In the present paper, an experimental campaign is carried out with reference to the steady state propagation of an existing cut in polymeric plates, ranging from glassy to soft polymers. The steady state propagation is investigated by considering a commercial cutting tool under different insertion velocities of the blade. Full-field finite strain maps are experimentally recorded by means of digita

Recently, 3D X-Ray Diffraction (3DXRD) has been proposed as a new tool for experimental granular mechanics. The technique enables measurements of tensor strains of all the individual grain in granular assemblies under load. From the grain-strains, granular stresses can be determined and, in combination with structural information from x-ray tomography, contact forces can be inferred, thereby eluci

Towards the improvement of the understanding of force/stress distribution in granular media under load, a new experimental approach is suggested. Neutron diffraction, a non-conventional experimental technique, has been successfully used to map the evolution of intragranular strains in sand specimens loaded in a novel plane-strain apparatus. Representative preliminary results from recent experiment

In this review, we present an up-to-date phenomenological summary of research developments in the physics of the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP). A short historical perspective and theoretical motivation for this rapidly developing field of contemporary particle physics is provided. In addition, we introduce and discuss the role of the quantum chromodynamics (QCD) ground state, non-perturbative and latti

Since 2009, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) in Lebanon has been going through a major reform initiative to improve its contracting system with private and public hospitals. The private sector is the main provider of hospital care in the country and the main contractor to the MoPH for the provision of curative care. As an “insurer of last resort,” the MoPH plays an important role in providing

BackgroundChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Chronic breathlessness is a feared and distressing symptom with significant impact on daily life. Little is known of the prevalence of breathlessness at the end of life in severe COPD. International guidelines support the use of opioids to treat breathlessness, but it is unknown how comm

Given the current landscape in experimental high-energy physics, these lectures are focused on applications of event generators for hadron colliders such as the Tevatron and LHC. Much of this would also be relevant for e+e−machines like LEP, ILC and CLIC, or e±p machines like HERA, but with some differences not discussed here. Heavy-ion physics is not addressed, since it involves rather different as

We have analyzed decade-long methane flux data set from a boreal fen, Siikaneva, together with data on environmental parameters and carbon dioxide exchange. The methane flux showed seasonal cycle but no systematic diel cycle. The highest fluxes were observed in July–August with average value of 73 nmol m−2 s−1. Wintertime fluxes were small but positive, with January–March average of 6.7 nmol m−2 s