On the formation of Hubble flow in Little Bangs

A dynamical appearance of scaling solutions in the relativistic hydrodynamics applied to describe ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions is studied. We consider the boost-invariant cylindrically symmetric systems and the effects of the phase transition are taken into account by using a temperature dependent sound velocity inferred from the lattice simulations of QCD. We find that the transverse flow acquires the scaling form r/t within the short evolution times, 10 - 15 fm, only if the initial transverse flow originating from the pre-equilibrium collective behavior is present at the initial stage of the hydrodynamic evolution. The amount of such pre-equilibrium flow is correlated with the initial pressure gradient; larger gradients require smaller initial flow. The results of the numerical calculations support the phenomenological parameterizations used in the Blast-Wave, Buda-Lund, and Cracow models of the freeze-out process.Comment: 11 page

J/Psi suppression in colliding nuclei: statistical model analysis

We consider the $J/\Psi$ suppression at a high energy heavy ion collision. An ideal gas of massive hadrons in thermal and chemical equilibrium is formed in the central region. The finite-size gas expands longitudinally in accordance with Bjorken law. The transverse expansion in a form of the rarefaction wave is taken into account. We show that $J/\Psi$ suppression in such an environment, when combined with the disintegration in nuclear matter, gives correct evaluation of NA38 and NA50 data in a broad range of initial energy densities.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Quark exchange model for charmonium dissociation in hot hadronic matter

A diagrammatic approach to quark exchange processes in meson-meson scattering is applied to the case of inelastic reactions of the type (Q\barQ)+(q\barq)\rightarrow (Q\barq) + (q\barQ), where $Q$ and $q$ refer to heavy and light quarks, respectively. This string-flip process is discussed as a microscopic mechanism for charmonium dissociation (absorption) in hadronic matter. The cross section for the reaction $J/\psi + \pi \to D+ \bar D$ is calculated using a potential model, which is fitted to the meson mass spectrum. The temperature dependence of the relaxation time for the \J/Psi distribution in a homogeneous thermal pion gas is obtained. The use of charmonium for the diagnostics of the state of hot hadronic matter produced in ultrarelativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions is discussed.Comment: 24 pages, 3 tables, 7 figure

Comparison of breast and bowel cancer screening uptake patterns in a common cohort of South Asian women in England

Background: Inequalities in uptake of cancer screening by ethnic minority populations are well documented in a number of international studies. However, most studies to date have explored screening uptake for a single cancer only. This paper compares breast and bowel cancer screening uptake for a cohort of South Asian women invited to undertake both, and similarly investigates these women's breast cancer screening behaviour over a period of fifteen years. Methods: Screening data for rounds 1, 2 and 5 (1989-2004) of the NHS breast cancer screening programme and for round 1 of the NHS bowel screening pilot (2000-2002) were obtained for women aged 50-69 resident in the English bowel screening pilot site, Coventry and Warwickshire, who had been invited to undertake breast and bowel cancer screening in the period 2000-2002. Breast and bowel cancer screening uptake levels were calculated and compared using the chi-squared test. Results: 72,566 women were invited to breast and bowel cancer screening after exclusions. Of these, 3,539 were South Asian and 69,027 non-Asian; 18,730 had been invited to mammography over the previous fifteen years (rounds 1 to 5). South Asian women were significantly less likely to undertake both breast and bowel cancer screening; 29.9% (n = 1,057) compared to 59.4% (n = 40,969) for non-Asians (p < 0.001). Women in both groups who consistently chose to undertake breast cancer screening in rounds 1, 2 and 5 were more likely to complete round 1 bowel cancer screening. However, the likelihood of completion of bowel cancer screening was still significantly lower for South Asians; 49.5% vs. 82.3% for non-Asians, p < 0.001. South Asian women who undertook breast cancer screening in only one round were no more likely to complete bowel cancer screening than those who decided against breast cancer screening in all three rounds. In contrast, similar women in the non-Asian population had an increased likelihood of completing the new bowel cancer screening test. The likelihood of continued uptake of mammography after undertaking screening in round 1 differed between South Asian religio-linguistic groups. Noticeably, women in the Muslim population were less likely to continue to participate in mammography than those in other South Asian groups. Conclusions: Culturally appropriate targeted interventions are required to reduce observed disparities in cancer screening uptakes

Dose and energy dependence of mechanical properties of focused electron beam induced pillar deposits from Cu(C5HF6O2)2

Bending and vibration tests performed inside the scanning electron microscope were used to mechanically characterize high-aspect pillars grown by focused electron-beam (FEB) induced deposition from the precursor Cu(C5HF6O2)2. Supported by finite element (FE) analysis the Young's modulus was determined from load-deflection measurements using cantilever-based force sensing and the material density from additional resonance vibration analysis. The pillar material consisted of a carbonaceous (C, O, F, H containing) matrix which embeds 5...10 at. % Cu deposited at 5 keV and 20 keV primary electron energy and 100 pA beam current, depending on primary electron energy. Young's moduli of the FEB deposits increased from 17+/-6 GPa to 25+/-8 GPa with increasing electron dose. The density of the carbonaceous matrix shows a dependence on the primary electron energy: 1.2+/-0.3 g cm-3 (5 keV) and 2.2+/-0.5 g cm-3 (20 keV). At a given primary energy a correlation with the irradiation dose is found. Quality factors determined from the phase relation at resonance of the fundamental pillar vibration mode were in the range of 150 to 600 and correlated to the deposited irradiation energy.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, 2 table

Anomalous J/psi suppression and charmonium dissociation cross sections

We study $J/\psi$ suppression in Pb+Pb collisions at CERN-SPS energies in hadronic matter with energy- and temperature-dependent charmonium dissociation cross sections calculated in the quark-interchange model of Barnes and Swanson. We find that the variation of J/$\psi$ survival probability from peripheral to central collisions can be explained as induced by hadronic matter absorption in central collisions.Comment: 30 pages, 8 figures, LaTex, changed for the latest NA50 dat

Conformational Changes in Conantokin-G Induced upon Binding of Calcium and Magnesium as Revealed by NMR Structural Analysis

The apo- and metal-bound solution conformations of synthetic conantokin-G (con-G, G1Egamma gammaL5Q gamma NQgamma 10LIRgamma K15SN-CONH2, gamma = gamma-carboxyglutamic acid), an antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-derived neuronal ion channels, have been examined by one- and two-dimensional 1H NMR at neutral pH. A complete structure for the Mg2+-loaded peptide was defined by use of distance geometry calculations and was found to exist as an alpha-helix that spans the entire peptide. The alpha-helical nature of Mg2+/con-G was also supported by the small values (<5.5 Hz) of the 3JHNalpha coupling constants measured for amino acid residues 3-5, 8, 9, and 11-16, and the small values (<4 ppb/K) of the temperature coefficients observed for the alphaNH protons of residues 5-17. This conformation contrasted with that obtained for apo-con-G, which was nearly structureless in solution. Docking of Mg2+ into con-G was accomplished by use of the genetic algorithm/molecular dynamics simulation method, employing the NMR-derived Mg2+-loaded structure for initial coordinates in the midpoint calculations. For the 3 Mg2+/con-G model, it was found that binding of one Mg2+ ion is stabilized by oxygen atoms from three gamma-carboxylates of Gla3, Gla4, and Gla7; another Mg2+ is coordinated by two oxygen atoms, one from each of the gamma-carboxylates of Gla7; and a third metal ion through three donor oxygen atoms of gamma-carboxylates from Gla10 and Gla14. As shown from direct metal binding measurements to mutant con-G peptides, these latter two Gla residues probably stabilized the tightest binding Mg2+ ion. Circular dichroism studies of these same peptide variants demonstrated that all Gla residues contribute to the adoption of the Mg2+-dependent alpha-helical conformation in con-G. The data obtained in this investigation provide a molecular basis for the large conformational alteration observed in apo-con-G as a result of divalent cation binding and allow assessment of the roles of individual Gla residues in defining certain of the structure-function properties of con-G

Charmonium in a weakly coupled quark-gluon plasma

We present a model of charmonium as two heavy quarks propagating classically in a weakly coupled quark-gluon plasma. The quarks interact via a static, color-dependent potential and also suffer collisions with the plasma particles. We calculate the radiation width of the color octet state (for fixed, classical $q\bar q$ separation) and find that it is long-lived provided a finite gluon mass is used to provide a threshold energy.Comment: 7 pages in plain LaTeX + 3 figures packed with uufiles; slight changes to comply with referees, added one referenc

Fingerprint-based Wi-Fi indoor localization using map and inertial sensors

It is a common understanding that the localization accuracy can be improved by indoor maps and inertial sensors. However, there is a lack of concrete and generic solutions that combine these two features together and practically demonstrate its validity. This article aims to provide such a solution based on the mainstream fingerprint-based indoor localization approach. First, we introduce the theorem called reference points placement, which gives a theoretical guide to place reference points. Second, we design a Wi-Fi signal propagation-based cluster algorithm to reduce the amount of computation. The paper gives a parameter called reliability to overcome the skewing of inertial sensors. Then we also present Kalman filter and Markov chain to predict the system status. The system is able to provide high-accuracy real-time tracking by integrating indoor map and inertial sensors with Wi-Fi signal strength. Finally, the proposed work is evaluated and compared with the previous Wi-Fi indoor localization systems. In addition, the effect of inertial sensors’ reliability is also discussed. Results are drawn from a campus office building which is about 80 m×140 m with 57 access points

Transposing tirtha: Understanding religious reforms and locative piety in early modern Hinduism

The paper deals with a historical and hitherto obscure case of de-commercialisation of sacred geography of India. Sahajanand Swami, an eighteenth century religious leader from Gujarat who became popular as Bhagwan Swaminarayan took an initiative to eliminate corruption in Dwarka, one of the most sacred destination in Hindu imagination. He also attempted to transpose the piety of Dwarka and recreate a parallel religious experience at Vadtal, an important site in Swaminarayan Hinduism. This process of making sacred sites more egalitarian is classified here as a 'religious reform'. The paper assesses this bivalent pursuit as an institutional reform within religion as well as a religious process in the context of piety, authority and orthodoxy. Through the example of Sahajanand Swami, it is argued to calibrate the colonial paradigm of reform that was largely contextual to social issues and western thought and failed to appreciate the religious reforms of that era. By constructing a nuanced typology of 'religious reform' distinct from 'social reforms', the paper eventually calls for a reassessment of religious figures who have significantly contributed in reforming the Hindu tradition in the medieval and modern era