Measurements of Quarkonium Production and Polarization at CMS

The polarizations of Y(nS) (n=1,2,3) and prompt J/\psi and \psi(2S), as well as the differential cross section of the Y(nS), are measured in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, using a dimuon data sample collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 fb-1. The differential cross section is measured as a function of transverse momentum of Y(nS). The data show a transition from exponential to power-law behavior in the neighborhood of 20 GeV, and the power-law exponents for all three states are consistent. The polarization parameters \lambda\theta, \lambda\phi, and \lambda\theta\phi, as well as the frame-invariant quantity \lambda, are measured from the dimuon decay angular distributions in three different polarization frames. No evidence of large polarizations is seen in these kinematic regions, which extend much beyond those previously explored.Comment: to appear in the proceedings of The 6th International Workshop on Charm Physics (CHARM 2013

Synthesis and characterization of boron incorporated diamond-like carbon thin films

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films have been attracting significant interest from both academic and industrial communities due to their unique structures and properties. Boron (B) incorporation is very promising to modify DLC properties for electronic and mechanical applications. However, the current techniques suffer from their limitations and it’s difficult to use them to prepare high quality B incorporated DLC (B-DLC) films to meet application demands. A recently developed biased target ion beam deposition (BTIBD) technique has been applied to produce high quality DLC based films, but no work has been reported on synthesis of B-DLC films by BTIBD and their characteristics. In this work, B-DLC films were synthesized on silicon wafers using BTIBD technique, where DLC was deposited by ion beam deposition and B was simultaneously incorporated by ion beam sputtering of boron carbide (B4C) under different conditions. DLC films and B-carbon (B-C) films were also synthesized by ion beam deposition and ion beam sputtering of B4C under similar conditions, respectively, as reference samples and for estimation of B4C sputtering rate and DLC deposition rate to control the B content in B-DLC. Scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, synchrotron-based X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure were applied to investigate morphology, microstructure, chemical composition and bonding state of the films. Nanoindentation and ball-on-disc tests were conducted using a Universal Mechanical Tester to measure hardness, Young’s modulus and friction coefficient of the synthesized films. The preliminary relationships between processing conditions, film structures and properties were investigated. B-DLC thin films with different B doping levels (up to 8 wt. %) have been successfully synthesized by the BTIBD technique and the B concentration incorporated increases with the increase of target bias voltage and sputtering ion current density. It has been found that B exists in different states in B-DLC, including carbon-rich and B-rich boron carbides, boron suboxide and boron oxide, and the oxidation of B probably occurs during the film deposition. The incorporation of B into DLC leads to the increase of sp3 bonded carbon in the films, the increase of both film hardness and elastic modulus, and the decrease of both surface roughness and friction coefficient. Furthermore, the content of sp3 bonded carbon, film hardness and elastic modulus increase, and the film surface roughness and friction coefficient decrease with the increase of B-rich B-C bonding content in the B-DLC films. The results demonstrate a good promise to synthesize quality B-DLC films using BTIBD

The role of VEGF-C/D and Flt-4 in the lymphatic metastasis of early-stage invasive cervical carcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To investigate the role of vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF)-C/D and their receptor Flt-4 in the lymphatic metastasis of early-stage invasive cervical carcinoma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining with the antibodies against VEGF-C, VEGF-D, and Flt-4 was used to examine the expression of them in 97 cases of early-stage cervical carcinoma (Ia-IIa). Meanwhile, the lymphatic vessel density (LVD) was measured using the antibody against lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 (LYVE-1). We then analyzed the correlation between Flt-4-positive vessel density (FVD), LVD and clinicopathological features of the tumors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>(1) The positive rates of VEGF-C, VEGF-D, and Flt-4 were 57.7%, 60.8%, and 52.6% in the cervical tumor samples, respectively. (2) The expression levels of VEGF-C, VEGF-D, and Flt-4 were significantly correlated with lymphatic metastasis and lymphatic vessel invasion. LVD was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and lymphatic vessel invasion. On the other hand, FVD was strongly associated with clinical staging. (3) The expression levels of VEGF-C and VEGF-D were significantly correlated with LVD and FVD, while Flt-4 levels showed no correlation with LVD or FVD.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>VEGF-C/D and Flt-4 may play an important role in the process of lymphatic metastasis of early-stage invasive cervical carcinoma through paracrine and autocrine mechanisms.</p

Challenges in Embracing Green Supply Chain in Morocco's Auto Industry

As global environmental awareness grows, businesses are increasingly pressured to integrate environmentally responsible practices into their supply chains. However, the automotive industry in Morocco needs to be faster to embrace Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM). This research applies the rigorous Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach and polls industry specialists to evaluate and prioritize the most significant barriers to broad GSCM deployment in the automobile industry. The results show that financial hurdles are the most difficult to overcome, whereas technical and infrastructure hurdles are less than others. This ground-breaking study provides important insights into the barriers to GSCM implementation in Morocco's automotive industry. These results could motivate governments, business leaders, and academics to create concrete plans to address the challenges highlighted here. The primary goal of this study is to promote environmental stewardship and drive corporate growth in Morocco's automotive sector by adopting of green supply chain techniques.JEL Classification: E31, F31, C22How to Cite:Fatih, F. Z., & Zhang, L. (2023). Challenges in Embracing Green Supply Chain in Morocco’s Auto Industry. Etikonomi, 22(2), 473 – 482. https://doi.org/10.15408/etk.v22i1.31300