Collider Signatures of Higgs-portal Scalar Dark Matter

In the simplest Higgs-portal scalar dark matter model, the dark matter mass has been restricted to be either near the resonant mass ($m_h/2$) or in a large-mass region by the direct detection at LHC Run 1 and LUX. While the large-mass region below roughly 3 TeV can be probed by the future Xenon1T experiment, most of the resonant mass region is beyond the scope of Xenon1T. In this paper, we study the direct detection of such scalar dark matter in the narrow resonant mass region at the 14 TeV LHC and the future 100 TeV hadron collider. We show the luminosities required for the $2\sigma$ exclusion and $5\sigma$ discovery.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures; v2: minor changes, references added, journal versio

Observation and Analysis of Leather Structure Based on Nano-CT

Content: The composition, working principle and the image acquisition procedure of nano-CT were introduced. A dried piece of blue stock of chrome-tanned cattle hide was chosen for this work and a sequence of 2356 images was obtained. 3D visible digital models (5mm*3.5mm*3.5mm) of leather fiber bundle braided network (Figure 1) and the interspace between fiber bundles (Figure 2) were reconstructed. The inner structure and composition of leather were shown accurately and intuitively in the form of 2D sectional images and 3D image. Based on the 3D model, the diameter, volume, surface area and other parameters of the fiber bundles, the pore structure and inclusions were measured and calculated. Take-Away: 1. 3D visible digital model of leather fiber bundle braided network was reconstructed. 2. The inner structure and composition of leather were shown accurately and intuitively in the form of 2D sectional images and 3D image

Study on the Difference of Collagen Fibre Structure Caused by Epoxy Resin Embedding

Content: The research on Collagen that possesses unique fibre structure are reported frequently. In this paper, the cross image of leather fibre of dried wet blue cowhide embedded with and without epoxy resin were investigated with micro computed topography(MCT). The images obtained by MCT of leather fibre are original status without any damage, while the embedded leather can emerge distortion because the fibre was fixed during the solidifying and immersing of the resin. In this research, 2357 images of leather fibre were investigated on wet blue leather(original fibre) and the same piece of leather embedded by epoxy resin(embedded fibre). The area ratio of the sections from the original fibre and the embedded fibre was examined for each image. The statistic results showed that the mode of area ratio of the original fibre section to the entire fibre section is 75%, and the mode of area ratio of the embedded fibre section to the embedded fibre entire section is only 48%. The mode of the area ratio of the original fibre is obviously higher than the mode of the area ratio of the embedded fibre, that is diverse with the anticipation of fibre swelling caused by resin. The reason might be the expansion of interval space among the fibre filled with epoxy resin, otherwise the conglutination of fibre caused by the evaporation of solvent(acetone used in embedding) in the course of the resion solidifying. Likewise, it can be the adhesion of the tiny fibre with the larger fibre that will diminish the area caculated. The factors will be studied further on embedding to achieve a method with minimum deformation on cross image of fibre. Take-Away: The area ratio of cross section on embedded fibre shrunk comparing with the original fibre, that is out of anticipation of the probable swelling created by resin

Denoising and Segmentation of MCT Slice Images of Leather Fiber

Content: The braiding structure of leather fibers has not been understood clearly and it is very useful and interesting to study it. Microscopic X-ray tomography (MCT) technology can produce cross-sectional images of the leather without destroying its structure. The three-dimensional structure of leather fibers can be reconstructed by using MCT slice images, so as to show the braiding structure and regularity of leather fibers. The denoising and segmentation of MCT slice images of leather fibers is the basic procedure for three-dimensional reconstruction. In order to study the braiding structure of leather fibers in the round, the image of resinembedded leather fibers MCT slices and in situ leather fibers MCT slices were analyzed and processed. It is showed that the resin-embedded leather fiber MCT slices were quite different from that of in situ leather fiber MCT slices. In-situ leather fiber MCT slice image could be denoised relatively easily. But denoising of resin-embedded leather fiber MCT slice image is a challenge because of its strong noise. In addition, some fiber bundles adhere to each other in the slice image, which are difficult to be segmented. There are many methods of image denoising and segmentation, but there is no general method to process all types of images. In this paper, a series of computer-aided denoising and segmentation algorithms are designed for in-situ MCT slice images of leather fibers and resin-embedded MCT slice images. The fiber bundles in wide field MCT images are distributed densely, adherent to each other. Many fiber bundles are separated in one image and tightly bound in another. This brings great difficulties to image segmentation. To solve this problem, the following segmentation methods are used: Grayscale-threshold segmentation method, The region-growing segmentation method, Three-dimensional image segmentation method. The denoising and segmentation algorithm proposed in this paper has remarkable effect in processing a series of original MCT slice images and resin-embedded leather fibers MCT slice images. A series of threedimensional images based on this work demonstrate the fine spatial braiding structure of leather fiber, which would help us to understand the braiding structure of leather fibers better. Take-Away: presentation ppt, Figure

Consensusabilization for Continuous-Time High-Order Multiagent Systems with Time-Varying Delays

For the consensus problems of high-order linear multiagent systems with time-varying delays in directed topologies, the LMI based-consensus criterion and NLMI-based consensusabilization (protocol parameters design that makes the multiagent systems achieve consensus) are investigated. Improved Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional is used for establishing the consensus convergence criteria and deriving the corresponding consensus protocol. In order to reduce the conservativeness, some proper free-weighting matrices are added into the derivative of Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional and that only keeps one necessary zoom. The numerical and simulation examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results. Compared with existing literatures, the convergence criterion and protocol design proposed have lower conservativeness

Olf1/EBF associated zinc finger protein interfered with antinuclear antibody production in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract Introduction The aim of the study was to determine whether Olf1/EBF associated zinc finger protein (OAZ), a transcription factor encoded by a positional systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) candidate gene, plays a functional role in the pathogenesis in SLE. Methods Gene expression levels in peripheral blood cells (PBLs) measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were assessed for association with disease activity and the presence of specific autoantibodies. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were incubated with specific siRNAs for three days, then cells were harvested for measuring mRNA levels using qPCR, and supernatants for levels of total immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgM as well as secreted cytokines, chemokine and antinuclear antibodies (ANA) using ELISA. Indirect immunofluorescence was also applied for ANA detection. Results OAZ gene expressions in PBLs from 40 ANA-positive SLE patients were significantly increased than those from 30 normal controls (P < 0.0001) and 18 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (P < 0.01). In SLE patients, OAZ transcripts were positively correlated with SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) score (r = 0.72, P < 0.0001) and higher in those positive for anti-dsDNA or anti-Sm antibodies (both P < 0.05). Co-culturing with OAZ siRNAs reduced mRNA levels of OAZ by 74.6 ± 6.4% as compared to those co-cultured with non-targeting siRNA and OAZ silencing resulted in reduced total IgG, ANA, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12 and IL-21, but elevated CCL2 levels in culture supernatants (P < 0.05). The declined ANA levels correlated with inhibited OAZ expression (r = 0.88, P = 0.05), reduced IL-21 levels (r = 0.99, P < 0.01), and elevated chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 levels (r = -0.98, P < 0.01). Expressions of ID1-3 were significantly down-regulated by 68.7%, 70.2% and 67.7% respectively after OAZ silence, while ID3 was also highly expressed in SLE PBLs (P < 0.0001) and associated with disease activity (r = 0.76, P < 0.0001) as well as anti-dsDNA or anti-Sm antibodies (both P < 0.05). Conclusions Elevated expression of OAZ transcripts in SLE PBLs were strongly correlated with disease activity. Suppression of OAZ expression inhibited downstream ID levels, and secretion of ANA and IL-21, implicating a role of OAZ pathway in the pathogenesis of SLE

Study on mechanical characteristics and failure modes of coal−mudstone combined body with prefabricated crack

There are normally pre-existing cracks that can be observed in the coal seam and immediate roof that influences the stability of the rib spalling and the movement law of overlying strata. In this study, comprehensive research methods (e.g., theory analysis, experimental tests and numerical simulations) were adopted to reveal the mechanical characteristics, acoustic emission behaviors and failure modes of a coal−mudstone combined body with a single prefabricated non-penetrating crack. The results show that the influence of the crack angle on the elastic modulus of the coal−mudstone combined body samples was limited. With the increase in the crack angle, the unconfined compressive strength of samples decreased first and then increased in a V-shaped trend. In addition, the minimum unconfined compressive strength could be observed at a crack angle of 45°. Moreover, the number of acoustic emissions significantly increased with the process of continuous loading. In addition, the stress reduction zone could be observed in both ends of the prefabricated cracks at the initial stage of loading. The high- and low-stress zones were transformed with the process of continuous loading. Under an unconfined compression test, the failure models of the coal body part in the samples were mainly caused by shear failure, and only a few cracks occurred in the upper tip of the prefabricated cracks of the mudstone part. Therefore, airfoil cracks could be observed in the samples due to the strength difference of the coal mass and mudstone