Simulation of MeV electron energy deposition in CdS quantum dots absorbed in silicate glass for radiation dosimetry

Copyright @ 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd. The conference proceedings contain the written papers of the contributions presented at Quantum Dot 2010 (QD2010). The conference was held in Nottingham, UK, on 26th‐30th April, 2010.We are currently developing 2D dosimeters with optical readout based on CdS or CdS/CdSe core-shell quantum-dots using commercially available materials. In order to understand the limitations on the measurement of a 2D radiation profile the 3D deposited energy profile of MeV energy electrons in CdS quantum-dot-doped silica glass have been studied by Monte Carlo simulation using the CASINO and PENELOPE codes. Profiles for silica glass and CdS quantum-dot-doped silica glass were then compared

Effects of Selection for High Litter-Weight on Reproductive Performance in Mice.

The reproductive performances of two lines of mice selected for high litter-weight at nine weeks of age and a control line were compared based on data obtained after 15 generations of breeding. Twenty pairs of parents were bred per generation in the control line and ten pairs in each of the selected lines: at each generation the parents were mated only once. Calculation of inbreeding coefficients from pedigrees indicated a rapid rise in inbreeding coefficient in the selected lines. There was little response to selection for high litter-weight and in fact there was a general decline in reproductive performance associated with high levels of inbreeding in the selected lines although the relationship was not linear. Some initial response tn body weight gain was observed but even this trait showed a decline in later generations when inbreeding coefficient exceeded 40%

Use MODIS satellite data to study new phenomena of underground fire in the Al Ruhban oasis in Al Najaf city, Iraq

On 15 August 2010, a phenomenal underground fire was experienced for the first time in the western province of Al Najaf in Iraq. During the incidence, longitudinal cracks and small holes were observed in the ground emitting white smoke. These cracks and emitted smoke extended and were observed up to over 5,000 m2 of space. These observations continued from 15 August to 30 October 2010. In this study, the authors investigated the possibility of thermal jump in the studied area during the observation period using MODIS data. Here, MODIS data detected two significant thermal activity jumps in the study area from 15 August 2010 to 27 September 2010. The result further indicated that the combustion process in the Al-Ruhban area is likely due to natural causes, combustion of hydrocarbon gases emitted or leaked from oil pools; and these fires may continue to incandescent and slow creep until the end of the source material causing fire or facing hard groundwater levels

Syntheses of azomethine-thiophene monomers for potential application in energy storage devices

Newly design thiophene monomers containing azomethine base moieties for the preparation of side chain liquid crystalline polymers were successfully synthesized. The proposed monomers are conducting in nature, making it as potential material for energy storage devices. The compounds were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The presence of azomethine groups found at 1617 cm -1 in FTIR, NMR confirms singlet peaks at δ~9.5 ppm and TGA data shows thermal cleavage occurred at 166.6 - 269.93°C. The n-type properties combined with the inherently weak emission and high thermal stability thus make the polythiophenoazomethine suitable candidates for hole and electron transporting materials

Azimuth and elevation factors correction for single station lightning electromagnetic field sensor

This study aims to find the location of lightning return strokes using a single station electromagnetic field sensor with the implementation of magnetic field Factor B correction to best match with a reliable lightning strike location reference from TNB Research (TNBR) that uses Vaisala lightning detector with ±500m tolerance. A parallel plate antenna was used to measure the electric fields while two orthogonal loop antennas were used to measure the magnetic fields from thunderstorms in Melaka. Based on the type of Cloud-to-Ground flash and its recorded magnetic field peak amplitude polarities, the general direction of the lightning source could be determined in four quadrants divided equally between the cardinal directions. Measurement of return stroke peak amplitudes from electromagnetic field waveforms, distance between lightning measurement station and lightning strike was determined. Factor B corrections varied between 53M to 69M where the separation distance between compared strikes averaged 3.22 km. From the varied Factor B, it was averaged to 60.1M that yield a separation distance between the same compared strikes between 0.75 to 15.02 km. From all the strikes compared, the average separation distance between compared strikes was 7.64 km. It was determined that the accuracy of our lightning measurement system lightning location were between 7.14 and 8.14 km

Estimation of genetic parameters in beef cattle from records of performance

An analysis of the growth and calving performance from a crossbreeding program involving four breeds of sires (Angus, Hereford, Friesian and Shorthorn) mated to three breeds of purebred dams (Angus, Hereford and Shorthorn) and three types of crossbred heifers (Angus X Hereford, Friesian X Angus and Friesian X Hereford) during the 1971 and 1972 calving seasons is presented. The performance of the individual breeds of dams and sires were evaluated from the size and growth rate of their progeny at birth, to weaning and post-weaning, as well as from the performance of the dams at calving measured in terms of incidence of difficult calving, percentage of calves dead at birth and twinning rate. Heritability estimates calculated from intra-class correlation of paternal half-sibs were compared from records obtained from purebred calves and from crossbred calves.Crossbred calves were heavier than the purebred calves at birth and grew faster between birth and weaning. After weaning, crossbred heifers grew significantly faster than the purebreds but no significant difference was observed among the steers. There was no significant difference in performance of crossbred calves produced by the purebred and crossbred dams.Calves from the Friesian sires and Friesian cross dams were heavier at birth than calves produced by the other three breeds of beef sires or the beef crossbred dams and they grew faster to weaning. Between weaning and yearling age both the crossbred steers and heifers from the Friesian sires continued to surpass the performance of the beef breeds of sires but there were no significant differences in the performance of three-breed-cross calves of the Friesian cross dams and the Angus X Hereford dams.Heritability estimates of growth rates calculated from data on the performance of the crossbred progeny generally were lower than those calculated from data of the purebred progeny. Higher estimates of heritability were obtained from the data of female progeny than from male progeny for birth weight but the trend was reversed for growth rates between birth to weaning and from weaning to yearling age

An analysis of reproductive performance in pigs based on records of performance of the boar

The reproductive performance of 308 boars with total records of 9220 matings from a large commercial farm was analysed. The boars were purebred Large White, Landrace and from the newly synthesized M breed and were mated to purebred and crossbred sows of the same breeds. The M breed was derived from crossing between Large White and Landrace pigs with foundation females selected on the basis of their ability to produce large litters. Over half the total records were from matings with sows of parity 1 and parity 2. Overall production statistics were 78.8 per cent conception rate, an average total litter size of 9.3 pigs born per litter, 6.5 per cent stillbirths, an average litter weight (live piglets) at birth of 12.2 kg, average birth weight per piglet of 1.43 kg and average gestation length of 11 5 days. Most of the traits analysed showed significant effects due to parity of dams, with performance increasing from parity 1 to parity 6 to 8, after which the performance began to decline. There were significant heterosis effects (mainly maternal) on reproduction of the sows and survival performance of the litters resulting in an estimated improvement of 11 per cent in number of live pigs born, 12.4 per cent in total litter weight at birth and 35 per cent reduction in stillbirths. Heritability estimates were generally low for most traits except for boar conception rate which was moderate (0.29)

The the the the induction of jamais vu in the laboratory : word alienation and semantic satiation

Jamais vu is a phenomenon operationalised as the opposite of déjà vu, i.e. finding subjectively unfamiliar something that we know to be familiar. We sought to document that the subjective experience of jamais vu can be produced in word alienation tasks, hypothesising that déjà vu and jamais vu are similar experiential memory phenomena. Participants repeatedly copied words until they felt “peculiar”, had completed the task, or had another reason to stop. About two-thirds of all participants (in about one-third of all trials) reported strange subjective experiences during the task. Participants reported feeling peculiar after about thirty repetitions, or one minute. We describe these experiences as jamais vu. This experimentally induced phenomenon was related to real-world experiences of unfamiliarity. Although we replicated known patterns of correlations with déjà vu (age and dissociative experiences), the same pattern was not found for our experimental analogue of jamais vu, suggesting some differences between the two phenomena. However, in daily life, those people who had déjà vu more frequently also had jamais vu more frequently. Findings are discussed with reference to the progress that has been made in déjà vu research in recent years, with a view to fast-tracking our understanding of jamais vu.PostprintPeer reviewe