Sub-Microarcsecond Astrometry with SIM-Lite: A Testbed-based Performance Assessment

SIM-Lite is an astrometric interferometer being designed for sub-microarcsecond astrometry, with a wide range of applications from searches for Earth-analogs to determining the distribution of dark matter. SIM-Lite measurements can be limited by random and systematic errors, as well as astrophysical noise. In this paper we focus on instrument systematic errors and report results from SIM-Lite's interferometer testbed. We find that, for narrow-angle astrometry such as used for planet finding, the end-of-mission noise floor for SIM-Lite is below 0.035 uas.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

A framework for sustainable architecture in Iran with emphasis on the views of scholars

Development of the built environment needs to be addressed in a way that is socially and ecologically responsible. There is great urgency to make sustainable interventions in Iran, while built environments are being created without the above engagement. Lack of awareness and consensus on sustainable actions needs formulation of a framework set by scholars analyzing effects of its components in a comprehensive model. The need to develop an instrument for investigation of views of scholars has instigated the researcher to collect the necessary data through interviews and prepare a research questionnaire. Moreover, the exploratory factor analysis survey method was employed, so that structural equation can be used for modeling purposes. The results led to development of a theoretical model to describe views of sustainable architecture in Iran. Results show that environmental and productivity in the use of nature aspects of buildings is the cause of transition to sustainable architecture. Technology, construction and operations of buildings aspects as mediating variables have effects on environmental awareness as dependent variable of transition to sustainable architecture in Iran. The results can pave the path for further research in this area and orient the research priorities for sustainable architecture in Iran

Investigation of implementing a synchronization protocol under multiprocessors hierarchical scheduling

In the multi-core and multiprocessor domain, there has been considerable work done on scheduling techniques assuming that real-time tasks are independent. In practice a typical real-time system usually share logical resources among tasks. However, synchronization in the multiprocessor area has not received enough attention. In this paper we investigate the possibilities of extending multiprocessor hierarchical scheduling to support an existing synchronization protocol (FMLP) in multiprocessor systems. We discuss problems regarding implementation of the synchronization protocol under the multiprocessor hierarchical scheduling

A Comparative Analysis of IELTS and TOEFL in an Iranian Context: A Case Study of Washback of Standard Tests

Having desired results represents a type of success on what the teachers and the learners have been working on. In order to obtain the correlation of the standard tests of IELTS and TOEFL 120 applicants have been selected. They were grouped under IELTS study phase and non-IELTS study group and also TOEFL study group and non-TOEFL study group. The applicants were at C1, C2, and B2 level of CEFR in the first group and Advanced and intermediate high of ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. The applicants received treatment and took six tests along with a pretest and a post test. Therefore, there were four groups in the study as receiving the treatment and the placebo thereof.  Besides, the applicants were interviewed in order to get their ideas and personal attitudes to the success or failure of standard exams. In order to do so a questionnaire was developed and its reliability and validity was gauged. The results of the testing procedure represents more plausible scores on IELTS test results. This could be attributed to the recent trend among Iranian graduate and post graduate learners to IELTS exam. The results of the total study reveals the idea of teaching to the test and studying for the test which verifies the washback of the tests and reflects washback on teaching and learning

Government Policies and ICT Growth in Developing Countries: An Extended Design-Actuality Framework

The issue of gaps between ICT policy design and their outcomes is the subject of debate in academic research on information systems in developing countries. This paper extends the design-actuality gaps (Heeks, 2002) framework to provide a theoretical foundation for the evaluation and analyses of the gaps between government policy design and actual outcomes of the implementation of these policies. The design-actuality framework has traditionally been used in understanding success, failure and local improvisations of information systems in developing countries (Pozzebon and Heck, 2006; Gerhan and Mutula, 2007, Best and Kumar, 2008). This framework has also been used to explain success and failure of specific government projects (Gichoya, Hepworth, and Dawson, 2006). This research extends the framework to develop a theoretical foundation for government ICT policies evaluation and analysis

The supplementary irrigation effects on drought tolerance and ornamental characteristics of safflower varieties

Supplementary irrigation is a high-performance operation for increasing crop production and income of farmers in dryland conditions. In order to study the effect of supplementary irrigation on drought tolerance and ornamental characteristics of safflower genotypes an experiment was conducted in 2013-14 at North Khorasan Dryland Agricultural Research Station. The experimental design was split plot based on RCBD. Factors were included five levels of irrigation, i.e., no irrigation, irrigation at rosette stage, flowering stage, seed filling and irrigation in flowering + seed filling as the main factors, and sub factors were varieties in three levels included Feraman, Sina and Syrian. The effect of supplementary irrigation on harvest index, seed/main head, seed/sub head, thousand kernel weight and seed yield was significant. The effect of supplementary irrigation on traits: RGR, CGR, hollow seeds, number of flowers and flower size was not significant. The highest yield and harvest index were obtained with irrigation at flowering stage in "Feraman". Since the "Feraman" variety has shiny red flowers and spineless leaves, is a good plant for flower trade.Keywords: carthamus tinctorius; flower color; optimum irrigation; spineless leaf

Assessment of binding affinity between drugs and human serum albumin using nanoporous anodic alumina photonic crystals

In this study, we report an innovative approach aiming to assess the binding affinity between drug molecules and human serum albumin by combining nanoporous anodic alumina rugate filters (NAA-RFs) modified with human serum albumin (HSA) and reflectometric interference spectroscopy (RIfS). NAA-RFs are photonic crystal structures produced by sinusoidal pulse anodization of aluminum that present two characteristic optical parameters, the characteristic reflection peak (λPeak), and the effective optical thickness of the film (OTeff), which can be readily used as sensing parameters. A design of experiments strategy and an ANOVA analysis are used to establish the effect of the anodization parameters (i.e., anodization period and anodization offset) on the sensitivity of HSA-modified NAA-RFs toward indomethacin, a model drug. To this end, two sensing parameters are used, that is, shifts in the characteristic reflection peak (ΔλPeak) and changes in the effective optical thickness of the film (ΔOTeff). Subsequently, optimized NAA-RFs are used as sensing platforms to determine the binding affinity between a set of drugs (i.e., indomethacin, coumarin, sulfadymethoxine, warfarin, and salicylic acid) and HSA molecules. Our results verify that the combination of HSA-modified NAA-RFs with RIfS can be used as a portable, low-cost, and simple system for establishing the binding affinity between drugs and plasma proteins, which is a critical factor to develop efficient medicines for treating a broad range of diseases and medical conditions.Mahdieh Nemati, Abel Santos, Cheryl Suwen Law, and Dusan Losi

Search for color-suppressed B hadronic decay processes at the Υ(4S) resonance

Using 3.1fb^(-1) of data accumulated at the Υ(4S) by the CLEO-II detector, corresponding to 3.3×10^6 BB̅ pairs, we have searched for the color-suppressed B hadronic decay processes B^(0) → D^(0)(D^(*0))X^0, where X^0 is a light neutral meson π^0, ρ^0, η, η′ or ω. The D^(*0) mesons are reconstructed in D^(*0) → D^(0)π^(0) and the D^0 mesons in D^(0) → K^(-)π^(+), K^(-)π^(+)π^(0) and K^(-)π^(+)π^(+)π^(-) decay modes. No obvious signal is observed. We set 90% C.L. upper limits on these modes, varying from 1.2×10^(-4) for B^(0) → D^(0)π^(0) to 1.9×10^(-3) for B^(0) → D^(*0)η′