Analyse du canal Lambda b to Lambda + J/Psi et test du Renversement du Temps avec le détecteur LHCb

National audienceLa physique des particules est aujourd'hui à l'aube d'une nouvelle ère. Le futur accélérateur de particules permettra de résoudre des points sombres subsistant dans le Modèle Standard. Dans le cadre de l'expérience LHCb, dédiée à la physique de la beauté, certains canaux pertinents peuvent être recherchés, tels Lambda b to Lambda + J/Psi et qui présentent une piste nouvelle et intéressante pour tester directement la Symétrie T

Study a Structural Behavior of Eccentrically Loaded GFRP Reinforced Columns Made of Geopolymer Concrete

This study investigated a modern composite material, which is a short geopolymer concrete column (GPCC) reinforced by GFRP bars. The structural performances of GPCC subjected to eccentric load were studied and compared to the normal strength concrete column (NSCC) reinforced by steel bars. In this study, the primary experimental parameters were the reinforcement bars types, load eccentricity, and concrete types. Seven short columns were tested: three normal strength concrete columns reinforced by steel bars, three geopolymer concrete columns reinforced by GFRP bars and one normal strength concrete column without reinforcement. The model dimensions chosen in the present study was a square section of 130×130 mm and a total height of 850 mm. It was shown that the steel bars contribute about 16.47% of column capacity under concentric load. Comparing with the normal strength concrete column, a geopolymer concrete column reinforced by GFRP bars showed a little increase in ultimate load (5.17%) under concentric load. Under the load eccentricity of 130 mm, a geopolymer concrete column reinforced by GFRP bars showed a significant increase in the ultimate load (69.37%). Under large eccentricity, a geopolymer concrete column reinforced by GFRP bars has an outstanding effect on the columns' ultimate load capacity. Also, the sine form can be utilized for GPCC to find the lateral deflection along with the column high at different load values up to the failure

Integration the Low Cost Camera Images with the Google Earth Dataset to Create a 3D Model

As known Close range photogrammetry represents one of the most techniques to create precise 3D model. Metric camera, digital camera, and Laser scanning can be exploited for the photogrammetry with variety level of cost that may be high. In this study, the cost level is taken in to consideration to achieve balance between the cost and the obtained accuracy. This study aims to detect potential of low cost tools for creating 3D model in terms of obtained accuracy and details and comparing it with corresponding studies. Smart phone camera is the most available for everyone; this gave the motivation for use in this study. In addition, Google Earth was used to integrate the 3D model produced from all sides including the roof.  Then, two different types of the mobile camera were used in addition to the DSLR camera (Digital Single Lens Reflex) for comparison and analysis purposes. Thus, this research gave flexibility in work and low cost resulting from replacement the metric camera with the smart camera and the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with Google Earth data. Mechanism of the work can be summarized in four steps. Firstly, photogrammetry planning to determine suitable baselines from object and location of targets that measured using GPS and Total station devices. Secondly, collect images using close range photogrammetry technique. Thirdly, processing step to create the 3D model and integrated with Google Earth images using the Agi Photoscan software. Finally, Comparative and evaluation stage to derive the accuracy and quality of the model obtained from this study using statistical analysis method. Regarding this Study, University of Baghdad, central library was selected as the case study. The results of this paper show that the low cost 3D model resulted from integrating  phone and Google Earth images gave suitable result with mean accuracy level reached to about less than 5 meters compared with DSLR camera result, this may be used for several applications such as  culture heritage and architecture documentation

Definitive salvage chemotherapy for the treatment of refractory/relapsed non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a single center experience

Objective: Non Hodgkin Lymphomas (NHL)s are a group of malignancies which affect the lymphatic system. A significant proportion of NHL patients experience either relapse or failure of treatment which is called refractory disease. Relapsed or refractory NHL usually have poor prognosis due to shortage of randomized trials comparing efficacy of different treatment protocols to define the optimal salvage chemotherapy regimen in these cases. In this study, we are trying to define the best salvage chemotherapy regimen with low toxicity and better quality of life for patients by comparing outcome of 2 salvage chemotherapy regimens GDP & DHAP.Patients and methods: 100 patients diagnosed as relapsed or refractory NHL were randomly assigned to receive either Gemcitabine, Dexamethasone and Cisplatin (GDP) or Dexamethasone, Cytarabine and Cysplatin (DHAP) for 4 to 6 cycles. Primary endpoints of the study were overall survival and progression free survival. Secondary endpoints were response to treatment, toxicity profile of each regimen, and quality of life assessment.Results: The overall response rate was 70% in GDP group & 64% in DHAP group with no statistically significant difference between them (p-value 0.5). There was no significant difference between both groups regarding toxicity profile except in febrile neutropenia episodes which was much less in GDP group (p-value 0.04). Quality of life was better in GDP group than DHAP with significant difference (p-value < 0.05). There was no statistical significant difference between both groups regarding OS or PFS.Conclusion: GDP is as effective as DHAP for relapsed or refractory lymphoma with less toxicity and better quality of life.Keywords: DHAP, GDP, NHL, Relapsed, Refractory lymphom

Assessment of Activities’ Criticality to Cash-Flow Parameters

Cash flow modeling is a very useful financial management tool that contractors use to run a sustained business. Contractors manage multiple activities within a single project. The activities’ start times are the inherent variables which determine the values of periodical negative cumulative balances and the other cash-flow parameters of cash flow model. Since the start times of activities vary while the dependency is maintained, in any given schedule the maximum value of the negative cumulative balance varies, as do the values of the other cash-flow parameters. This work reveals a system that can identify those activities that have the most influence on cash flow. The Monte Carlo Simulation technique has been employed here to generate schedules and their associated cash flow models for a case study by randomly specifying the activities’ start times between their respective early and late start times. Uniform discrete probability distributions are assumed for the activities’ start times, with the minimum and maximum values representing the early and late start times, respectively. In addition to the randomness of the activities’ start times, the simulation model considered the stochastic nature of the periodic cash in and cash out transactions in the cash flow model by adjusting their values to account for the impact of 43 qualitative factors identified in an earlier study. The @RISK commercial software was used to implement the simulation of the cash flow model built in an MS-Excel environment. Upon completing the specified number of runs, @RISK displays the probability distributions for the cash-flow parameters including the financing costs, maximum negative cumulative balance, project duration, and project profit. In addition, three scenarios are defined; each incorporating a different number of qualitative factors which impact the project cash inflow and cash outflow transactions. Scenario I incorporates none, Scenario II incorporates six factors impacting cash inflow transactions and nine factors impacting cash out flow transactions, and scenario III incorporates all of the qualitative factors that impact cash inflow and cash outflow transactions. Moreover, the ranges of the activities’ start times have been extended by supplementing the total floats with extension increments for the three scenarios. The results are presented and analyzed based on the three scenarios. The activities’ criticality to cash-flow parameters is assessed by evaluating the number of times a given activity determined a particular cash-flow parameter over the number of runs. This criticality measurement offers project managers very useful criteria with which to identify the activities that are most urgent to be completed on time

Integrated NDE Methods Using Data Fusion-For Bridge Condition Assessment

Bridge management system (BMS) is an effective mean for managing bridges throughout their design life. BMS requires accurate collection of data pertinent to bridge conditions. Non Destructive Evaluation methods (NDE) are automated accurate tools used in BMS to supplement visual inspection. This research provides overview of current practices in bridge inspection and in-depth study of thirteen NDE methods for condition assessment of concrete bridges and eleven for structural steel bridges. The unique characteristics, advantages and limitations of each method are identified along with feedback on their use in practice. Comparative study of current practices in bridge condition rating, with emphasis on the United States and Canada is also performed. The study includes 4 main criteria: inspection levels, inspection principles, inspection frequencies and numerical ratings for 4 provinces and states in North America and 5 countries outside North America. Considerable work has been carried out using a number of sensing technologies for condition assessment of civil infrastructure. Fewer efforts, however, have been directed for integrating the use of these technologies. This research presents a newly developed method for automated condition assessment and rating of concrete bridge decks. The method integrates the use of ground penetrating radar (GPR) and infrared thermography (IR) technologies. It utilizes data fusion at pixel and feature levels to improve the accuracy of detecting defects and, accordingly, that of condition assessment. Dynamic Bayesian Network (DBN) is utilized at the decision level of data fusion to overcome cited limitations of Markov chain type models in predicting bridge conditions based on prior inspection results. Pixel level image fusion is applied to assess the condition of a bridge deck in Montreal, Canada using GPR and IR inspection results. GPR data are displayed as 3D from 24 scans equally spaced by 0.33m to interpret a section of the bridge deck surface. The GPR data is fused with IR images using wavelet transform technique. Four scenarios based on image processing are studied and their application before and after data fusion is assessed in relation to accuracy of the employed fusion process. Analysis of the results showed that bridge condition assessment can be improved with image fusion and, accordingly, support inspectors in interpretation of the results obtained. The results also indicate that predicted bridge deck condition using the developed method is very close to the actual condition assessment and rating reported by independent inspection. The developed method was also applied and validated using three case studies of reinforced concrete bridge decks. Data and measurements of multiple NDE methods are extracted from Iowa, Highway research board project, 2011. The method utilizes data collected from ground penetrating radar (GPR), impact echo (IE), Half-cell potential (HCP) and electrical resistivity (ER). The analysis results of the three cases indicate that each level of data fusion has its unique advantage. The power of pixel level fusion lies in combining the location of bridge deck deterioration in one map as it appears in the fused image. While, feature fusion works in identification of specific types of defects, such as corrosion, delamination and deterioration. The main findings of this research recommend utilization of data fusion within two levels as a new method to facilitate and enhance the capabilities of inspectors in interpretation of the results obtained. To demonstrate the use of the developed method and its model at the decision level of data fusion an additional case study of a bridge deck in New Jersey, USA is selected. Measurements of NDE methods for years 2008 and 2013 for that bridge deck are used as input to the developed method. The developed method is expected to improve current practice in forecasting bridge deck deterioration and in estimating the frequency of inspection. The results generated from the developed method demonstrate its comprehensive and relatively more accurate diagnostics of defects

The Effect of Thickness And Accelerated Aging on Opalescence of Different Ceramic Materials

Purpose: The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of ceramic material type and thickness on opalescence before and after accelerated aging. Materials and methods: 180 all-ceramic slices were divided into three groups (n=60) according to the ceramic material (InCoris TZI, Empress CAD HT, and Empress CAD LT). Each group was further subdivided into four subgroups (n = 15) according to their thickness (0.5 mm, 0.8 mm, 1 mm and 1.2 mm).). CIE Lab coordinates were measured for each slice against black and white backgrounds using intraoral spectrophotometer and OP was calculated. All specimens were subjected to accelerated aging using autoclave (134 ºC, 0.2 MPa for 5 h) and OP was calculated after accelerated aging. Repeated ANOVA combined with a Tukey-post hoc test were used to analyze the data obtained (P ≤ 0.05). Results: The results showed that ceramic material type and thickness have significant effect on opalescence with OP values (from 4.4±1.2 to 7.1±1.7) for InCoris TZI, (from 4.1±0.28 to 5.7±0.36) for CAD HT, and (from 5.9±0.7 to 8.7±4.6) for CAD LT, while the effect of accelerated aging was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The dental ceramic type affected the opalescence with Empress CAD HT showing the highest OP values. Increasing the thickness caused an increase in the opalescence of leucite reinforced glass ceramic, while it decreased the opalescence of zirconia. Therefore, manufactures should develop all-ceramic materials that can simulate the opalescence of natural teeth especially in esthetic ceramic restoration with lower thickness

The Interaction between Virtual Reality Glasses Tracking Types and Cognitive Style to Develop English Vocabulary Skills and Immersion among Primary Stages Pupils with Learning Difficulties

This paper focuses on measuring the impact of interaction between virtual reality glasses tracking types (Positional - Rotational) and cognitive styles (Impulsivity - Reflectivity) to develop English vocabulary skills among primary-stage pupils with learning difficulties. Five instruments were utilized in the research process and the results reported the test. English vocabulary checklists were employed to identify the vocabulary that will be used in the course of the  research. The test are as follows: an English test to identify the learning difficulties of students in the English Language, the test of mental ability to identify the IQ mean scores of students, a standard test of Kagan to measure the cognitive style (Impulsivity - Reflectivity), and pre and post-English vocabulary achievement test. However, immersion scale and the suggested English vocabulary skills program depend on positional - rotational tracking type. The participants were students in grade five and their number is 89 from the primary stage at Tarek Ibn Zaid school, Minia, Egypt. Using four groups of quasi-experimental design, the research followed applying tests of mental ability, English test to identify difficulties, and Cognitive style test of Kagan. It also followed a pre and post-testing procedure before and after applying for the virtual reality program and applying the immersion scale at the end of the program. The quantitative results of the study indicated that there was no interaction between virtual reality glasses tracking type (Positional - Rotational) because of the lack of direct relationship between cognitive style and virtual reality glasses tracking type, especially in immersion with learning and acquiring English vocabulary skills, and that there is no preferred pattern for virtual reality glasses tracking type with one of the cognitive methods that was dealt with in the research. This is most especially in learning and acquiring English vocabulary skills

Spirulina Ameliorates Oxidative Damage and Inflammation in Rotenone-Induced Neurotoxicity in Male Mice

Background: Rotenone, a chemical compound produced naturally by leguminous plants, has conventionally been used as a pesticide by blocking the uptake of oxygen by body cells. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of spirulina on oxidative damage, inflammation, and neurotoxicity in male mice treated by rotenone.Methods: The experimental animals were divided into 5 groups. Group (I) served as control that received Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO); Group (II) mice treated with rotenone (1.5 mg/kg, s.c.3 times per week); Group (III) mice received rotenone/L-dopa (25 mg/kg, P.O. daily); Group (IV) and Group (V) mice were treated with rotenone/spirulina (200 and 400 mg/kg, P.O. daily) respectively for two weeks.Results: Rotenone-treated mice indicated impaired motor coordination and activity in wire hanging, wood walking, open field, and stair tests. Furthermore, rotenone treatment caused elevation in striatal levels of Malondialdehyde (MDA), Nitric Oxide (NO), Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF-α), Interleukin -1 beta (IL-1β), and caspase 3 and decrement in Bcl-2; dopamine and Glutathione (GSH) levels. Moreover, severe neuronal degeneration, striatal DNA fragmentation, and increased striatal 8-OHdG levels and MTH1 expression in the rotenone group. Additionally, spirulina treatment prevented rotenone-induced motor deficits striatal DNA fragmentation and demonstrated good restoration of the substantial neurons with reservation of the typical dark appearance. Besides, rotenone-induced biochemical changes were ameliorated by spirulina treatment as dopamine, Bcl-2, and GSH levels were increased, and striatal MDA, TNF-α, IL-1β, and caspase 3 levels were decreased.Conclusion: Natural products like spirulina could reverse rotenone-induced neurotoxicity in male mice due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties

Exploring the Attitude of ESP Learners towards Using Mind Mapping in Learning Vocabulary

The current study aims at exploring the attitude of ESP students towards using mind mapping in learning vocabulary. The research design is quasi-experimental. The sample of the study consisted of 29 students from the college of engineering at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Egypt. A questionnaire was used to investigate the attitude of students towards using mind maps in learning ESP vocabulary. The results of the study revealed that students were interested in using the mind mapping strategy in learning ESP vocabulary and the significant features of mind map; namely: colours, branches and pictures. Based on the findings, it is recommended that researchers delve deep into studying the mind mapping strategy and its relation to students’ learning preferences and that teachers apply them when teaching vocabulary items. The researcher also recommends a model to evaluate vocabulary learning techniques that can be used in future studies