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Muons produced by the Bethe–Heitler process from laser wakefield accelerated electrons interacting with high
$Z$
materials have velocities close to the laser wakefield. It is possible to accelerate those muons with laser wakefield directly. Therefore for the first time we propose an all-optical ‘Generator and Booster’ scheme to accelerate the produced muons by another laser wakefield to supply a prompt, compact, low cost and controllable muon source in laser laboratories. The trapping and acceleration of muons are analyzed by one-dimensional analytic model and verified by two-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation. It is shown that muons can be trapped in a broad energy range and accelerated to higher energy than that of electrons for longer dephasing length. We further extrapolate the dependence of the maximum acceleration energy of muons with the laser wakefield relativistic factor
$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FE}$
and the relevant initial energy
$E_{0}$
. It is shown that a maximum energy up to 15.2 GeV is promising with
$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FE}=46$
and
$E_{0}=1.45~\text{GeV}$
on the existing short pulse laser facilities.
The Murchison Widefield Array (MWA), located in Western Australia, is one of the low-frequency precursors of the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project. In addition to pursuing its own ambitious science programme, it is also a testbed for wide range of future SKA activities ranging from hardware, software to data analysis. The key science programmes for the MWA and SKA require very high dynamic ranges, which challenges calibration and imaging systems. Correct calibration of the instrument and accurate measurements of source flux densities and polarisations require precise characterisation of the telescope’s primary beam. Recent results from the MWA GaLactic Extragalactic All-sky Murchison Widefield Array (GLEAM) survey show that the previously implemented Average Embedded Element (AEE) model still leaves residual polarisations errors of up to 10–20% in Stokes Q. We present a new simulation-based Full Embedded Element (FEE) model which is the most rigorous realisation yet of the MWA’s primary beam model. It enables efficient calculation of the MWA beam response in arbitrary directions without necessity of spatial interpolation. In the new model, every dipole in the MWA tile (4 × 4 bow-tie dipoles) is simulated separately, taking into account all mutual coupling, ground screen, and soil effects, and therefore accounts for the different properties of the individual dipoles within a tile. We have applied the FEE beam model to GLEAM observations at 200–231 MHz and used false Stokes parameter leakage as a metric to compare the models. We have determined that the FEE model reduced the magnitude and declination-dependent behaviour of false polarisation in Stokes Q and V while retaining low levels of false polarisation in Stokes U.
The current generation of experiments aiming to detect the neutral hydrogen signal from the Epoch of Reionisation (EoR) is likely to be limited by systematic effects associated with removing foreground sources from target fields. In this paper, we develop a model for the compact foreground sources in one of the target fields of the MWA’s EoR key science experiment: the ‘EoR1’ field. The model is based on both the MWA’s GLEAM survey and GMRT 150 MHz data from the TGSS survey, the latter providing higher angular resolution and better astrometric accuracy for compact sources than is available from the MWA alone. The model contains 5 049 sources, some of which have complicated morphology in MWA data, Fornax A being the most complex. The higher resolution data show that 13% of sources that appear point-like to the MWA have complicated morphology such as double and quad structure, with a typical separation of 33 arcsec. We derive an analytic expression for the error introduced into the EoR two-dimensional power spectrum due to peeling close double sources as single point sources and show that for the measured source properties, the error in the power spectrum is confined to high k⊥ modes that do not affect the overall result for the large-scale cosmological signal of interest. The brightest 10 mis-modelled sources in the field contribute 90% of the power bias in the data, suggesting that it is most critical to improve the models of the brightest sources. With this hybrid model, we reprocess data from the EoR1 field and show a maximum of 8% improved calibration accuracy and a factor of two reduction in residual power in k-space from peeling these sources. Implications for future EoR experiments including the SKA are discussed in relation to the improvements obtained.
Longan County is considered a highly endemic area for hepatitis B virus (HBV). The plasma-derived vaccine has been used in newborns in this area since 1987. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of this vaccine. In total, 1634 participants born during 1987–1993 and who had received a series of plasma-derived HB vaccinations at ages 0, 1, and 6 months were enrolled. Serological HBV markers were detected and compared with previous survey data. Overall the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in all participants was 3·79%; 3·47% of subjects who had received the first dose within 24 h were HBsAg positive, and 8·41% of subjects who had received a delayed first dose were also HBsAg positive. There were 1527 subjects identified who had received the first dose within 24 h and whose HBsAg and anti-HBc prevalence increased yearly after immunization, while the anti-HBs-positive rate and vaccine effectiveness declined. The geometric mean concentration of antibody in the anti-HB-positive participants was 55·13 mIU/ml and this declined after immunization. Fewer than 2·0% of participants had anti-HB levels ⩾1000 mIU/ml. The data show that the protective efficacy of the plasma-derived vaccinations declined and administration of HB vaccine within 24 h of birth was very important. To reduce the risk of HBV infection in this highly endemic area, a booster dose might be necessary if anti-HBs levels fall below 10 mIU/ml after age 18 years. Furthermore, studies on the immune memory induced by plasma-derived HB vaccine are needed.
The lithium abundance of KIC 11395018 and KIC 10920273 are not compatible with their age, which is deduced by asteroseismology. To explain this phenomenon, we investigate the possible evolutionary status and perform seismological analysis of the three stars KIC 11395018, KIC 10273246 and KIC 10920273. Using the Yale Rotating Stellar Evolution Code (YREC), we constructed a grid of evolutionary tracks with different input physics and rotation rates. In addition to the conventional observed properties, we added two observed constraints: lithium abundance and rotational period. As a result, the lithium abundance of our rotation models agrees well with the observation. Meanwhile, we obtained a set of more accurate stellar fundamental parameters than previous studies.
The relationship between recurrent major depression (MD) in women and suicidality is complex. We investigated the extent to which patients who suffered with various forms of suicidal symptomatology can be distinguished from those subjects without such symptoms.
Method
We examined the clinical features of the worst episode in 1970 Han Chinese women with recurrent DSM-IV MD between the ages of 30 and 60 years from across China. Student's t tests, and logistic and multiple logistic regression models were used to determine the association between suicidality and other clinical features of MD.
Results
Suicidal symptomatology is significantly associated with a more severe form of MD, as indexed by both the number of episodes and number of MD symptoms. Patients reporting suicidal thoughts, plans or attempts experienced a significantly greater number of stressful life events. The depressive symptom most strongly associated with lifetime suicide attempt was feelings of worthlessness (odds ratio 4.25, 95% confidence interval 2.9–6.3). Excessive guilt, diminished concentration and impaired decision-making were also significantly associated with a suicide attempt.
Conclusions
This study contributes to the existing literature on risk factors for suicidal symptomatology in depressed women. Identifying specific depressive symptoms and co-morbid psychiatric disorders may help improve the clinical assessment of suicide risk in depressed patients. These findings could be helpful in identifying those who need more intense treatment strategies in order to prevent suicide.
A universal hepatitis B vaccination programme has been conducted in Long An county since 1986. To investigate the epidemiological changes in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection we conducted a serosurvey there in 2005. A total of 4686 subjects were enrolled and vaccination history and blood samples collected. HBV infective markers were determined by radioimmunoassay. The results were compared with the data of 1985. Our results show that the overall HBsAg prevalence was 7·5%, less than half of the prevalence reported in 1985. HBsAg and anti-HBc antibody prevalence in people born after 1985 decreased markedly. The gender difference in HBsAg prevalence was abolished in subjects aged <20 years. The administration of a first dose of vaccine within 24 h could reduce the HBsAg prevalence by half. In conclusion, the marked epidemiological changes in HBV prevalence found in this serosurvey indicate that the implementation of HBV vaccination was highly successful.
Asteroseismology is a powerful tool to help determining the internal structure of the stars. Solar-like oscillations have been discovered in the G9.5 red giant ϵ Ophiuchi, and it opened up a new part of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram to be explored with asteroseismic techniques. We present the detailed study of the properties of ϵ Oph including convective overshooting and extra-mixing.
Asteroseismology, as a tool to use the indirect information contained in stellar oscillations to probe the stellar interiors, is an active field of research presently. Stellar age, as a fundamental property of star apart from its mass, is most difficult to estimate. In addition, the estimating of stellar age can provide the chance to study the time evolution of astronomical phenomena. In our poster, we summarize our previous work and further present a method to determine age of low-mass main-sequence star.
Diet validation research was conducted to compare the respondents' reporting of dietary intake in a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with intake reported in food recalls. Because the population received annual salary increments that could modify food intake, diet validation studies (DVSs) were conducted during two time intervals.
Design
A 99-item FFQ was administered by an interviewer twice in a 1-year interval, and responses to each FFQ item were compared with 28 days of interviewer-administered food recalls that were collected in four 1-week intervals during each season of 1992/93. The second validation study in 1995/96 had a similar design to the earlier one.
Setting
A prospective cohort study of lung cancer among tin miners in China was initiated in 1992, with dietary and other risk factors updated annually.
Subjects
Among a cohort of high risk tin miners for lung cancer, two different samples (n = 141 in 1992/93, and n = 113 in 1995/96) for each diet validation study were randomly selected from four mine units, that were representative of all worker units.
Results
Miners reported a significantly higher average frequency of intake of foods in the food recalls than the FFQ, with few exceptions. Deattenuated Pearson correlation coefficients of the frequency of food intake between the FFQ and food recalls were in the range of –0.40 to 0.72 in both studies, with higher positive correlations for beverages and cereal staples than for animal protein sources, vegetables, fruits and legumes. The percentage of individuals with exact agreement in the extreme quartiles of intake in the food recalls and FFQ ranged from 0 to 100% in both studies.
Conclusions
Among Chinese miners, the range in correlations between the food recalls and the FFQ were due to: (i) market availability of foods during the food recall weeks compared to their annual reported intake in the FFQ; (ii) cultural perception of time; and (iii) differences in how the intake of mixed dishes and their multi-ingredient foods were reported in the recalls vs. the FFQ. The range in the percentage of agreement in the same quartiles and the changes in food intake over time may have implications for the analysis of the diet-disease relationship in this cohort.
We report the effects of growth conditions on the strain and crystalline quality of lowtemperature (LT) grown GaP films by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy. At temperatures below 160 °C, poly-crystalline GaP films are always obtained, regardless of the PH3 low rate used, while at temperatures above 160 °C, the material quality is affected by the PH3 flow rate. Contrary to compressively strained LT GaAs, high-resolution X-ray rocking curve measurement indicates a tensile strain of the LT GaP films, which is considered to be due to PGa antisite defects. The strain is found to be affected by the PH3 flow rate, the growth temperature, and post-growth annealing. Contrary to LT GaAs, no P precipitates are observed in cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy.
The fabrication and optical properties of an erbium-doped gallium phosphide microdisk resonator pumped by a Ti-sapphire laser at 980 nm were investigated. Enhanced Er3+ intra-4f-shell photoluminescence was observed in the microdisk resonator compared to a thin film, and is attributed to a microcavity effect. At low pumping power intensity, the photoluminescence from erbium-doped gallium phosphide microdisks is an order of magnitude more intense than that from a thin film sample.
The thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of a material is a measure the usefulness of the material in a thermoelectric device. Presently, the materials with the highest ZT are Bi2Te3 alloys, with ZT ≃ 1. There has been little improvement in ZT for over 30 years. So far, all the materials used in thermoelectric applications have been in bulk form. Recently, however, calculations have shown that it may be possible to increase ZT of some materials through the use of quantum-well superlattices. We have made preliminary measurements on the Bi/PbTe superlattice system using transport and optical techniques to determine whether it is possible to achieve such an increase in ZT.
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