прогресивно збільшувані епізоди бігу на тредбані (від 15 до 25 м/хв, від 25 до 64 хв/добу, п’ять разів на тиждень протягом восьми тижнів). Через дві доби після закінчення курсів щурів піддавали евтаназії, мозочок видаляли та гомогенізували для вимірювання рівнів мозкового нейротрофічного фактора (BDNF) та речовин, реактивних щодо тіобарбітурової кислоти (TBARSs). Хронічне введення свинцю викликало вірогідне збільшення рівнів TBARS, але не змінювало істотно рівнів BDNF. У групах «куркумін» та «куркумін+тренування» спостерігалися значно нижчі рівні TBARS; вірогідно більший рівень BDNF у мозочку відмічався в групі з комбінацією заходів. Отже, регулярні фізичні тренування, поєднані з уведенням куркуміну, можуть забезпечити істотний протекторний ефект щодо індукованого свинцем ушкодження мозочка, опосередкований зменшенням оксидативного стресу та поліпшенням стану мозку завдяки певному збільшенню кількості BDNF