Design, development and performance study of six-gap glass MRPC detectors

The Multigap Resistive Plate Chambers (MRPCs) are gas ionization detectors with multiple gas sub-gaps made of resistive electrodes. The high voltage (HV) is applied on the outer surfaces of outermost resistive plates only, while the interior plates are left electrically floating. The presence of multiple narrow sub--gaps with high electric field results in faster signals on the outer electrodes, thus improving the detector's time resolution. Due to their excellent performance and relatively low cost, the MRPC detector has found potential application in Time-of-Flight (TOF) systems. Here we present the design, fabrication, optimization of the operating parameters such as the HV, the gas mixture composition, and, performance of six--gap glass MRPC detectors of area 27cm $\times$ 27 cm, which are developed in order to find application as trigger detectors, in TOF measurement etc. The design has been optimized with unique spacers and blockers to ensure a proper gas flow through the narrow sub-gaps, which are 250 $\mu$m wide. The gas mixture consisting of R134A, Isobutane and SF$_{6}$, and the fraction of each constituting gases has been optimized after studying the MRPC performance for a set of different concentrations. The counting efficiency of the MRPC is about 95% at $17.9$ kV. At the same operating voltage, the time resolution, after correcting for the walk effect, is found to be about $219$ ps.Comment: Revised version with 15 pages, 14 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in the European Physical Journal

Selective Breeding to Improve Productive and Reproductive Performances and Survivability of Indigenous Sakini Chicken

Indigenous chickens are quite popular in Family Poultry Production System (FPPS) in Nepal, but are constrained with their low productive performance. The present study evaluated the productive and reproductive performance of Sakini chicken in different filial generations and sexes. In addition, research also aimed at understanding the effect of generations on above performances. Initially, base populations (G-0) of Sakini were maintained by collecting eight weeks old birds from different agro-ecologial zones of Nepal. Performance of the birds of G-0 was evaluated based on weekly body weight (12-24 weeks), laying performance, fertility, hatchability, hatch weight and survivability. Selected birds of base population (G-0) were used to produce first (G-1), second (G-2) and third (G-3) generations through selective breeding in each generation. Similarly, body weights at hatching, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 20 week and 24 weeks were significantly (p<0.001) improved from G0 to G3 and were also significantly (p<0.001) differ for sex (males were always heavier than females). Likewise, there was significant (p<0.05) improvement in egg production (per hen per year), age at first lay (days), body weight at sexual maturity, egg number and egg weight at 90 days of laying in progressive generations. Fertility, hatchability and survivability significantly (p<0.05) improved in selected generations in comparison to base population, whereas, no significant difference was obtained within the different selected population. Thus, indigenous Sakini chicken under this experiment performed better with respect to survivability, fertility and hatchability in later generations that provides ample scope of advancing selective breeding activities within the indigenous population in order to bring significant improvement in the overall productive performance of Sakini chicken in Nepal

Activity, Physiology and Milk Production of Yaks and Two Different Yak Crossbreds Grazing Himalayan Pasture Sites at 4700 m and 3000 m

Yaks (Bos grunniens) and crossbreds of yaks with different local cattle breeds are important for the livelihood of local herders in the Himalayas. They are often kept in a system of transhumance comprising the use of different pasture sites for grazing along an altitudinal gradient throughout the year. The animals are moved upwards to the high altitude pastures in spring/early summer and gradually moved downwards in late summer/autumn. Yaks are suitable for very high altitudes as they are especially adapted to low oxygen partial pressure, forage scarcity and cold and harsh environment (Wiener et al. 2003). However, yak-cattle crossbreds have an advantage in terms of milk yield due to heterosis and can utilize the lower winter pasture sites better than yaks. In the Taplejung District of Nepal, in the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA), two different yak crossbreds are most common. In the lower mountains of KCA, Nepalese common hill cattle (a Bos indicus genotype) are available and are crossed with yak bulls. In the higher mountain regions, closer to the Tibetan border, crosses of female yaks (called naks) with so-called Bhelang bulls of B. taurus genotype are produced. The aim of the study was to compare these crossbreds of yaks and cattle and relate them to yaks in terms of locomotive activity pattern, physiological responses and performance when grazing at two different altitudes along a transhumant route in the Himalayan Mountains

Desain Sistem Pengukuran Pergeseran Objek Dengan Tranduser Ultrasonik Menggunakan Metode Korelasi Silang Secara Real TIME

Pada umumnya sistem pengukuran pergeseran bekerja berdasarkan prinsip penentuan waktu tempuh gelombang ultrasonik. Waktu tempuh diukur dari saat gelombang terpancar sampai dengan diterima kembali oleh tranduser. Waktu tempuh akan berubah seiring dengan Perubahan jarak lintasan gelombangnya. Penentuan waktu tempuh dapat dilakukan dengan berbagai cara, salah satunya yaitu metode korelasi silang. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh waktu tempuh penjalaran gelombang dengan metode korelasi silang. Metode ini memerlukan masukan sinyal yang diperoleh pada tranduser ultrasonik pemancar dan penerima. Kedua sinyal masukan ini dikorelasisilangkan secara langsung pada sistem akuisisi data yang terintegrasi dengan LABVIEW. Pengukuran waktu tempuh dilakukan pada setiap pergeseran posisi objek pemantul gelombang sebesar 0,05mm dari tranduser. Posisi awal objek pemantul setiap pengukuran dibuat bervariasi, yaitu 5cm, 10cm, 15cm dan 20 cm. Hasil percobaan pada setiap posisi pengukuran ini memberikan hubungan linear antara pergeseran dengan waktu tempuh gelombang, masing-masing dengan gradien 3 x 10-6 s/mm dan berturut-turut memberikan nilai R2(1)= 0,989, R2(2)= 0,957, R2(3)= 0,968 and R2(4)= 0,943

Study on Re-Growth and Nutritional Potentials of \u3cem\u3eEleusine indica L\u3c/em\u3e in Chitwan, Nepal

The efforts to use exotic fodder species to solve the problem of green roughage scarcity in Nepal, have had only limited success because the species are not persistent. Use of local forage species, such as Eleusine indica, which is widely adapted and tolerant of repeated cutting (Lowry et al., 1992), could be possible solution to the problem. The objective of this study was to understand the re-growth potential of E. indica with respect to nitrogen fertiliser application and cutting management and to determine its feeding value in the dry season

Alat Ukur Impedansi Akustik Material Logam Dengan Metode Ultrasonik Pulsa Echo

Untuk mengidentifikasi suatu jenis logam salah satunya dapat digunakan parameter impedansi akustik. Dalam mencari besar impedansi akustik dari logam biasanya digunakan metode ultrasonik pulsa echo. Metode pulsa echo adalah metode yang didasarkan pada perhitungan delay time dari gelombang pantul pertama dan kedua pada benda uji. Selain itu, untuk meningkatkan keakuratan dalam mencari delay time maka digunakan teknik envelope. Teknik envelope berguna untuk mencari puncak dari pola sinyal pantul. Perangkat lunak LabVIEW digunakan untuk membuat program saat proses perhitungan nilai impedansi akustik. Pengukuran dilakukan pada logam aluminium, kuningan, besi, dan stainless steel. Kombinasi metode pulsa echo dan teknik envelope pada penelitian ini mampu memberikan hasil impedansi akustik yang akurat dengan rata-rata error di bawah 5 %

Extracellular matrix signatures of human primary metastatic colon cancers and their metastases to liver

Background: Colorectal cancer is the third most frequently diagnosed cancer and the third cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Despite the fact that tumor cell-intrinsic mechanisms controlling colorectal carcinogenesis have been identified, novel prognostic and diagnostic tools as well as novel therapeutic strategies are still needed to monitor and target colon cancer progression. We and others have previously shown, using mouse models, that the extracellular matrix (ECM), a major component of the tumor microenvironment, is an important contributor to tumor progression. In order to identify candidate biomarkers, we sought to define ECM signatures of metastatic colorectal cancers and their metastases to the liver. Methods: We have used enrichment of extracellular matrix (ECM) from human patient samples and proteomics to define the ECM composition of primary colon carcinomas and their metastases to liver in comparison with normal colon and liver samples. Results: We show that robust signatures of ECM proteins characteristic of each tissue, normal and malignant, can be defined using relatively small samples from small numbers of patients. Comparisons with gene expression data from larger cohorts of patients confirm the association of subsets of the proteins identified by proteomic analysis with tumor progression and metastasis. Conclusions: The ECM protein signatures of metastatic primary colon carcinomas and metastases to liver defined in this study, offer promise for development of diagnostic and prognostic signatures of metastatic potential of colon tumors. The ECM proteins defined here represent candidate serological or tissue biomarkers and potential targets for imaging of occult metastases and residual or recurrent tumors and conceivably for therapies. Furthermore, the methods described here can be applied to other tumor types and can be used to investigate other questions such as the role of ECM in resistance to therapy

Novel rhodanine based molecular acceptor for organic solar cells

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.A dirhodanine-substituted benzothiadiazole compound has been synthesised using Knoevenagel condensation of a dialdehyde-substituted benzothiadiazole and rhodanine. The resulting compound was deep orange red in colour and shows a HOMO and LUMO levels of −5.61 and −3.85 eV respectively, which makes it suitable for applications such as acceptor for organic solar cells